THE CORONETS - by Al Kelly

The Coronets were from Cleveland, OH. and was formed not for the love of
music but the love of some extra money!!!! Yep, Sam Griggs, the 2nd
tenor was working and getting ready to get married and needed some extra
income so he got his brother Bill, the bass, Lester Russaw, 1st tenor
and George Lewis, the baritone to join his group.  After a few weeks
they knew they needed a lead singer and a week later found Charles
Carruthers as their new lead.  The group was getting nowhere and so
they felt they needed to make things happen. They went in a recording
studio and recorded a dub and they took it to Alan Freed's office in
Cleveland. Freed never saw the group but sent the dub to the Chess
Records studios. In June of '53, the group had a session at Chess
Records.  Meanwhile Carruthers was drafted later in '53 and and Charles
Brown took over as lead on a session. In '55 Bobby Ward became the new
lead and the group finished recording on the Stirling, Groove and Job
label and in '60, the group split up. A little trvia for you, Greg
Morris, famous for his acting in the TV show "Mission Impossible" was a
part time and fill in singer with the group!!!