The Essex Biography
A rock 'n' roll vocal group formed in the early 60s by members of the US Marine Corps at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, USA. Members were lead Anita Humes, Walter Vickers, Rodney Taylor, Rudolph Johnson, and Billie Hill. The group exploded on the scene in 1963 with three singles, "Easier Said Than Done" (number 1 R&B and pop), "A Walkin' Miracle" (number 11 R&B, number 12 pop), and "She's Got Everything" (number 56 pop). The vocal sound of the group, unlike many African-American groups of the day, featured meagre vocal harmony and concentrated on the warm engaging voice of Humes, and the group never sang R&B. After the initial hits, their company, Roulette, focused on Humes, and on their final album put only her picture on the cover, calling the artist Anita Humes With The Essex. The Essex's later soul-styled recordings, although thoroughly appealing, never found a market. In 1966 the group recorded a final single for Bang Records before disbanding.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
|
