Editing The Penguins

{{short description|American doowop band}}
{{about|the American doo wop band|other uses|Penguin (disambiguation)}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2008}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = The Penguins
| origin            = [[Los Angeles, California]], [[United States]]
| genre             = [[Doo-wop]], [[rhythm and blues]]
| years_active      = 1953–2012
| label             = [[Dootone Records|Dootone]], [[Mercury Records|Mercury]], [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]<ref name="goldberg" />
| current_members   = 
| past_members      = *Cleveland Duncan
*Curtis Williams
*Dexter Tisby
*Bruce Tate
*Randy Jones
*Ray Brewster
*Teddy Harper
*Walter Saulsberry
*Vesta King
*Evelyn King
*Vera Walker
*Rudy Wilson
*Glenn Madison
}}

'''The Penguins''' were an American [[doo-wop]] group from [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]], that were active during the 1950s and early 1960s. They are known for their 1954 hit song, "[[Earth Angel]]", which was one of the first [[rhythm and blues]] songs to cross over to the pop charts. The song would ultimately prove to be their only success. The song peaked at No. 8 on the US ''Billboard'' Best Sellers in Stores pop [[record chart|chart]]<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> but had a three-week run at No. 1 on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B]] chart.

==Early career==
The original members of The Penguins were tenor<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/arts/music/cleve-duncan-1954-hitmaker-with-earth-angel-dies.html|title=Cleve Duncan, 1954 Hitmaker With 'Earth Angel,' Dies|last=Martin|first=Douglas|date=2012-11-14|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2017-09-26|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Cleveland Duncan (July 23, 1935 – November 7, 2012), Curtis Williams (baritone/bass)(December 11, 1934 – August 10, 1979), Dexter Tisby (tenor)(March 10, 1935 – May 2019) and Bruce Tate (baritone)(January 27, 1937 – June 20, 1973).<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> Duncan and Williams were former classmates at [[John C. Fremont High School|Fremont High School]] in [[Cupertino, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]],<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|pages=1931/2}}</ref> and Williams had become a member of [[The Hollywood Flames]]. In late 1953, they decided to form a new vocal group and added Tisby and Tate. Their midtempo performance style was a cross between [[rhythm and blues]] and [[rock and roll]]. Williams brought with him a song, "Earth Angel", on which he had worked with Gaynel Hodge, another member of the Hollywood Flames.<ref name="goldberg">{{Cite web|url=http://home.att.net/~marvy42/Penguins/penguins.html|title=Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks - The Penguins|date=9 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909205615/http://home.att.net/~marvy42/Penguins/penguins.html|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-date=2009-09-09}}</ref>

The Penguins were one of a number of doo-wop groups of the period named after birds (such as [[The Orioles]], [[The Flamingos]], and [[The Crows]]). One of the members smoked [[Kool (cigarette)|Kool cigarettes]], which, at the time, had "Willie the Penguin" as its [[cartoon]] [[advertising]] character. They considered themselves "cool" and accordingly decided to call themselves "The Penguins".<ref name="goldberg" />

[[Dootone Records]] released The Penguins' [[single (music)|single]] "Hey Senorita" in late 1954 as the intended [[A-side and B-side|A-side]], but a [[radio station|radio]] [[Disc jockey|DJ]] flipped the [[gramophone record|record]] over to the B-side: "Earth Angel" worked its way up to No. 1 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' R&B chart (the only Penguins song to chart that high) and held that place for three weeks early in 1955. By 1966, the disc had sold four million copies.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book| first= Joseph| last= Murrells| year= 1978| title= The Book of Golden Discs| edition= 2nd| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd| location= London| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/70 70]| isbn= 0-214-20512-6| url-access= registration| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/70}}</ref> The Penguins followed up this hit with a Christmas release "A Christmas prayer" with "Jingle Jangle."<ref>The Mercury Labels: The 1945-1956 era Michel Ruppli, Ed Novitsky - 1993 - Page 538 "THE PENGUINS: Cleveland Duncan, Dexter Tisby (tenor vo) Bruce Tate (baritone vo) Curtis Williams (bass vo) with ts, p & rhythm. Mercury Sound Studio, NYC. November 12, 1955, 12409 12410 A Christmas prayer Jingle jangle Merc.70762 ..."</ref>

The Penguins performed for the eleventh famed [[Cavalcade of Jazz]] concert held at [[Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)|Wrigley Field]] in Los Angeles which was produced by [[Leon Hefflin, Sr.|Leon Hefflin, Sr]]. on July 24, 1955. Also featured [[Big Jay McNeely]], [[Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra|Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra]], [[The Medallions]] and [[James Moody (saxophonist)|James Moody]] and his Orchestra.<ref>"11th Cavalcade of Jazz – Wrigley Field July 24" Article Los Angeles Sentinel June 30, 1955.
</ref>

Duncan sang lead on "Earth Angel". He reprised his performance a decade later on [[Frank Zappa]]'s "[[Memories of El Monte]]", an [[elegiac]] 1963 song in which he suddenly breaks into "Earth Angel" as one of the various songs remembered.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arf.ru/Notes/Cucamonga/memel.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327130012/http://www.arf.ru/Notes/Cucamonga/memel.html|url-status=dead|title=ARF: Notes and Comments: CUCAMONGA YEARS: Memories Of El Monte (Zappa-Collins)|archive-date=27 March 2012|website=Arf.ru|access-date=3 October 2021}}</ref> [[El Monte, California|El Monte]], a city near Los Angeles, had spawned such popular performers as Tony Allan, [[Marvin & Johnny]], and The Shields as well as the Penguins. Those groups were also emulated as part of Zappa's tribute to early days of rock and roll.

