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Little Anthony & The Imperials

Biography

Little Anthony & the Imperials enjoyed one of the longest career runs of any doo wop group, adapting their honey-smooth style to fit the sweet uptown soul sound of the mid-'60s. Right from the beginning, Little Anthony's aching way with a ballad was the group's calling card, but their repertoire was balanced by more R&B-inflected dance tunes. Little Anthony was born Jerome Anthony Gourdine in 1940, and grew up in Brooklyn's Fort Greene projects. While in high school, he sang in a doo wop group called the Duponts, who recorded a single called "Prove It Now" in 1957. They disbanded after graduation, however, and Gourdine joined another group called the Chesters, which had been formed by his friend Clarence Collins (baritone) and also featured longtime friend Ernest Wright, Jr. (tenor); the other members were Tracy Lord (tenor) and Nat Rogers (bass). After a one-off single for Apollo, they landed a record deal with the End label in 1958, at which point their name was changed to the Imperials. ("Little Anthony" was later tagged onto the beginning by DJ Alan Freed.)

The Imperials' first single for End was the classic heartache ballad "Tears on My Pillow," a Top Five smash on both the pop and R&B charts. Little Anthony's dramatic interpretation was certainly helped in the public eye by his youthful-sounding voice and name, which recalled the recently popular Frankie Lymon. The single's B-side, "Two People in the World," was also something of a hit, making the Imperials one of the hottest vocal groups around. Landing a follow-up hit proved difficult, however; the group charted several singles -- "So Much," "Wishful Thinking," "A Prayer and a Juke Box" -- without even approaching their earlier success. Finally, the novelty dance track "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop" caught on in 1960 and returned Little Anthony & the Imperials to the upper reaches of the charts (though it missed the Top Ten). The follow-ups "My Empty Room" and "Please Say You Want Me" flopped, however, and Little Anthony decided to try a solo career in late 1961.

The Imperials continued on with a new lineup of Collins, Wright, Sammy Strain, and George Kerr, the latter of whom was replaced by Kenny Seymour in 1962. Neither Little Anthony nor his erstwhile group had any luck on their own, and in late 1963 he returned to the fold, replacing Seymour. The next summer, the reconstituted Imperials signed with the DCP label, where producer/songwriter Teddy Randazzo made them a priority. His first effort with the group, "I'm on the Outside (Looking In)," reached number 15 on both the pop and R&B charts in 1964, reestablishing the Imperials as a commercial presence. The follow-up, "Goin' Out of My Head," was a smash, returning them to the pop Top Ten for the first time since "Tears on My Pillow"; it was covered quite often in the years that followed, and grew into something of a pop standard. The Imperials' streak of good fortune continued with the equally dramatic ballad "Hurt So Bad," another Top Ten hit that also became their second R&B Top Fiver in 1965. A couple of smaller hits followed later that year in "I Miss You So" and the pop/R&B Top 20 "Take Me Back."

Little Anthony & the Imperials continued to chart singles over the next several years, but only one -- 1969's "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" -- breached the Top 50 on either the pop or R&B sides. That same year, the group switched labels to United Artists, and Ernest Wright, Jr. departed to join singer Tony Williams' latter-day version of the Platters. He was replaced by a returning Kenny Seymour, who was in turn replaced by Bobby Wade in 1971, the year of the group's last chart single, "Help Me Find a Way (To Say I Love You)." Sammy Strain left in 1972 and wound up joining the O'Jays four years later; his replacement was Harold Jenkins. Little Anthony himself left the group a second time in 1975 to pursue solo recording as well as an acting career, which effectively spelled the end of the road; nonetheless, a Collins-led lineup did manage to score one last hit in the U.K., 1977's "Who's Gonna Love Me." Little Anthony became a born-again Christian in 1978 and subsequently recorded a gospel album, Daylight. Anthony, Collins, Wright, and Strain reunited in 1992 and toured the oldies circuit steadily thereafter. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Continued…

