Nolan Strong & the Diablos

Nolan Strong was born in Scottsboro, Alabama on January 22, 1934, and moved to Detroit at a young age. He started singing soon after arriving in Detroit and formed his first Diablos group in 1950. Nolan was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1956 and was honorably discharged in 1958. Nolan Strong, the lead vocalist, had a high tenor voice. Strong's smooth voice, influenced mainly by Clyde McPhatter, was in turn a primary influence on a young Smokey Robinson. Nolan died on February 21, 1977, at the age of 43 in Detroit. Little is known about the last years of his life. ==The Diablos' biography==

The Diablos' 1954 song "The Wind" always has been regarded a classic among R&B and doo wop fans. The group had a unique sound, centered around the high lead tenor voice of Nolan Strong. Besides "The Wind", the Diablos were known for many songs, such as "Adios My Desert Love", "Can't We Talk This Over", "Mambo of Love", "If I", "Harriet", "I Am With You", "Goodbye Matilda", "I Wanna Know", "Beside You", "Mind Over Matter", and "The Way You Dog Me Around". By late 1956, more changes occurred. Scott decided to leave the group about this time to join Hank Ballard & the Midnighters - and again the Diablos were in need of a bass. Jay Johnson, who was introduced to Strong through fellow Fortune artist Andre Williams. Although not quite 16 at the time, Jay Johnson was already a veteran singer, having sung bass with Williams' "new" group on "Bacon Fat", "Just Because of a Kiss", "Mean Jean", and "Bobby Jean". (Williams' "new" group consisted of Gino Parks, Bobby Calhoun, Steve Gaston, and Johnson.) The group disbanded by 1964, with a few more record releases and reissues the following years. Jimmy Strong died on January 29, 1970, at age 34. Edwards died March 17, 2001, at age 63. All other members, with the exception of Johnson, are also deceased. ==Velvet Angels==

By the later part of 1963, as the Diablos were dissolving, the Velvet Angels were forming. The group included Diablos alumni Jay Johnson and Willie Hunter along with Bobby Calhoun (baritone) and Cy Iverson (tenor). Iverson had gone to high school with Johnson, and Bobby Calhoun had recorded with Johnson as part of Williams' "new" group on Fortune. They were inspired by groups like the Mills Brothers and Ink Spots. The Velvet Angels performed at clubs around Detroit and across the border in Canada and soon traveled to New Jersey in search a deal and shows. Soon after setting up residence in Jersey City, New Jersey, they found an advertisement for a talent show in the local paper. They performed at the show and won. Frank Sheldon, the show sponsor and owner of the Tender Trap club in Fairview, New Jersey, was looking for this type of group. The Velvet Angels were talented and versatile doing a mix of R&B, pop, gospel, and soul music, and doing them all a cappella. Things were starting to happen for the Velvet Angels; they were hired to do commercials for Lionel Trains, but their manager became ill and that deal fell apart. ==Nolan briefly joins the Velvet Angels==

Nolan Strong had remained on good terms with Hunter and Johnson and had talked about reuniting with them. Sometime during 1963, Strong came to New Jersey and spent some time with the group, rehearsing and appearing with them at the Tender Trap. Some of the rehearsal sessions at their hotel (the Madison Hotel in Jersey City, New Jersey) were recorded on a basic home tape recorder. Angelo Pompeo made the acquaintance of some of the group members and eventually purchased some of the rehearsal tapes. Johnson was not there at the time of the "deal", nor aware of it until after the fact. The tapes soon found their way to Eddie Gries, who issued some of the tunes as singles on his Medieval label. In 1964 "I'm in Love" b/w "Let Me Come Back" was issued as Medieval 201. Both sides highlighted the bass work of Johnson, with a bass lead on "Let Me Come Back", and the driving bass on "I'm in Love" (also released as Co-Op 201). Medieval credits "Strong" as the writer while the Co-Op version credits "Calhoun-Hunter-Johnson-Iverson". Strong is heard on these tapes but mostly as a background singer, although he did lead vocal on "Fools Rush In". More Velvet Angels material was released later through Gries on the Relic Best of Acapella series, as well as his Acappella Showcase Presents the Velvet Angels LP, also on Relic. The picture of the Velvet Angels that appeared on the Relic Velvet Angels album incorrectly identifies Johnson (third from left) as Strong. They disbanded the same year their singles were released. Calhoun indicates he went south and did some work with Stax Records. Iverson and Hunter returned to Detroit. Jay Johnson stayed on for a time in New Jersey, continuing to perform solo at the Tender Trap, but also found his way back to Detroit. Upon his return, he joined Detroit's Five Monarchs, but did not record with them. In the late 1960s Johnson formed the soul group the Four Sonics, releasing two singles in 1968 on Detroit's Sport label. The group recorded through the mid-1970s. ==Legacy==

Strong has also been an influence on rock and roll bands. In December 2009, Lou Reed of the Velvet Underground told Rolling Stone editor David Fricke: "If I could really sing, I'd be Nolan Strong" during an interview at the New York Public Library. In a 2008 interview with Goldmine, Smokey Robinson said: "There was a guy who lived in Detroit and had a group called the Diablos. His name was Nolan Strong. They were my favorite vocalists at that time." In 2007, the Metro Times listed "The Wind" at #11 in The 100 Greatest Detroit Songs list, which was the November 11 cover story. In September 2010 ''Daddy Rockin' Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & the Diablos'', an LP, was released by The Wind Records, with distribution by Norton Records. The album features 13 new Diablos covers by a cast of rock and roll, punk and garage rock bands. It features the Dirtbombs, Reigning Sound, Demon's Claws, Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby and Mark Sultan, among others. Jay Johnson, the last surviving member of the Diablos, formed a new Diablos group in 2007 with vocalists: Bobby Turk, Art Howard, Mike Clark. The group, billed as "Nolan Strong's Diablos", is presently active in the United States. ==Discography==

All releases are on the Fortune Records label, Detroit, Michigan, unless otherwise noted. Nolan Strong & the Diablos ;Nolan Strong ;The Velvet Angels Members: Nolan Strong, Bob Calhoun, Cy Iverson, Willie Hunter and J. W. Johnson ==References==