The Endeavors

The Endeavors (Asbury Park, New Jersey)

Personnel :

Virginia Davis (Lead)

Eleanor Morris

Constance Morris

Kenneth Wilson

Discography :

1959 - Suffering With My Heart / I Got The Feeling (J&S 254/255)

Biography :

Virginia Davis graduated a boarding school in Bordentown, NJ, in the summer of 1955. When she returned to Asbury Park. Someone told a local vocal group, the Mar-Keys, about Virginia’s singing experience in the choir and she was invited to join the group. with the departing of Joe Major, The Mar-Keys consisted of Lenny Welch, Leroy Brown, Virginia Davis, Raymond Morris and William Penha. The group just sang at local places and  went to the Apollo theatre where they finished second.

The Mar-Keys (L to R) Raymond Morris, Leroy Brown, Virginia Davis, Lenny Welch, William Penha

Leroy Brown and Virginia Davis were married in 1957. By then, Lenny Welch, Joe Major and William Penha were singing with Bobby Thomas as The Vibes. Virginia Davis Brown now started singing with Arthur Morris’ two daughters, Eleanor and Constance Morris. This group became the Endeavors. Rounding out the Endeavors was Kenneth Wilson, a former disc jockey on WJLK radio. Wilson was also a songwriter and the group soon was singing many of his songs.

  
                                                                                 Arthur Morris

The group would often rehearse at the Morris family home and quickly drew the attention of Arthur Morris. Arthur booked the Hearts (“Lonely Nights”) into Asbury Park’s Convention Hall in the late 1950’s and introduced the Endeavors to the Hearts’ manager, Zelma “Zell” Saunders. Saunders had formed her own record label, J&S Records, and signed the Endeavors to record. The Endeavors recorded “Suffering With My Hearts” backed with “I Got The Feeling” (J&S # 254/255) in 1959. Virginia sang lead. Both sides were written by Kenneth Wilson. Even so, the Endeavors’ first record was their last. It failed to chart and the group did not record again.The Endeavors did continue singing for a while, opening for big name acts at Asbury Park’s Convention Hall, including the Miracles.
http://classicurbanharmony.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Endeavors-Story.pdf


Songs :

   
Suffering With My Heart                      I Got The Feeling

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