the spaniels in 1957: l to r: carl rainge, james cochran, pookie hudson, donald porter and gerald gregory
The Spaniels were a vocal ensemble formed in 1952, Gary, Indiana, U.S.A.
The group originally consisted of Roosevelt High students:
James 'Pookie' Hudson a.k.a. Thornton James Hudson (lead) b. 11th June 1934, Des Moines, U.S.A., d. 16th January 2007, Capital Heights, Maryland, U.S.A.
Ernest Douglas Warren (first tenor), b. 1933, Gary, Indiana, U.S.A. d. 7th May 2012, Gary, Indiana, U.S.A.
Opal Courtney Jr. (baritone) b. 1937. d. 18th September 2008.
James Cochran (baritone)
Donald Porter (second tenor)
Willis C. Jackson (baritone)
Parmaley 'Carl' Rainge (tenor) (b. 11th May 1936, Gary, Indiana, U.S.A. d. 6th March 2011, NHC Healthcare, Columbia, Tennessee, U.S.A.)
and
Gerald Gregory (bass).
In 1953 the Spaniels earned an R & B Top 10 hit with 'Baby, It's You', however, their biggest success came a year later with the song 'Goodnite Sweetheart', which reached the U.S. pop Top 30, which was also recorded by the McGuire Sisters at that time.
The Spaniels played regularly at the Apollo and The Regal theatre's.
In 1955, success followed with two further regional hits, 'Let's Make Up' and 'You Painted Pictures'.
The line-up changed in 1956, and James Hudson and Gerald Gregory were joined by James Cochran, Carl Rainge, and Donald Porter.
This version of the group released the songs 'You Gave Me Peace Of Mind' (in 1956), 'Everyone's Laughing' (number 13 R&B, in 1957) and 'I Lost You' (in 1958).
goodnite, it's time to go - 1958
The group changed again in 1960, in which James Hudson and Gerald Gregory enlisted Andy McGruder, Billy Cary and Ernest Warren.
The group's last hit came with the single, 'I Know' (US R&B number 23 in 1960).
After that date James 'Pookie' Hudson went solo in 1961.
He later formed another version of the Spaniels in 1969, who released the song 'Fairy Tales' in 1970.
In 2005, the Spaniels were inducted into the Doo-Wop Hall of Fame.
They are Vocal Group Hall Of Fame Inductees.
Opal Courtney Jr. died from a heart attack on the 18th of September 2008. He was 71 years old.
James 'Pookie' Hudson, the founder and lead singer of the 1950's rhythm and blues vocal group the Spaniels, died on the 16th January 2006, at his home in Capital Heights, Maryland.
He was 72 and had been ill with metastatic lung cancer for a while.
Parmaley 'Carl' Rainge, died in 2011in Columbia, Tennessee, after a lengthy illness. He was 74.
In 1956, Carl stepped in as a member of The Spaniels, who were with Vee-Jay Records at that time.
He was a graduate of Roosevelt High School class of 1955.
The Reverend Ernest Douglas Warren passed away in Gary, Indiana in May 2012.
Ernest was preceded in death by his fellow Spaniels, Hudson, Gregory, and Courtney.
Baritone Willie C. Jackson is the original group’s lone survivor.
the spaniels / parmaley carl rainge / ernest douglas warren
Albums:
Goodnite, It's Time To Go (Vee-Jay Records 1958)
The Spaniels (Vee-Jay Records 1960)
Spaniels (Vee-Jay Records 1968)
