The_Sensations

The Sensations

The Sensations

American doo-wop group


The Sensations were an American doo-wop group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]

The group formed in 1954 under the name the Cavaliers, soon after changing to the Sensations. The group scored two hits on the US R&B chart in 1956 with the Atco Records singles "Yes Sir That's My Baby" (#15) and "Please Mr. Disc Jockey" (#13).[2][3] By 1957 they were managed by Kae Williams.[4] The group disbanded soon afterwards, and lead singer Yvonne Mills married and started a family.[5]

In 1961, bass singer Alphonso Howell persuaded Yvonne Mills Baker that the group should re-form, and they won a contract with Chess Records subsidiary label Argo. They soon had a hit with a version of "Music, Music, Music", which reached #12 on the R&B chart and #54 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] A few months later, they released the tune "Let Me In".[4] It was their biggest success, peaking at #2 R&B and #4 on the Hot 100.[6] However, later releases were less successful and the group broke up.[5]

Yvonne Baker later started a solo career, recording a number of tracks that achieved cult status among Northern soul fans, most notably "You Didn’t Say a Word" on Parkway Records in 1966.[5]

Alphonso Howell died on May 7, 1998, at the age of 61.[7] Sam Armstrong died on July 11, 2017. Yvonne Mills Baker died on May 3, 2020.[8][9]

Members

Early members
  • Yvonne Mills Baker (died 2020)
  • Tommy Wicks
  • Alphonso Howell (1937–1998)[10]
  • Hosea Haralson
Later members
  • Yvonne Mills Baker (died 2020)
  • Alphonso Howell (1937–1998)
  • Richard Curtain
  • Sam Armstrong (died 2017)

References

  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 385/6. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Record Research. p. 393.
  3. Biography, Allmusic.com
  4. Jay Warner, American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today (Hal Leonard Corporation, 2006):287.
  5. Almenara, Noelia (March 28, 2009). "Classic and Rare Soul Sisters 50s - 70s: Yvonne Baker and The Sensations: Let Me In - The Complete Collection (1955-1968)". Supersoulsisters.blogspot.com. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  6. Billboard Singles, Allmusic.com
  7. "Alphonso Howell Jr". Philadelphia Daily News. 15 May 1998. p. 34. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  8. "So sad to hear of the passing of Yvonne Baker, lead of the Sensations. Yvonne died May 3". Classic Urban Harmony LLC on Facebook. 9 May 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  9. "The Sensations". TIMS. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

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