The Ravens

An African-American vocal group from New York City, New York, USA. Formed in 1945, the Ravens are considered the first of the 'bird groups' and their success was highly influential in ushering in an avalanche of vocal groups in the post World War II R&B revolution. Original members were Ollie Jones (tenor), Leonard Puzey (tenor), Warren Suttles (baritone), and Jimmy Ricks (bass). After Maithe Marshall replaced Jones in 1946, the Ravens featured two leads, Jimmy Ricks, who used his outstanding bass with terrific rhythmic bounce on the mid-tempo tunes, and Maithe Marshall, whose soaring falsetto tenor lent great poignancy to the ballads. The group also used with great effectiveness the switchover lead between Marshall and Ricks, which gave the Ravens a unique sound until it was widely imitated by other vocal ensembles. The Ravens first recorded for the Hub label in 1946, but only after they signed with National did they get on the charts, with a Ricks-led Write Me A Letter (number 5 R&B) in 1948. Memorable recordings by the group at this time also included the Maithe Marshall-led songs September Song and Searching For Love. Their 1948 hit versions of Silent Night (number 8 R&B) and White Christmas (number 9 R&B) paved the way for later R&B vocal groups to interpret Christmas standards with an R&B flavour. (the Ravens' vocal arrangement of White Christmas was lifted for Clyde McPhatter And The Drifters' version from 1955). The Ravens' last chart record was in 1952 on Mercury with Rock Me All Night Long (number 4 R&B). The group's last notable recording was Give Me A Simple Pray in 1955 on the Argo label. With Rick's departure for a solo career in 1956 the group faded from the scene.