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the joneses

The Joneses

Formed 1969, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

The group comprised of:

Cy Brooks (lead singer)

Glenn Dorsey

Sam White

Reginald Noble

and his brother

Wendell Noble

The Joneses were, originally from Pittsburgh.

They were one of several groups from that time that represented a return to the vocal group format the became prevelant in the previous two decades.

During the early 70s, the group began recording in the soft-soul mode that featured a falsetto lead, sweet harmonies along with fully orchestrated arrangements.

The original group formed in Pittsburgh in 1969, however the recording group arrived at its final line-up after moving to New York to record for YM.R Records in the early 70's.

The members of the V.M.P. group featured falsetto lead Cy Brooks, Glenn Dorsey, Sam White and brothers Reginald and Wendell Noble, and on that label they had a New York hit with 'Pretty Pretty'.

Moving to the Pride label in 1973, they had another local hit, 'Pull My String'.

Mercury Records then signed them.

Cy Brooks left at this point and his lead spot was taken by baritone Harold Taylor (who had earlier been with the group in Pittsburgh).

At Mercury the Joneses first had success locally in Baltimore with 'Baby Don't Do It', but in 1974 they began a string of national hits including 'Hey Babe' (number 18 R & B).

They then followed with their crossover hit, 'Sugar Pie Guy' (number 10 R & B, number 47 pop), also in 1974.

They also had considerable success with 'l Can't See What You See in Me' (number 28 R & B) in 1975.

The Joneses broke up in 1975, but in the following years there were four resurrections of the group, the first in 1977 and the last in 1992, and each time the only constant in the new line-ups being Glenn Dorsey.

These new Joneses groups recorded with Epic, Spring, Collectables and Atlantic Records with varying degrees of success.

The Joneses

Real Player

Albums:

Keeping Up With The Joneses (Mercury Records 1974)

Hard (Atlantic Records 1990)

Golden Soul Classics (Collectables Records 1994)

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