Little Anthony And The Imperials

Little Anthony and the Imperials is an American rhythm and blues, doo-wop, and soul vocal group from New York City founded by Clarence Collins in the 1950s and named in part for its lead singer, Jerome Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine, who was noted for his high-pitched voice. In addition to Collins and Gourdine, the original Imperials included Ernest Wright, Glouster "Nate" Rogers, and Tracy Lord, the last two of whom were subsequently replaced by Sammy Strain.The group was one of the very few doo-wop groups to enjoy sustained success on the R&B and pop charts throughout the 1960s. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009, 23 years after the group's first year of eligibility for induction.In 1957, a doo-wop group known as "The Chesters" was composed of Collins, Tracey Lord, Nathaniel Rodgers, and Ronald Ross. Anthony Gourdine, a former member of The DuPonts, whose falsetto had been inspired by Jimmy Scott, joined as lead vocalist. Ernest Wright took over from Ross, and the group recorded briefly for Apollo Records.The Chesters were later signed by End Records, owned by George Goldner. According to a biography of the group published by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, End Records renamed the group "The Imperials", as the group "want a name more regal than the Chesters." Legendary rock and roll DJ Alan Freed gave Gourdine the nickname and stage name "Little Anthony" because of "the youthful quality in voice". Freed and another DJ/promoter, Murray Kaufman (more well-known as Murray the K) helped the group's career by playing their records and booking them for concerts.Their first single with their new name was 1958's "Tears on My Pillow", one of the biggest hits of the year. It sold over one million copies, and the group was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. Its B-side was "Two People in the World".

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.