Groupe Doo Wop US originaire de Memphis (Tennessee) et composé de Curtis Johnson, Elihue Stanback, Sam "Byrnes" Jones et Richard Harris.

The Astors, Curtis Johnson, Eliehue Stanback, Sam (Byrnes) Jones, Richard Harris, grew up in The Orange Mound community in Memphis, Tennessee, while attending Melrose High School, along with Richard Griffin, a member of the original group called The Duntinos, and Harold Johnsn, Curtis' brother who joined the group when Richard Harris left the group for a while in 1967. The group was organized in 1958 by a neighborhood pianist, Herman "Red" Arnett who held auditions for a singing group at his home in the "Mound".
"Red" brought Curtis, Eliehue, Richard, Sam, and Richard Griffin, together for months of work before calling them a "group". The group, The Duntinos, quickly made a name for themselves performing regularly at local Beale Street and area venues. "Red" taught the guys to perform, and they learned to entertain under the tutelage of Rufus "Walking The Dog" Thomas, while working the "Chittlin Circuit" with him and his band, The Bearcats.
After Curtis and Eliehue graduated, the Duntinos moved to Buffalo, New York with Curtis' ralatives, looking, for the "Bright Lights" of New York, but found that Buffalo was very cold, and a long way from "The Big Apple". After working a few jobs in Buffalo, the group return to Memphis to do some backup Vocals for Carla and Rufus Thomas and other artist recording at a new studio, then called Satellite Records. In 1961 the group recorded their first release "You Make Me Feel So Good"(Curtis -lead), a song that Curtis wrote b/w "As You Can See"(Eliehue-lead), written by Eliehue Stanback.
The group's name was changed to The Chips for this release, named after producer, Chips Moman. In 1961, Curtis joined the Air Force, but continued to record when on leave from the Military. In 1963 the group's name was changed again to The Astors for the next release, written by guitarist, Larry Lee who played with Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock and later played with Al Green for years. That record was " What Can It Be" b/w "Just Enough To Hurt Me"(Curtis-lead).
In 1965, Stax Records, formerly Satellite, released a song on the group "Candy" that was recorded while Curtis was on leave.
"Candy"(Curtis-lead), written by Booker T & MG's guitarist Steve Cropper and Isaac Hayes, was their biggest record. The song b/w "I Found Out" , written by Eliehue, climbed to #12 on the Billboard Top 100 R&B charts, and #63 on the Top 100 Pop charts. As "Candy" moved up the charts, The Astors performed on shows at the Uptown Theater in Philly, the Howard Theater in D.C., The Regal Theater in Chicago, and The Apollo Theater in New York. The other performers on these shows included The O'Jays, The Coasters, Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions, and Redd Foxx to name a few. The Astors also spent 2 1/2 months performing on tour with The James Brown Review.

http://doo-wop.blogg.org/astors-c26503298

Style musical : Doo Wop, Rhythm 'n' Blues

YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO GOOD (1961) (Chips) WHAT CAN IT BE (1963) (Astors) JUST ENOUGH TO HURT ME (1963) (Astors)

Years in activity :

Singles

01/1961	SP SATELLITE S-105 (US)	CHIPS - You Make Me Feel So Good / As You Can See
09/1963	SP STAX S-139 (US)	ASTORS - What Can It Be / Just Enough To Hurt Me
05/1965	SP STAX S-170 (US)	ASTORS - I Found Out / Candy
09/1965	SP STAX 45-179 (US)	ASTORS - In The Twilight Zone / Mystery Woman
09/1967	SP STAX 45-232 (US)	ASTORS - Daddy Didn't Tell Me / More Power To You
1988	SP Sixties Gold S.G. 3001 (US)	Candy (ASTORS) / More, More Of Your Love (Bob BRADY & The CON CHORDS)

Unissued Tracks

Album

08/1996

CD STAX SCD-8597-2 (US)

The Astors Meet The Newcomers - Sweet Soul From Memphis - ASTORS : Candy / As You Can See / You Make Me Feel So Good / Just Enough To Hurt Me / What Can It Be / I Found Out / In The Twilight Zone / Mystery Woman / Daddy Didn't Tell Me / More Power To You / Candy (Live From 5/4 Ballroom) / Newcomers : Girl This Boy Loves You / Open Up Your Heart (Let Me In) / Mannish Boy / You Put The Sunshine Back Into My World / Pin The Tail On The Donkey / Humpty Dumpty / Keep An Eye On Your Close Friends / (To Little In Common To Be Lovers) Too Much Going... / The Whole World's A Picture Show

© Rocky Productions 15/11/2023