Say It Again With Feeling by the Detroit Emeralds 45

The 5 Emeralds/Downbeats/Elgins By Marv Goldberg

based on interviews with Norman McLean
and Johnny Dawson

© 2012 by Marv Goldberg

This is the story of a group that started every bit the 5 Sensations, became the 5 Emeralds, morphed into the Downbeats, and concluded up every bit the Elgins. They soldiered on for a couple of decades, recording under three different names.

In 1953, Norman McLean (neither "Norbert" nor "McClean") and George Claybrooks were singing with a local group in the North End of Detroit. Johnny Dawson worked at the Chrysler tank found with Thaddeus "Porkchops" William and Curtis Browder. Somehow, Curtis knew Norman and George and introduced them to Johnny and Thaddeus. They met, harmonized for a while and decided that their sound was good. Calling themselves the 5 Sensations (a name taken from Lee's Lodge Sensation, where they had their commencement paying gig), they started off as Norman McLean (lead), Curtis Browder (get-go tenor), Johnny Dawson (second tenor), Thaddeus William (baritone), and George Claybrooks (bass).

Later a while, they decided that Thaddeus couldn't stay on his notes too well and needed to be replaced. Another Chrysler worker that Johnny knew was Cleotha "Duke" Miller, who turned out to be the right baritone for the grouping. Effectually the end of 1953, they changed their proper noun from the 5 Sensations to the 5 Emeralds.

At the time, Norman was the baby, at around 18. Johnny was 28 and the others were in their mid-20s. The group skillful with a varied repertoire that included R&B, Pop, and evidence tunes.

In 1954, Johnny met Jesse Carter, who ran S-R-C (State Recording Visitor) Records in Ferndale, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit (the characterization was called "State Recording" for its offset three releases). He had a small grocery shop, but in the dorsum there was a recording studio where they laid downwards four tunes that they'd written themselves: "I'll Beg," "Let Me Take You Out This night," "Darling," and "Pleasure Me." All were led by Norman McLean (with assist from George Claybrooks on "Darling").

Unfortunately, Carter never sent his records out for review then dating them exactly is impossible. Still, the combinations of "I'll Beg"/"Permit Me Take You Out Tonight" and "Darling"/"Pleasance Me" were both released in 1954. Co-ordinate to Johnny Dawson, groups coming back from tours told him that they'd heard "I'll Beg" on southern radio stations.

Actually, "I'll Beg" did well enough locally to attract the attending of Richard Connor, director of the Linwood Theater. He approached the grouping and offered to manage them. Now, they had someone who got them uniforms and gigs.

With some recordings to brag about, the grouping started actualization all around Detroit and the surrounding areas. There were gigs at Lee's Guild Awareness, the Graystone Ballroom, the Strand Lounge, the Linwood Theater (naturally), and the Flame Show Bar. Most of their appearances were local, but Johnny remembered i gig in Toledo.

A 6th member of the group was Robert "Egg" Fleming, a non-singing guitarist (remember the "non-singing" part). Johnny was told about him and went to South Detroit to encounter him. Fleming was crazy virtually roller skating and their initial coming together took place at a local skating rink.

Later a couple of years, the guys became aware of another Detroit group called the Emeralds; exit the "5 Emeralds" and enter the "Downbeats." Sometime afterward the name modify, Curtis Browder was replaced by first tenor Thomas Saulsberry. Duke Miller was a barber (as was Johnny by then) and Thomas came into Duke's shop ane mean solar day. Ane thing led to another and soon he was function of the group.

The story is told that Ardra "Sonny" Forest, bass of the Royals/Midnighters was arrested considering of not-payment of child support and the Midnighters replaced him with baritone Norman Thrasher (formerly of the Serenaders/Royal Jokers). After Sonny cleared up his troubles, he saw the Downbeats at an appearance (Johnny Dawson had known him for a few years) and started rehearsing with them (as their pianist; he never sang with them).

Somehow, Sonny Wood knew Don Robey, owner of Duke and Peacock Records in Houston, Texas. Sonny arranged for Robey to come to Detroit to hear them and set a session at the studios of WCHB (1200 on your AM punch); they never went to Houston. The Downbeats ended upwards recording a couple of sides ("Let'southward Go Steady" and "And so Many Tears") that Sonny had written and which he had Robey release as past "Sonny Woods and His Downbeats" (in truth, Norman McLean led both sides; he led all the five Emeralds and Downbeats tunes.) These were released on Peacock in July 1957, but were neither sent out for review nor promoted.

