Wade Flemons
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Biography:
Best remembered for the series of singles he recorded for the legendary R&&B imprint Vee-Jay, singer Wade Flemons was born September 25, 1940, in Coffeyville, KS, and raised in nearby Wichita. After the Flemons family moved to Battle Creek, MI, in 1940, he formed a vocal group dubbed the Newcomers. Although he signed to Vee-Jay in 1958 as a solo act, his self-penned debut single, &"Here I Stand," was nevertheless attributed to Wade Flemons && the Newcomers, cracking the Top 20 on the national R&&B charts. The Newcomers were no more by the time of the follow-up, 1959's &"Hold Me Close"; two more singles appeared that year -- &"Slow Motion" and &"Goodnight, It's Time to Go" -- neither of them hits. However, in 1960 Flemons returned to the charts with his biggest hit, &"Easy Lovin'," which reached the R&&B Top Ten; its B-side, &"Woops Now," was also a significant hit in scattered regions of the country. A self-titled LP preceded his next single, &"Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby," and in 1961 Flemons returned to the charts one final time with a reading of the Percy Mayfield hit &"Please Send Me Someone to Love," which squeaked into the R&&B Top 20.
Two 1962 efforts, &"Half a Love" and &"Ain't These Tears," failed to ignite, and the year following he issued just one new single, &"That Time of Year." Fellow Vee-Jay act the Four Seasons contributed backing vocals to 1964's &"Watch Over Her," but not even their Midas touch could launch the record into the charts, and after one final single, 1965's &"Where Did You Go Last Night," the label terminated Flemons' contract. Flemons resurfaced two years later on the tiny Ramsel label with &"Jeanette," quickly followed by &"Two of a Kind." He went on to co-write the Dells' 1968 hit &"Stay in My Corner," around that same time joining Vee-Jay session vocalist Maurice White in the Salty Peppers for their debut single, &"La, La, La"; in 1969 the group signed to Capitol for &"La La Time," and after one subsequent effort, &"Your Love Is Life," evolved into Earth, Wind && Fire. Flemons contributed vocals, vibes, and electric piano to the group until 1973, when he and several bandmates were dismissed by White. Flemons' subsequent musical pursuits, if any, remain unknown; he died of cancer in Battle Creek on October 13, 1993. Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
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Member Of: Earth, Wind & Fire More >> Similar Artists: James Conwell Brook Benton Curtis Mayfield Harold Burrage Jerry Butler More >> |
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