The Whispers

Infobox musical artist
Name = The Whispers


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Background = group_or_band
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Origin = Los Angeles, California
Genre = R&B
Dance
Soul
Post-disco (later work)
Years_active = 1970s, 1980s, 1990s
Label = Solar (U.S.)
RCA (Europe)
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://thewhispers.com Official website]
Current_members = Leaveil Degree Nicholas Caldwell Wallace Scott Walter Scott Marcus Hutson Gordy Harmon
Past_members =

The Whispers are a long-established R&B / dance vocal group from Los Angeles, California, with a consistent track record of hit records dating back to the late 1960s.

Career

The Whispers formed in 1964 in Watts, California. The original members included the twin brothers, Scotty (Wallace) and Walter Scott, along with Gordy Harmon, Marcus Hutson and Nicholas Caldwell. In 1973, Harmon was replaced by former Friends of Distinction member Leaveil Degree. Scotty Scott's fluid, melodic voice is featured on virtually all of their hits.

The group scored many hits on the R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they hit #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1980 with "And the Beat Goes On" (not to be confused with Sonny and Cher's "The Beat Goes On") / "Can You Do the Boogie" / "Out the Box". In 1987, they enjoyed a brief tenure in the Top 40 when "Rock Steady" became their first Top 10 success on the Hot 100 (it reached #7) while also capturing the #1 spot on the R&B chart.

Although they recorded mainly in Philadelphia in the early to mid 70s, most of their studio work has been in Los Angeles. Their most successful period was in the 1980s with Solar Records (Sound Of Los Angeles Records), run by their manager at the time, Dick Griffey. The Whispers later founded their own Black Tie record label.

Marcus Hutson left the group in 1992 due to illness. According to the Whispers' website, when Hutson died in 2000 they vowed to never replace him, and now perform as a quartet.

Band members

* Scotty Scott (born Wallace Scott, 23 September 1943, Fort Worth, Texas).
* Walter Scott (born 23 September 1943, Fort Worth, Texas).
* Marcus Hutson (born 8 January 1943, St Louis, Missouri, died 2000)
* Nicholas Caldwell (born 5 April 1944, Loma Linda, California).
* Leaveil Degree (born 31 July 1948, New Orleans, Louisiana).
* Gordy Harmon

Discography

Albums

*1970 "The Whispers" - Soul Clock
*1972 "Love Story" - Janus Records
*1972 "Life & Breath" - Janus Records
*1973 "Planets of Life" (reissue) - Janus Records
*1974 "Bingo" - Janus Records
*1974 "Whispers Gettin' Louder" - Janus Records
*1976 "One for the Money" - Soul Train
*1976 "The Whispers" - Soul Train
*1977 "Open up Your Love" - Soul Train
*1978 "Headlights" - Solar Records
*1979 "Happy Holidays to You" - Solar
*1979 "Whisper in Your Ear" - Solar
*1979 "The Whispers" - Solar
*1980 "Imagination" - Solar
*1981 "This Kind Of Lovin"' - Solar
*1982 "Love Is Where You Find It" - Solar
*1983 "Love for Love" - Solar
*1984 "So Good" - Solar
*1987 "Just Gets Better with Time" - Solar
*1989 "Vintage Whispers" - Solar
*1990 "More of the Night" - Capitol
*1990 "In the Mood" - Solar
*1991 "Somebody Loves You" - Quicksilver
*1993 "Dr. Love" - Quicksilver
*1994 "Beat Goes On" - Unidisc
*1994 "Christmas Moments" - Capitol
*1995 "Toast to the Ladies" - Capitol
*1996 "The Whispers" - Sequel
*1997 "Songbook, Vol. 1: The Songs of Babyface" - Interscope Records
*2006 "For Your Ears Only" - Satin Tie
*2007 "The Whispers Live from Las Vegas"

ingles

Legacy

*"And the Beat Goes On" would later be sampled on Will Smith's 1998 song, "Miami".
*It can also be heard in the video game ""; on the fictional radio station Fever 105; and is available on the game's aside selling merchandise of the .
*Performed "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" on The Rippingtons' CD album, "Brave New World". The performance included samples of both "And the Beat Goes On" and "Rock Steady".

References and notes

*

Awards and recognition

The Whispers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.

External links

* [http://www.thewhispers.com Official Website]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jq6dtr69kl7x allmusic Entry]
* [http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_whispers.html 'The Whispers' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page]
* [http://www.wlatalent.com/roster/the_whispers/artistprofile.htm The Whispers] at [http://wlatalent.com Wenig-LaMonica Associates]

ee also

*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
*List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart