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{{Short description|American R&B vocal group}}{{about|the 1950s singing group|the Australian rules football club|Adelaide Crows}}

factoids

1950s| background = group_or_band| origin = Harlem, New York, United States

Rhythm and blues>R&B, doo wop| years_active = 1951–1955

Rama Records>Rama| website = | current_members = | past_members = *Daniel “Sonny” Norton William “Bill” Davis Harold Major Jerry Wittick Gerald Hamilton Mark Jackson }}The Crows were an American R&B vocal group formed in 1951. They achieved commercial success and popularity during the 1950s with their debut single and only hit, “Gee”. The single, released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first rock n’ roll hit by a rock and roll group.Warner, Jay, American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today (2006), published by Hal Leonard Corporation, at page 137 It peaked at position #14 and #2, respectively, on the Billboard magazine pop and rhythm-and-blues charts in 1954. Although Gee fell into the doo-wop genre, and “was the first 1950s doo-wop record to sell over one million records” in that genre,The CrowsGee some (including Jay Warner) consider it as the first of the “rock n’ roll records”.Gee by The CrowsAmerican Singing Groups, page 138 History When The Crows started in 1951, practicing sidewalk harmonies, the original members were Daniel “Sonny” Norton (lead), William “Bill” Davis (baritone), Harold Major (tenor), Jerry Wittick (tenor) and Gerald Hamilton (bass). In 1952, Wittick left the group and was replaced by Mark Jackson (tenor and guitarist).They were discovered at Apollo Theater’s Wednesday night talent show by talent agent Cliff Martinez and brought to independent producer George Goldner, who had just started the Rama Records label.BOOK, Ted, Fox, 1993, Showtime at the Apollo, 2nd, Da Capo Press, New York, N.Y., 116, 0-306-80503-0, The Crows were the first group signed and the first to record. The first songs they recorded were as backup to singer Viola Watkins. The song “Gee” was the third song recorded during their first recording session, on February 10, 1953. It was put together in a few minutes by group member William Davis, with Watkins credited as co-writer.BOOK, & Steve Propes, Jim Dawson, Steve Propes, 1992, What Was the First Rock’n’Roll Record, Faber & Faber, Boston & London, 124–127, 0-571-12939-0, The song was first released as the B-side of the ballad “I Love You So”. However, radio stations began playing “Gee,” first in Philadelphia and later in New York and Los Angeles. By January 1954, it had sold 100,000 copies, and by April it entered the national R&B and pop charts, rising to #2 R&B and #14 pop. The song was a huge hit a year after it was recorded.The Crows were a one-hit wonder. While “Gee” was on the charts, the record company released a number of other singles by the group, including “Heartbreaker,” “Baby,” and “Miss You,” but none were successful. Their failures and the inability to perform regularly to support their recordings led to the breakup of the group a few months after “Gee” dropped off the Hit Parade.WEB,www.history-of-rock.com/dootwo.htm, The Crows, History-of-rock.com, 2006-11-17, WEB,home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/Crows_Chords.html, J. C. Marion, DooWop Nation issue #7, Home.earthlink.net, They maintained the original lineup for the entire career of the group, with no hope of a reunion following the deaths of Gerald Hamilton in the 1960s and Daniel Norton in 1972.Warner, Jay, American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today (2006), published by Hal Leonard Corporation, at page 139 References {{Reflist}} External links home.att.net/~marvart/Crows/crows.html" title="web.archive.org/web/20041220105552home.att.net/~marvart/Crows/crows.html">Biography of The Crows {{Authority control}}