The O'Jays

The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in summer 1958 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert, Walter Lee Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles. The O'Jays made their first chart appearance with the minor hit "Lonely Drifter" in 1963, but reached their greatest level of success once the producers Gamble & Huff signed them to their Philadelphia International label in 1971. With Gamble & Huff, the O'Jays emerged at the forefront of Philadelphia soul with "Back Stabbers" (1972), and topped the US Billboard Hot 100 the following year with "Love Train". Several other US R&B hits followed, and the O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2013.

History

The group was formed in Canton, Ohio, in 1958 while its members (Eddie Levert, Walter Lee Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey, and Bill Isles) were attending Canton McKinley High School. Originally known as The Mascots, and then The Triumphs, the friends began recording with "Miracles" in 1961, which was a moderate hit in the Cleveland area. In 1963, they took the name 'The O'Jays', in tribute to Cleveland radio disc jockey Eddie O'Jay, who was part of the powerful management team of Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett, and O'Jay. In 1963, the group saw the release of their song "Lonely Drifter," their first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100. from the album of the same name. Bill Isles (born William Carvan Isles II in McAdenville, North Carolina) died on March 25, 2019, in Oceanside, California, at the age of 78. ==Original members==

Original members

• Eddie Levert (born Edward Willis Levert, June 16, 1942, Bessemer, Alabama, US) • Walter Lee Williams (born August 25, 1943, Canton, Ohio, US) • William Powell (born January 20, 1942, Canton, Ohio, US died May 26, 1977, Canton, Ohio, US) • Bobby Massey (born 9 March 1942, Detroit, Michigan, US) • Bill Isles (born January 4, 1941, McAdenville, North Carolina, US died March 25, 2019, Oceanside, California, US) == Frank Little, Jr. ==

Frank Little, Jr.

Frank "Frankie" Little Jr. (born August 1943 – disappeared ) was a guitarist and songwriter also known by the nickname Brother Rabbit. Little was born in August 1943 to Frankie Little Sr. and La Verda Stone, who both worked as entertainers. Little married his wife, Precious P. Henderson, in California on June 16, 1965, and had a daughter. His death was ruled a homicide, but as of 2021 the persons responsible for his death are unknown. ==Discography==

Discography

Top twenty albums The following albums reached the top twenty on the United States Billboard 200 pop albums chart. • 1972: Back Stabbers (US number 10) • 1973: Ship Ahoy (US number 11) • 1974: ''The O'Jays Live in London'' (US number 17) • 1975: Survival (US number 11) • 1975: Family Reunion (US number 7) • 1976: Message in the Music (US number 20) • 1978: So Full of Love (US number 6) • 1979: Identify Yourself (US number 16) Top twenty singles The following singles reached the top twenty on either the United States Billboard Hot 100 or the United Kingdom's UK Singles Chart. • 1972: "Back Stabbers" (US number 3; UK number 14; Canada number 39) • 1973: "Love Train" (US number 1; UK number 9; Canada number 15) • 1973: "Put Your Hands Together" (US number 10) • 1974: "For the Love of Money" (US number 9) • 1975: "I Love Music" (US number 5; UK number 13) • 1976: "Livin' For The Weekend" (US number 20) • 1978: "Use ta Be My Girl" (US number 4; UK number 12) DVDs • ''The O'Jays Live in Concert'' (2010) ==Gold and platinum records==

Gold and platinum records

Gold certifications indicating sales exceeding one million copies were awarded by the RIAA for the group's singles "Back Stabbers", "Love Train", "For the Love of Money", "I Love Music", and "Use ta Be My Girl". Additionally, gold certifications for sales exceeding 500,000 copies of the albums Back Stabbers, ''The O'Jays Live in London, Survival, Message in the Music, Travelin' at the Speed of Thought, and Emotionally Yours were also awarded. Platinum certifications signifying sales exceeding one million copies were awarded to Ship Ahoy, Family Reunion, So Full of Love, and Identify Yourself''. ==Other awards==

Other awards

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (inducted 2005) • National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame (inducted 2013) • Vocal Group Hall of Fame (inducted 2004) • Grammy Hall of Fame (two-time inductees) for songs "Love Train" (inducted 2006) and "For The Love Of Money" (inducted 2016) • Numerous RIAA Gold and Platinum Awards (see above) • BET Awards Lifetime Achievement Award (awarded 2009) ==See also==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

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