Personnel :
Sammy Hagan (Lead)
Donald Frierson (Tenor)
Daniel Fields (Baritone)
Charles Taggart (Bass)
Discography :
Biography :
Johnny Otis his Dig label, including a small recording studio, in his home in Los Angeles in late 1955. He shut down the label in 1957 when his Johnny Otis Show signed a contract with Capitol Records. In the interim, he released 42 singles and 4 LPs, including such talent as Arthur Lee Maye And The Crowns, Tony Allen And The Night Owls, Mel Williams And The Jayos, the Johnny Otis Orchestra and The Premiers.
The Premiers consisted of Sammy Hagan (aka: Little Sammy Yates "Hagan", Donald Frierson, Daniel Fields, and Charles Taggart. Johnny Otis released their first release, "Baby" and "New Moon" in March 1956. The former side, a mid tempo rocker with Yates fronting a unison group chant, Yates referred to as a countermelody. Though The Premiers' first release didn't make much noise. Johnny Otis issued a second pairing by the group In June 1956. "My Darling" and "Have a Heart". Supported by an able studio band led by saxophonist Jackie Kelso (who shared writers' credits with Yates on both sides of the release). Like the first release, however, "My Darling" didn't go anywhere and neither did the group until Johnny Otis decided they should back new singer Julie Stephens, an 18-year old recent high school graduate from Santa Barbara California.
Julie wrote "Blue Mood" and we went in to rehearse it with her, She was in a blue mood when she wrote the song, but when she recorded it, it came out beautiful during the summer of 1958". "Blue Mood" became the biggest hit Dig Records ever had, even though it tailed to make the national charts. With the flip side rocker "Crazy Bells," Otis subsequently reissued it in 1960. After backing Stephens again on "Take My Heart" in 1957 it was time for The Premiers to move on. "After we left the Johnny Otis Show we went to Capitol Records and managed by Effie Smith and John Criner".
In 1960 Nagan recorded for John Criner as Little Sammy on the standout ballad "Can You Love Me" and ‘Papa Did the Chicken". According to Hagan, the voices heard in the background of "Can You Love Me" belong to Fred Smith and Cliff Goldsmith, the songwriting. Arranging team known for their work with The Olympics. According Hagan the backing musicians included Don & Dewey, while Hagan himself played piano. Sammy later continued to record as Count Yates and the Rhythm Crusaders.