The Southernaires
Ray Yeates (tenor, far left), Lowell Peters (second tenor), Jay Stone Toney (baritone), William W. Edmunson (bass, center), and Spencer Odom (accompanist/arranger, far right).
Background information
OriginUnited States
Years active1929 (1929)–1950s

The Southernaires, organized in 1929, were an American popular vocal group, popular in radio broadcasting of the 1930s and 1940s.[1] They were known for their renditions of spirituals and work songs.[2] In 1942, they won a widely publicized case of hotel discrimination.[3]

Their best known recording, "Nobody Knows De Trouble I've Seen", was released by Decca (2859-B) in 1939. Pianist-arranger Spencer Odom replaced their previous accompanist, Clarence M. Jones, the same year.[4]

In 1948–49, they hosted a 30-minute show, The Southernaires Quartet, on Sundays on the American Broadcasting Company television network.[1]

Work with Frank Buck

In 1950, the Southernaires provided the vocals for the Frank Buck album, Tiger.[5]

Key personnel

  • Homer Smith (tenor)
  • Lowell Peters (second tenor)
  • Jay Stone Toney (baritone)
  • William W. Edmunson (bass/narrator)
  • Clarence M. Jones (pianist from 1933)
  • Ray Yeates (tenor, replacing Smith from 1945 onwards)[1]
  • Spencer Odom (pianist/arranger, replacing Jones in 1939)

By 1951, they had only one original member, Edmunson, in their line-up[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (1st ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 2334. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ↑ Southernaires and Anne Brown. The New York Times. March 10, 1941
  3. ↑ "Negroes Win Judgment In Hotel Discrimination", Christian Science Monitor, (December 18, 1942)
  4. ↑ "Southernaires Heard; Feature Spencer Odom, Pianist, on Program at Town Hall", The New York Times, (January 12, 1948), p 15.
  5. ↑ Lehrer, Steven (2006). Bring 'Em Back Alive: The Best of Frank Buck. Texas Tech University press. pp. x–xi. ISBN 0-89672-582-0.
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