Afterward this, Sonny Woods pretty much wandered away from the Downbeats; Norman can't remember him ever actualization with the group. He would somewhen end upwardly with Billy Davis and the Legends, another Detroit group. By the early 60s, Sonny was a DJ on WJLD, in Birmingham, Alabama. (Notation that he wasn't the Sonny Woods who was with the Twigs and the 4 Winds; that was a California tenor.)

The Downbeats then hooked up with Robert West, owner of several minor Detroit labels and manager of the Falcons. While the Downbeats supposedly backed up Marv Johnson on "One time Upon A Time" and "My Baby-o" (released in May 1958 on Westward's Kudo label), Johnny says this isn't truthful. Since Sonny Woods produced the session, he may have gotten another group and called them the "Downbeats."

For the next 2 years, they continued to work locally. "Gigs were plentiful and then," said Johnny, "just we hadn't quit our day jobs."

And then information technology was dorsum to Don Robey, where the guys recorded another pair of tunes for Peacock: "Someday She'll Come up Along" (another song written by Sonny Woods) and "You're So Fine"; these were released in March 1959. It wasn't an accident that they covered the Falcons' big hit. The Downbeats had switched direction to Robert West, who also managed the Falcons (whose original version of "Y'all're And then Fine" had been released on West'southward Motion-picture show label in January 1959). Once again, Norman led both sides.

With high hopes, Robey sent this one out for review, but information technology didn't do very well. According to Johnny, they had recorded two versions of the song, and Robey released the "wrong" version. Johnny says Robey could accept stock-still it, only he ended upwardly doing nothing about it. On April half-dozen, 1959, both sides were rated "fair." Other reviews that week were for Brook Benton's "Endlessly," Niggling Richard's "Kansas Metropolis," the Ideals' "Genu Socks," Thurston Harris' "Runk Bunk," the 5 Royales' "I Know It's Difficult, But It'due south Fair," the Shirelles' "Dedicated To The One I Love," the Jewels' "The Air current," and the Velours' "Blue Velvet." In one case once more, the record wasn't pushed much. However, Norman said, "I never liked covering other people's songs."

After this, the Downbeats merely connected working effectually Detroit for another couple of years. Amazingly, they were nonetheless getting gigs from 1954's "I'll Beg." Then, with nil happening, George Claybrooks decided to quit. Since, as Norman said, "they stopped using basses as much as they used to," George wasn't replaced.

Johnny had known Motown's Berry Gordy for a number of years (he was Gordy's barber), and the Downbeats hooked up with him, making Tamla Records (a Motown subsidiary) their adjacent dwelling house.

Their beginning recording was "Asking Of A Fool," on September 19, 1961. Around two months after, they recorded the Berry Gordy-penned "Your Baby's Back" (Norman did lead chores on both). These were released on Tamla in February 1962. The record failed to make whatsoever waves, merely the group continued to record through mid-1964 (although zippo further was released by them). Really, "Practice You Know What I'm Talkin' Virtually" and "Yous Say You lot Love Me" were scheduled for release on Motown'south new 5.I.P. subsidiary in 1964, but for some reason, they were never issued. Unreleased tracks, recorded between September 1961 and June 1964, include: "Don't You Know I Dear You lot Baby," "Showtime Endeavour At Love," "Party Time," "Until I Lost You," "Solitary Boy," "I Feel And so Fine," "I Want To Exist With You," "Let The Groove Roll On," "Yous Say You Love Me," "They Say You Don't Care," and "Practice Yous Know What I'k Talkin' About." As usual, all leads were done past Norman McLean.

Later on all these recordings, Thomas Saulsberry got sick and had to drop out. This left the Downbeats equally the trio of Norman McLean, Johnny Dawson, and Duke Miller (along with guitarist Robert Fleming). Berry Gordy suggested that what the grouping needed was a female lead singer (he told them, "If yous'd similar, I've got the correct young lady for you"). Enter Saundra Edwards, who had recorded "Camel Walk"/"It'south Gonna Be Hard Times" for Tamla (as Saundra Mallett, backed up by the Vandellas) back in 1962.

In April 1965, the revamped Downbeats recorded "Put Yourself In My Place," followed past "Darling Infant" in October. These two tunes were issued in mid-December 1965 on Motown'south V.I.P. subsidiary. They featured Saundra Edwards on lead (equally would most of the group'southward released sides for the rest of their Motown career).

