Larks

[PaulHucklebuckWms]

The Paul Williams band did a good job accompanying The Larks.

[doowopman49]

the larks greater than great! by far the best version i've ever heard hands down.i actually had them doing this on vhs tape years ago and sold it to a good friend of mine . soooooooo nice to hear and see these legendary quartet once again. thank you for the beautiful post. tom d brick,nj

[bigbossmatt]

great suits! they look mean as fuck

[busessuck1]

louis armstrog's version of this great, but this is a whole new level of awsome

[skypanther1]

The Larks are one of the seminal groups in the transition from Jubilee gospel harmony singing to R&B and doo-wop. The Larks evolved out of the the seminal Norfolk Jubilee Singers, one of the great gospel groups of the first half of the 20th century, and later they evolved into another brilliant R&B group, the Five Royales... 

[kpitt1204]

This group os baaaaaaaaaaad! (as in good that is)

[prezobummer]

thnx 4 this post 

[jjaniero]

Love the Larks!

[doktorsung]

Fantastic, thx a lot!

[GReYSTOKE2012]

Thank you elBopper.

[scharwenka1850]

This is something I've never heard before. It's really interesting. Thanks!

[wharptones]

Man oh man, to think Gene, Thurmon, Pee Wee, Tar Heel, Hadie, and David are alive and well on YouTube is one of the greatest things on the net, these guys were there long before "Doo Wop" was ever used to describe the Rhythm 'n Blues vocal group phenomenon...every r&b song you've listened to in your entire life, motown to rap and ALL stops in between, owe it to these guys and their contemporaries!

[thegroupharmonyalley]

In my opinion, it's entirely inaccurate to use the term "doo-wop" or any variation in its spelling to describe this legendary pioneer group whose roots are in the southern gospel tradition, and whose career took them on a rhythm & blues and later down a more pop-oriented path. To refer to them as "doo-wop" would be reducing the significance of their roots, and mitigates, even trivializes their place in history.

[YusufCawthon]

That was awesome..I wish spiritual music for us stayed like that. It's too sensationalized now and about money..

[fur2008]

congratulations!!! good, wonderful music... I'm brazilian and listen dowoop since my childhood, one friend introduced to me and I never stoped to listen...I love it, thanks

[ijg77]

Not sure I'd call this doo-wop. This is an great example of a gospel style that pre-dates doo-wop by at least 30 years.

[elBopper]

dont worry...THIS IS DOOWOP ;-) i think doowop started in the fourtys begin fifties ?!

BUT..its great music , whatever you wanna call it ;-)

[gazuaman]

elBopper could you publish the lyrics along with the video? I'm stuck on this pwerformance. Cool guys!

[elBopper]

You can find it on google ?! i dont have it..sorry

[sepod]

The story of the Larks begins in the late 1920s, when singer Thermon Ruth founded the Selah Jubilee Singers in New York, later basing them in Raleigh, North Carolina where they had a radio show. They recorded for Decca Records and other smaller labels in the 1940s, and their membership overlapped with other religious vocal groups in the area, including The Southern Harmonaires. Wiki

[sepod]

Eugene "Gene" Mumford (June 24, 1925 - May 29, 1977) (tenor, lead) Alden "Allen" Bunn (also known later as Tarheel Slim) (September 24, 1924 -- August 21, 1977) (baritone, lead, guitar) Thermon (or Thurmon) Ruth (known later as T. Ruth) (March 6, 1914 -- September 13, 2002) (baritone, lead) Hadie Rowe Jr. (1928 - September 19, 1998) (baritone) David McNeil (1932 - January 8, 2005) (bass) Raymond "Pee Wee" Barnes (tenor)

[elBopper]

I have seen many movies and this is the best doowop ever !! I even post it myself hahaha

[gazuaman]

You did a very good job. I say...you did a damn good job!!!

[FairDealDan]

I agree and I'm the other guy that posted this same video

[wolwerone]

More than FABULOUS !!!:)

[gazuaman]

Superb...awsome... fabulastic!!!! What would be the price of a group like this in present times? GOLD!!!!

[frosty7530]

Very well putGazuaman! I say PLATINUM! I have noticed lots of talent exploding lately. I can hear the footprints of these treasured groups in our new musicians. I can hear melodic rifts in prog. hip-hop; esp Beyonce, Fergie, Justin Timberlake (he really respects history! he even dances like Sammy Davis rather than coping Michael J!).

[Zooluu59]

Thanks for putting this on for us, ElBopper. It is just the best! I listen to over and over. For the "Shad Rag" folks.... this song is from the Holy Bible, the Book of Daniel.

[chanse117]

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

[nickvanzetti]

tell me Elvis wasn't influenced by that voice. classic

[likecrazydaddy]

Who is to say who influenced whom? Elvis was already popular by '56. These guys are awesome!! Great Harmony. What is the exact title of this song? What are the lyrics?

[nickvanzetti]

yeh this was 1954. the larks go back to 1951. I say Elvis was influenced by these guys and many more gospel based rhythym and blues groups like Clyde McPhatter and the Dominoes. this song is called Shadrach

[nickvanzetti]

sorry Shad Rag

[likecrazydaddy]

It's Shadrack! I thought they sang this song in 56..my bad..You could be right.

[Zzuni1]

@nickvanzetti You must have been reading my mind, Nick. Elvis clearly borrowed from these guys.

[beefoneeto]

Great one.I love Rockin In The Rocket Room for Larks uptempo tune.Nothing compares to that unbelievable tenor on My Reverie though.

[babypalms]

What's the name to the song?

[Rawlfie]

1954 at the Apollo Theater

Gene Mumford

Orville Brooks

David "Boots" Bowers

Isaiah Bing

Pianist Glenn Burgess

[elBopper]

I think its the beginning of the fifties...its GREAT !!

[jmoorebrown]

this is so cool. to me the late 40's to the mid-fifties was the best time for the most incredible r&b vocal groups. it was an awesome time to be alive and a teenager around pittsburgh where this music was alive and well. rock on

[badfoot22]

what year was this, does anyoned know. I'd say mid fifties but i could be wrong. love this.

[elBopper]

it was in 1956, so your right about that ;-)

[rockabeppie]

oh yeaeaeah