The Charades
| The Charades | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, Doo-wop, Surf music |
| Years active | 1960s |
| Labels | Northridge, Impact Records, MGM |
| Associated acts |
The Latin Knights The Rhythm Aces |
| Website | www.charademusic.com |
| Past members |
Johnny T.Johnson Syl Grigsby Alex Pilkinton Levern Butler Ray Baradat |
The Charades were a group who were active in California in the early to mid 1960s and released a number of singles.
Background
They started out in the late 1950s under the name The Latin Knights. The Charades were popular in the San Joaquin Valley in California doing local functions etc.[1] The name was changed to The Charades in 1962.[2] By 1962, they had signed with Anthony J. Hilder.[3] They had their first release on Northridge Records. Another label they had a release on was Äva Records which was owned by Fred Astaire.[4] Hilder who in those days was called Tony Hilder is credited ads co-composer and producer of "Please Be My Love Tonight" which was the A side of the single. Robert Hafner was the credited as co-composer for the B side.[5][6] Other 45 releases were on Original Sound Records[7] and Impact Records.[8] They recorded a single for the Skylark label. The single "Flamingo" actually featured Los Angeles vocalist Billy Storm on lead. Storm also co-produced the single.[9]
At one stage the group was joined by Tom Johnston who would go on to become a member of The Doobie Brothers.[10]
Note: There was a group from Nashville bearing the same name that released a politically motivated single in 1966, "Hammers and Sickles" / "Left Wing Bird" - Monument 921. They were unrelated. [11][12]
Later years
Their 1966 recording "The Key To My Happiness" has become a Northern Soul favorite, and is in Ian Levine's all-time Top Ten Northern Soul sounds list.[13] It is also in the top-ten list of Northern Soul fillers as picked by Wigan Casino DJ Richard Searling.[14] As recorded on the Popsike website, in a 2007 eBay auction, a black label version of the MGM release of the song went for a tasty £350.[15]
The Charades, with original members Ray Baradat and Syl Grigsby, continue to perform and record. The group has two CD release in 2010 "Connections" and a release in 2015 "Echoes of Yesterday".
Members
- Johnny T.Johnson (Tenor,Lead)
- Syl Grigsby (Falsetto,Baritone,Lead)
- Alex Pilkinton (Bass,Baritone,Lead)* Levern Butler (Baritone)
- Ray Baradat (Tenor,Baritone)
Discography
Singles
| Title | Label and cat | Year | Notes # |
|---|---|---|---|
| "For You" / "Surf 'n Stomp" | Northridge 2002 | 1962 | [16] |
| "Christina" / "Sophia" | Impact Records 32 | 1962 | [17] |
| "Be My Love Tonight" / "Turn Him Down" | AVA 154 | 1963 | |
| "Flamingo" / "Someone's In The Kitchen With Dinah" | Skylark 45-502 | 1964 | [18] |
| "Take A Chance" / "Close To Me" | Original Sound 47 | 1964 | [19] |
| "He's Not Your Boyfriend" / "Hey, Operator" | Warner Bros. Records 5415 | 1964 | |
| "Can't Make It Without You" / "Love Of My Life" | Okeh 7155 | [20] | |
| "Power Of Love" / "You're With Me All The Way" | Mercury 72414 | 1965 | |
| "The Key To My Happiness" / "Weeping Cup" | MGM K13540 | 1966 | |
| "Never Set Me Free" / "Don't Want To Lose You" | MGM K13584 | 1966 | |
| "Dreaming Up A World Of Fantasy" / "Dreaming Up A World Of Fantasy" (Instrumental) | Eiffel EF 1005-B | [21] | |
| "Darling Believe Him" / "You Better Believe It" | Harlem Hitparade HHP-5009 | 1973 | [22] |
| "All My Love" / "Bad Lolita" | Charade Records 501 | 1975 | From the movie Black Lolita |
| "Corruption" / "Corruption" (Instrumental) | Charade Records | 1976 | [23] |
