Editing The Platters (section)

==Changing line-up==
The line-up in 1952 included lead vocalist [[Cornell Gunter]], [[Herb Reed]], Alex Hodge, Joe Jefferson, and David Lynch. Soon, Gunter was replaced by tenor [[Tony Williams (singer)|Tony Williams]].

The band's second manager Ram decided to build the group around Williams's distinctive and versatile voice and his ability to bring life to Ram's songs.<ref name=pc14/> Within a year, Alex Hodge and Jefferson were also out and replaced by Paul Robi, and a woman, [[Zola Taylor]]. The details of baritone Hodge's departure are muddy; author Peter A. Grendysa says Ram fired Alex Hodge in October 1954 after having been accused of possession of [[marijuana]].<ref>Peter A. Grendysa, ''Four Platters And One Lovely Dish'', p. 10.</ref> Bookers and the record company were told that Hodge was let go for bouncing a 15-dollar check.<ref>Jean L. Bennett</ref> The resulting line-up, the one remembered for some of the group's timeless hits, lasted until 1960.

As a group, The Platters began to have difficulties with the public after 1959, when the four male members were arrested in Cincinnati on drug and prostitution charges.<ref>{{cite news|author=Zola Taylor|work=[[USA Today]]|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2007-05-01-zola-taylor_N.htm|title=Zola Taylor of The Platters dies at 69 |date=May 1, 2007 |access-date=November 12, 2012}}</ref> Although no one was convicted, their professional reputation was seriously damaged and US radio stations started removing their records from playlists,<ref>{{cite news|author=Zola Taylor|title=Obituary|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/zola-taylor-447077.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310183509/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/zola-taylor-447077.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2009|work=[[The Independent]] |location=London |access-date=November 12, 2012}}</ref> forcing the group to rely more heavily on European bookings.

In 1960, lead vocalist Williams left to pursue a solo career and was replaced by tenor [[Sonny Turner]]. Mercury refused to issue further Platters releases without Williams on lead vocals, provoking a lawsuit between the label and manager Ram. As a result, the label spent two years releasing old Williams-era material until the group's contract lapsed.

The group's line-up splintered further: in 1964 Taylor left<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uncamarvy.com/Platters/platters.html |title=Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks - PLATTERS |publisher=Uncamarvy.com |access-date=November 12, 2012}}</ref> and was consecutively replaced by Beverly Hansen Harris,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://doo-wop.blogg.org/themes-_harris_sisters-297053.html |title=Beverly Harris filled in for Zola Taylor |publisher=Doo-Wop.Blogg.org |access-date=June 26, 2013}}</ref> [[Barbara Randolph]] and, in 1965, by Sandra Dawn. 1965 also saw the departure of Robi,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-04-mn-1527-story.html|title=Paul Robi, 57; Original Singer With Platters|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> who was replaced by [[Nate Nelson]], former lead voice of [[the Flamingos]]. In 1967, baritone Bob White toured with group until 1971.

This splintering of the group's line-up led to wrangling over The Platters' name, with injunctions, non-compete clauses, and multiple versions of the act touring at the same time. Williams, Robi, and Taylor led their own Platters' groups and for a short while, Taylor, Robi, and Lynch joined forces as "The Original Platters" with Williams-clone Johnny Barnes as their lead singer.

To distinguish his group from the offshoots started by former members, Ram added his name to that of the group. The "Buck Ram Platters", built to showcase his songs, were signed to [[Musicor Records]] and enjoyed a short chart renaissance in 1966–67, with the comeback singles "I Love You 1000 Times", "With This Ring", and the Motown-influenced "Washed Ashore". [[Sonny Turner]] sang the lead on these three records, with Reed, Lynch, Nelson, and Dawn completing the group.<ref name="Celebrity Direct roster">{{cite web|publisher=Celebrity Direct Entertainment |url=http://www.celebritydirect.biz/platters/roster.htm |title=The Platters Information Site |access-date=November 12, 2012}}</ref> Nelson left the group in 1967. Dawn, who left in 1969, was replaced by Regina Koco, who stayed with the group until 1983.<ref name="Celebrity Direct roster" />

Also, in 1969, Reed, the final member of the original Platters, resigned from the group to start his own group, Herb Reed and Sweet River.  After his group's demise, Reed performed under the name Herb Reed and The Platters. Nelson also worked with this group until suffering a fatal heart attack in 1984.

After Reed's departure, Ram illegally continued to promote his own Platters group.<ref>{{cite web|title=Herb Reed Enters Inc, v. Monroe Powell Platters LLC|url=https://casetext.com/case/herb-reed-enters-inc-v-monroe-powells-platters-llc |publisher=Case Text|access-date=August 25, 2014}}</ref> Turner left in 1970 and was replaced by Monroe Powell, who remained a constant member from 1970 to 1995, amid many other line-up changes. Tony Williams formed his version of The Platters in 1971 and announced a worldwide tour.<ref name="Billboard, April 17, 1971">''Billboard'', April 17, 1971</ref>{{full citation needed|date=May 2017}} In 1995, a dispute between Powell and manager Jean Bennett (who had purchased Personality Productions, the booking/management arm of the Platters' business, from Ram in 1966) led to the two parting ways. At the time, the group's line-up was in limbo, leaving one person, Kenn Johnson, as the only other group member. Powell and Johnson continued touring as "The Platters", with Bennett hiring five new singers to be the "Buck Ram Platters".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Buck Ram Platters 2004 |url=http://www.buckramplatters.com:80/Bio.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040529013318/http://www.buckramplatters.com/Bio.html |archive-date=May 29, 2004 |url-status=usurped |df=mdy-all }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=May 2017|reason=None of the archived versions of this article seem to mention the name Myles Savage}}

Despite Ram and Bennett's assertions, it was later determined that Five Platters Inc., and Jean Bennett never had legitimate rights to The Platters name.<ref>{{cite web|title=Truth in Music|url=http://www.vocalgroup.org/truth.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408045317/http://www.vocalgroup.org/truth.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 8, 2008|publisher=www.vocalgroup.org|access-date=August 25, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Herb Reed v. FPI et al.|url=http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/nevada/nvdce/2:2010cv01981/77482/60|publisher=justia.com|access-date=August 25, 2014|archive-date=January 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127071400/https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/nevada/nvdce/2:2010cv01981/77482/60|url-status=dead}}</ref>