Connecting the Spots: the Ink Spots Chronicles
(5 downloads)Saturday, Jan 26, 2008
The Ink Spots were formed in Indianapolis, IN, in the early 1930s with original members: Orville “Hoppy” Jones (bass), Ivory “Deek” Watson (tenor), Jerry Daniels (tenor), and Charlie Fuqua (baritone). Jerry Daniels left the group in 1936 and he was replaced with Bill Kenny. This lineup carried on for a while until 1943 when Charlie Fuqua was drafted into the army to be replaced by Bernie Mackey. In 1944 Hoppy Jones collapsed on stage and died shortly thereafter, the cause of death was identified as a brain hemorrhage. He was replaced by Cliff Givens. That same year, Deek Watson left the group, apparently the result of an ongoing dispute between himself and Bill Kenny. Watson went on to form the vocal group the Brown Dots. His tenor was replaced by Billy "Butterball" Bowen. Cliff Givens’ tenure with the group did not last very long and he was replaced by Bill Kenny’s twin brother Herb in mid-1945. At approximately the same time Bernie Mackey left the group and was replaced by Huey Long. Bernie Mac ousted by the Kingfish!Anyhow, Charlie Fuqua returned from the Army in 1945 and reclaimed his spot from Huey Long and the ship was righted again for a few years. In 1951, Herb Kenny leaves to be replaced by Adriel McDonald. In 1952, Butterball Bowen is replaced by Teddy Williams. Charlie Fuqua also left the group in 1952 and soon after formed a competing Ink Spots group. He was replaced by Jimmy Cannady. Cannady was with the group only very briefly and he was succeeded by Everett Barksdale. Actually I might have this whole Cannady-Barksdale thing backwards. Around the same time Teddy Williams leaves the group to be replaced by Ernie Brown. Ernie Brown was subsequently replaced by Henry Braswell in 1954.
That covers the Ink Spots lineage; I could go on since the Ink Spots still go on and perform to this day, though nothing past the last group amendment mentioned in this article really constitutes a credible “Ink Spots” line up. Apparently, Huey Long is still with us at 103 and so is the much younger Henry Braswell. Everyone else mentioned in this article has by now already entered his name in the ledger.
Our song here is “I Never Had a Dream Come True” by Allan Roberts and Doris Fisher. Ms. Fisher also composed the popular song “You Always Hurt the One You Love” and is the daughter of Fred Fisher, a very well known songwriter the writer from the Tin Pan Alley era who wrote “Peg O’ My Heart” among many other famous tunes.
The ever changing lineup of this group makes me think of the infinite wheel:
http://www.infinitewheel.com/infinite_wheel.html
Decca 23615, 1946