#632 (Week of 9/19/09 - 9/25/09)

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"You're My Inspiration"/"A Star"
by The Five Crowns
on Rainbow 179
released in 1952

[Above photo courtesy of Marv Goldberg.]

Above: 1952 photo of The Five Crowns consisting of (L-R) John Clark (tenor-baritone), Nicky Clark (tenor), Wilbur "Yonkie" Paul (tenor), James "Papa" Clark (baritone), and Dock Green (tenor-bass). This was the line-up for the first four Rainbow releases (1952-53) and both Old Town releases (1953-54).

Notes from the R.&B. Beat:
NEW YORK, July 1952 — Rainbow Records, on a full-scale drive for r.&b. loot, added to its talent stable last week with the signing of several acts. New signings included the Miller Sisters, youngsters aged 8,11 and 13, the Five Crowns, new r.&b. group, and Gene Smith. Also added to the firm's roster was Jimmy Chism, tenor saxman managed by Larry Smith....

Billboard Magazine — July 1952:
Rainbow Records has come up with a strong possibility in "You're My Inspiration" waxed by the Five Crowns. Group is managed by Lover Patterson and Eddie Heller is handling promotion. Diskery shipped 1,000 records by truck to Midwest Distributing Co. in Kansas City and St. Louis, but a truck strike froze the delivery and Rainbow had to ship another 1,000 by air to satisfy the demand.

Click HERE for an article about The Five Crowns by Marv Goldberg.
Click HERE for an article about The Five Crowns by J.C. Marion.
(Above links will open in a separate window)

[Above photo courtesy of Marv Goldberg.]

Above: Another 1952 photo of The Five Crowns consisting of (Top L-R) John Clark, Dock Green, James "Papa" Clark, (Bottom L-R) Wilbur "Yonkie" Paul, and Nicky Clark.

Above: Label image of Rainbow 179 released in September 1952. It is The Five Crowns' first record. John Clark sings the lead on both sides. Lover Patterson, the group's manager, composed both sides.

The group (or variations of it) had releases on Rainbow (1952-53, 1956), Old Town (1953-54), Riviera (1955), Gee (1955), and Trans-World (1956). Riviera was a subsidiary of Rainbow.

Listen to this week's selections by The Five Crowns on Rainbow 179 from 1952:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]

(Above: Billboard Review 10-25-52)

A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...             1. You're My Inspiration           2. A Star             BOTH played in sequence      B. Download RealAudio...             1. You're My Inspiration           2. A Star      C. Stream/Download Media Player...             1. You're My Inspiration           2. A Star

           [To download audio files, right-click on link and then select "Save (Link) Target As..."]

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