Emersons (vocal group)

The Emersons, originally The Demens, were a doo-wop vocal group.

The original members, Jimmy Caines (first tenor), brothers Thomas Cook (second tenor, lead) and Frankie Cook (baritone), Tommy Outlaw (bass), and Outlaw's cousin Douggy Williams (second tenor), formed in 1957 in Manhattan and began singing on street corners around 61st Street and Columbus Avenue. They became a quartet later that year when Outlaw and Williams left the group and tenor Eddie "California" Jones joined as lead singer.

The Demens issued their first record, "Take Me As I Am"/"You Broke My Heart" on Teenage Records in August 1957, followed by "The Greatest Of Them All"/"Hey Young Girl." Teenage disappeared soon after that, and the group renamed themselves the Emersons in order to sign with Newport Records for "Hungry"/"Joannie, Joannie," issued in 1958. Although it was the group's most highly acclaimed record, Newport went bust after its release. (Another version of "Hungry" was recorded by Billy Guy of the Coasters in 1963.)

The Emersons kept going for a couple of years more but gave it up after a 1961 release from United Artists went no further than any of their previous records.

Recordings

TEENAGE (the Demens)

1006 Take Me As I Am/You Broke My Heart — 8/57

1008 The Greatest Of Them All/Hey Young Girl — 57

NEWPORT (the Emersons)

7004 Hungry/Joannie, Joannie — 10/58

CUB (the Emersons)

9027 Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde/The Hokey Pokey — 3/59

UNITED ARTISTS (the Emersons)

379 Down In The Valley/Loneliness — 11/61

KAIRAY

1003 The Greatest Of Them All (Eddie Jones & Demons)/Long Tall Texan (Jim Mann & Demons)

References

[http://home.att.net/~marvy42/Demens/demens.html Marv Goldberg's R & B Notebooks]