Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

CROWS, The

Doo wop group formed in NYC c'48. Lineup: Daniel "Sonny' Morton, lead; Harold Major, tenor; William Davis, baritone; Gerald Hamilton, bass. Served apprenticeship as street-corner symphony, entered talent contest at Apollo, spotted by Cliff Martinez, signed to George Goldner's Rama label; Davis's composition "Gee' made top 4 R&B chart, top 20 pop, one of the first by a black group to be played on white radio stations. The Gee label had hits by the Cleftones and Frankie Lyman; Goldner named it after the Crows' hit. Guitarist/second tenor Mark Jackson joined, but the Crows had no more hits; split up late '50s.