(This is probably a good time to note that the recording industry had inverse a great deal since the 1950s. In the early part of that decade, Atlantic Records could pile the desks on top of each other in their offices and turn the whole room into a recording studio. Past the mid-60s, the instrumental tracks were recorded at one session, the lead vocalizer at another, and the rest of the grouping at a 3rd. And then the question of "when was this song recorded?" is not an easy one to answer.)

However, no sooner had the record been released (at to the lowest degree the review copies) than Gordy realized that there was another Downbeats grouping around; time for a new name. Johnny Dawson saw a sign for the Elgin Watch Company, and next day he said "I idea of a skilful name for us." They all agreed on "The Elgins" (non knowing that the Temptations had started off by calling themselves the Elgins, necessitating a name change because there was some other Elgins group around at that time - circular and round and round). They told Gordy nigh their decision and he was pleased with information technology. Downbeats promos were chop-chop re-labeled with stickers saying "Elgins" until a production run could be fabricated.

The disc was formally reissued a couple of weeks later (at the very end of December 1965) and the Elgins were on their way. Information technology doesn't seem to have been reviewed, but by January 29, 1966, it was #31 in St. Louis. By the time the grit had settled, "Darling Babe" had peaked at #4 on the national R&B charts (#72 Pop).

This was more like it. The Downbeats/Elgins finally got to make major appearances including the Apollo, the Howard, the Royal, the Regal, the Uptown, and venues in Los Angeles and Bermuda, also equally lots and lots of clubs all over the country. (They appeared at the Apollo on April 22, 1966, along with Solomon Burke, Piddling Milton, Fontella Bass, the Velvelettes, Slim Harpo, and Tommy Hunt.)

In Baronial 1966, V.I.P. released the 2nd Elgins record: "Heaven Must Accept Sent You," backed with "Stay In My Lonely Arms" (both recorded in June of that year). Once once again, Motown didn't transport information technology out for review; once over again an Elgins vocal was a big hit. Past the fourth dimension it had finished its run, "Heaven Must Accept Sent Y'all" had reached the #nine spot on the national R&B charts (#l Popular). On these sides, Motown'due south songwriting/production team of Holland, Dozier, and Kingdom of the netherlands had used Motown'southward ubiquitous Andantes to fill out the audio (which concluded upward resembling the Supremes more than than anything else).

Since the Elgins had been doing well (and continually recording), V.I.P. decided to release an anthology in October 1966 (with the stereo version issued the following Feb). All the leads were done past Saundra Edwards, except for "634-5789" and "When A Man Loves A Woman," fronted past Norman McLean. I problem with the album was that the liner notes credited Robert Fleming (the group's non-singing guitarist) with being a singing fellow member, while omitting Norman McLean's proper noun birthday!

In December 1966, Billboard listed the elevation R&B singles for the year. On it, "Darling Baby" was #41 and "Sky Must Have Sent You" was #54 (in instance y'all're interested, #one was "Hold On! I'k Comin'," past Sam & Dave).

In June 1967, Five.I.P. put out "Information technology's Been A Long Long Time"/"I Empathise My Man" (once once again, an Elgins tape wasn't sent out for review). "Time" had been recorded in February; "Understand" was from June of 1966. Yet, the superlative side simply made information technology to #35 (#92 Pop), and Motown never released another original recording by the grouping. Yet, they continued to tape prodigiously (at least through the end of 1968), and in that location were many unreleased tracks.

In the fall of 1967, Saundra Edwards, who had "personal problems" according to Norman, left the group and they replaced her with Yvonne Allen. Yvonne was introduced to them by the songwriting/product team of James Dean and William Weatherspoon (Weatherspoon had been a member of Stanley Mitchell's Tornados). Every bit Yvonne Vernee, she'd had releases on Brent (as lead of the Donays), SonBert, and Correc-Tone, from 1962 through 1965.

The group, at present with Yvonne, made a few recordings for 5.I.P. ("we were in the studio quite a flake," remembered Norman), merely nothing more was released. With Saundra, they'd recorded from about April 1965 through April 1967; with Yvonne, the only datable recordings were done in April and Dec 1968.

Finally, things just slowed down for the Elgins. With Motown no longer releasing whatsoever of their work, they went their carve up ways (Yvonne had even moved to Portland, Oregon). But that was about to modify.

