378:. Suttles, Puzey and Marshall also appeared together, with Evans, as the Ravens in 1974. Another reunion was held by the United in Group Harmony Association (UGHA) in 1987. The reunion again featured Suttles, Puzey, and Marshall as well as Jones. As both Ricks and Evans had passed away (in 1974 and 1984 respectively), lead on "Without A Song" was sung by Suttles.
336:
label. In 1951 Marshall and Puzey both left; Joe Van Loan became a long-term replacement for
Marshall as lead tenor, and there were various other shorter-term group members. The group had its final hit on the R&B chart in late 1952, when "Rock Me All Night Long" rose to no. 4, the highest
319:
The Ravens primarily existed to showcase bass singer Ricks; they were very successful and Ricks' voice became the standard against which every rhythm and blues bass was measured for the next generation. Although the group had relatively few chart hits, they were popular in
276:
After their initial single, "Honey", Jones left the group and was replaced by Maithe
Marshall. The contrast between Ricks' bass voice and Marshall's tenor became integral to their success. In 1947 the Ravens left the Hub label to join
165:, formed in 1946 by Jimmy Ricks and Warren Suttles. They were one of the most successful and most influential vocal quartets of the period, and had several hits on the R&B chart in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
217:
and made their first recordings for Bart's small Hub record label. They called themselves the Ravens thus initiating a trend for vocal groups to name themselves after birds—groups who later followed included
352:
career in 1956. After his departure, the group was led by Joe Van Loan, who at one point brought his brothers Paul and James into the group; however, the group finally disbanded in 1958.
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continued through to early 1950, with the basic line-up of Ricks, Suttles, Puzey, and
Marshall essentially remaining together for several years. Their version of "
299:) and "Write Me A Letter", which rose to no. 5 on the "race" chart and crossed over to the pop chart. Their run of successes on what came to be known as the
348:
their style became increasingly unfashionable. After several earlier breaks from the group, Suttles left for the final time in 1954. Ricks left for a
261:, as the lead on many of their recordings. It became their trademark style. Their material was also more varied, including elements of
855:
205:. In early 1946, they decided to form a vocal group and recruited Leonard "Zeke" Puzey, who had recently won a talent contest at the
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980:
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in 1998. In 2006, Suttles accepted the Harlem Jazz & Music
Festival 2006 Rhythm & Blues award on the group's behalf.
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to find a better job. Jimmy lived with his aunt and uncle, Marnie and Luther Ricks until he was 13 and moved to
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24:
402:
Warren "Birdland" Suttles (February 20, 1925 – July 24, 2009) (1946–1948, 1949–1950, 1952–1954, 1974, 1987)
72:
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and Jimmy
Breedlove. At the time of his death, at the age of 49 in 1974, he was the vocalist for the
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Jimmy "Ricky" Ricks (James Thomas Ricks, August 6, 1924 – July 2, 1974) (member 1946–1956)
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Ricks recorded as a solo singer without notable success for a number of labels, including
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Leonard "Zeke" Puzey (August 20, 1926 – October 2, 2007) (1946–1951, 1953, 1974, 1987)
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367:. In 1971, he and Suttles temporarily revived the Ravens, with additional members
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Henry Oliver "Ollie" Jones (December 9, 1923 – October 4, 1990) (1946–1947, 1987)
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Maithe
Marshall (Maithe Williams) (August 31, 1924-November 1, 1989)
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David "Boots" Bowers (January 23, 1928-October 23, 1995) (1956–1958)
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Tommy Evans (January 9,1927-September 1984) (1954, 1956, 1974)
324:, commanding a fee of $ 2,000 a night. The group recorded for
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846:"As an era fades, another voice - Warren Suttles - is gone"
308:
266:
749:"Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks – The Ravens – Part 1"
939:
Liner notes by Joel Dorn on Austin Cromer's LP (vinyl)
688:"The Ravens | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links"
213:. They found a manager, Ben Bart, and an accompanist,
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Paul Van Loan (January 19, 1931-January 1978) (1957)
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James Van Loan (July 5, 1926-March 27, 1960) (1957)
23:. For the US pilots in the Secret War in Laos, see
709:"The Ravens Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography"
177:. His mother was 14 when he was born. She went to
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762:
996:
878:"The Dead Rock Stars Club 2007 July To December"
827:"The Dead Rock Stars Club 2009 July to December"
526:List of singles, with selected chart positions
759:
241:Although the group was strongly influenced by
337:position the group reached in their career.
898:Rock Obituaries: Knocking On Heaven's Door
788:"The Vocal Group Hall of Fame: The Ravens"
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257:voice, rather than a more conventional
197:and met Warren "Birdland" Suttles from
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923:"The Dead Rock Stars Club – The 1980s"
809:"The Dead Rock Stars Club – The 1970s"
803:
801:
774:Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–1995
843:
703:
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449:Louis Frazier (1951–1952, 1954–1956)
444:Joe Van Loan (December 6, 1926–1976)
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285:on what was called at the time the "
19:For the NFL Football Franchise, see
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393:
13:
381:The Ravens were inducted into The
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193:, where he worked as a waiter in
895:Talevski, Nick (April 7, 2010).