| Artist & title A | Artist & title B | Label and cat | Year | Notes # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Charades - "Please Be My Love Tonight" | Charlie And Ray - "Love You Madly" | Collectables "Back To Back Hit Series" COL 4040 | ||
| Admirations - "Bells Of Rosa Rita" | Charades - "Please Be My Love Tonight" | Popular Request 107 | [24] | |
| The Charades – "The Key To My Happiness" | The Scott Brothers - "My Day Has Come" | Stardust Records – URS 014 | [25] | |
Albums
| Album title | Label and cat | Year | Format | Notes # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corruption | LP | Produced by Art Stewart[26] | ||
| Looking Like Love | Charade Records CLP 8702 | 1987 | LP | [27][28] |
| Looking Like Love | Charade Records CLP 8702 | 1987 | Cassette | Engineered by Bryan "BC" Campbell[29] |
| Looking Like Love | 1987 | CD | ||
| Please Be My Love Tonight | Collectables COL-5728 | 1996 | CD | [30] |
| The Imaginations meet The Charades | Collectables COLCD 1438 | 2009 | CD | Imaginations and the Charades[31][32] |
| Connections | CCD-2010 | 2010 | CD | Produced, engineered by Art Stewart[33] |
| Echoes of Yesterday | CCD-2015 | 2015 | CD | [34] |
Links
References
- ↑ Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups by Mitch Rosalsky Chaps. 73 Charades (Los Angeles)
- ↑ The Brymers website - 1960's ROCK-N-Roll BANDS - FROM THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY (1960 - 1970) - Rampage
- ↑ White doo-wop collector THE CHARADES_Turn Him Down
- ↑ Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups by Mitch Rosalsky Chaps. 73 Charades (Los Angeles)
- ↑ 45Cat C-154
- ↑ Artist direct The Charades Please Be My Love Tonight
- ↑ Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups by Mitch Rosalsky Chaps. 73 Charades (Los Angeles)
- ↑ Global Dog Productions 45 Discography for Impact Records
- ↑ Office Naps Vocal group exotica
- ↑ Milwaukee Sentinel July 21, 1973 *** Young America *** Part 1 Page 7, Doobies' Basic Rock Conquers All By Martin Hintz
- ↑ http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/monument.htm Monument Records
- ↑ Atomic Platters Hammers And Sickles: The Charades [1966]
- ↑ The Story of Northern Soul: A Definitive History of the Dance Scene that Refuses to Die by David Nowell Chapter 4 Turn the Beat Around
- ↑ Manchester Evening News 17 Oct 2014 Wigan Casino DJ Richard Searling picks his top ten northern soul floor-fillers
- ↑ Popsike Northern Soul : THE CHARADES - KEY TO MY HAPPINESS
- ↑ Popsike auction details > CHARADES 45 For You 1962 Doo Wop SURF Northridge
- ↑ Global Dog Productions 45 Discography for Impact Records
- ↑ 45Cat The Charades - Discography
- ↑ Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups by Mitch Rosalsky Page 73 Charades (Los Angeles)
- ↑ The Rock & Country Encyclopedia & Discography Charades
- ↑ Discogs Charades, The – Dreaming Up A World Of Fantasy
- ↑ 45Cat The Charades - Discography
- ↑ Popsike Rare California Funk 45 - THE CHARADES (Charade) Corruption
- ↑ 45Cat The Charades - Discography
- ↑ Discogs Charades, The / Scott Brothers, The – The Key To My Happiness / My Day Has Come
- ↑ Charades website Charades History
- ↑ The Charades website Charades History
- ↑ Discogs Charades, The – Looking Like Love
- ↑ The Charades website Charades History
- ↑ All Music The Charades Please Be My Love Tonight
- ↑ Allmusic The Charades/Imaginations The Imaginations meet The Charades
- ↑ The Rock & Country Encyclopedia & Discography Charades
- ↑ All Music Connections, Credits
- ↑ cdbaby The Charades