1940: The Ravens
The Ravens were a transitional group that bridged the gap between the sophisticated pop sounds of the Ink Spots/ Mills Brothers and the unsophisticated street corner sounds of harmonizing teenagers. Like the Ink Spots and Mills Brothers, the Ravens wanted crossover hits that registered on the white Pop charts. Their 1950 hit, Count Every Star, displayed an effective use of bass and falsetto voices — features of a developing Doo Wop sound.
The Ravens – The Complete History
- Vocal
- R&B
- Doo Wop
- Early R&B
- Harmony Vocal Group
- Traditional Pop
- Vocal Pop
- 1946 – 1958
Original members
- Jimmy “Ricky” Ricks (James Thomas Ricks, August 6, 1924 – July 2, 1974) (member 1946-1956)
- Warren “Birdland” Suttles (February 20, 1925 – July 24, 2009) (1946-1948, 1949-1950, 1952-1954)
- Leonard “Zeke” Puzey (1926 – October 2, 2007) (1946-1951, 1953)
- Henry Oliver “Ollie” Jones (December 9, 1923 – October 4, 1990) (1946-1947)
Later members
- Maithe Marshall (Maithe Williams, d. November 1989) (1947-1951)
- Joe Medlin (1948)
- Richie Cannon (1948-1949)
- Louis Heyward (1950-1951)
- Joe Van Loan (December 6, 1926 – 1976)(1951-1958)
- Louis Frazier (1951-1952, 1954-1956)
- Jimmie Steward (1951-1956)
- Tommy Evans (1954, 1956)
- Willie Ray (1956-1957)
- Willis Sanders (1956-1957)
- Bob Kornegay (1956)
- David “Boots” Bowers (1956-1958)
- Paul Van Loan (1957)
- James Van Loan (1957)
- Aaron “Tex” Cornelius (1958)
- Grant Kitchings (1958)
Piano
- Howard Biggs (1946-1949)
- Bill Sanford (1949-1957)
- Bill Chambers (1957-1958)
Jimmy Ricks & the Ravens – Green Eyes
Roots of Doo Wop – The Ravens – Someday
The Ravens-White Christmas
The Ravens – Who’s Sorry Now **Rare Version**
THE RAVENS – “COUNT EVERY STAR” (1950)
RAVENS – Silent Night / White Christmas – NATIONAL 9062 – 10/48
- http://www.uncamarvy.com/Ravens/ravens01.html
- http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_ravens.html
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-ravens-mn0000490763
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