The Lyrics (5)

The Lyrics (5) (Menphis, TN.)

Personnel :

Percy Millen (Lead)

La Vern Edwards (Second Tenor)

Fonnie Harley (First Tenor)

William Glenn (Baritone)

Cornethers "Kirk" Kirkwood (Bass)

Discography :

1959 - Let's Be Sweethearts Again / You And Your Fellow (Fernwood 129)
1959 - Crying Over You / Down In The Alley (Mid South 1500)
1963 - Darlin / How A Woman Does Her Man (Goldwax 101/910)
1963 - The Side Wind / So Hard To Get Along(Goldwax 105/ABC 10560)

Biography :

The Lyrics were all buddies from the Orange Mound neighborrhood : La vern Edwards, Fonnie Harley, William Glenn, Cornethers "Kirk" Kirkwood and Percy Millen. Kirkwood organized, Managed and wrote much of the Lyrics' material.  The Lyrics won first prize in a local talent contest.

    
                                                          Early Fernwood Studio

When the group discovered they had something going for them they found a manager, WLOK Jock Rubin Washington. Kirkwood Brought the Lyrics to the attention of Stax Records. The Group attented at least one taping session at Stax, they recorded a lot of songs, but ever came out.

   
                     Kirkwood, Glenn, Edwards, Harley                                                                               Percy Millen

Kirkwood took the Tape straight to Ronald 'Slim' Wallace at Fernwood records. Fernwood chose to issue two songs from the Stax Tape. Stax choose to create the Mid South subsidiary and put out the Lyrics stunning "Crying over you"/"Down in the Alley". Quinton Claunch formed with Rudolph V. "Doc" Russell on August 11, 1964 Goldwax Records. In 1963, the group  had the first ever R&B release by Claunch and Russell, Darlin (Goldwax 101). Their second single for the label was picked up by ABC, but didn't do much. At that point, Quinton Claunch and Doc Russell decided to cut Percy as a solo artist.

Songs :

     
Let's Be Sweethearts Again                  You And Your Fellow      

  
Crying Over You / Down In The Alley                  The Side Wind                  

  
How A Woman Does Her Man                  So Hard To Get Along    


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