From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sat Jan 11, 2003  7:31 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Chuck Carbo
 
CHUCK CARBO (Spiders) (By Phil Davies)

Born Hayward Carbo, 11 January 1926, Houma, Louisiana

The Spiders were perhaps the most successful of the New Orleans vocal groups.
They started out as a gospel group, the Zion Harmonizers in 1947 featuring
Hayward's younger brother Leonard "Chick" Carbo as baritone/lead. Chuck joined
the group soon after and became lead singer, other members were Joe Maxon,
Matthew West and Oliver Howard. There was a name change to the Delta
Southernaires in 1950, they were based at the famous Second Baptist Church.

One story says they were discovered by Phyllis Boone who worked at J & M
studios, who was impressed by Chick's piano playing (she later toured with them
as road manageress). Another says that someone at Imperial discovered them
whilst they were playing at a local club. They auditioned for Imperial in 1953,
thinking they were to record gospel but they were sent home to write r&b songs.
Their major influences were the Ravens and the Dominoes.

The gospel group was now looking for a pop name and whilst drawing names out of
a hat, Chuck's wife saw a big spider on the wall! The Spiders recorded the
classic I Didn't Want To Do It/ You're The One in December 53. A & R man Dave
Bartholomew's band provided rock solid backing naturally, topped off in fine
style by Chuck's superb voice.

Both sides of their debut entered the r&b top 10, the A side reached # 3 and the
flip # 8 in the Spring of 54.They kept their pop identity a secret from their
gospel audience but a local dj let the cat out of the bag and they were promptly
banned from their church base. This did not deter them from singing gospel, pity
an impromptu post gig jam with Ray Charles was never recorded.

Their 3rd 45 in 1954 was the brilliant I'm Slippin' In, which reached # 6 ;
Twenty One charted in 1955 (jukebox chart). They toured from the famed Apollo in
NY (appearing with the great show stopping Guitar Slim)to the West Coast. In
late October the group is part of a travelling revue called the R & B Hall Of
Fame Show along with Faye Adams, Amos Milburn and the Orioles.They also toured
with Chuck Willis.

Lew Chudd caused dissension in the ranks when he asked Dave Bartholomew to bring
Chuck out to LA so that they could meet. perhaps this was a deliberate ploy by
Chudd to get Chuck as a solo act.

Meanwhile, in late 55 the Spiders had one more top ten hit (# 5 R&B) with the
rocking Witchcraft (later covered by Mr Presley, one of his better post-Army
recordings). Singles through 56 and early 57 were less successful commercially
and the group broke up. That's My Desire in 57 was creditted to Chuck Carbo and
the Spiders. Chuck recorded two solo singles for Imperial, Poor Boy and I Miss
You, both of which lived up to their titles!

Chuck's voice was affected by contracting tb and spending a lengthy time in
hospital and convalescing.

Chuck recorded for Rex and Ace in the early 60s whilst bro' Chick (who died in
1998) did the same for Atlantic, Vee-Jay and Instant. Chuck ended up being
employed as a dump truck driver. A sad ending for one of the most underrated
(but not by me) of the New Orleans artists. Dave Bartholomew summed it up this
way: "I would say Chuck Carbo had the best voice to come out of New Orleans in
the last 30 years." The best of the Spiders work belongs with the cream of the
famed Crescent City Sound. They would have been a sensation at Hemsby or the
Rhythm Riot.

Recommended Listening:

The Spiders : The Imperial Sessions , 2cd Bear Family BCD 15673

Reading:

Billboard Book of American Singing Groups, 1940-90 by Jay Warner, where most of
the info above is derived.

Website: http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/spiders.html