The Mascots (2) aka The O'Jays

The Mascots (2) (Canton, Ohio)
 aka The O'Jays

Personnel :

Eddie Levert (Lead)

Walter Williams

William Powell

Bobby Massey

Bill Isles

Discography :

Singles:
1960 - The Story Of My Heart / Do The Wiggle (King 5377)
1960 - That's The Way I Feel / Lonely Rain (King 5435)

Unreleased :
1960 - Waited So Long (King)
1960 - I Want Love (King)

Biography :

In the beginning, five McKinley High friends decided to form a vocal group in 1958 in Canton, Ohio: Levert, Williams, Powell, Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. "In those days, the school hallways and the men's room walls were marble," recalls Williams, who first met Levert when he was 6 and Levert was 7.

"Those walls gave off a kind of echo and our harmonies sounded real good. We used to flirt with the girls and sing instead of study. That's where it all started." Then known as the Triumphs, the quintet sang on local radio and also in the church choir where Williams' father was the choir director.

The son of a local Greek grocer heard the guys harmonizing one day as they were passing by the store and later arranged for the group to go to Cincinnati where King Records' Sid Nathan gave the high school juniors contracts and renamed them the Mascots.

They were invited to do a sock hop in Cleveland where they met DJ Eddie O'Jay. He later took the group to Detroit where it signed with Dayco Records.  The Dayco single "How Does It Feel," did well locally. It was during this period that the group, referred to now as "O'Jay's boys," was rechristened the O'Jays.

Songs :

    
   Lonely rain                                 The Story Of My Heart

   
That's The Way I Feel                    Do The Wiggle

  
Waited So Long                                   I Want Love

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