The Whatnauts were a trio of singers from Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.
The group consisted of:
Billy Herndon (lead) (b. Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.)
Garrett Jones (tenor) (b. Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.)
and
Gerard 'Chunky' Pinkney (baritone) (b. Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.)
The Whatnauts hailed from Baltimore, Maryland.
The group were formed in 1969, and were signed to the Stang Records imprint.
dance to the music b/w message from a black man - 1970 / introducing the whatnauts - 1970
The Whatnauts achieved several hit singles in the early 1970s, including 'Message From A Black Man' b/w 'Dance To The Music' in 1970 on the A&I International imprint, and the Ellie Greenwich penned 'Please Make The Love Go Away' b/w 'Souling With The WhatNauts', also in 1970, on Stang.
A parent album, entitled 'Introducing the Whatnauts' was released that year, produced by George Kerr, Nate Edmonds and Sylvia Robinson.
reaching for the stars - 1971 / whatnauts on the rocks - 1972
The groups greatest success came with three single 'I’ll Erase Away Your Pain' b/w 'Just Can't Lose Your Love' in 1971, reaching number 14 R&B.
The Whatnauts collaborated with Linda Jones in 1972, with the single 'I'm So Glad I Found You' b/w 'World Solution', also releasing 'We'll Always Be Together' the same year.
instigating (trouble making fool) b/w I can't stand to see you cry - 1973 / help is on the way - 1981
The following year, they recorded for the GSF Records imprint on the 45's 'I Wasn't There' b/w 'Give Him Up' and 'Instigating (Trouble Making Fool)' b/w 'I Can't Stand To See You Cry'.
At Stang, the group charted with a collaboration 45 featuring the group The Moments for the hit single 'Girls' in 1974.
The Whatnauts also released the 1974 All Platinum single 'Soulwalking', which was a flip side of a double header 45, also featuring 'Who's Got The Monster' by the Rimshots.
party on / this is it' b/w all I need - 1984 / corruption - 2003
By 1981, they had moved to the Harlem International Records label, releasing the often sampled 'Help Is On The Way'.
In 1984, they recorded one side for the Pic Hit Record Corporation imprint entitled 'Party On' / 'This Is It' b/w 'All I Need'.
In 2003, a CD entitled 'Corruption' was released on the P-Vine imprint, featuring retrospective material, with a further retrospective entitled 'Message from a Black Man: The All Platinum Anthology', seeing the light of day the same year.
The Whatnauts' music has been sampled by several artists including Kanye West ('I'll Erase Away Your Pain'), A Tribe Called Quest ('Why Cant People Be Colors Too?'), Fat Larry's Band ('Help Is On The Way') and De La Soul (also, 'Help Is on the Way').
Albums:
Introducing the Whatnauts (Stang Records 1970)
Reaching for the Stars (Stang Records 1971)
Whatnauts on the Rocks (Stang Records 1972)
Message from a Black Man (Collectables Records 1997)
Corruption (P-Vine Records 2003)
