Little Anthony and the Imperials is an American rhythm and blues, doo-wop, and soul vocal group from New York City founded by Clarence Collins in the 1950s and named in part for its lead singer, Jerome Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine, who was noted for his high-pitched voice. In addition to Collins and Gourdine, the original Imperials included Ernest Wright, Glouster "Nate" Rogers, and Tracy Lord, the last two of whom were subsequently replaced by Sammy Strain.
The group was one of the very few doo-wop groups to enjoy sustained success on the R&B and pop charts throughout the 1960s. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009, 23 years after the group's first year of eligibility for induction.
Career
Early years, "Tears on My Pillow", and "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop" (1957–1961) In 1957, a doo-wop group known as "The Chesters" was composed of Collins, Tracey Lord, Nathaniel Rodgers, and Ronald Ross. Anthony Gourdine, a former member of The DuPonts, whose falsetto had been inspired by Jimmy Scott, joined as lead vocalist. Ernest Wright took over from Ross, and the group recorded briefly for Apollo Records.
The Chesters were later signed by End Records, owned by George Goldner. According to a biography of the group published by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, End Records renamed the group "The Imperials", as the group "want[ed] a name more regal than the Chesters." Legendary rock and roll DJ Alan Freed gave Gourdine the nickname and stage name "Little Anthony" because of "the youthful quality in [Gourdine's] voice". Freed and another DJ/promoter, Murray Kaufman (more well-known as Murray the K) helped the group's career by playing their records and booking them for concerts.
Their first single with their new name was 1958's "Tears on My Pillow", one of the biggest hits of the year. It sold over one million copies, and the group was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA. Its B-side was "Two People in the World".
Their next several singles flopped, despite the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's view that they were "strong" choices for singles. Their 1960 single, the uptempo "Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop", was their next hit.
Gourdine briefly departs and classic lineup forms (1961–1969) When their success dwindled in 1961, Gourdine left to attempt a solo career and pursue acting. Original Imperials member Nate Rogers was drafted into the service, and fellow original member Tracey Lord left the group to get married. The lineup then became Collins, Wright, Sammy Strain (a childhood friend who had grown up together with the Imperials in Brooklyn), and George Kerr. Kerr was replaced by Kenny W. Seymour after a short time. This line-up had little success and primarily performed for two years at resorts in the "Borscht Belt" in the Catskills region of New York State.
Gourdine returned in 1963, replacing Seymour. The group's classic line-up – Gourdine, Wright, Collins, and Strain – was now complete. With the help of record producer/songwriter Teddy Randazzo (a childhood friend of the group), the Imperials found success on the new DCP (Don Costa Productions) label and were able to compete with the British Invasion and Motown with several dramatic pop-soul records "I'm on the Outside (Looking In)" (1964), "Goin' Out of My Head" (1964), "Hurt So Bad" (1965), "I Miss You So" (1965), "Take Me Back" (1965), "Hurt" (1966), "Better Use Your Head" (1966), and "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" (1969). "Goin' Out of My Head" and "Hurt So Bad" were consecutive top 10 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching #6 and #10, respectively. Around this time, they were the first contemporary "pop" and R&B group to perform at the Copacabana nightclub in New York City.
In 1965, the Imperials appeared on the CBS-TV special Murray The K – It's What's Happening, Baby, where they performed "I'm Alright" before a live audience in New York at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre. At the height of their career, the group made two appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, at the time television's top talent entertainment showcase, on March 28, 1965, and again on January 25, 1970. They also performed on Shindig!, Hullabaloo, Kraft Music Hall, Soul Train, American Bandstand, The Midnight Special, and The Tonight Show.
The Imperials then joined United Artists Records and were assigned to its Veep Records subsidiary, and then to the parent label itself, where they recorded "World of Darkness", "It's Not the Same", "If I Remember to Forget", "Yesterday Has Gone", and the Thom Bell-produced "Help Me Find a Way (To Say I Love You)".
Albums from this era include: Reflections, Payin' Our Dues, Out of Sight, Out of Mind (named after their hit cover of The Five Keys' song), and Movie Grabbers, which included a rendition of "You Only Live Twice", the James Bond motion picture theme. This song was originally recorded by The Imperials – expressly for the film and its soundtrack – but was later given instead to Nancy Sinatra for the film, due to her father Frank's greater influence.
