The Orioles - Crying In The Chapel, R&B hit, August 1953

   August 1953 - The Orioles "Crying In The Chapel" becomes the first R&B hit to approach the Top Ten on the Pop Charts, stalling just short at #11 late that summer.

  en.wikipedia.org The Orioles   Crying in the Chapel  almanac 1953 billboard debut

Crying In The Chapel-The Orioles - Jubilee 5122

The Orioles in 1950.... (Top Row L-R) Alexander Sharp, George Nelson, Sonny Til, (Bottom) Tommy Gaither, Johnny Reed.

The Orioles in 1952.... (Top Row L-R) Johnny Reed, Alexander Sharp, (Middle Row L-R) Sonny Til, George Nelson, Ralph Williams, and (Bottom At Piano) Charlie Harris.

The Orioles in 1953... (Top Row L-R) Sonny Til, Charlie Harris, Johnny Reed, Alexander Sharp, Ralph Williams, (Bottom) John "Gregory" Carroll

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The Five Keys, The Clovers, The Dominoes, 1951

   A wave of young black vocal groups spring up with variations of the style popularized by the Orioles.

   The Five Keys smooth harmonies hit with "The Glory Of Love"... 

   The Clovers combine tougher harmonies with southern-inflected blues and hit with "Don't You Know I Love You" and "Fool, Fool, Fool", kicking off a string of 15 straight Top Ten hits... 

   The Dominoes gospel-based singing and racy lyrics land them the biggest hit of the decade with "Sixty Minute Man" which sells in such high numbers that it makes #17 on the Pop Charts as well.

   en.wikipedia.org The Orioles  en.wikipedia.org The Five Keys  

 

   en.wikipedia.org The Clovers  en.wikipedia.org The Dominoes

July 1951 The Glory Of Love-The Five Keys Aladdin 3099

4 weeks at #1 on R&B charts

Don't You Know I Love You-The Clovers Atlantic 934

2 weeks at #1 on R&B charts

Fool, Fool, Fool-The Clovers Atlantic 944

6 weeks at #1 on R&B charts

Aug 1951  Sixty Minute Man-The Dominoes  Federal 12022

14 weeks at #1 on R&B charts

The Dominoes, debut in 1951, (top l to r= Billy Ward, Bill Brown; bottom l to r= Joe Lamont, Clyde McPhatter, Charlie White; photo by Kriegsmann)

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The Dominoes

02/1951

Do Something For Me - 6 R&B

05/1951

Sixty Minute Man - 17 US, 1 R&B

11/1951

I Am with You - 8 R&B

The Orioles, 1949

   1949
  The Orioles continue their dominance of the market with 8 Top Ten hits during the year and frequently cause riots at their performances.

  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orioles   discogs.com The-Orioles

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The Orioles

1948

(It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas - 8 R&B

11/1948

It's Too Soon to Know - 13 US, 1 R&B

1949

(It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas - 5 R&B

A Kiss and a Rose - 12 R&B

Forgive and Forget - 5 R&B

I Challenge Your Kiss - 11 R&B

Tell Me So - 1 R&B

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - 9 R&B

The Orioles - It's Too Soon To Know, November 1948

   The Orioles, led by Sonny Til, become the first of the young black vocal groups to appeal to a teenage audience, scoring a #1 R&B hit with their debut, "It's Too Soon To Know", the first rock ballad.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Orioles

  November 6, 1948, Best Selling Popular Retail Records - debut in Billboard National Top 30

 25. It's Too Soon To Know-The Orioles, Vocal Quintet with Rhythm

bandstandtime.blogspot.com/2019/09/almanac-1948-billboard-debut.html

The Orioles in 1948 (Photo by Bobby Thomas).

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The Orioles
1948
(It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas - 8 R&B
11/1948
It's Too Soon to Know - 13 US, 1 R&B
1949
(It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas - 5 R&B
A Kiss and a Rose - 12 R&B
Forgive and Forget - 5 R&B
I Challenge Your Kiss - 11 R&B
Tell Me So - 1 R&B
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve - 9 R&B