The Sensations

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

Members

Early members
Later members

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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. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Record Research. p. 393.
  3. Biography, Allmusic.com
  4. 1 2 Jay Warner, American Singing Groups: A History from 1940 to Today (Hal Leonard Corporation, 2006):287.
  5. 1 2 3 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