The Chords | |
|---|---|
 The Chordsc. 1955 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | The Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1951–1960 |
| Labels | |
| Past members |
|
The Chords were an Americandoo-wop vocal group formed in 1951 inThe Bronx,[1] known for their 1954 hit "Sh-Boom", which they wrote.[citation needed] It is the only song they created that reached mainstream popularity.[citation needed]
The group was formed by friends from a high school based inthe Bronx, New York City, United States.[2] The initial members were the brothers Carl and Claude Feaster, plus Jimmy Keyes, Buddy McRae, William Edwards, with support from the pianist Rupert Branker. The Chords were one of the early acts to be signed toCat Records, a subsidiary label ofAtlantic Records.[2]
Their debut single was adoo-wop version of aPatti Page song "Cross Over the Bridge", and the record label reluctantly allowed a number penned by the Chords on theB-side.[3] That track was "Sh-Boom", which quickly became the more popular side.[3] The record reached the top 10 of the U.S. pop chart, which was then a unique occurrence for an R&B number.[3] The track was covered byThe Crew-Cuts, who took the song to the top of the charts, arguably registering the first U.S.rock and roll number one hit record.[2]
The enthusiasm doo-wop fans had for the Chords' music was dampened when Gem Records claimed that one of the groups on its roster was called the Chords; consequently the group changed their name to the Chordcats.[3] Their success was a one-off as subsequent releases, including "Zippity-Zum", all failed to chart.[3] A round of personnel changes and recordings on a variety of labels all failed to reignite the public's interest.[2][4][5][6]
Pianist Rupert Branker was murdered on July 3, 1961.[8]
Later Bass Joe "Ditto" Dias, who replaced William Edwards, died sometime in the 1960s.[9]
Later Tenor/Baritone Arthur Dicks, who briefly replaced Buddy McRae, died in 2001.[10]
Buddy McRae, the last surviving original member, died on March 19, 2013, at a nursing home in the Bronx at the age of 85.[7]
| Title | Details[11] |
|---|---|
| The Best Of The Chords | Released in 2005 byCat |
| Title[12] | Year | Peak chart position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US | US | ||
| "Cross Over The Bridge" | 1954 | — | — | — |
| "Sh-Boom" | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| "Zippity Zum (I'm In Love)" | — | — | — | |
| "A Girl To Love" | — | — | — | |
| "Could It Be" | 1955 | — | — | — |
| "Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" | 1957 | — | — | — |
1960 - "Blue Moon"
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
