Bloodstone Biography
A self-contained R&B band from Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Sweet soul stand-up vocal groups were highly fashionable in the early 70s and Bloodstone, with their falsetto-led and vocally harmonized hits, were a part of the phenomenon along with the Moments, Chi-lites, and Stylistics, among others. Original members were Charles McCormick (lead vocal, bass guitar), Charles Love (lead vocal, guitar), Willis Draffen (18 March 1945, Kansas City, Missouri, USA, d. 8 February 2002, Kansas City, Missouri, USA; vocal, guitar), Henry Williams (vocal, percussion), Eddie Summers (drummer) and Roger Lee Durham (b. 1946, d. October 1973). Bloodstone became hitmakers in the USA via the unusual route of being discovered by an English producer, Mike Vernon, who recorded them in the UK. Their biggest hits, on London Records in the USA, came early in their career from 1973-74, namely "Natural High" (number 4 R&B, number 10 pop), "Never Let You Go" (number 7 R&B, number 43 pop), "Outside Woman" (number 2 R&B, number 34 pop), and "My Little Lady" (number 4 R&B, number 57 pop). In the UK charts, "Natural High" was the only entry, peaking at number 40. The group moved to the Isley Brothers' T-Neck label in 1982, and immediately had a Top 5 R&B hit with "We Go A Long Way Back". Their pop success remained behind them, however, but Bloodstone continued to appear on the R&B charts until 1984, when they disbanded.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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