- The Clovers
Infobox musical artist
Name = The Clovers
Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Birth_name =
Alias = Tippie and the Clovermen, Tippie and the Clovers
Born =
Died =
Origin =Washington, D.C.
Instrument =
Genre =R&B
Occupation =
Years_active = 1946 - 1990
Label = Atlantic
Associated_acts =
URL = http://www.theoriginalclovers.com/
Current_members =
Past_members = John "Buddy" Bailey, Matthew McQuater, Harold Lucas, Harold Winley, Billy Shelton, Thomas Woods, Bill Harris, John Phillip, Charlie White, Billy Mitchell, James "Toy" Walton, Robert Russell, Roosevelt "Tippie" Hubbard, Nathaniel Bouknight, Peggy Winley Mills, Ann Winley, Jimmy Taylor.The Clovers are an American
rhythm & blues group.History
The group formed in
1946 at Armstrong High School inWashington, D.C. , with membersHarold Lucas ,Billy Shelton , and Thomas Woods.John "Buddy" Bailey was added soon after, and they began calling themselves the "Four Clovers", with Bailey on lead. In perfecting their sound, the group pushed Shelton and Woods out in1948 , and brought inMatthew McQuarter andHarold Winley .Their break came in
1950 , when they were introduced toLou Krefetz , who became their manager. They signed toNew York 'sRainbow Records and released one single, "Yes Sir, That's My Baby " backed with "When You Come Back To Me ". Soon after, Krefetz brought them toAtlantic Records 'Ahmet Ertegün , and they were signed to Atlantic in1951 . At this point,Bill Harris was added as their guitarist. Their first appearance came in February of that year at theApollo Theater .Their very first Atlantic session produced their first big hit, "
Don't You Know I Love You ", which hit #1 on the national charts in June of 1951. "One Mint Julep " (written byRudy Toombs ) and "Fool Fool Fool " also went #1 in September. Bailey was drafted in1952 , andJohn Phillip was brought in to replace him. He stayed for just a few months, before leaving and being replaced byCharlie White , who had been inthe Dominoes and the Checkers.With personal problems, White was fired near the end of 1953. His replacement was Billy Mitchell. The group continued recording with Atlantic, without as much success as they'd previously seen. Buddy Bailey was discharged from the
Army in May of1954 , and rejoined the group, making them a quintet. They continued in recording, and in1955 , found moderate success with "Devil or Angel ".Mitchell left in
1957 to do solo work, but rejoined shortly thereafter, opting to do both solo work "and" work with the Clovers. Their Atlantic contract expired, and Krefetz moved them to his own label,Poplar Records . Poplar was purchased byUnited Artists Records shortly thereafter. The group's work with United Artists put them in contact withJerry Leiber and Mike Stoller . After a few recordings there, they had their biggest hit, "Love Potion #9", which came in July of1959 , and featured Mitchell on lead.
