b. 23rd June 1947, New York City, New York, U.S.A.
Jimmy Castor's group comprised, at varying times, of:
Gerry Thomas (keyboards),
Ellwood Henderson (drums),
Paul Forney (bass),
Doug Gibson (bass),
Harry Jensen (guitar),
Langdon Fridie Jnr. (percussion)
William King (bongo's)
Nate Wingfield (guitar)
Jeffrey Grimes (guitar)
and Robert Manigault (drums)
Jimmy Castor began his recording career as a doo wop singer in New York.
He was recording at the same time as Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers during the mid-50's.
Jimmy wrote and recorded 'I Promise to Remember' for the Wing imprint with Jimmy Castor and the Juniors in 1956, a group whose line-up included Al Casey Jr., Orton Graves, and Johnny Williams.
Jimmy later replaced Frankie Lymon in the Teenagers in 1957.
He then took to playing the sax, following which he finished school and returned to the music business in the mid 60's, forming the Jimmy Castor Bunch.
The group had a U.S. soul hit in 1967 with 'Hey Leroy', on Smash Records, and then disappeared for six years.
Jimmy, additionally, played sax on Dave 'Baby' Cortez's hit 'Rinky Dink.'
In 1972, now signed to RCA Records, where the line-up consisted of:
Gerry Thomas (keyboards),
Doug Gibson (bass),
Harry Jensen (guitar),
Lenny Fridie Jnr. (percussion)
and Robert Manigault (drums)
This incarnation immediately scored with 'Troglodyte (Cave Man)', which reached number 6 in the U.S. singles chart.
Jimmy continued the trend in 1975 with 'The Bertha Butt Boogie' and later recorded 'E-Man Boogie', 'King Kong' (Atlantic Records 1975), 'Bom Bom', and 'Amazon'.
Gerry Thomas then left to join the Fatback band.
The Jimmy Castor Bunch went on to record several albums for various labels, four of which charted in the U.S.A. during the 70's.
Jimmy recorded as a solo performer from 1976 until 1988.
1979's album, 'The Jimmy Castor Bunch' featured vocal input from the original female vocal group, The Chantels.
Jimmy Castor had one of his bigger hits in 1988, a revival of Barbara Acklin's evergreen 'Love Makes a Woman', which teamed him up with the singer Joyce Sims.
He had his own label, Long Distance, in the 1980's.
In 2003, a new single was released, entitled, 'I Got Something For Ya'.
He continues to tour the U.S.
...you can check Jimmy's official website, right here...
Albums:
Hey Leroy! (Smash 1967)
It's Just Begun (RCA 1972)
Phase Two, (RCA 1972)
Dimension III (Atlantic 1973)
Everything Man (Atlantic 1974)
Butt Of Course (Atlantic 1974)
Supersound (Atlantic 1975)
E-Man Groovin' (Atlantic 1976)
Maximum Stimulation (Atlantic 1977)
Let It Out (Drive 1978)
Jimmy Castor Bunch (Cotillion 1979)
'C' (1980)
E-Man Boogie '82 (Salsoul 1982)
The Return Of Leroy (1983)
Don't Waste The Time (Dream 1984)
