Herb Johnson & The Premiers (7) (Baltimore, M.D.)
Personnel :
Herb Johnson
Louis Jackson
Discography :
1962 - Help / Crying Blues (Palm 301)
Biography :
One-time
upholsterer Venton "Buddy" Caldwell started his own V-Tone label in
1958 in Philadelphia. The same year, he started Len Records as a
subsidiary. V-Tone lasted until 1962 and Len until 1960. The company was
located at 2034 Ridge Avenue in Philadelphia. When he discontinued
V-Tone in late 1962, Caldwell then started the Palm label, and began
with the exact same single. Herb Johnson was the most notable single
artist who sang for Len/V-Tone/Palm. Herb recorded 'You Belong to Me,'
also recorded by the Orioles. In 1953, he joined the Air Force and sang
with a group called the Lyrics and also sang with the group the
Ambassadors.
Herb's first single for Len was "Guilty" "Have You Heard" released in the spring of 1960, According to Johnson, he was backed by The Cruisers from Washington, D.C. who handled vocal harmonies. "Help" was recorded and released in 1963 on Caldwell's Palm label, the successor to Len & V-Tones. The String-filled instrumental backing is a concession to the changing early sixties market, but the strong r&b group backing "Help" and "Crying Blues", the flip side, is strictly fifties. Herb was backed up by an accomplished group from Baltimore featuring Louis Jackson called the Premiers.
Songs :
Crying Blues / Help