Music Lover

The Platters (Source: Wikipedia)

The Platters formed in Los Angeles in 1953 and were initially managed by Ralph Bass. The original group (Alex Hodge, Cornell Gunter, David Lynch, Joe Jefferson, Gaynel Hodge and Herb Reed) managed to land a contract with Federal Records, but found little success before meeting music entrepreneur and songwriter Buck Ram. The band recorded a series of singles backing Linda Hayes before Ram made some changes to the lineup, most notably the addition of lead vocalist Tony Williams (Linda Hayes' brother) and female vocalist Zola Taylor. Under Ram's guidance, the Platters recorded seven singles for Federal in the R&B/gospel style, scoring a few minor regional hits on the West Coast. One song recorded during their Federal tenure, "Only You (And You Alone)", originally written by Ram for the Ink Spots was deemed unreleasable by the label.[1]

Despite their lack of chart success, the Platters were a profitable touring group, successful enough that The Penguins, coming off their #8 single "Earth Angel", asked Ram to manage them as well. With the Penguins in hand, Ram was able to parlay Mercury Records' interest into a 2-for-1 deal. To sign the Penguins, Ram insisted, Mercury also had to take the Platters. Ironically, the Penguins would never have a hit for the label.<sup>[1]  

Changing Lineup:</sup>
The group's lineup has changed many times. The original lineup in 1953 included lead vocalist Cornell Gunter, Herb Reed, Alex Hodge, Joe Jefferson, and David Lynch. This lineup changed when the group signed with Ram, who built the group around tenor Tony Williams' distinctive and versatile voice and his ability to bring life to Ram's songs. Within a year, Hodge, Jefferson and Gunter were out and Paul Robi, new lead Tony Williams and a female, Zola Taylor were in. The details of baritone Alex Hodge's departure are muddy; author Peter A. Grendysa says Hodge was fired by Ram in October 1954 after having been accused of possession of marijuana,^[3] but Jean L. Bennett suggests that Tony Williams and Herb Reed were behind the accusation. Bookers and the record company and bookers were told that Hodge was let go for bouncing a fifteen-dollar check.^[4] The resulting lineup - the one remembered for the group's biggest and most lasting hits - lasted until 1960.

As a group, the Platters began to have difficulties with the public after 1959, when the four male members were arrested in Cincinnati on drug and prostitution charges. Reed said he lost contact with Taylor shortly after this time.^[5] Although none were convicted, their professional reputation was seriously damaged and US radio stations started removing their records from playlists^[6] forcing the group to rely more heavily on European bookings.

During that time soloist Williams left for a solo career, and was replaced by tenor Sonny Turner. Mercury refused to issue further Platters releases without Williams on lead vocals, provoking a lawsuit between the label and manager Ram. The label spent two years releasing old Williams-era material until the group's contract lapsed. Singer Jack Hammer, who'd co-written several songs including Great Balls of Fire, also performed with the group.

As the group's lineup splintered further, endless wrangling over the lucrative "Platters" name began, with injunctions, non-compete clauses and multiple versions of the act touring at the same time. Williams would lead his own Platters group, as would Zola Taylor, who left in 1964 to be replaced by Barbara Randolph and Paul Robi (who departed in 1965). The Buck Ram Platters had the strongest legal claim to the name. Since Ram had built the group to showcase his songs, he added his name to that of The Platters to distinguish his vision from that of the pretenders. Despite the confusion, Ram's Platters lineup, with lead vocalist Sonny Turner, Herb Reed, David Lynch, Nate Nelson (former lead voice of The Flamingos and replacement for Robi) and Sandra Dawn (who replaced Barbara Randolph in 1965),^[7] signed to Musicor Records and enjoyed a short chart renaissance in 1966-67, with the comeback singles "I Love You 1000 Times", "With This Ring", and the Motown-influenced "Washed Ashore". Sonny Turner sang the lead on these 3 records.

Herb Reed, the final member of the original Platters, resigned in 1969. He would eventually lead an "official" Platters group under license from The Five Platters, Inc. Nelson had left in 1967, and later worked with Herb Reed's group until suffering a fatal heart attack in 1984. Dawn left in 1969.^[8]
Sonny Turner left in 1970 and was replaced by Monroe Powell. Turner led his own Platters group starting in 1970. Powell remained a constant member from 1970 to 1995, amid many other lineup changes. That year, a dispute between Powell and owner/manager Jean Bennett (who had purchased Personality Productions, the booking/management arm of The Platters business, from Ram in 1966) led to the two parting ways. At the time, the group's lineup was in limbo, leaving one person, Kenn Johnson, as the only other group member. Powell and Johnson continue touring as "The Platters", with Bennett hiring five new singers to be the "Buck Ram Platters," with lead Myles Savage.^[9]


To play their songs, please click on the links below:

- Alone in the night
- Blue Christmas
- Blue Moon
- Cant take my eyes off of you
- Duke of Earl
- Earth Angel
- Ebb tide
- Enchanted
- Goodnight Sweetheart
- Harbor Lights
- Helpless
- Here Comes Santa Claus
- He's mine
- I love you baby
- I wish
- If I don’t care
- If I only have time
- I'll never smile again
- Im Sorry
- In the still of the night
- Love is a many splendored thing
- My prayer
- My word of honor
- One in a million
- Only You
- Prisoner of Love
- Put your head on my shoulder
 - Red sails in the sunset
- Remember when
- Rock around the clock
- Sleepy Lagoon
- Smoke gets in your eyes
- Speedy Gonzales
- Stand by me
- Summertime
- The doo woop box 10
- The great pretender
- The magic moment
- The magic touch
- The temptations
- To each his own
- True Lover
- Twilight Time
- Unchained Melody
- With this ring
- You'll never know

To read more about the Platters, please follow this link: http://www.theplattersmp.com/