The Markeets

Freddie Hughes

The Markeets (Oakland, Ca.)

Personnel :

Freddie Hughes (Lead Tenor)

George Aubrey (Bariton)

Robert Shands (Bass)

Butch Newton (Tenor)

Discography :

1958 - Tear Drops / Baby Please (Melatone 1005)

Biography :

At Junior High, Freddie Hughes hitched up with an unnamed all-women's vocal group. The aggregation often held forth at the Bushrod. Recreational Center on 59th Street in. North Oakland. Freddie began writing songs for the group to perform. He was also called to sing solo at his family Church. At age 15, Freddie along with a handful of school buddies organized a vocal group called the Markets. The Markeets were composed of. George Aubrey, baritone (who later became road manager for the. Whispers), tenor 'Butch' Harlindsa Newton who had a voice remarkably like Smokey Robinson's, Robert Shands who sang bass, and Freddie who assumed tenor lead and filled in on backgrounds.

 
                                                                                                      Freddie Hughes

The quartet sang around the Oakland school system but never opted to go professional. Freddie and the Markeets did not get along too well as Freddie was often criticized for sounding too "Churchy". In 1958, group manager Billy Dunley. Barnes took the fellas to the tiny. Melatone label based in Compton, CA where they recorded the beautiful "Tear Drops' on which Freddie's lead singing is a joy to hear. His melismatic, gospel-sounding vocabulary is so rich; one never really encounters it as much  on his later recordings. The single (currently valued around five hundred dollars) failed to click and was soon forgotten. It is unfortunate that the Markeets disbanded soon after the Release. In his early years Freddie played in quite a few outfits including the Holidays, Five Diciples, Casanova Two, Music City Soul Brothers and The Four Rivers.

Songs :

  
Tear Drops                                       Baby Please


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