Windy City Harmony: the Calvaes, Blenders and Accents
South Side Harmony in the Windy City: The Calvaes, Blenders & Accents Stories by Charlie Horner With contributions from Pamela Horner and Val Shively Group Harmony on Chicago’s South Side The exact boundaries of Chicago’s South Side have changed over the years and vary slightly according to who you ask. In general, when someone talks about the South Side they’re referring to the area of the city south of the Loop. During the first half of the Twentieth Century, hun- dreds of thousands of African-Americans migrated from the Deep South to Chicago, making the South Side their home. The South Side has been home to Blues, Gospel and plenty of great Jazz. It’s been home to dozens of vocal groups, too, from the Soul Stirrers to the Chi-Lites. Of all the areas that have produced vocal groups, the Chicago’s South Side rates among the highest. A list of 1950’s groups from this fertile area would include the El Dorados, Five Chances, Five Ech- oes, Flamingos, Five Thrills, Orchids, Dukays, Sheppards, Pastels, Fortunes, Maples, Danderliers, Moroccos, Magnifi- cents, Rip Chords, Calvaes, Four Gents, Quintones, Debo- nairs, Nobles, Belvederes and countless others. “Solly McElroy and the Moroccos, the Danderliers… They were all right here on the South Side,” recalled Chicago vocalist Zeke Brown. “I knew the El Dorados. And the Five Chances. I grew up with these guys. We all used to meet and we’d be at shows. And Tommy Hunt of the Echoes. Tommy Hunt is the one who showed us how to do routines.
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