In the spring of 1971, Motown re-released "Sky Must Have Sent You" in England and information technology became a tremendous smash (on June 12 of that year, information technology was #three on the British charts). In September 1971, 5.I.P. re-released information technology in the U.S. (although in that location was no chart action here). It was such a big hitting in England, in fact, that the Elgins got to brand a tour of the British Isles ("We were superstars in England," said Norman. "We weren't getting rich or anything, but it was adept for the ego.") They were sent for three weeks and ended up staying for a few months.

The Elgins were dorsum home in time for Christmas, simply there was such demand that they returned to England over again for another four months. This time, Norman McLean didn't go, being replaced by Jimmy Charles, who was introduced to the group through Robert Fleming.

In 1989, Ian Levine, who had started up Motorcity Records in England to record one-time Soul singers, fabricated contact with the Elgins in guild to record an album with them. Yvonne Allen, Norman McLean, Jimmy Charles, and Johnny Dawson reunited. (Since Duke Miller had passed abroad in 1985, Jimmy was now taking his place instead of Norman's.) The resulting anthology (The Elgins - Take The Train), recorded at United Sound Studios in Detroit and issued in 1990, featured ix brand-new songs and a re-working of "Heaven Must Have Sent Y'all."

In 1992, Levine had them come over to England, where they recorded a second anthology (The Elgins - Sensational), with ten additional new songs. Since then, Motorcity has released some CDs with tunes from the outset two compilations (for example, The Very All-time Of The Elgins).

I suppose information technology'due south some sort of tribute to the popularity of the Elgins: in the 21st Century, at that place's a phony Elgins group that appears in the Philadelphia area. They've even recorded some of the Elgins' tunes to make themselves more credible.

Finally, in 2007, Universal-Island Records (in the Uk) issued a double CD called The Elgins - Motown Anthology. This contained all the released sides by the Downbeats and the Elgins, also as many previously-unreleased tracks: 11 by the Downbeats, 4 by Norman McLean and the Elgins, seven past Saundra Edwards and the Elgins, and 3 by Yvonne Allen and the Elgins. Because of this release, the Elgins made ane concluding bout of England. However, neither Norman nor Johnny went this time. The Elgins appeared every bit the trio of Yvonne Allen, Jimmy Charles, and Percy Williams.

In 2012, about of the old bandage is gone: George Claybrooks, Thomas Saulsberry, Duke Miller, Robert Fleming, and Saundra Edwards are all deceased; Curtis Browder probably is. Would Norman do one more show with the Elgins? "No, I wouldn't do it. All my life I was singing. I gave it my all-time shot. Music was my life, but in that location comes a fourth dimension when you have to say, 'It's over for me'." And how about Johnny? "No. Uh-uh. Unless they fabricated me an offer I couldn't pass up. I've retired."

Discography courtesy of Ferdie Gonzalez. Special thanks to Victor Pearlin, Bob Leszczak, and Steve of Motown Junkies .

S-R-C
106 I'll Beg (NM)/Let Me Take You Out This evening (NM) - 54
107 Darling (NM)/Pleasance Me (NM) - 54

PEACOCK
1679 Let's Go Steady (NM)/So Many Tears (NM) - 7/57

PEACOCK
1689 You're So Fine (NM)/Someday She'll Come Along (NM) - 3/59

TAMLA
54056 Your Baby'south Dorsum (NM)/Request Of A Fool (NM) - 2/62

V.I.P. (subsidiary of Motown)
25007 Exercise You lot Know What I'm Talkin' Well-nigh (NM)/Y'all Say You Love Me (NM)
(the above was scheduled for 1964, merely information technology was never released)
25025 Darling Infant (SE)/Put Yourself In My Identify (SE) - 12/65

V.I.P.
25029 Darling Baby (SE)/Put Yourself In My Place (SE) - 12/65
25037 Heaven Must Have Sent Yous (SE)/Stay In My Alone Arms (SE) - 8/66
Re-released every bit 5.I.P. 25065 - 9/71

VM-400 Darling Baby - 10/66 (stereo version released 2/67)
Darling Infant (SE)
In The Midnight Hour (SE)
Sky Must Have Sent You (SE)
I Understand My Human (SE)
Expert Lovin' (SE)
It'southward Gonna Exist Hard Times (SE)
Put Yourself In My Place (SE)
634-5789 (NM)
No Time For Tears (SE)
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By Yous) (SE)
Stay In My Lonely Arms (SE)
When A Man Loves A Woman (NM)

25043 It's Been A Long Long Time (SE)/I Understand My Homo (SE) - half-dozen/67
25065 Sky Must Take Sent Yous (SE)/Stay In My Lonely Arms (SE) - 9/71

