1961 - Lover Come Back / The Lonely One (End 1090)
1967 - I'm Gonna Change/Don't Pity Me (MGM K13780)
Unreleased :
1959 - I Hadn't Anyone Till You (Cub)
1959 - Please Don't Kiss Me Goodbye (Cub)
Biography :
The
Velours were an American R&B vocal group who had two minor pop hits
in the US in the late 1950s, "Can I Come Over Tonight" and "Remember".
They relocated to England in the late 1960s, changed their name to The
Fantastics, and had a top ten hit in the UK in 1971 with "Something Old,
Something New", followed by a minor US hit with "(Love Me) Love the
Life I Lead".
The group originally formed as The Troubadours in the
Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn in 1953. The original members were
Jerome "Romeo" Ramos, John Cheatdom, Marvin Holland and Sammy Gardner.
In 1955, Gardner left to join the army and was replaced by Cheatdom's
cousin, Kenneth Walker. The doo-wop group performed locally, but with
little success until in 1956 they added a fifth singer, tenor Donald
Haywoode, and changed their name to The Velours. They made their first
recordings for the Onyx label, before Holland and Walker left and were
replaced by John Pearson and Charles Moffett. They also added a pianist,
Calvin McClean.
John Cheatdom, John Pearson, Jerome Ramos & Donald Haywoode at the Apollo
Over the next two years they made some of their best-remembered
records for Onyx, including "Can I Come Over Tonight", written by
Haywoode, which reached number 83 on the Billboard pop chart in 1957.
They had further chart success the following year with "Remember", with
Ramos as lead vocalist, which again reached number 83. They regularly
performed at the Apollo Theater, and shared stages with such stars as
Roy Brown, Fats Domino, Larry Williams and Bo Diddley.
After
adding a sixth singer, Troy Keyes, they recorded for several small New
York labels through the late 1950s and early 1960s, including George
Goldner's Gone, but with little success, and the original group
disbanded in 1961. In 1966, Ramos, Cheatdom and Haywoode decided to
reform the Velours, adding tenor Richard Pitts. In 1967, they released
the single "I'm Gonna Change" on MGM Records, and agreed to undertake a
tour in England.
Jerome Ramos, Richard Pitts, John Cheatdom & Donald Haywoode
When
they arrived in Britain, they discovered that they were to be billed as
The Fabulous Temptations, and were expected to perform Motown songs.
However, they toured successfully and were invited to return, in 1968,
by Sheffield club owner Peter Stringfellow, this time under another new
name, The Fantastics.They decided to remain in Britain, and recorded
several singles released on MGM and then on the Deram label in England.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Velours/velours.html
Songs:
My Love Come Back Honey Drop Romeo
Can I Come Over Tonight / Where There's A Will This Could Be The Night Hands Across The Table
Remember Can I Walk You Home Crazy Love
I'll Never Smile Again Blue Velvet Tired Of Your Rock & Rolling
I Promise Little Sweetheart Daddy Warbucks
Sweet Sixteen Lover Come Back / The Lonely One I'm Gonna Change
