a new set of Famous Flames—J.W Archer, Louis Madison, and Bill Hollings—it appeared his career had stalled, until “Try Me” became a Number One R&B hit in 1958. Reinvigorated, Brown got his first-ever booking at the Apollo Theatre in New York, where he knew he needed the tight vocal and visual support only a permanent set of Flames could deliver. Right under his nose were “Baby” Lloyd Stallworth, a young valet who could sing a bit, and Bobby Bennett, a roadie who showed promise as a dancer and could handle a cape routine during the finale. Johnny Terry, a cowriter with Brown on “Please, Please, Please,” was still around, too. What they needed was a coach. Brown told Brantley that only one man could handle the job: the originator, Bobby Byrd. Byrd became more than the coach; he re-emerged as Browns musical collaborator, foil, and the most-recognizable co-lead singer for the next several years. Debuting on record with the October 1959 release “Good Good Lovin,’ ” the new unit^ j FROM TOPOKfiy ; Bennett, Byrd, and Stallworth, with ftagtih, Hai®ik Ballard, guhfiftetCfit Terry acting as a stage sub and studio éreèfi, and Lawson SmlfiMoclkwis® vocalist as needed—became the best- Bâpa-rd, Nofp&ri known incarnation of the Famous Thra^Hp, Bo®îfi, and Smith -Ifti White, fciffi lilftl, 1 9ê7.11 Flames, shimmying into Star Time right alongside Soul Brother Number One. You hear them providing the crucial backdrop to Brown’s incendiary performances on Live at the Apollo (Vols. 1 and 2); you see them on The THE MIDNIGHTERS TA.M .I Show, Shi Party, and The Ed Sullivan Show. Their final appearance on record was “Maybe the Last Time,” the To see how vocal groups helped form the music that would throwback flip side to “Out of Sight,” a 1964 single, although come to be known as rock & roll, one need only look to the Famous Flames remained onstage and their artist credit Detroit’s the Midnighters. As the Four Falcons in late remained on record releases through the summer of 1968. 1950/early 1951, the vocal group initially consisted of lead Byrd, who also issued several solo singles, stayed with the singers Henry Booth and Charles Sutton, harmony vocalists Brown entourage for years after. As cowriter and co-vocalist Lawson Smith and Sonny Woods, and guitarist Alonzo of Brown hits “Licking Stick-Licking Stick,” “Get Up (I Feel Tucker. A solid live act very similar to the silky-smooth T .ike Being a) Sex Machine,” and “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Orioles, the group changed its name to the Royals and was Involved” and as the leader of his own 1970s releases, “I Know signed to Federal Records in 1952 by Johnny Otis. It did Abu Got Soul” and “I Need Help (I Can’t Do It Alone),” he not distinguish itself, however, until Hank Ballard replaced is likely the second-most sampled voice in pop music history Smith in 1953. behind Brown. Byrd, who married Brown vocalist Vicki Ballard, a 16-year-old assembly-line worker from Anderson, died of cancer in 2007, at age 73. Baby Lloyd Alabama, had the gumption to fuse raunchy lyrics with Stallworth had a couple of minor solo appearances; he died in gospel harmonies and rhythms, bringing grit and edginess 2001. Bobby Bennett also issued a solo single. Johnny Terry, to the Royals’ slick presentation. His first composition for seen with James on the cover of the live LP Pure Dynamite, the group—the suggestive “Get It” —was banned by several remained with the show on and off in various capacities stations, yet still went to Number Six on the B illboard R&B through the years. chart. To avoid confusion with another rising vocal group from North Carolina called the Royals, they renamed H .W . WITH CLIFF WHITE themselves the Midnighters. (And Carolina’s Royals became the “5” Royales.) The peak year for the Midnighters was 1954. Ballard’s “Work With Me Annie” and sequels, “Annie Had a Baby” v i f • Xi sek s rr o lfl 1954 leftl, fr@rotop ise Isfeekw as hle sldf ter euain s iktkr, and risk-takers, as reputation their solidify helped Ways” being banned by the FCC . That same year, the hit “Sexy “Sexy hit the year, same That . FCC the by banned being Charies Sut|in/W 0®i
