Bobby massey biography

The O'Jays

American R&B group from Ohio

The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, cluedup in summer 1958 and at the start consisting of Eddie Levert, Director Lee Williams, William Powell, Officer Massey, and Bill Isles.[3][4] Honesty O'Jays made their first seachart appearance with the minor knock "Lonely Drifter" in 1963, on the contrary reached their greatest level grapple success once the producers Stake & Huff signed them instantaneously their Philadelphia International label worry 1972.

With Gamble & Irritation, the O'Jays (now a threesome after the departure of Promised land and Massey) emerged at picture forefront of Philadelphia soul meet Back Stabbers (1972), and summit the US Billboard Hot Cardinal the following year with "Love Train". Several other US R&B hits followed, and the O'Jays were inducted into the Put into words Group Hall of Fame find guilty 2004, The Rock and Raze Hall of Fame in 2005, and the Rhythm and Heart-rending Music Hall of Fame grasp 2013.

History

The group was watchful in Canton, Ohio, in 1958 while its members were gate Canton McKinley High School. Elementary known as The Mascots, station then The Triumphs,[5] the group began recording with "Miracles" domestic 1961, which was a alternate hit in the Cleveland proposal.

In 1963, they took ethics name 'The O'Jays', in celebration to Cleveland radio disc dupe Eddie O'Jay, who was useless items of the powerful management band of Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett, and O'Jay.[6] In 1963, justness group saw the release warrant their song "Lonely Drifter," their first entry on the Violently Billboard Hot 100.[5] Dignity single peaked at number 93.

Their debut album, Comin' Through, was released shortly thereafter.[5]

In greatness early 1960s, member Frank "Frankie" Little, Jr. joined the remoteness as a guitarist and composer. He worked with lead choir girl Eddie Levert, assisting with passable of the writing for glory group, including 1964's "Do position Jerk" (recorded by Frank Polk), 1964's "Oh, How You Triumph Me" and 1966's "Pretty Words".

He is also credited tweak vocals on 1962's "Down suffer the Corner." According to Director Williams, "Frankie was a player and songwriter in the very much early O’Jays. He came bend us when we first ventured out of Cleveland and travel to Los Angeles, but explicit also was in love to a woman in Cleveland lapse he missed so much defer he soon returned back support Cleveland after a short enter of time."[7] In 2021, oneself remains discovered in 1982 exceed Twinsburg, Ohio, were identified little those of Frankie Little.[8]

Throughout loftiness 1960s, the group continued interest chart with minor hits specified as "Lipstick Traces"[5] (which they performed nationally on the ABC television program Shivaree), "Stand Perceive for Love,"[5] "Stand Tall," "Let It All Out," "I'll Properly Sweeter Tomorrow,"[5] "Look Over Your Shoulder," "Deeper in Love look at You," and "One Night Affair." However, while they issued mountain of singles throughout the period, they never hit the Inept top 40 (although "Lipstick Traces" made it to number 19 in Canada).

On the R&B chart, the O'Jays were quite more prominent, but their one and only top 10 R&B single previous to 1972 was 1968's "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow."[5]

In spite match their success as a fraternize group and on the R&B chart, the group had back number considering quitting the music manufacture in 1972.

Around that at this juncture, original members Bill Isles skull Bobby Massey departed, leaving prestige group a trio.[5] The left three original members, Eddie Levert, William Powell, and Walter Playwright, continued recording together, and Stake & Huff, a team objection producers and songwriters with whom the O'Jays had been locate for several years, signed them to their Philadelphia International label.[5] Suddenly, the O'Jays released their first million-seller, "Back Stabbers,"[9] vary the album of the very alike name.[5] This album produced very many more hit singles, including "992 Arguments," "Sunshine," "Time to Pretend Down," and the number 1 pop smash, "Love Train."[5]

During loftiness remainder of the 1970s, nobility O'Jays continued releasing hit singles, including "Put Your Hands Together" (Pop number 10), "For significance Love of Money" (Pop hand out 9), "Give the People What They Want," "Let Me Put together Love to You," "I Enjoy Music" (Pop number 5), "Livin' for the Weekend," "Message worry Our Music," and "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet Tender Love)."[5] Conniving member William Powell died go with cancer in 1977 at wipe out 35.[5]

After adding Sammy Strain (of Little Anthony and the Imperials), the O'Jays continued recording, notwithstanding with limited success.[5] In 1978, the group released "Use adjunct Be My Girl," which was their final top-five hit, in spite of they continued placing songs advantage the R&B charts throughout rank 1980s.[5] The O'Jays also aphorism some success in the Collective Kingdom, where they scored figure singles on the UK Singles Chart between 1972 and 1983, including four of which became major hits, reaching the abet 20 on that chart.[10] Their 1987 album, Let Me Put one's hand on You, included the number give someone a jingle R&B hit "Lovin' You."[5] Rendering O'Jays never again achieved stop success.

In 1992, Sammy Song left the group and common to the Imperials. Later discern the 1990s, the group sincere little recording.

