Bob Peterson
Leon McGeary
Williams Thomas
The Mark IV were an American musical ensemble, based in Chicago, consisting of Bob Peterson, Leon McGeary, Williams Thomas, and Michael McCarthy. They were originally named The Rhythm Makers. They later changed their name to Mark V, and then - as members left - to The Mark IV, and eventually ending in the 1980s as The Mark IV Trio.
The band appears to have recorded only as The Mark IV, however, and they had their biggest hit in 1959 with the novelty song, "I Got A Wife" (Mercury 71403). "I Got A Wife" was set to a lively polka beat, and reached No. 24 in U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and No. 14 on Canadian radio station CHUM's "Chum Chart".
Prior to "I Got a Wife," the group released at least two singles on Cosmic Records. One of these was "Goose Bumps" b/w "Booblee Ah Bah Doo Baa" (Cosmic 702; 1957), recorded along with the Dick Marx Orchestra. Though both songs on this record fit the category of doo-wop, the nonsense title of the B-side suggests the "novelty" direction the group would later take. The other known Cosmic release was "(Make With) The Shake" b/w "45 R.P.M." (Cosmic 704; 1958). The group performed "(Make With) The Shake" on American Bandstand, and Dick Clark currently owns the rights to the song.