While numerous personnel changes have taken place within the group in its 60+ years of existence, the familiar close harmonies remain The Ink Spots' stock in trade. Making up the current group are bass singer-narrator Harold Winley, second lead Sonny Hatchett, lead tenor Grant Kitchings; and the newest Ink Spot, baritone and guitarist, Morris Dow.
The Ink Spots' story begins in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1932, when four young men - Deek Watson, Charles Fuqua, Orville "Hoppy" Jones and Jerry Daniels - formed the first version of the group. The quartet performed as the Riff Brothers and the Percolating Puppies before settling on the Ink Spots name. In search of a recording contract, the group headed to New York City, where they met up with singer Bill Kenny, who replaced Daniels as the group's lead tenor in 1936. Three years later, The Ink Spots had their first million-selling record, If I Didn't Care. The song, which would be their biggest hit, ultimately sold 19 million copies.
Kenny left the group for a solo career in 1945. The replacement was Jim Nabbie and the hits continued over the next decade; I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire, To Each His Own, My Prayer, I'll Never Smile Again, A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening, Java Jive, Maybe, Into Each Life Some Rain May Fall, We Three, It's A Sin To Tell A Lie, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Prisoner of Love ... and on and on. After the remaining original members left the group, it was up to Nabbie to keep things going. Frustrated by acts billing themselves as The Ink Spots, Nabbie acquired the rights to the Ink Spots' name and registered it as a trademark. While the frequency of hits slowed in the mid '50's, The Ink Spots' influence was heard in the many doo-wop vocal groups formed during this period, as well as many groups, like the Temptations, which would come along later. The Ink Spots' musical impact was recognized formally in 1987 when inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. They have been inducted into the Apollo Hall of Fame and, in 1997, into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Nabbie and the rest of the Ink Spots continued to tour, in the neighborhood of some 200 dates a year. Especially pleasing were the 10 to 20 college dates the group would perform each year, where young people, many of whose parents weren't born at the time of The Ink Spots' first hits, would get their first chance to hear the quartet. Nabbie claimed that he was always amazed that younger audiences would accept the "old timers" music so enthusiastically.
In September 1992, Jim Nabbie, "Mr. Ink Spots" for 47 years, passed away, just before the start of an European tour. The Ink Spots were faced suddenly with the prospect of carrying on without their longtime friend and colleague.
More recently, the band has been introduced to a new, or perhaps, younger audience through the highly successful 'Fallout ' series of RPGs, which features the songs 'I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire' (Fallout 3) and 'Maybe' (Fallout).
But carry on the group has! Grant, who had been with The Ink Spots many years ago, was welcomed immediately by audiences with standing ovations. And so it appears that The Ink Spots will remain a viable musical entity for many years to come.
The Ink Spots Bios:
HAROLD WINLEY
Bass Singer/Narrator
His association with The Ink Spots goes back more than fifty years; before he became an original member of THE CLOVERS. It is now more than twenty-five years that he has been performing with THE INK SPOTS on a continual basis. The deep resonance of his voice has thrilled audiences worldwide. He is the "intellectual" of the group and is interested in everything and anything . . . but photography and music are his passions. Born in Washington, DC where most of his family still resides, he was a resident of New York City for many years. He now resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
SONNY HATCHETT
Second Lead/Second Tenor
Sonny is the Group's comedian . . . both on-stage and off-stage . . . and has appeared as a single artist nationally and internationally. Sonny has many comedy albums to his credit. He is also a songwriter and comedy writer and you'll often see his smiling face in movies and commercials filmed in the Miami area. He has been a member of THE INK SPOTS for more than twenty-five years and has earned his nickname of "Twinkle Toes" for his intricate steps on stage. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, he now makes his home in the Fort Lauderdale area.
HERMAN DENBY
Lead Tenor
When Grant Kitchings (lead singer 1995-2001) became ill while performing with THE INK SPOTS on the Mississippi Queen, Herman responded immediately and was on the next flight to New Orleans. Those were big shoes to fill, but he did so very well. We are proud to have Herman as a permanent member of the group now that Grant has sadly passed. Herman is a very modest man but he is a published poet, a writer and a songwriter. He was an original member of the "Doo-Wop Hall of Fame" group THE SWALLOWS and wrote most of their songs. He is a life long friend of Sonny Hatchett. He was also born in Baltimore but now makes New York City his home.
MORRIS DOW
Baritone/Guitarist
A native of Philadelphia, he now makes his home in Baltimore, Maryland. He has scored music for many motion pictures and television and radio commercials. Also known as one of the finest jazz harmonica players in the country today, he is a guitarist extraordinare. He is also a writer and has recently had a beautiful book published. Before joining THE INK SPOTS, he toured with many famous artists including Jimmy McGriff and Nancy Wilson. He also worked with Herb Kenny, the brother of THE INK SPOTS' original lead singer, Bill Kenny.
I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
Ink Spots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But now I hear love call,
I'm getting sentimental over you
Things you say and do,
Just thrill me through and through,
I'm getting sentimental over you.
I could live without love
Now I must admit,
Love is all I'm thinking of
Won't you please be kind,
And just make up your mind
That you'll be sweet & gentle,
Be gentle with me
Because I'm sentimental over you
The Ink Spots's "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" is a classic jazz tune that captures the feeling of falling deeply in love after having been content without it. The lyrics are sung in a way that's both sweet and sentimental, and the music matches the mood perfectly with its soft and subdued chords. The singer first admits that they never thought they would fall in love, but as they hear the call of love, they become sentimental over this newfound feeling of love. The things that the person says and does thrill the singer, and they can't help but feel sentimental over them.
The song's lyrics also reveal that the singer was once happy without love, but now they realize that love is all they're thinking of. The final plea for sweetness and gentleness from the loved one is a touching appeal that demonstrates the singer's vulnerability and how important the loved one has become to them. Overall, "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" is a deep and emotional masterpiece that captures the full range of human emotions that come with falling in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Never thought I'd fall,
I never expected to become emotionally invested in anyone.
But now I hear love call,
But now I have heard love's voice and it's pulling me towards someone.
I'm getting sentimental over you
I have developed strong feelings of affection for you and they are causing me to become sentimental.
Things you say and do,
The things that you do and say to me.
Just thrill me through and through,
They make me feel intensely happy and excited.
I'm getting sentimental over you.
It's because of these actions and words that I have become sentimental about you.
I thought I was happy,
I used to believe that I was content with my life and didn't need love.
I could live without love
I believed that I could survive and be content without love in my life.
Now I must admit,
However, I can't deny now that
Love is all I'm thinking of
All I can think about is love now.
Won't you please be kind,
Could you please do me a favor and
And just make up your mind
Make a final decision
That you'll be sweet & gentle,
To be caring and kind to me.
Be gentle with me
Please treat me with kindness and respect.
Because I'm sentimental over you
Because I am so emotionally invested in you and don't want to get hurt.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: GEORGE BASSMAN, NED WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind