The Cadillacs

Genres:	Doo Wop • R&B / Soul
Descriptive "tags":	doo wop • 50s • oldies • rock and roll • doo-wop
Decades Active:	1950s • 1960s • 1990s • 2000s
Links online:	Wikipedia

Biography

This vocal quintet, initially called the Carnations, was formed in 1953 in New York, USA, and comprised Earl Carroll (Gregory Carroll, 2 November 1937, New York City, New York, USA), LaVerne Drake, Bobby Phillips, Johnny Willingham and James ‘Poppa’ Clark, who also sang with the Five Crowns. The Cadillac’s debut single, ‘Gloria’, was released by Josie Records in July 1954, and although it did not chart at the time, it was later considered a doo-wop classic. Clark and Willingham were then replaced by Earl Wade (ex-Crystals) and Charles Brooks. Their next two singles, ‘No Chance’/‘Sympathy’ and ‘Down The Road’, failed to chart, but ‘Speedoo’, released in October 1955, did reach number 17 in the Billboard R&B charts. Meanwhile, the group’s dance steps were being choreographed by Charles Atkinson (aka Cholly Atkins), who later worked with a number of Motown Records’ acts. Following lucrative...

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