By Shermanb (205.131.188.5) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 09:27 pm:

What group was the most successful out of DC?

By Destruction (69.139.236.125) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 09:53 pm:

The Duke Ellington Orchestra...kind of...

By Soul Sister (65.43.144.46) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 10:41 pm:

Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart...after the Duke.

By Robb_K (66.81.176.144) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 10:56 pm:

Cashmeres?
Marquees?
Cap-Tans?
Diplomats?
Prophets?
D.C. Playboys?
Cairos?
Fawns?
Linda & Vistas?
Cautions?
Epsilons?
D.C. Blossoms?
Counts (D.C. group)
Joys?
Lavells?
Debanairs?
Argie & Arketts?
Les Chansonettes?
Tippie & Wisemen?
Senators?
Kings?
Marylanders?

I don't know which of the '50s R&B groups (other than the few listed above-along with those few '60s groups)came from D.C.; as D.C. had no large independent R&B labels. Most of the D.C. talent must have recorded for "National Major labels" Large and small independent NY and Philly labels, with a few stray D.C. groups also recording for Chicago's Chess, and Cincinnati's King. Perhaps, even a few groups were picked up by L.A.'s Aladdin, Modern and Specialty.

I would say that The Diplomats probably were the most succesful that I can remember are from D.C. However, I know there must have been several much more succesful R&B groups in the '50s from D.C. (among the classic R&B groups).
The Cashmeres, Marquees, Cap-Tans and Prophets had modest success. I think Ray pollard was from D.C. If so, The Wanderers probably were also. They also had modest success.

By CORNBREAD (66.185.84.74) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 11:22 pm:

Whatabout Soul Searchers (Chuck Brown)?

By RD (65.54.98.20) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 11:46 pm:

The Epsilons were from Philly or Camdem.

Some D. C. groups that got some air play were Special Delivery, Terry Huff & Special Delivery, the Choice Four, Skip Mahoney & the Casuals, the Fuzz, The Dynamic Superiors, The Knight Brothers, The Presidents, Anacostia and The Jewels.

By ErikT.O. (64.228.114.159) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 11:48 pm:

Black Heat!
Bad Brains!
Were Trouble Funk from DC?

By Robb_K (66.81.195.83) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 11:54 pm:

The Presidents you mention-were they the "5-10-15 Hours Of Your Love" group? Were The Dynamic Superiors you mention the same group that recorded for Sue and Motown? The Jewels you mention,-were they the girls group who recorded with Dimension and worked with James Brown? Is a duet a GROUP??? Isn't a group three or more people, by definition?

By RD (65.54.98.20) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 12:02 am:

Yes to all your questions Robb K. However, I'm unaware of any Sue recordings by the Dynamic Superiors.

By CORNBREAD (66.185.84.74) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 12:06 am:

Please note the original question. What group was the most successful out of DC ?

By RD (65.54.98.20) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 12:10 am:

Group or solo artist, Cornbread? If your questions applies to both then hands down it would have to be Marvin Gaye. If a group is what you're seeking...your guess is as good as mine.

By Robb_K (66.81.195.83) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 12:29 am:

The Dynamic Superiors were a '60s group (too)! They had a release on Sue 12, in 1969: "Heavenly Angel"/"I'd Rather Die", both written by Maurice Washington, produced and arranged by Chuck Rainey. Pretty good stuff, too!

By Juicefree20 (68.161.44.221) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 12:55 am:

I know that The Presidents recorded as Anacostia for Columbia Records in 1972. I don't know why they changed their name. I read where they were not the same "Presidents" who recorded "Gold Walk" for Deluxe.

I never heard The Dynamic Superiors on Sue, I was totally unaware of that. Is that on any CD Comp? I have the Sue Box Set & naturally, it's not on there.
Tes, Trouble Funk was from DC. They recorded for DETT & Sugar Hill in the 80s. Their Pump Me Up is a classic.

I loved The Fuzz. I wish that there was more info about them. I've never even seen a picture of them, as their LP cover was a silhouette shot. I've read posts here that said that they did a show in L.A. recently. I still don't know if the original girls were involved. I wish that someone would track these girls down for an interview or a PBS special. I've got to figure a way to contact them.

By Juicefree20 (68.161.44.221) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 12:59 am:

I know that The Presidents recorded as Anacostia for Columbia Records in 1972. I don't know why they changed their name. I read where they were not the same "Presidents" who recorded "Gold Walk" for Deluxe.

I never heard The Dynamic Superiors on Sue, I was totally unaware of that. Is that on any CD Comp? I have the Sue Box Set & naturally, it's not on there.
Yes, Trouble Funk was from DC. They recorded for DETT & Sugar Hill in the 80s. Their Pump Me Up is a classic.

I loved The Fuzz. I wish that there was more info about them. I've never even seen a picture of them, as their LP cover was a silhouette shot. I've read posts here that said that they did a show in L.A. recently. I still don't know if the original girls were involved. I wish that someone would track these girls down for an interview or a PBS special. I've got to figure a way to contact them.

By Destruction (199.173.225.2) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 11:22 am:

Cornbread,
If by most successful, you mean in terms of units sold and/or national exposure, I'd throw my hat to Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers, strictly on the basis of the success of Da Butt. However, I'm not familiar with 3/4ths of the groups Robb mentioned. They may have been big in their during their tenure.

BTW,
A few months ago there was an excellent "Where are they now" type article about Skip Mahoney on the web. I'll try to track down the link.

By Weldon A. Mc Dougal III (68.80.162.3) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 11:36 am:

The Clovers, was on Atlantic records, and The five Stars (Van Mc Coy and his brothers)
WELDON

By Wonder B (81.53.149.245) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 01:42 pm:

How about Clifton Dyson and his famous Dyson's Faces LP...

Destruction, 'Da Butt' was not by Chuck Brown but rather by Experience Unlimited better known as E.U... Chuck's biggest hit was 'Bustin Loose'...
If we are to mention the groups from DC, within the GoGo Movement there were tons of other groups like Redds & the Boys and their fairly successful hit 'Movin & Groovin', or their infamous but hilarious other track 'Put your right hand in the air, put your left hand down in your underwear' LOOOOOL
Also worth a mention are Trouble Funk, Rare Essence, Slim, Slug-Go, Pleasure (not the Marlon McClain band), Hot Cold Sweat, AM-FM (not the Dakar label band), Little Benny & the Masters, Northeast Groovers, Junkyard Band (who had a fantastic tune called 'Sardines' on the Def Jam label-probably the only GoGO record on that one), Phyzical Wonders (where Ginuwine made his first steps) and many many more...
Anyway for those with a craving for GoGo music you can check this web site... http://www.tmottgogo.com/wtgo.html

Wonder B

By Bong-Man (63.148.123.128) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 01:56 pm:

Weren't the "Bellamy Brothers" from D.C. ?

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 02:09 pm:

GREAT NAMES GANG,LET'S NOT FORGET A GREAT GROUP OUT OF THE SIXTIES[EDDIE DAY AND THE FOUR BARS]CAN ANYONE SAY[UNIFICS]?

By roger (217.35.87.17) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 02:51 pm:

Juicefree20.

There have been a couple of threads mentioning THE PRESIDENTS/ANACOSTIA in the last few months.

It seems that only one person "Tony Boyd" was in both groups.

To find the thread involved try "Search Forum" and do a search on "Anacostia".

Roger

By Juicefree20 (68.161.48.203) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 05:51 pm:

Hi Roger, thanks a lot for the info. R&B, I thought for sure that someone would have mentioned Mr Johnson & the boys. I don't know how I forgot, they were great!

Juice

By Wonder B (217.128.68.124) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 06:54 pm:

Add to my previous list the fabulous funk band STARFIRE from the DC area...

Wonder B

By Soul70 (205.131.188.5) on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 08:32 pm:

The Choice Four - they were one of the most entertaining groups

By Mark Speck (199.183.107.42) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 10:57 pm:

The group on Sue is merely 'the Superiors'...no Dynamic.

Best,

Mark

By Robb_K (66.81.183.108) on Thursday, April 08, 2004 - 11:03 pm:

That is TRUE, Mark, but they were the same people (group). They just became more "dynamic" when they moved to Motown!

By Juicefree20 (68.161.34.190) on Friday, April 09, 2004 - 05:51 pm:

Hey Robb. Thanks for clearing that up. I have the Sue box set & have heard of the Superiors. I never knew that they became The Deynamic Superiors of Shoe Shoe Shine/Cry When You
want To fame. Thanks for the info.

Juice

By Mark Speck (199.183.105.158) on Friday, April 09, 2004 - 09:49 pm:

Was there any connection between the Superiors on Sue and the Superiors that cut the great "What Would I Do?" for Verve?

Best,

Mark

By Robb_K (66.81.18.94) on Saturday, April 10, 2004 - 12:43 am:

As far as I've been told, Mark, The Superiors on MGM/Verve were a completely different group. But, as we have seen, a lot of the "information" I've been told by fellow collectors has turned out to be "guessing" by others, which has been turned into "false facts". I have not done any research and not a lot of reading about soul music. Most of what I know is from what I've read on vinyl records (mostly 45s, and some LP jackets). I've also learned a bit from being in the business for a few years and talking to people. But, I only learn a few random things that came up in conversations by accident. I never "interviewed" people to get my long-time questions answered.