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==Band formation and early years== The Platters formed in Los Angeles in 1951<ref name="rock hall">{{cite web |title=The Platters |publisher=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame |url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/platters |access-date=August 26, 2014}}</ref> and were initially managed by [[Federal Records]] [[A&R]] man [[Ralph Bass]]. The original group consisted of teenagers Alex Hodge, his brother Gaynel, Curtis Williams, Joe Jefferson and [[Cornell Gunter]]. Ralph Bass replaced Cornell Gunter with Tony Williams, and Herb Reed joined the group in 1953 after his discharge from the Army in December 1952, as replacement for Joe Jefferson, <ref name=marv>[http://www.uncamarvy.com/Platters/platters.html The Platters biography & discography by Marv Goldberg]. Uncamarvy.com, Retrieved 4 April 2019</ref><ref name=reuters>{{cite news|title=Herb Reed of vocal group The Platters dead at 83 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainment-us-platters-herbreed-idUSBRE8540VN20120605 |publisher=[[Reuters]] |date=June 5, 2012 |access-date=June 5, 2012}}</ref> Reed named the group while sitting around the kitchen table at the Hodge's home with the others in the group. He was inspired by Mrs. Hodge placing a plate of cookies on the kitchen table where the group was sitting trying to find a new name. Several 78 rpm records were lying on the table, and as she pushed them aside she said, "They look just like platters." Herb said, "That's it. We'll call ourselves The Platters." In June 1953, Gunter left to join [[The Flairs]] and was replaced by lead vocalist [[Tony Williams (singer)|Tony Williams]]. The band then released two singles with Federal Records, under the management of Bass, but found little success. Bass then asked his friend, music entrepreneur, and songwriter [[Buck Ram]], to coach the group in the hope of getting a hit record. Ram made some changes to the lineup, most notably the addition of female vocalist [[Zola Taylor]] and, in autumn 1954, the replacement of Alex Hodge by Paul Robi. Under Ram's guidance, The Platters recorded eight songs for Federal in the R&B/gospel style, scoring a few minor regional hits on the West Coast, and backed Williams' sister, [[Linda Hayes (singer)|Linda Hayes]]. One song recorded during their Federal tenure, "[[Only You (And You Alone)]]", originally written by Ram<ref name=pc5/> for [[the Ink Spots]], was deemed unreleasable by the label,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hotshotdigital.com/OldRock/PlattersBio.html |title=The Platters Biography |publisher=hotshotdigital.com |access-date=April 23, 2012}}</ref> though copies of this early version do exist. Despite their lack of chart success, The Platters were a profitable touring group, successful enough that [[the Penguins]], coming off their #8 single "[[Earth Angel]]", asked Ram to manage them as well. With the Penguins in hand, Ram was able to parlay [[Mercury Records]]' interest into a 2-for-1 deal. To sign the Penguins, Ram insisted, Mercury also had to take The Platters.<ref name=pc5>{{Gilliland |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19751/m1/ |title=Show 5 - Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll: The rock revolution gets underway. [Part 1] }}</ref> The Penguins would never have a hit for the label.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_platters.html |title=The Platters - Inductees - The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation |publisher=Vocalgroup.org |access-date=March 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307033427/http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_platters.html |archive-date=March 7, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
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