Most black gospel groups that sang in the β40s or β50s and then changed the… Read Full Bio ↴Most black gospel groups that sang in the β40s or β50s and then changed their musical direction, changed it to rhythm and blues. The Four Knights, however, were a refined gospel group that became a refined pop blues group. Actually they started out in 1943 as the Southland Jubilee Singers in Charlotte, North Carolina. The membership included Gene Alford (lead), John Wallace (second tenor and guitar), and Oscar Broadway (bass). By 1944 Oscar had brought in a baritone he knew, Clarence Dixon, and the lineup was set. Their soft and breezy harmonies drew immediate attention and the group made its debut on NBCβs affiliate WSOC-Charlotte radio. In six months they moved up to CBSβs mega power station, the 50,000-watt WBT-Charlotte. The quartet replaced the Southern Sons on the stationβs βCarolina Hay Rideβ show, a popular program that attracted one listener in particular, Cy Langois of Long-Worth Transcriptions. He signed the group to management.
His first move was for a name change to the Four Knights. He took them to New York and they started appearing on Arthur Godfreyβs radio show in 1945. Lang-Worth was a company that made what were called transcriptions, actually early albums containing four to six songs on each side of an eight inch disc that played at 33-1/3 rpm. These discs were not sold to the public; most all were sent to radio stations, allowing a local disc jockey to give the impression the group was right in the studio. The Knights did a number of these recordings. Between this type of exposure and the Godfrey show the group became fairly well-known. In 1946 they signed with Decca Records and in April of that year they released their first single, βJust in Case You Change Your Mind.β After four singles featuring Geneβs mellow lead, Oscarβs broad bass, and usually incorporating Geneβs whistling over the instrumental section, the group was moved to Deccaβs Coral affiliate for three more 78s through 1949. They toured with dancer Bill βBojanglesβ Robinson and got a shot s regulars on the Red Skelton radio show in 1948. They spent two years doing Skelton in Los Angeles and performing in clubs across the country. The Knights lost the Skelton job in 1950 when their manager wanted more than the show could pay, and so he pulled the group. They then discharged him for losing what they considered to be a prime exposure medium.
In 1951 they brought their soft harmony to Capitol Records and began with βI Love the Sunshine of Your Smileβ (#23). They also began covering R&B and pop artists on songs like βThe Glory of Loveβ (THE 5 KEYS), βSinβ (THE FOUR ACES), which they took to number 14, and their biggest pop cover record at number eight in 1953, βOh Happy Dayβ (Don Howard). The groupβs biggest hit came in 1954 when βI Get So Lonely When I Think About You (Oh Baby Mine)β reached number two and ran for 24 weeks, even becoming a smash in England at number five, a tough thing for a black American group to do in 1954. The Pat Ballard-penned original was so popular in England that when it fell off the charts it resurfaced the following month (July), reaching number 10.
Toward the end of 1953 George Vereen began subbing on studio work and singing lead at live shows for Gene Alford, whose epilepsy was affecting his ongoing involvement with the group. Vereen was replaced in 1955 by ex-DELTA RHYTHM BOYS member Cliff Holland as Alford retired. Prior to their 1952 recordings the group sang with only a guitar backup, but Capitol soon had them working with full orchestras. By 1953, tours for the four were in full swing, and they played clubs from Las Vegas to Rio de Janeiro while appearing on the TV shows of Perry Como, Ed Sullivan, and of course Red Skelton. On August 27, 1954, they headlined at the famed Apollo in New York.
During the mid-β50s the reigning king op Capitolβs roster, Nat King Cole, ran into the group and liked their style; he asked Capitol to have the Knights back him on some recordings. Their first collaboration, in early 1955, was titled βA Blossom Fell.β Though it didnβt chart, Nat and the Knights tried agin in January 1956, and by September their βThatβs All There Is to Thatβ was number 16 on the pop char and number 14 R&B, the first time the Knights had ever appeared on the black charts. The next time out with Nat was the last: a ballad, βMy Personal Possession,β released in May 1957 and reaching number 21 (#3 R&B). The only pop charter of the mid-and late β50s for the group by themselves was βO Falling Starβ (#83, 1959) after theyβd re-signed with Coral in late 1957. Capitol stayed with them for 39 45s throughout the β50s. In 1960 Gene Alford died. Clarence left the act in 1963 and the Knights disbanded three years after his departure. John Wallace died in 1978. Dixon and Broadway moved to the suburbs of Los Angeles in retirement.