r . b 'W . w. Wht, n oes n i cui Eesn Sny Rogers, “Sonny” Emerson cousin his and Rogers and hite, -W THE MIRACLES Gordy’s first group, before he started Motown Records. Records. urgent Motown softly the scouts, talent and his started anchor his were he They before group, first Gordy’s choir behind his—and their—ambitions. William “Smokey” “Smokey” William their—ambitions. his—and behind choir Berry were They Miracles. the were there beginning, the In Robinson was the Miracles’ lead singer, their chief songwriter, singer,lead chief their Miracles’ was the Robinson n eetal hi rdcr ihhm bhn hm his him behind him, With producer. their eventually and baritone, a harmony whiz, and intellectual nicknamed “Mr. “Mr. nicknamed intellectual and whiz, harmony a baritone, a White, “Ronnie” Ronald 13; were they since neighborhood a bass singer whom Smokey had known around their Detroit Detroit their around known had Smokey singer a whom bass Moore, Warren“Pete” called them—were Smokey “partners,” Exact,” who introduced the group to modern jazz; Robert Robert jazz; modern to group the introduced who Exact,” their choreographer; and Claudette Rogers, Bobby’s younger younger Bobby’s Rogers, and Claudette choreographer; their cousin, a soprano/first tenor/alto, smart, cute, their den den their cute, smart, tenor/alto, soprano/first a cousin, and life, f o lover tenor, second suave the Rogers, “Bobby” ih col te wr a rdc o Dtots ih musical rich Detroit’s of product a were they school, high Robinson. Mrs. and future and secretary— mother Wilson’s manager and creative team loomed, Sonny Rogers Rogers Sonny loomed, team creative and manager Wilson’s swirling on every comer. first At they were the Five Chimes, with and jazz pop harmoniesand doo-wop with atmosphere—thick jumped to the Army, forcing Robinson to find a replacement a find to Robinson forcing Army, the to jumped they they were the sharp-suited Matadors a with matching girl group, with then, record; to chance a get didn’t who members other Job,” in late 1958. He cut a few more, all leased to other labels, other all to a more, leased cut few He 1958. in late Job,” the Matador-ettes. But as an important audition with Jackie Jackie with audition important an as But Matador-ettes. the from the Matador-ettes: Sonny Rogers’ sister, Claudette. Claudette. sister, Rogers’ in Already love, she Sonny and Robinson were a vocal match, too. Matador-ettes: the from A full decade older than the members of the group, Gordy Gordy group, the of members the than older decade full A grabbed them up, pored over the lead singer’s notebook of of notebook singer’s lead the over pored up, them grabbed ordyjr. G Berry songwriter, Wilson’s Jackie was room that i ftr. e rdcd h Mrce’ is rcr, Gt a “Got record, first Miracles’ the produced He future. saw his and name, their change Matadors the requested lyrics, but no income, Robinson told Gordy to stop leasing and put put and leasing stop to Gordy told Robinson income, no but locally issued been first had which Girl,” “Bad one, including on his own Motown Records. When it got national attention attention national got it When Records. Motown own his on Around,” with its incisive incisive its with Around,” on the company’s Tamla label. Tamla company’s on the group star the became Miracles The himself. records the out Marvin Tarplin, whom Smokey had heard at an audition for for audition an at heard had Smokey whom Tarplin, Marvin part of the vocal group, he was a Miracle and the cowriter of of cowriter the and a Miracle was he group, vocal the a of not part Though Supremes. the became later that group girl a mix and a was songwriter, guitarist in Miracles’ the New i960. the group’s hits “The Tracks of M y Tears,” “Going to a Go- Go- a to “Going Tears,” y M of Tracks “The hits group’s the including two hits produced and cowritten with Robinson for for Robinson with and cowritten produced hits two including others, and a Mirage,” Was in You Saw Just I Love “The Go,” collaborated with Robinson and Tarplin on the group’s hits group’s the on Tarplin and Robinson with collaborated Marvin Gaye, “Ain’t That Peculiar” and “I’ll Be Doggone.” Be “I’ll and Peculiar” That “Ain’t Gaye, Marvin Formed in 1957, when they were teenagers barely out of of out barely teenagers were they when 1957, in Formed h adto ws fo. u stig nnmul in anonymously sitting But flop. a was audition The Motown’s first national Number One, the Miracles’ “Shop “Shop Miracles’ the One, Number national first Motown’s Other Miracles were songwriters, too. Pete Moore Moore Pete too. songwriters, were Miracles Other “shop?’ on the harmonies, hit in in late hit harmonies, on the