In a common practice of the time, [[radio station]]s frequently featured [[Racial segregation|segregated]] playlists. Thus, "Earth Angel" was simultaneously recorded by the white group [[The Crew-Cuts]] in 1955. The Crew-Cuts cover peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart, five spots higher than the Penguins version. The single's success contributed to the Crew-Cuts' own successful career of recording [[Crossover (music)|crossover]]-friendly [[cover version|covers]] of R&B hits.

The songwriting genesis for "Earth Angel" was a matter of some dispute, eventually ending up in a split credit between Penguins bass-baritone Curtis Williams, Gaynel Hodge, and [[Jesse Belvin]].

==After "Earth Angel"==
Coming off the success of "Earth Angel", the Penguins approached [[Buck Ram]] to manage them. Ram's primary interest was in managing [[The Platters]], who at that point had no hit singles, but were a [[Profit (economics)|profitable]] touring group. With the Penguins in hand, Ram was able to swing a 2-for-1 deal with [[Mercury Records]], in which the company agreed to take on the Platters as a condition for getting the Penguins (the group that Mercury really wanted).<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Penguins hometown, lineup, biography |url=https://www.last.fm/music/The+Penguins/+wiki |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Last.fm |language=en}}</ref> The Platters became the [[Record label|label's]] more successful act, the Penguins never scoring another hit single.

In 1955, Bruce Tate left the group. He was replaced by Randy Jones (who would later sing with [[the Cadets (doo wop)|the Cadets]]). During the summer of 1956, Jones and Tisby were briefly out of the group, and were replaced by Ray Brewster and Teddy Harper, respectively. Jones and Tisby returned shortly afterwards. Curtis Williams left in December 1957, with Harper rejoining as his permanent replacement.<ref name="goldberg" /> The Penguins never had another national hit, but their 1957 cover of "Pledge of Love" reached No. 15 on the R&B chart.

==Later years==
The group broke up in 1962. Cleveland Duncan continued recording as "The Penguins", with new member Walter Saulsberry and a backing group, the Viceroys. Later, the group was Duncan, Saulsberry, Vesta and Evelyn King, and Vera Walker. (Duncan and the King sisters had recorded a record as "Cleve Duncan and the Radiants" in 1959.) By the late 1960s, the group was being billed as the "Fabulous Penguins", and featured Duncan, Walker, and new member Rudy Wilson. By the 1970s, the members were Duncan, the returning Walter Saulsberry, and new member Glenn Madison, formerly of the Delcos (Indiana). This was the current line up of the group until 2012.<ref name="goldberg" />

The group performed on the [[PBS]] television special, ''[[Doo Wop 50]]''. Duncan, Madison, and Saulsberry also performed with Randy Jones as guest, in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricearl.com/dws/show-35.html |title=The Doo-Wop Society of Southern California: Show #35 (2/10/2001) - The PENGUINS, Gene & Eunice, The Native Boys, Jewel Akens & The Gems |website=Electricearl.com |date=2001-10-16 |access-date=2012-10-18}}</ref> It was planned for Jones to appear with the Penguins the following year but he suffered a stroke while rehearsing with the group and died shortly thereafter. Jones also performed with the reunited Jacks/Cadets in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricearl.com/dws/show-36.html |title=The Doo-Wop Society of Southern California: Show #36 (5/5/2001) - THE DREAMLOVERS, THE CADETS, THE JACKS, PEP TORRES, THE CHAPEAUS |website=Electricearl.com |access-date=2012-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electricearl.com/dws/randyjones.html |title=The Doo-Wop Society of Southern California: RANDY JONES (1936-2002) |website=Electricearl.com |access-date=2012-10-18}}</ref> Duncan died on November 7, 2012, in Los Angeles at the age of 77.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/cleve-duncan-lead-singer-penguins-dead-77-article-1.1199660 |title=Cleve Duncan, lead singer of the Penguins, dead at 77 |newspaper=NY Daily News |date=2012-11-09 |access-date=2012-12-18}}</ref>

The group is mentioned in the [[Paul Simon]] song "[[Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War]]". In interviews, Simon has told about hearing "Earth Angel," the first R&B song he said he had heard; he describes trying to explain to his father, a big band musician, how great the song was.

==Award==
The Penguins were inducted into The [[Vocal Group Hall of Fame]] in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees.htm |title=Inductees - The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation |website=Vocalgroup.org |access-date=2012-10-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216210236/http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees.htm |archive-date=2013-12-16 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.uncamarvy.com/Penguins/penguins.html Biography of the Penguins]
* {{musicbrainz artist|id=b64b1d21-b722-442e-a984-789e1050f95a|name=The Penguins}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070501153139/http://www.vocalgroup.org/inductees/the_penguins.html 'The Penguins' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page]
*{{Pop Chronicles|5|3|Buck Ram}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Penguins, The}}
[[Category:Doo-wop groups]]
[[Category:Apex Records artists]]
[[Category:American vocal groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1953]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues musical groups]]
[[Category:African-American musical groups]]
[[Category:1953 establishments in California]]