The Barons (2) (Tacoma, Washington))
Personnel :
Billy Gold (Lead)
Andrew Fisher (Second Tenor)
Danny (Baritone)
George Bonney (Bass)
Discography :
Biography :
The group known as The Barons were from the great Pacific Northwest in Tacoma, Washington. They were all members of the choir at Bethlehem Baptist Church and also students at Lincoln High School in that city. In late 1954 they were heard at a local appearance and the word was passed to a talent scout for Imperial Records in Los Angeles. The Barons were one of the first vocal groups for the label who would soon also sign The Jewels from R & B Records. The group went down to L.A. for their first recording session for the label and in March of 1955 the first record was released by Imperial on # 5343 with the songs "Eternally Yours" and "Boom Boom". The record gets some immediate airplay in the Southern California area but soon fades out.
During the summer of 1955 Imperial releases the second recording by the group. The songs "I Know I Was Wrong" and "My Dream My Love" are issued on # 5359. By early August the mid tempo tune "I Know I Was Wrong" is selling well in Philadelphia and also gets some action in the New York area thanks to plugging by Alan Freed on his nightly radio show for station WINS. In October the Barons sign on with the Shaw Agency who set up a tour of the East Coast for the group. In November the group makes a number of personal appearances with Fats Domino and his band.
"Searching For My Love" and "Cold Kisses" are released by Imperial on # 5370 in early December. Trade publications list the record as a pick hit in the Los Angeles area. However there is not much the record accomplishes in either airplay or sales. In march of 1956 "So Long My Darling" and "Crying For You Baby" are released by Imperial on # 5383. Once again there is not much success for The Barons, and Imperial gives them one last shot with "Once In A Lifetime" and "Don't Walk Out" on # 5397 in September of 1956. Once again the group is unsuccessful with their latest effort. Reportedly there were two unreleased records by the group - "Shake The Dice" / "Hold Me Baby" and "My Secret" and "I Love You Baby". Nothing further was recorded by the group and they returned to the Tacoma area. Some sources have said that the members religious background and negative opinions of the record industry by parents and friends persuaded the Barons to call it quits as far as the R & B music field was concerned. Today the story of The Barons is not known by many except some die hard vocal group record fans and collectors. A few compilation albums may include "I Know I Was Wrong", their best remembered tune as part of the package. Other than that their music is but a memory to those that were there back in the day.
