The Whispers

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The Whispers are a R&B / dance vocal group from Los Angeles, California.

[edit] Career

The Whispers formed in 1964 in Watts, California. The original members included the twin brothers, Scotty (Wallace) and Walter Scott, along with Gordy Harmon, Marcus Hutson and Nicholas Caldwell. In 1973, Harmon was replaced by former Friends of Distinction member Leaveil Degree. Scotty Scott's fluid, melodic voice featured on virtually all of their hits; he has been compared to Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers.

The group scored many hits on the R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they hit #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1980 with "And the Beat Goes On" (not to be confused with Sonny and Cher's "The Beat Goes On") / "Can You Do the Boogie" / "Out the Box". In 1987, they enjoyed a brief career resurgence when "Rock Steady" hit #1 on the R&B charts, and became their first Top 10 success on the Hot 100 (it reached #7). The Whispers also founded the Black Tie record label.

[edit] Band members

• Scotty Scott (born Wallace Scott, 23 September 1944, Fort Worth, Texas).
• Walter Scott (born 23 September 1944, Fort Worth, Texas).
• Marcus Hutson (born 8 January 1943, St Louis, Missouri). (is now deceased)
• Nicholas Caldwell (born 5 April 1944, Loma Linda, California).
• Leaveil Degree (born 31 July 1948, New Orleans, Louisiana).

~TBC~

• Gordy Harmon (born [[]] [[]], in [[]]).

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

• 1973 Planets of Life - Castle Records
• 1974 Bingo - Janus Records
• 1976 One for the Money - Soul Train
• 1976 The Whispers - Soul Train
• 1977 Open up Your Love - Soul Train
• 1978 Headlights - Solar Records
• 1979 Happy Holidays to You - CBS
• 1979 Whisper in Your Ear - Solar
• 1979 The Whispers - Solar

The Whispers

1. "Song for Donny"
2. "My Girl"
3. "Lady Can You Do the Boogie"
4. "And the Beat Goes On"
5. "I Love You"
6. "Out the Box"
7. "Welcome into My Dreams"

• 1981 Imagination - Solar
• 1981 Love Is Where You Find It - Sequel
• 1981 This Kind of Lovin' - Solar
• 1983 Love for Love - Solar
• 1984 So Good - Solar
• 1987 Just Gets Better with Time - Solar
• 1989 Vintage Whispers - Solar
• 1990 More of the Night - Capitol
• 1990 In the Mood - Solar
• 1991 Somebody Loves You - Quicksilver
• 1993 Dr. Love - Quicksilver
• 1994 Beat Goes On - Unidisc
• 1994 Christmas Moments - Capitol
• 1995 Toast to the Ladies - Capitol
• 1996 The Whispers - Sequel
• 1997 Songbook, Vol. 1: The Songs of Babyface - Interscope Records
• 2006 For Your Ears Only
• 2007 The Whispers Live from Las Vegas

[edit] Singles

[edit] In Memoriam

Marcus Hutson left the group in 1992 due to illness. According to the Whispers' website, when Hutson passed away in 2000, they vowed to never replace him, and now perform as a quartet.

[edit] Legacy

• "And the Beat Goes On" would later be sampled on Will Smith's 1998 song, "Miami".
• It can also be heard in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; on the fictional radio station Fever 105; and is available on the game's aside selling merchandise of the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City soundtrack.
• Performed "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" on The Rippingtons' CD album, Brave New World. The performance included samples of both "And the Beat Goes On" and "Rock Steady".

[edit] References

1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums, 19th, London: Guinness World Records Limited, p. 598. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

[edit] Awards and recognition

The Whispers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003.

[edit] External links

• Official Website
• allmusic Entry
• 'The Whispers' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page

[edit] See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart