1961 - Top L to R: George, Ellery & Halsey Payton - Bottom L to R: Charles Hudgins, Gene Evans, George Britt
The Royal Robins (1) (Tidewater, VA)
Personnel :
George Payton (Lead)
Halsey (Jose) Payton (Baritone / Lead)
Ellery Payton (Lead / First Tenor)
George Britt (Second Tenor / Lead))
John (Pete) Wiggins (Bass)
Eugene Evans (Guitar)
Discography :
Biography :
From Doo Wop to Soul. The Royal Robins became an official group in 1955. Original members were George Payton, Halsey (Jose) Payton, Ellery Payton, Barry Fonville, Charles Hudgins and Eugene Evans. In 1957 they won the Booker T. Washington High School Talent Show in Norfolk, VA. Before their first recordings in 1963, there will be some personnel changes, in 1959, George Britt replaced Barry Fonville. In 1960 Charles Hudgins left the group and in 1962 Jose was drafted in the Army and John (Pete) Wiggins replaced him. After several years of practices they obtain a recording contract with ABC Paramount where they recorded two singles in 1963 & 1964. A third single will be released in 1966 on the Tru-Glo-Town label from Englewood, NJ.
From 1957 to 1967, the Royal robins shared the stage with The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Flamingos, Mr. Jerry Butler, Little Anthony and The Imperials, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Martha and The Vandellas, Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions, Fats Domino, Dionne Warwick, The Showmen, Gary U.S. Bond…. They Worked with Musical Arrangers such as Bert Keyes, Hal David, Count Basey or Burt Bacharach.
Songs :
The Royal Robins (1)