The Futuretones (1) (Cleveland, Ohio)
Personnel :
Charles Hatcher (Edwin Starr) (Lead)
John Berry
Parnell Burks
Richard Isom
Roosevelt Harris
Discography :
1957 - I Know / Roll On (Tress 1/2)
Biography :
Edwin
Starr was born in Nashville, as Charles Edwin Hatcher on 21 January in
1942. Edwin was educated at Cleveland's East Technical High School.
Whilst a student at this school his interest in singing developed. Edwin
became a member of a group formed at the school, his group adopting the
name of the FutureTones. The group got it's name by adapting the name
of an established local group, the Metrotones. The FutureTones consisted
of Edwin, John Berry, Parnell Burks, Richard Isom and Roosevelt Harris.
The group performed at school shows and set about increasing their
profile locally after Edwin graduated from school in 1956. They became
ground breakers on the Cleveland scene as they soon became the first
local outfit to be fully self contained, having their own
instrumentalists as members.
Edwin Starr
The
musician members of the group were Russel Evans ( guitar ), Pinhead (
trumpet ), Julius Robertson ( bass ), Brownie ( drummer ) and Gus
Hawkins ( sax ). The group would enter local talent contests such as
those that were held at the Circle Ballroom. Eventually the FutureTones
got to appear on a local TV show, the Gene Carroll Talent Show and not
long afterwards they went professional. The first engagement they
secured after this was at the Chatterbox Club, which was located on
Woodland near 55th Street, as support act to Billie Holliday. Edwin was
totally in awe of Billie and although he got the opportunity to visit
her dressing room to speak with her he doesn't think that his attempts
at conversation would have been too coherent. Further successful
engagements followed and in 1959 the group secured a recording contract
with Tress Records. A single, "I Know" b/w "Rolling On" was released and
made a few waves locally. In 1960 Edwin was drafted into the Army, here
his obvious talent as a singer was soon recognised and he got to
perform for other servicemen at bases across the USA and Germany.
Edwin
Starr
The Futuretones
Upon
his discharge in 1962 he returned to Cleveland and attemped to pick up
the reigns with the group again. In his absence, one of his old friends
Demon ( William Isom ) had joined the group but they hadn't been able to
progress their career. With Edwin back in the fold they continued to
perform locally but they had lost the impetus they had possessed a few
years earlier. In 1963 Bill Doggett and his group swung through
Cleveland and at the time Doggett was on the lookout for a new vocalist.
Edwin caught his eye and so was offered the position. He accepted, quit
the FutureTones and left town to tour with his new outfit. Bill
Doggett had a great influence on Edwin, especially with regard to his
professional attitude to the business. He didn't drink, always expected
good discipline and insisted that those associated with him were
accessible to the people they came in contact with.
Songs :
I Know Roll On