Selected Discography

The Best Of Little Anthony & The Imperials
1989

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ppalmag says:

11-15-2009

WOW !!!!!!!! another great voice !!!!! brings back many wonderful memories !!!

musa_h99 says:

11-12-2009

why the f**k a song by these guys have been played on my power metal radio???!!!

that was very disturbing.. .

mommacora1 says:

06-29-2009

I knew Little Anthony when I was six years old. He was a friend of my cousin Sissy's boyfriend. They went to Boys High School in Brooklyn,NY. I was so in love with him.He sang to me often and brought me candy. He was my first crush and he sang at Sissy's wedding to his friend, um don't remember his name. LOL

BETTY RODRIGUEZ aka NANA says:

edited on 05-01-2009

THIS IS MUSIC TO GET THE KIDS OUT OF THE HOME &&&&&&&&&& GOING CRAZY MAKING LOVE ALL DAY AND NIGHT,AND I MEAN START OFF DANCING AS CLOSE AS U CAN GET AND KEEP GOING ONTILL U 2 EXPLORD

jblankenship 6 1 says:

02-06-2009

We just saw them on 1/31/09 and they sounded great.

rmichael63 says:

01-16-2009

Congratulati o n s to Anthony and the Imperials on their induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Long overdue. Now how about the Five Satins and the Harptones?

jgalli01 says:

01-10-2009

The all time greatest doo-wop group. Still performing and sound as great as they did back then. I have the complete set of Time Life doo-wop DVD's and watch them all the time.

cmiller170 says:

12-12-2008

I fell in love with my wife 45 years ago listening to this wonderful music. What a great era. With all of the worlds problems, we were still the luckiest generation of all times. But, maybe that's just me.

barbarariver a 2 6 says:

09-30-2008

every song was and is our song except the river path has special meaning for me and off spring just cant find it anywhere

fjackson_lop e z says:

08-06-2008

I loved them from the beginning and still I'm still a fan. When I graduated in 1971, for my graduation party their songs were all we played. I have the dvd with them performing with the Oldies Circuit. They still look good. I wish them well and good health.

pfiorello says:

edited on 07-09-2008

JUST A GREAT SONG

Kerry Roberts says:

06-18-2008

Watched PBS special , doo wop of course, when they did acapella version of Two People in the World, WOW. So beautiful and romantic. How can one, of any age, not appreciate the music of LA and the Imperials, can listen to it every waking hour.

Danny Ayala says:

06-03-2008

I was in US Navy Boot camp in 1962 and he was there as well! I was totally stunned! He did his time in the Reserves! Even made a TV appearance in San Diego in uniform! I am still a fan of Little Anthony and the Imperials!

p.glisson says:

03-07-2008

i saw him in person and he signed my book ;;big anthony ;; lol

tj551 says:

03-04-2008

this is really cool

bliss16 says:

02-14-2008

What can on say - ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR !!

Ora Owens says:

01-31-2008

The Imperials made Doo Wop worth listening to. Each song, be it fast or slow, was a hit. It seems too that they enjoyed as much "cross-over" as did Michael Jackson. Little Anthony and The Imperials still look and sound great!

emaye4of9 says:

edited on 01-25-2008

This is one great group(The Imperials),a n d I enjoy their music today just like yesterday. They should try to put something on the market their follower are still out there just like me. This is a new year, who knows what we can expect. Until then I will continue to enjoy their music. Regards to all member of the group. A true fan From Fort Green. M.Beauchamp

joangamble says:

01-01-2008

I am a die heart fan I graduated June 12,1970 and that fall"Help me find a way to say I love you" came out,I was floored,Sinc e I was about 8 or 9 years old the only group I ever wanted to meet or hear was The Imperials I still follow them.I wish them great health and continue success.
JoAnn Gamble GARY,IN

boys47 says:

11-10-2007

we just saw then in Wildwood New Jersey. They were terrific.

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