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173:Jimmy "Ricky" Ricks was born in
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776:. Record Research. p. 364.
632:"I Don't Have to Ride No More"
307:" (1950) was later used in the
901:. Omnibus Press. p. 320.
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780:
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332:in 1950, before moving to the
185:to be with his mother. During
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586:"Send for Me If You Need Me"
437:Austin Cromer (dates unknown)
25:Raven Forward Air Controllers
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484:Aaron "Tex" Cornelius (1958)
359:where he also recorded with
344:label, but with the rise of
16:American R&B vocal group
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289:" chart with a version of "
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1041:
1025:Musical groups from Harlem
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465:Willis Sanders (1956–1957)
452:Jimmie Steward (1951–1956)
340:In 1953 they moved to the
18:
966:Detailed history of group
911:– via Google Books.
654:"Rock Me All Night Long"
650:
643:"Honey I Don't Want You"
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628:
609:
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511:Bill Chambers (1957–1958)
434:Louis Heyward (1950–1951)
431:Richie Cannon (1948–1949)
253:, they used Jimmy Ricks'
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106:Warren "Birdland" Suttles
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63:
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1020:Top Rank Records artists
984:Vocal Group Hall of Fame
927:Thedeadrockstarsclub.com
882:Thedeadrockstarsclub.com
831:Thedeadrockstarsclub.com
813:Thedeadrockstarsclub.com
566:"It's Too Soon to Know"
508:Bill Sanford (1949–1957)
505:Howard Biggs (1946–1949)
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383:Vocal Group Hall of Fame
1010:Jubilee Records artists
990:Jimmy Ricks discography
550:"Be on Your Merry Way"
425:(1947–1951, 1974, 1987)
487:Grant Kitchings (1958)
462:Willie Ray (1956–1957)
201:which is southwest of
1015:Savoy Records artists
558:"Bye Bye Baby Blues"
247:the Delta Rhythm Boys
183:Jacksonville, Florida
142:Aaron "Tex" Cornelius
976:Detailed discography
602:"Write Me a Letter"
293:" (from the musical
281:, and had immediate
136:David "Boots" Bowers
108:Leonard "Zeke" Puzey
851:New York Daily News
527:
468:Bob Kornegay (1956)
328:and its subsidiary
203:Birmingham, Alabama
104:Jimmy "Ricky" Ricks
621:"White Christmas"
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313:Revolutionary Road
251:the Mills Brothers
199:Fairfield, Alabama
858:on March 22, 2016
844:Hinckley, David.
794:on March 3, 2016.
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428:Joe Medlin (1948)
189:, Jimmy moved to
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854:. Archived from
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613:"Ricky's Blues"
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394:Original members
326:Columbia Records
305:Count Every Star
279:National Records
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21:Baltimore Ravens
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291:Ol' Man River
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124:Louis Frazier
120:Louis Heyward
118:Richie Cannon
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981:'The Ravens'
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860:. Retrieved
856:the original
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792:the original
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773:
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716:. Retrieved
712:
490:
380:
361:LaVern Baker
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339:
318:
311:
294:
287:race records
275:
240:
236:the Penguins
215:Howard Biggs
187:World War II
172:
152:
151:
134:Bob Kornegay
122:Joe Van Loan
100:Past members
55:Years active
516:Discography
446:(1951–1958)
373:Count Basie
220:the Orioles
211:Ollie Jones
128:Tommy Evans
111:Ollie Jones
999:Categories
970:Billy Vera
957:The Ravens
664:References
539:US R&B
232:the Robins
153:The Ravens
130:Willie Ray
116:Joe Medlin
34:The Ravens
376:orchestra
296:Show Boat
228:the Larks
224:the Crows
59:1946–1958
862:16 April
772:(1996).
718:16 April
713:Music VF
692:AllMusic
357:Atlantic
273:styles.
77:Columbia
69:National
961:Discogs
521:Singles
342:Jubilee
334:Mercury
322:concert
179:Florida
157:R&B
89:Jubilee
85:Mercury
48:doo-wop
44:R&B
972:, 2003
905:
491:
271:gospel
249:, and
209:, and
195:Harlem
169:Career
64:Labels
40:Genres
968:, by
651:1952
640:1951
629:1950
610:1949
547:1948
534:Song
531:Year
500:Piano
259:tenor
163:group
160:vocal
67:Hub,
986:Page
903:ISBN
864:2022
720:2022
363:and
350:solo
330:OKeh
309:film
283:hits
267:jazz
255:bass
234:and
81:OKeh
73:King
581:10
569:11
553:13
263:pop
238:.
1001::
925:.
880:.
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829:.
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800:^
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728:^
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27:.
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