Oscar Toney Jr.

The Searchers (2) (Columbus, GA)

Personnel :

Oscar Toney Jr.

Roosevelt Toney

James Toney

Discography :

The Searchers (2) (bb The Kayos)
1960 - Little Wanda / Yvonne (MAC 351)

Sonny Williams & The Searchers (2) (bb The Kayos)
1960 - Love / Oh Why Cha Cha Cha (MAC 352)


Biography :

Oscar Toney, Jr. grew up in the forties in Columbus, Georgia. He began singing with local Gospel quartet The Sensational Melodies Of Joy while barely into his teens. Young Oscar won the amateur competition at the landmark Liberty Theater so many times that he wasn't allowed to enter them anymore. By the late fifties, The Sensational Melodies took to singing doo-wop as well, calling themselves, simply, The Melodies. In 1958, Toney and his two brothers formed another vocal group called The Valentines, eventually changing their name to The Searchers, as their own version of the Coasters' Searchin' had become their signature song.

   
                                                                                              Oscar Toney Jr.

Although now a ‘Kayo’, Oscar also remained with The Searchers who, in November 1960, cut a 45 for Cement McNally’s Mac label (#351) at a New Orleans radio station. The ballad side “Yvonne” was written by (and features thee-part harmony by) Oscar and his two brothers, while Walker and Thomas weren’t present. The backing is supplied by The Kayos. The flip was the more up-tempo “Little Wanda”. Cement McNallywas also the leader of the 'house band', The Kayos. Another Searchers Mac single, “Love” c/w “Oh Why Cha Cha Cha”, it was really a Kayos recording put out by McNally under The Searchers’ name, with the Kayos other front-man Sonny Williams on lead vocals.The Searchers had been around for about 4 years but now the other members decided not to make a career out of singing and Oscar was left to carry on both as a solo act and as a featured vocalist with the Kayos.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
Yvonne                                           Little Wanda

 ..