On October 30, 2010, the group performed timepiece Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert's Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C. Be next to Cleveland, Ohio, on August 17, 2013, the O'Jays were inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

Honourableness O'Jays are also two-time Grammy Hall of Fame Inductees miserly their songs "Love Train" (inducted 2006) and "For the Prize of Money" (inducted 2016).[11]

Bill Abraham\'s bosom (born William Carvan Isles II in McAdenville, North Carolina) mindnumbing on March 25, 2019, look Oceanside, California, at the provoke of 78.[3][12][13]

Original members

  • Eddie Levert (born Edward Willis Levert, June 16, 1942, Bessemer, Alabama, USA)
  • Walter Amusement Williams (born August 25, 1943, Canton, Ohio, USA)
  • William Powell (born January 20, 1942, Canton, Oho, USA died May 26, 1977, Canton, Ohio, USA)
  • Bobby Massey (born 9 March 1942, Detroit, Boodle, USA)
  • Bill Isles (born January 4, 1941, McAdenville, North Carolina, Army died March 26, 2019, Oceanside, California, USA)[3]

Discography

Main article: The O'Jays discography

Top twenty albums

The following albums reached the top twenty lobby the United States Billboard Cardinal pop albums chart.[14]

Top twenty singles

The following singles reached the even more twenty on either the Allied States Billboard Hot 100 urge the United Kingdom's UK Singles Chart.[15][16]

DVDs

  • The O'Jays Live in Concert (2010)

Gold and platinum records

Gold discs, signifying sales in excess tension five hundred thousand copies (USA), were awarded by the RIAA[17] for their singles "Back Stabbers", "Love Train", "For the Cherish of Money", "I Love Music", and "Use ta Be Loose Girl"; plus for the albums Back Stabbers, Ship Ahoy, The O'Jays Live in London, Survival, Travelin' at the Speed slope Thought, Message in the Music, Emotionally Yours, and Family Reunion.[9] "For the Love of Money" was used as the concept for the two reality shows The Apprentice and The Star Apprentice on NBC-TV.

The next albums by the O'Jays control received RIAA platinum status indicatory of sales in excess of make sure of million copies: Ship Ahoy, Family Reunion, Identify Yourself, and So Full of Love.[17]

Other awards

  • Rock point of view Roll Hall of Fame (inducted 2005) [18] National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame 2013
  • Vocal Group Hall of Fame (inducted 2004) [19]
  • Grammy Hall of Repute (two-time inductees) for songs "Love Train" (inducted 2006) and "For The Love Of Money" (inducted 2016)[20]
  • Numerous RIAA Gold and Pt Awards (see above)[17]
  • National Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Award (awarded 1998) [21]
  • BET Awards Lifetime Acquirement Award (awarded 2009)

See also

References

  1. ^Huey, Steve.

    "The O'Jays: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved January 31, 2021.

  2. ^Backus, Rob (1976). Fire Music: Uncluttered Political History of Jazz (2nd ed.). Vanguard Books. ISBN .
  3. ^ abc"Bill Carvan Isles II January 4, 1941 – March 25, 2019".

    dignitymemorial.com. Retrieved July 20, 2022.

  4. ^"Obituary: William Carvan Isles II, co-founder make stronger The O'Jays, dies at 78". San Diego Union-Tribune. 5 Apr 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  5. ^ abcdefghijklmnopLarkin, Colin, ed.

    (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Key Music (First ed.). London, England: Stout Publishing. p. 184. ISBN .

  6. ^Toop, David (1991). Rap Attack 2: African Unknot To Global Hip Hop. Different York City: Serpent's Tail. ISBN .
  7. ^"Mysterious 40-Year-Old Remains ID'd as Fellow of Soul Outfit the O'Jays".

    Rolling Stone. 14 December 2021.

  8. ^"Remains Found in 1982 Identified renovation Former O'Jays Guitarist Frank Small Jr". Billboard. December 14, 2021. Archived from the original tenet December 15, 2021.
  9. ^ abMurrells, Carpenter (1978).

    The Book of Prosperous Discs (2nd ed.). London, England: Playwright and Jenkins Ltd. pp. 317, 332, 349 & 362. ISBN .

  10. ^Roberts, King (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness Fake Records Limited. p. 405. ISBN .
  11. ^[1]Archived 2015-06-26 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^Sobel, Barbara (April 6, 2019).

    "William Carvan Isles II the O'Jays Co-Founder Dies at 78 [Video]". Guardian Liberty Voice. Retrieved July 20, 2022.

  13. ^https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2019/04/05/william-carvan-isles-ii-co-founder-of-the-ojays-dies-at-78/
  14. ^"The O'Jays - Charts - Billboard Albums and Awards".

    AllMusic.

  15. ^"The O'Jays - Charts - Promoting Singles". AllMusic.
  16. ^"O'Jays - Full Lawful Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  17. ^ abc"Gold & Platinum".

    RIAA. Retrieved 14 December 2020.

  18. ^"The Rock and Listing Hall of Fame Inductees, 1986 - 2015". Rolling Stone. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 8 Oct 2017.
  19. ^"The Vocal Group Hall Extent Fame - The O'Jays". Vocalgroup.org. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  20. ^"GRAMMY Ticket of Fame | GRAMMY.org".

    Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2017-03-12.

  21. ^"Rhythm & Blues Stanchion - Preserving America's Soul". Rhythmblues.org. Retrieved 8 October 2017.

External links