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The Five Keys

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The Five Keys
The Five Keys in 1952
The Five Keys in 1952
Background information
Also known asSentimental Four
OriginNewport News, Virginia, US
GenresRhythm and blues, doo-wop
Years active1948–1962
LabelsAladdin Records, Capitol Records
Past members
  • Charles "Bobby" Crawley
  • Edwin Hall
  • Raymond Haskiss
  • Ulysses K. Hicks
  • Raphael Howard Ingram
  • Ripley Ingram
  • "Rocky Mount" Joe Jones
  • Theodore "Pepper" Jones
  • "Virginia" Joe Jones
  • Ramon Loper
  • Gene Moore
  • Maryland Pierce
  • James "Dickie" Smith
  • Dickie Threatt
  • Bernie West
  • Rudy West

The Five Keys were an American rhythm and blues vocal group who were instrumental in shaping this genre in the 1950s.[1]

They were formed with the original name of Sentimental Four in Newport News, Virginia, US, in the late 1940s, and initially consisted of two sets of brothers – Rudy West and Bernie West, and Ripley Ingram[2] and Raphael Ingram.[3] Raphael Ingram left in 1949 and Maryland Pierce[4] and Thomas 'Dickie' Threatt became members in his place. At this juncture the name of the group was changed to The Five Keys.[3]

They were signed to Aladdin Records in 1951, and in 1952 Rudy West left to join the United States Army, and he was replaced by Ulysses K. Hicks. When Hicks died of a heart attack in Boston in 1955, Rudy West returned to the group.[5] In 1954 Dickie Smith left and was replaced with Ramon Loper. At this point the Five Keys were signed to Capitol Records, and their popularity increased, although more instrumentation was used.[3]

The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.[6]

Members

[edit]
  • Ulysses K. Hicks died from a heart attack in Boston, on February 1, 1955, at the age of 25.[7]
  • Raphael Howard Ingram died on August 16, 1984, at the age of 53.[8]
  • Theodore "Pepper" Jones died in Hampton, Virginia on May 4, 1990, at the age of 52.[9]
  • Charles "Bobby" Crawley died on March 31, 1992, at the age of 67.[10]
  • "Virginia" Joe Jones died from cancer on August 31, 1992, at the age of 59.[11]
  • Ripley Ingram died on March 23, 1995, at the age of 66.[12]
  • "Rocky Mount" Joe Jones died on January 18, 1997, at the age of 63.[13]
  • Rudy West died from a heart attack on May 14, 1998, at the age of 65.[14]
  • Edwin Hall died on September 3, 2001, at the age of 71.[15]
  • James "Dickie" Smith died on June 25, 2002, at the age of 68.[16]
  • Ramon Loper died after a short illness on October 16, 2002, at the age of 66.[17]
  • Dickie Threatt, lead tenor from 1958 to 1961, died in Newport News, Virginia on October 9, 2007, at the age of 69.[18]
  • Bernie West died on December 22, 2018, at the age of 89.[19]
  • Maryland Pierce died on July 22, 2021, at the age of 89.[20]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
  • The Best of the Five Keys (Aladdin 1956)
  • The Five Keys on the Town (Score 1957)
  • The Five Keys on Stage (Capitol 1957)
  • The Five Keys (King 1960)
  • Rhythm and Blues Hits Past and Present (King 1960)
  • The Fantastic Five Keys (Capitol 1962)

