L-R: Miriam Grate, Frank Edwards, Wyndham Porter, Eddie Quinones & James Sneed
Personnel :
Miriam Grate (Lead)
Bobby Johnson (Lead) (replaced with Frank Edwards (Tenor) in 1959
Eddie Quinones (Tenor)
Wyndham Porter (Baritone)
James Sneed (Bass)
Discography :
Biography :
The cozy, popular genre of doo-wop is no doubt considered to be great by the many listeners who cherish it. To explain how the actual name of Grate figures into this musical wonderland would require one of the few followers of '50s vocal groups who are not intimidated by endless detail. In a genre where dozens of groups use the same name, crossing over family lines as well as generations, it could even be considered comforting to single out Grate as one of the few surnames in the music business that simultaneously evokes excellence as well as details of sewer construction. To cut to the chase, or rather the grate, Miriam Grate is the female portion of a brother and sister that were active in the genre, although not together.
Her brother Tommy Grate performed and recorded with The Five Wings, The Marvels and The Dubs, a progression that indicates a penchant for shorter and shorter band names. Miriam Grate is associated with only two groups, beginning in the mid '50s with The Dovers. The ensemble cut "My Angel" for the Apollo label in 1955, initially seemed primed for several thick coats of hit record paint but were instead left to peel in the shadow of the competition, of which there was plenty.
Grate got something out of it, anyway, as in a husband and a new last name, although neither of the sort considered particularly desirable in the music business. Now legally Miriam Sneed after her marraige to James Sneed of The Dovers, the singer never had much choice about which surname to use in connection with four tracks also cut for the Apollo label in 1956.
Miriam Grate & The Dovers (1) / Bob Johnson & The Dovers (1)
Lou Bartel (bb The Dovers) (uncredited)
The Dovers (1) (fb Miriam Grate)