The Whispers
Formed in the Watts section of Los Angeles, California, USA in 1964, soul group the Whispers were originally comprised of Nicholas Caldwell (b. 5 April 1944, Loma Linda, California, USA), twin brothers Wallace and Walter Scott (b. 23 September 1943, Fort Worth, Texas, USA), Marcus Huston (b. 8 January 1943, St. Louis, Missouri, USA) and Gordy Harmon. The group recorded its first single, It Only Hurts For Awhile, for Dore Records but it was not until 1969 that they reached the R&B charts with Time Will Come, on the Soul Clock label. Their first Top 10 soul record, Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong, followed in 1970 and the group switched to Janus Records for the next four years, during which time Leaveil Degree (b. 31 July, 1948, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA) replaced Harmon in 1971. In 1975 the group switched labels again, to Soul Train, and scored such hits as One For The Money and Make It With You, a remake of the Bread pop hit. The Soul Train label evolved into Solar Records in 1978, where the Whispers stayed for 10 years, reaching their commercial peak. Emphasizing lush arrangements and sweet vocal harmonies, the group earned hits with the US number 1 R&B single And The Beat Goes On, which also reached number 2 in the UK pop chart. The group continued their success in the US R&B charts with six Top 10s with Lady (1980), It's A Love Thing (1981, also a UK Top 10), In The Raw, Tonight (1983), Keep On Lovin Me’, Contagious, and another US R&B number 1, Rock Steady, in 1987. Maintaining the same line-up, the group signed to Capitol Records in 1990, releasing MORE OF THE NIGHT, which still stressed a refined, slick soul sound.