They recorded two versions of Love Potion #9 on UA. For the album of that name a new final verse was created referring to "love potion #10". In fact this version became played more often on radio than the single at the time.Their UA contract expired in
1961 , and they moved toWinley Records . With little success there, the group split. Lucas and Mitchell brought in new membersJames "Toy" Walton andRobert Russell , and recorded shortly for Atlantic. John Bailey recorded with his own Clovers group in1962 for Winley (owned by Harold's brother Paul).Mitchell left in 1962, and was replaced by
Roosevelt "Tippie" Hubbard . They recorded as "Tippie and the Clovermen" and "Tippie and the Clovers" forTiger Records , a subsidiary ofRust Records . John Bailey's group, by this time consisting ofNathaniel Bouknight ,Peggy Winley Mills (sister of Paul and Harold), andAnn Winley , Paul's wife, recorded for another Paul Winley label,Porwin records . Near the end of1963 , the two groups came back together, into a Clovers trio featuring Harold Lucas, John Bailey, and the returning Harold Winley.Following The Searchers' remake of "Love Potion #9" in
1965 , some of the old Winley and Porwin tracks were leased toPickwick International Records , who released them as the album The Original Love Potion #9 By The Clovers. This version of the song was not the same as the UA. Winley left for the second time in 1965. Bailey and Lucas recorded briefly for Atlantic with the returning Robert Russell andJimmy Taylor . The sides were sold toPort Records and released with little success. Lucas and Bailey split that year.Lucas and Russell brought back Tippie Hubbard and Toy Walton and, with fifth member
Al Fox , recorded as "Tippie and the Wisemen" for Washington D.C.'sShrine Records . With Fox out, they changed back to The Clovers. John Bailey also formed a Clovers group, who re-recorded "Devil or Angel" and "Love Potion #9" forLana Records in 1965. To add to this confusion, Harold Winley started a third Clovers group in1968 , with members Bobby Adams,Johnny Taylor , andRay Loper , and recorded forJosie Records .Robert Russell died in
1969 and Lucas replaced him withJohn Bowie . They released adisco tune, "Bump Jive! ", on D.C. basedAlladin Records in1975 . Shortly after the recording, Toy Walton died, and was replaced byJohnnie Mason . Tippie Hubbard died in1980 and was replaced bySteve Charles .A reunion was planned in
1988 inAustin, Texas . Lucas brought his Clovers, as well as reuniting with John Bailey, Matthew McQuarter, and Harold Winley. Lucas' group also performed at abenefit concert later that year forBill Harris , the groups long-time guitarist. Also in 1988, Lucas' group recorded forRipete records , inElliott, South Carolina .Chuck Battle [cite web|url= http://www.chuckbattle.indiegroup.com/|title= Chuck Battle Website] replaced Charles around1990 . Harold Lucas became ill and stopped touring around1993 . His place was taken byRichard Merritt . Battle left in1992 and was replaced byPreston Monroe , who was later replaced byDavid Warren . This lineup performed on thePBS special,Doo Wop 51 . John Bowie died in 2002, and the group split. [cite web|url= http://www.richiemerrittnow.com/Personal_Info.html|title= Richard Merritt's website]Richie Merritt has been singing lead with "The Marcels" since leaving "The Clovers". He has relocated to the Tampa, Florida area and where he also performs as "Richie Merritt & The Gems" and "Richie Merritt Solo". His website is http://www.richiemerrittnow.com
Following the 1988 reunion, Bailey and Winley joined
Jimmy Nabbie 's Ink Spots. Winley is still in that group. Prior to his death, Bailey also performed solo, sometimes backed up byThe Calvanes , who feature former Bailey-Clovers member Bobby Adams. No remnants of the former Bailey groups or Winley's group exist. A lineup including Johnnie Mason currently tours under the Clovers name.Awards & Recognition
Rhythm and Blues Foundation, Pioneer Award,
1988 ; inducted into TheVocal Group Hall of Fame in2002 , inducted in the United in Group Harmony (UGHA) Hall of Fame,2002 .References
External links
* [http://home.att.net/~uncamarvy/Clovers/clovers1.html Marv Goldberg's article about The Clovers]
* [http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/Clovers_part_one.html C.J. Marion's article about The Clovers]
* [http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/WhenYou.htm 'When You Come Back To Me/Yes Sir That's My Baby' by The Clovers on the Vocal Group Harmony website]
* [http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/rec_week.htm 'I Played The Fool' by The Clovers on the Vocal Group Harmony website]
* [http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/blue_vel.htm 'Blue Velvet' by The Clovers on the Vocal Group Harmony website]
* [http://www.richiemerrittnow.com/ Richard Merritt website]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20050307200954/http://www.noveltysensations.com/richie/allabout.html Richard Merritt page]
* [http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/clovers.htm Clovers discography]
* [http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_clovers.html 'The Clovers' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:77dovwnva92k~T1 The Clovers biography] atAllmusic
* [http://mysite.verizon.net/vzer1w9q/johnnymasonandtheclovers/ Johnny Mason and the Clovers]
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