DOO-WOP : SHIELDS (1)

The Shields (1)

Shields Touring Group :Clockwise from Top : James Warren, David Cobb, Horace Wooten and Charlie Wright

The Shields (1) (Los Angeles, California)

Personnel :

Frankie Ervin (Lead)

Jesse Belvin (First Tenor)

Mel Williams (Second Tenor)

Johnny "Guitar" Watson (Baritone)

Tommy "Buster" Williams (Bass)

Discography :

1958 - You Cheated / That's the Way It's Gonna Be (Tender 513/Dot 15805)

1958 - Nature Boy / I'm Sorry Now (Dot 15856/Tender 518)

1959 - Play The Game Fair / Fare Thee Well, My Love (Tender 521/Dot 15940)

Biography :

After West Coast label-owner/Producer Georges Matola approved the Slades version of "You Cheated" on Domino, he quickly structured a black group to cover the white version. Matola Joined Frankie Ervin with Jesse Belvin, Mel Williams, Buster Williams and Johnny "Guitar" Watson to record the disc in the Studio.

Jesse Belvin executed the high Falsetto tenor on "You Cheated". Makeshift groups were assembled by Mantola whenever the group was making TV appearances. He would assemble Ervin and two others and have them lip-Sync each song as the Shields while on tour.

Shields Touring Group : Charlie Wright , David Cobb, Horace "Pookie" Wooten and James Warren

Others who sang in these Makeshift groups included Tonny Allen, toncie Blackwell, Howard Gardner, Johnny Moore, Johnny White, Tenor Chuck Jackson, Charles Paterson, James Monroe Warren, Horace Pookie Wooten, Tommy Youngblood, and, from the Cadillacs, Bobby Phillips.

Frankie Ervin Jesse Belvin

Charles Wright Replaced Ervin as lead. Ervin had previously been with Johnny Moore's Three Blazers and later with the Spears. "You Cheated", which went to number 11 R&B and number 12 pop in 1958, was the group's only hit, and the song remains one of the most enduring legacies of the age of doo-wop.

Mitch Rosalsky (Encyclopedia of Rhythm & Blues)