His first move was for a name change to the Four Knights. He took them to New York and they started appearing on Arthur Godfreyβs radio show in 1945. Lang-Worth was a company that made what were called transcriptions, actually early albums containing four to six songs on each side of an eight inch disc that played at 33-1/3 rpm. These discs were not sold to the public; most all were sent to radio stations, allowing a local disc jockey to give the impression the group was right in the studio. The Knights did a number of these recordings. Between this type of exposure and the Godfrey show the group became fairly well-known. In 1946 they signed with Decca Records and in April of that year they released their first single, βJust in Case You Change Your Mind.β After four singles featuring Geneβs mellow lead, Oscarβs broad bass, and usually incorporating Geneβs whistling over the instrumental section, the group was moved to Deccaβs Coral affiliate for three more 78s through 1949. They toured with dancer Bill βBojanglesβ Robinson and got a shot s regulars on the Red Skelton radio show in 1948. They spent two years doing Skelton in Los Angeles and performing in clubs across the country. The Knights lost the Skelton job in 1950 when their manager wanted more than the show could pay, and so he pulled the group. They then discharged him for losing what they considered to be a prime exposure medium.
In 1951 they brought their soft harmony to Capitol Records and began with βI Love the Sunshine of Your Smileβ (#23). They also began covering R&B and pop artists on songs like βThe Glory of Loveβ (THE 5 KEYS), βSinβ (THE FOUR ACES), which they took to number 14, and their biggest pop cover record at number eight in 1953, βOh Happy Dayβ (Don Howard). The groupβs biggest hit came in 1954 when βI Get So Lonely When I Think About You (Oh Baby Mine)β reached number two and ran for 24 weeks, even becoming a smash in England at number five, a tough thing for a black American group to do in 1954. The Pat Ballard-penned original was so popular in England that when it fell off the charts it resurfaced the following month (July), reaching number 10.
Toward the end of 1953 George Vereen began subbing on studio work and singing lead at live shows for Gene Alford, whose epilepsy was affecting his ongoing involvement with the group. Vereen was replaced in 1955 by ex-DELTA RHYTHM BOYS member Cliff Holland as Alford retired. Prior to their 1952 recordings the group sang with only a guitar backup, but Capitol soon had them working with full orchestras. By 1953, tours for the four were in full swing, and they played clubs from Las Vegas to Rio de Janeiro while appearing on the TV shows of Perry Como, Ed Sullivan, and of course Red Skelton. On August 27, 1954, they headlined at the famed Apollo in New York.
During the mid-β50s the reigning king op Capitolβs roster, Nat King Cole, ran into the group and liked their style; he asked Capitol to have the Knights back him on some recordings. Their first collaboration, in early 1955, was titled βA Blossom Fell.β Though it didnβt chart, Nat and the Knights tried agin in January 1956, and by September their βThatβs All There Is to Thatβ was number 16 on the pop char and number 14 R&B, the first time the Knights had ever appeared on the black charts. The next time out with Nat was the last: a ballad, βMy Personal Possession,β released in May 1957 and reaching number 21 (#3 R&B). The only pop charter of the mid-and late β50s for the group by themselves was βO Falling Starβ (#83, 1959) after theyβd re-signed with Coral in late 1957. Capitol stayed with them for 39 45s throughout the β50s. In 1960 Gene Alford died. Clarence left the act in 1963 and the Knights disbanded three years after his departure. John Wallace died in 1978. Dixon and Broadway moved to the suburbs of Los Angeles in retirement.
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The Four Knights Collection 1946-59
The Four Knights Lyrics
I Love The Sunshine Of Your Smile (Chorus) I love the sunshine of your smile I love the laught…
Oh Happy Day The sun is shining, oh, happy day-ay No more troubles and…