The Friends of Distinction are an American vocal group best known for their late 1960s hits, "Grazing in the Grass", "Love or Let Me Be Lonely", and "Going in Circles". Founded by Harry Elston and Floyd Butler, The Friends of Distinction also included Jessica Cleaves and Barbara Jean Love (plus Charlene Gibson, who replaced Love during her pregnancy).
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Elston and Butler's involvement in music entailed several groups, including the Hi-Fis, Ray Charles' backing band. The Hi-Fis also included Lamont McLemore and Marilyn McCoo, who would go on to be members of The 5th Dimension. When the group disbanded in 1966, Elston and Butler recruited Cleaves and Love for a new band; initially, Elston came up with the name Distinctive Friends, but Love suggested reversing the words to Friends of Distinction.
After polishing up their act for a few months during 1968, the group hit the local tour circuit in Los Angeles, California. With the support of a well-known manager, former football star Jim Brown, the group signed with RCA Records. In 1969, they released their first single "Grazing in the Grass", produced by John Florez, arranged and conducted by Ray Cork Jr. Originally recorded by trumpeter Hugh Masekela, Elston wrote the lyrics to Masakela's trumpet lead, and the song became a hit. It remained on the U.S. R&B chart for 17 weeks, peaking at #5, and on the Hot 100 for 16 weeks, peaking at #3. The disc sold one million copies gaining it a R.I.A.A. gold record.[1] Four months later, the third release, "Going in Circles", surpassed its predecessor. It climbed to #3 R&B after 19 weeks, and also reached #15 on the The Billboard Hot 100 chart. It too sold over one million copies, giving the group their second gold record.[1]
Three more singles charted for the group---"Love or Let Me Be Lonely," "Time Waits for No One" and "I Need You"---though none were as successful as the group's first two hits . However "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" gave the group a second Top 10 pop hit and its only entry on the adult contemporary singles chart. The group encountered some personnel changes following the two hits. Cleaves and Love both departed the group. Cleaves joined up with other R&B acts, Earth, Wind & Fire and Parliament. After the release of their fifth and final single, the decline of The Friends of Distinction began.
By the mid 1970s, with more than five years elapsed since their first release, Elston and Butler disbanded the unit. The two parted ways and did not speak for several years. When they finally overcame their differences however, Butler died of a heart attack---in Elston's arms. In 1996 Elston ultimately accomplished what he and Butler had agreed to do: he reformed the group with new members Pattie Brooks, Van Jewel, and Drake Frye.
| Year | Album | Chart positions[2] | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
|||||
| 1969 | Grazin' | 35 | 10 | RCA | ||
| Highly Distinct | 173 | 14 | ||||
| 1970 | Real Friends | 68 | 9 | |||
| Whatever | 179 | 42 | ||||
| 1971 | Friends & People | 166 | — | |||
| 1973 | Love Can Make It Easier | — | — | |||
| 1975 | Reviviscence - Live to Light Again | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | ||||||
| Year | Album | Chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
|||||
| 1973 | Greatest Hits | — | — | RCA | ||
| 1989 | Golden Classics | — | — | Collectables | ||
| 1996 | Best of The Friends of Distinction | — | — | RCA | ||
| 2005 | Going in Circles | — | — | Sony BMG | ||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | ||||||
| Year | Single | Chart positions[3] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
US A/C |
|||||
| 1969 | "Grazing in the Grass" | 3 | 5 | — | |||
| "Going in Circles" (A-side) | 15 | 3 | — | ||||
| "Let Yourself Go" (B-side) | 63 | — | — | ||||
| 1970 | "Love Is the Way of Life" | — | — | — | |||
| "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" | 6 | 13 | 9 | ||||
| "Now Is the Time" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Time Waits for No One" | 60 | 37 | — | ||||
| 1971 | "I Need You" | 79 | 28 | — | |||
| "It Don't Matter to Me" | — | — | — | ||||
| "Long Time Comin' My Way" | — | — | — | ||||
| 1972 | "Jenny Wants to Know" | — | — | — | |||
| "Thumb Tripping" | — | — | — | ||||
| 1973 | "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" | — | — | — | |||
| "Love Can Make It Easier" | — | — | — | ||||
| 1975 | "Love Shack (Opened Up a Shop) Pt. 1" | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes the single failed to chart | |||||||