The Unforgettables (3) ref : The Feathers - The Gladiators (1) - The Glens (2)

paste up picture, Johnny Staton, John Harris, Mitchell Alexander

The Unforgettables (3)  (Los Angeles)
ref : The Feathers - The Gladiators (1) - The Glens (2)  

Personnel:

Johnny  Staton (Lead)

Louis Staton (Tenor)

John  Harris (Tenor)

Don  Harris (Baritone )

Mitchell Alexander (Bass)

Discography :

June Moy (bb The Feathers)
1954 - Desert Winds / Castle Of Dreams (no group) (Show Time 1103)

Jesse Belvin (bb The Feathers)
1956 - Betty My Darling / Dear Heart  (Hollywood 1056)
Unreleased :
1956 - (This Is My) Love Song (Hollywood)

The Feathers
1954 - Johnny Darling / Nona (Show Time 1104)
1954 - Johnny Darling / Shake 'Em Up (Aladdin 3267)
1955 - I Need A Girl / Standing Right There (Aladdin 3277)
1955 - Why Don't You Write Me / Busy As A Bumblebee (J & L Staton) (Show Time 1105)
1955 - Why Don't You Write Me / Where Did Caledonia Go (5 Stars) (Show Time 1105)            
1955 - Love Only You / Crashing The Party (Show Time 1106)
1956 - Lonesome Tonight / Dear One (Hollywood 1051)
1989 - Charlene / Irene My Darling (Classic Artists 109)
1989 - More Than Enough For Me / Happy Holiday (Jaguars) (Classic Artists 117)
1989 - At The Altar / A Girl Like You (Classic Artists 125)
1993 - Ride On Santa (Clifton 3004) (CD)
Unreleased :
1956 - Golden Vow (Hollywood)
1956 - Church Steps (Hollywood)
1956 - When I Lost You (Hollywood)

The Unforgettables (3)
1961 - Daddy Must Be A Man / Oh, Wishing Well (Pamela 204)

The Gladiators (1)
1957 - Girl Of My Heart / My Baby Doll (Dig 135)

The Glens (2)
1960 - A Little Less Talk / Cherish My Love (Laitini 6666/Sudden 104)

Biography :

In 1953 , Johnny Staton was in an air force singing group that was quite successful , winning several amateur talent contests . When Staton was discharged to Los Angeles in 1954 , he continued vocal group singing with his three brothers and a sister . Having little luck , most of the siblings abandoned the group singing . Johnny and Louis Staton stayed with it .They eventually teamed up with the rest of the performers who would eventually become the Feathers. They practiced with them until they felt ready for live performances. Ultimately they ran into Johnny Otis , who advised them to look into the Showtime music organization. They followed Otis's advice and signed a contract with Showtime. They recorded “ Johnny Darling ” for Showtime. When it began to move, Otis once again intervened, telling the Feathers that Showtime was not properly supporting or promoting their record. He suggested that perhaps they should go to the other big Los Angeles R & B label : Aladdin. Again, the group followed his suggestion. In 1954, both Aladdin and Showtime claimed the Feathers. A lawsuit followed , as both had released  their own version of “Johnny Darling". Eventually Showtime won the suit and the Feathers remained with them .

Karl White & Renee Beard

After the group's breakup, John Harris joined the Lamplighters; then he teamed with Carl White and the Ebbtides and with Carl Ell and his Buddies . Then the Sharps and eventually the Rivingtons . Jesse Belvin's session , which produced  “Dear Heart”, “Betty My Darling“ and "(This is My) Love Song ” was backed up by Johnny, Louis, Isaiah, and James Staton. Johnny Staton told Belvin, “no money, just put our name on the label". This tune was released in the 1960s and for some unknown reason the label read “Jesse Belvin and the Five Keys." On “Crashing the Party"the group was a family affair — Johnny, Louis, James, and Isaiah Staton with Ray Anderson at bass. For their last recording on Showtime, Anderson was dropped and sister Lenora was added. In late 1955, with no success or money, the existing group broke up and Johnny Staton formed a new Feathers with Roy Allen (tenor), Renee Beard (second tenor), Carl White (baritone), and Carl's brother, Cleo at bass. With out Johnny Staton  they became the Gladiators, releasing "My Baby Doll"/"Girl Of My Heart" on Johnny Otis' Dig label in March 1957 . In 1960, with second tenor Billy Mann in place of Roy Allen, they recorded as the Glens for Laitini ("Cherish My Love"/"A Little Less Talk". That record was re-released on Sudden in the following year. Without Beard, this group recorded as the Unforgettables for Pamela and their recording was done in 1957 and released in 1961.  In 1959 Johnny Staton had abandoned the name " Feathers " and formed a group called the Individuals. As incredible as it may seem , they recorded for Showtime , a label with which they had previously been involved in litigation .

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Feathers/feathers.html