MOTORCITY
MOTCLP 39 (and CDMOTCLP 39) The Elgins - Take The Train - 90
Accept The Train (YA)
Oooh Honey Babe (YA)
Look What You've Washed To My Heart (YA)
Souvenirs Of Love (YA)
Brand New Feeling (YA)
Closer To Your Heart (YA)
Don't Expect Around (YA)
Heading Away From Heartache (YA)
Stop Expressionless In My Tracks (YA)
Heaven Must Have Sent Y'all (YA)

12 MOTC 43 (a 12" 45RPM single)
Information technology's Sensational/Take The Train - 92

MOTCCD 75 The Elgins - Sensational - 92
Ii Wrongs Don't Make A Right (YA)
It's Sensational (YA)
Is That As well Much (YA)
Look Upwardly To The Sky (YA)
What's Going Wrong (YA)
Yous Got Emotion (YA)
Nothing's Worse Than Existence Alone (YA)
Make You My Ain (YA)
My Earth Is Ending (YA)
10 Out Of Ten (YA)

HTCD 7733-two - The Best Of The Elgins - 92
Accept The Train (YA)
Don't Wait Around (YA)
Zippo's Worse Than Being Alone (YA)
Make New Feeling (YA)
Expect Upward To The Sky (YA)
Heading Away From Heartache (YA)
It's Sensational (YA)
Souvenirs Of Love (YA)
Closer To Your Heart (YA)
You Got Emotion (YA)
Oooh Honey Babe (YA)
Make You My Own (YA)
Stop Dead In My Tracks (YA)
Look What Y'all've Washed To My Center (YA)
Sky Must Have Sent You (YA)
Ii Wrongs Don't Make A Right (YA)
10 Out Of 10 (YA)
Didn't You Know You lot'd Take To Cry Erstwhile (YA)

UNIVERSAL-Island
980 089-2 The Elgins - Motown Anthology - five/2007

      Contains all the released 5.I.P. tracks from 45s and from the LP. In addition, at that place are the two released
tracks (on Tamla) by the Downbeats, two tracks by Saundra Mallett & Vandellas, and 3 unreleased solo
tracks by Saundra Mallett. Finally, in that location are the unreleased tracks: past the Downbeats, the Elgins with
Saundra Mallett Edwards, and the Elgins with Yvonne Vernee Allen. Merely the unreleased tracks by the
Downbeats and the Elgins are listed:

DOWNBEATS
Don't You Know I Dear You Infant (NM) - Downbeats
Start Endeavour At Beloved (NM) - Downbeats
Political party Time (NM) - Downbeats
Until I Lost Yous (NM) - Downbeats
Lone Boy (NM) - Downbeats
I Feel So Fine (NM) - Downbeats
I Want To Be With You (NM) - Downbeats
Let The Groove Scroll On (NM) - Downbeats
You Say You Love Me (NM) - Downbeats
They Say You Don't Care (NM) - Downbeats
Do You Know What I'grand Talkin' About (NM) - Downbeats

ELGINS
Information technology's A Human's Homo's Man's Earth (NM) - Elgins
For Your Precious Love (NM) - Elgins
Another Hurt Like This (NM) - Elgins
When You Are Available (NM) - Elgins
I Still Dearest You (SE) - Elgins
That'due south The Night The Love Died (SE) - Elgins
Love (Is The Answer) (SE) - Elgins
Permit's Give Honey Another Chance (SE) - Elgins
My 2 Artillery - You = Tears (SE) - Elgins (this had been on a Motown LP)
All For Simply Lovin' You (SE) - Elgins
Thank You Love (SE) - Elgins
Life Tin can Be Beautiful When You're In Love (YA) - Elgins
My Dear For Your Honey (YA) - Elgins
Love Where Are You Hiding (YA) - Elgins

LEADS: NM = Norman McLean; SE = Saundra Edwards; YA = Yvonne Allen

SAUNDRA MALLETT & VANDELLAS

TAMLA
54067 Camel Walk/It's Gonna Be Hard Times - vii/62

YVONNE VERNEE

BRENT (equally lead of the Donays)
7033 Devil In His Heart/Bad Boy - seven/62

SONBERT
3475 Your Touch/It'south Been A Long Fourth dimension - 63

CORREC-TONE
3178 Does He Love Me Anymore/And so Much In Dearest - 64

SONBERT
5842 Only Like Yous Did Me/I'g In Dearest - 65

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Source: http://www.uncamarvy.com/5Emeralds/5emeralds.html

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