Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7)

 

Personnel :

Ronnie Goodson "Ronald Goodson" (Lead)

Sonny Caldwell (First Tenor)

John Witney (Second Tenor)

Stanley Brown (Baritone)

Kenny Overby (Bass)

Discography :

1962 - I Wish That We Were Married / Twistin & Kissin (Joy 260)
1962 - Send Me Love / Be Kind (Joy 265)
1962 - Valerie / The Fact Of The Matter (Raven 8000)
1963 - A Slow Dance / What The Next Day May Bring (Win 250 / Reo)
1963 - The Fact Of The Matter / You Keep Me Guessin' (Win 251)
1963 - High School Romance / Uptown-Downtown (Win 252)
1965 - Too Young / High School Romance (ABC 10685)
1982 - For Lovers / What A Pretty Bride You'll Be (U.G.H.A. 16)

Biography ;

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites were a vocal group, formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, in the early 1960s. On March 31, 1962, their song "I Wish That We Were Married", a slow ballad sung from the point of view of a young boy expressing his wishes that he and his sweetheart would stay together, charted and rose to number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending twelve weeks on the chart.

Selling over half a million copies, the song put 14-year-old Ronnie Goodson and company on the map, paving the way for performances alongside Stevie Wonder, Major Lance and Ronnie's girlfriend Eva Boyd, better known as Little Eva. They subsequently appeared on American Bandstand, at The Apollo and numerous venues throughout the east coast.

"I Wish That We Were Married" is perhaps known for Ronnie's emotional sobbing, adding to the theme of the song. The group was originally called the Cascades, not to be confused with a different group of the same name that recorded "Rhythm of the Rain". Initially consisting of tenors Sonny Caldwell and John Whitney, bass singer Kenny Overby and baritone Stanley Brown, the group added 12-year-old Ronnie Goodson as their lead singer.

  
Ronnie Goodson                                                                                              

 They were soon introduced to songwriter/producer team Marion and Hal Weiss, who offered them "I Wish That We Were Married". The small independent record label, Joy Records, picked up the group's recording and renamed the ensemble Ronnie & the Hi-Lites. They subsequently released the single and the group went on to record many more singles without troubling the chart compilers again.Ronnie Goodson died 4 November 1980.

Songs :

  
I Wish That We Were Married                      Twistin & Kissin            

  
Send Me Love                                        Be Kind

  
             Valerie                            The Fact Of The Matter

  
              A Slow Dance                     What The Next Day May Bring

  
You Keep Me Guessin'             High School Romance

  
Uptown-Downtown                            Too Young      

  
    For Lovers                               What A Pretty Bride


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