Willie Winfield and The Harptones - A Sunday Kind Of Love

PLEASE NOTE: I divided my uploads between multiple channels, Bookmark this link in your browser for instant access to an index with links to all of John1948's oldies classics. LINK: http://tinyurl.com/Channel-Index

An R&B vocal group formed in 1953 in Harlem, New York City, New York, USA. The members were lead Willie Winfield, first tenor Nick Clark, second tenor William Dempsey, baritone Bill Dicey Galloway, bass Billy Brown and pianist/arranger Raoul J. Cita. The Harptones were one of the smoothest and most polished R&B vocal groups to emerge during the early rock n roll era. Although considered a part of the doo-wop phenomenon, they rarely employed nonsense syllables. Instead, the chorus would answer in words employing a special opened mouth harmony devised by Cita. The Harptones were giants on the east coast but virtually unknown elsewhere in the country. Among their best numbers (all ballads) are A Sunday Kind Of Love (1954), My Memories Of You (1954) and Life Is But A Dream (1955); none of their jump songs were particularly convincing. By 1956, with the death of Brown, the group was beginning to break up, and during this time Jimmy Beckum appeared on many of the tracks recorded for George Goldners Rama/Gee complex. Top notch songs during this period included On Sunday Afternoon and Shrine Of St. Cecilia. Their final recordings were released in 1957. During the 70s and 80s Winfield and Cita made up various permutations of a Harptones group to play the east coast oldies circuit.

Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• doo
• wop
• rock
• r&b

[PJDooWop]

One of the immortal classics.. The Harptones never go out of style

[John1948ThirteenB]

Absolutely!

[reecolor]

Is that you dancing John...looks like you at :35 with the blond...

[John1948ThirteenB]

No but I would have been happy to dance with her and thrilled to be on American Bandstand. It's just some dance footage I've saved along the line.

I was a bit taller than him and my hair was curlier. I wished I could comb my hair like that!

[dianaguerrasp]

he's the nicest man- I am so glad I had the chance to meet him a few times at the LAR shows in NY. Beautiful voice.....

[TheRogerfbrown]

@Klopsky1 I have it on an album I got in 1959, how do you upload? Make an mp3?

[bbrother92]

good doowop , thaks from Russia =)

[qcveronique]

Willie had one of the nicest voices you'll ever hear! So resonant and full toned, love it and luv this song too!

[skater3shefik]

This music is nice. I like it.

[newkirkbobby]

@bufb That's them...good mem bufb...they were America's couple on Bandstand

[Klopsky1]

Anyone have a cut of "The shrine of St. Cecilia" by the Harptones to post? Kinda surprised it's not out there. Willie Winfield is exceptional.

[DaddyClb]

Great tune & luv the vid!!!