The Five Quails (Cleveland, OH)
aka The Quails (2)

Personnel :

Woody Woodall

Art Kirkpatrick

Billy Strawbridge

James Williams

Billy Fulgrum

Discography :

The Five Quails
1957 - Hop Scotch Rock / Jungle Baby (Mercury 71154)
1962 - Been A Long Time / Get To School On Time (Harvey 114)

The Quails (2)
1962 - My Love / Never Felt Like This Before (Harvey 116)
1962 - I Thought / Over The Hump (Harvey 120)

Biography :

The Five Quails debuted on Mercury Records in 1957 and cut three singles on Harvey Records in the early '60s. Originally, the Five Stars formed at Kennard Junior High in the mid-'50s with William Fulgham (lead), Harold Sudberry (second lead), Donald Brown, James Williams, and Clarence Williams (no relation). Like most groups, the members changed for a myriad reasons; the changes continued when they graduated to East Technical High and became the Five Quails. With a lineup of Billy Strawbridge, Billy Fulgrum, Art Kirkpatrick, Donald Brown, and James Williams, they cut "Jungle Baby" b/w "Hop Scotch Rock" on Mercury in 1957.

The Five Stars

The novelty didn't chart, but they found work backing singer Chuck Willis, touring with him briefly before he passed in April of 1958. Harvey Fuqua befriended the Quails in the basement of the Apollo Theater in New York when they were touring with Willis. Discovering they were from Cleveland (his old stomping grounds), he promised to help them one day.

  
                       Harvey Fuqua                                                                                       Kirkpatrick & Woodall

After the Willis experience they toured Canada for a year. In 1961, Harvey Fuqua left Chicago for Detroit and hooked up with Gwen Gordy. The two started Tri-Phi and Harvey Records and Fuqua fulfilled his promise to help the Quails.    Their first song was a two-sided classic that sold regionally: "Got to Get to School on Time" and the exquisite ballad "Been Such a Long Time." Junior Walker & the All Stars backed them on the Harvey sessions.   In 1962, they cut two more singles on Harvey records changing their name to the Quails.
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/five-quails-mn0001282679

Songs :

The Quails (2)

   
Never Felt Like This Before                    My Love


I Thought / Over The Hump

The Five Quails

   
Hop Scotch Rock                                      Jungle Baby

   
Been A Long Time                          Get To School On Time

...