Singles

[edit]
Year Titles (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated 		Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 US R&B
1951 "The Glory of Love"
b/w "Hucklebuck with Jimmy" 		1 Best of The Five Keys
"It's Christmas Time"
b/w "Old MacDonald" (Non-album track)
1952 "Yes Sir, That's My Baby"
b/w "Old MacDonald" 		Non-album tracks
"Darling"
b/w "Goin' Downtown (8-9-10)"
Unreleased
"Be Anything But Be Mine"
b/w "Red Sails in the Sunset" (from Best of The Five Keys)
"Mistakes"
b/w "How Long"
"I Hadn't Anyone Till You"
b/w "Hold Me"
"I Cried for You"
b/w "Serve Another Round" (from Best of The Five Keys)
1953 "Can't Keep From Crying"
b/w "Come Go My Bail, Louise"
"Mama (Your Daughter Told a Lie on Me)"
b/w "There Ought to Be a Law (Against Breaking a Heart)"
"These Foolish Things"
b/w "Lonesome Old Story" (Non-album track) 		Best of The Five Keys
"Teardrops in Your Eyes"
b/w "I'm So High" (Non-album track)
"Oh Babe!"
b/w "My Saddest Hour"
1954 "Love My Loving"
b/w "Someday, Sweetheart" (Non-album track)
"Deep in My Heart"
b/w "How Do You Expect Me to Get It" 		Non-album tracks
"Ling, Ting, Tong"
b/w "I'm Alone" (Non-album track) 		28 5 The Fantastic Five Keys
1955 "Close Your Eyes"
b/w "Doggone It, You Did It" 		5
"My Love"
b/w "Why, Oh Why" 		Non-album tracks
"The Verdict"
b/w "Me Make Um Pow Wow" (Non-album track) 		13 The Fantastic Five Keys
"Don't You Know I Love You"
b/w "I Wish I'd Never Learned To Read" 		Non-album tracks
"'Cause You're My Lover" / 12
"Gee Whittakers!" 14
1956 "Story of Love"
b/w "Serve Another Round" (from Best of The Five Keys)
"What Goes On"
b/w "You Break the Rules of Love"
"I Dreamt I Dwelt in Heaven"
b/w "She's the Most" (from The Fantastic Five Keys)
"Peace and Love"
b/w "My Pigeon's Gone"
"Out of Sight, Out of Mind"
b/w "That's Right" 		23 12
"Wisdom of a Fool"
b/w "Now Don't That Prove I Love You" (Non-album track) 		35 The Fantastic Five Keys
1957 "Let There Be You"
b/w "Tiger Lily" 		83 On Stage!
"It's a Groove"
b/w "Four Walls" 		Non-album tracks
"The Blues Don't Care"
b/w "This I Promise You" (Non-album track) 		The Fantastic Five Keys
"The Face of an Angel"
b/w "Boom Boom" (from On Stage!) 		Non-album tracks
"Do Anything"
b/w "It's a Cryin' Shame"
"From Me to You"
b/w "Whippety Whirl"
1958 "With All My Love"
b/w "You're for Me"
"Handy Andy"
b/w "Emily Please"
"One Great Love"
b/w "Really-O Truly-O"
1959 "I Took Your Love for a Toy"
b/w "Ziggus" 		The Five Keys
"Dream On"
b/w "Dancing Senorita"
1960 "How Can I Forget You"
b/w "I Burned Your Letter"
"Gonna Be Too Late"
b/w "Rosetta"
"I Didn't Know"
b/w "No Says My Heart" (from Rhythm and Blues Hits - Past and Present) 		Non-album track
"Valley of Love"
b/w "Bimbo" 		Rhythm and Blues Hits - Past and Present
1961 "Stop Your Crying"
b/w "Do Something for Me"
1962 "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"
b/w "You're the One" 		Non-album tracks
"From the Bottom of My Heart"
b/w "Out of Sight, Out of Mind"
1964 "I'll Never Stop Loving You"
b/w "I Can't Escape from You" 		Rhythm and Blues Hits - Past and Present
1967 "Hey Girl"
b/w "No Matter" 		Non-album tracks
1973 "Goddess of Love"
b/w "Stop - What You're Doing to Me"

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  2. ^ "Ripley Ingram, Part Of Famous Five Keys". tribunedigital-dailypress. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
  3. ^ a b c Warner, Jay (2006). American singing groups: a history from 1940 to today. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-634-09978-6.
  4. ^ Goldberg, Marv (April 30, 2005). "The 5 Keys". Unca Marvy's R&B Page. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  5. ^ Hicks, of 5 Keys. Dies in Bostpn. Billboard. February 12, 1955. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
  6. ^ "The Five Keys (Inducted 2002)". Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
  7. ^ "Obituary for Ulysses Hicks". The Republican. 2 February 1955. p. 17. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  8. ^ "Ingram, Raphael". The Gazette. 17 December 1984. p. 47. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  9. ^ "Theodore R. Jones Sr". Daily Press. 9 May 1990. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  10. ^ "Charles E. Crawley". Daily Press. 2 April 1992. p. 24. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  11. ^ "Joe Jones, 59, pianist, Redding band leader". The Atlanta Journal. 3 September 1992. p. 30. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  12. ^ "Ripley Ingram, part of famous Five Keys". Daily Press. 26 March 1995. p. 20. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  13. ^ "Joseph Jones Jr". Daily Press. 21 January 1997. p. 22. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  14. ^ "Rudy West 1932–1998". Daily Press. 16 May 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  15. ^ "Edwin Hall Sr., singer, dies at 71". Daily Press. 7 September 2001. p. 33. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  16. ^ "James Smith". Daily Press. 2 July 2002. p. 24. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  17. ^ "Ramon Navarro Loper". Daily Press. p. 20. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  18. ^ "Thomas W. Threatt". Daily Press. 14 October 2007. pp. B9. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  19. ^ "Bernard L. West Sr". Legacy. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  20. ^ "Maryland Pierce (1932–2021)". obits.cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. July 31, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
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