Numerous lineup changes, final hits, and frequent live performances (1969–1992) In 1969, Wright left the group; he joined former The Platters lead singer Tony Williams' spinoff group. Wright was replaced briefly by a returning Kenny Seymour and then later by Bobby Wade. Wade had previously been based in Cleveland and had been a solo artist on local labels there.
In the early 1970s, they recorded three singles for Janus Records including "Father Father", which they later performed on the Merv Griffin Show.
Strain left in 1972; he was replaced the group's choreographer Harold Jenkins, who had previously worked with former member Kenny Seymour in a group called the Impacts. (Strain later joined the O'Jays as the replacement for original O'Jays member William Powell, who left the group due to illness.) Jenkins was also appointed the group's musical director.
The group later moved to Avco Records in the early-to-mid-1970s and recorded the album On A New Street, and charted with the songs "La La La (At the End)" and "I'm Falling in Love with You". This album was produced by both Bell and Randazzo. The latter was their last moderate hit on the Billboard R&B Singles chart, peaking at #25. A second LP for Avco Records, entitled Hold On, was withdrawn from sale in the US, after the sales failure of the title track and Avco's subsequent financial difficulties.
In 1975, Gourdine left for a second (and more successful) attempt at a solo career. The trio of Collins, Wade, and Jenkins continued as "the Imperials". They spent the mid-to-late 1970s "getting steady work in the [sic] Las Vegas lounges and on cruise ships". Collins left in 1988, and was replaced by Sherman James. They then toured as "Bobby Wade's Imperials". James left in 1992, and was replaced by Ron Stevenson.
Reunion, new albums, and various Hall of Fame inductions (1992–2023) On January 10, 1992, Gourdine, Collins, Wright, and Strain reunited for a concert (called "Royalty of Rock: The Ultimate Reunion") at Madison Square Garden, alongside Dion & the Belmonts and Ronnie Spector, plus a one-off reunion of several former members of the Drifters (which included Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Johnny Moore, and Barry Hobbs). This reunion proved to be a success. When the decision was made for the foursome to tour together again, Wade relinquished the Imperials name, with his group becoming "Bobby Wade's Emperors" when they became the house band at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. At this point, Strain left the O'Jays, and permanently returned to the Imperials. 1992, the year of the group's reformation, was also the 40th anniversary of Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and he invited the Imperials to appear as part of the televised special celebration.
In 1996, they recorded their first live album, Little Anthony & the Imperials – Live: Up Close & Personal. On August 30, 1997, the group was featured on NBC's Today show as part of that show's "Summer Concert Series".
In the early 2000s, they appeared on three popular PBS television specials: Rock, Rhythm, and Doo-Wop and Red, White and Rock in 2002; and Soul Spectacular: 40 Years of R&B in 2003. Also, during this period, they recorded Pure Acapella, an all a cappella CD showcasing the group's vocal talents on several classic 1950s doo-wop songs, including their own hit, "Two People in the World", which was written by Imperials member Ernest Wright. These two recordings marked the first time that the classic line-up had recorded together in over 30 years.
Gourdine, Collins, Wright, and Strain continued touring together until Strain retired in 2004, and Jenkins, for the second time, returned to take his place.
In 2008, Little Anthony and the Imperials released their first new album in several years, entitled You'll Never Know, and they performed on the Late Show with David Letterman on August 26, 2008.
The French electronic music duo Daft Punk sampled the group's 1977 recording of "Can You Imagine" for the track "Crescendolls".
On January 14, 2009, it was announced that Little Anthony and the Imperials had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Gourdine, Wright, Collins, Strain, and Rogers were present to be honored. Deceased original Imperials member Tracy Lord was inducted posthumously; his sons accepted his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction on his behalf. The group was inducted by Smokey Robinson. Sammy Strain is one of the few artists in popular music history to be a double Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, having been inducted with the O'Jays in 2005 and the Imperials in 2009.
In October 2009, the group performed "Two People in the World" at the 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concert.
In 2010, Jenkins also retired, and was replaced by Robert DeBlanc. In 2012, the Imperials were (along with the Dells), one of the few 1950s-era R&B groups still touring with a majority of their original members (Gourdine, Collins, and Wright). Imperials founder Collins retired from the group in late 2012 due to age and health reasons. He still owns the trademark on The Imperials' name. He and Anthony were once married to twin sisters, Brenda Collins and Linda Gourdine, but Brenda and Clarence have since divorced. The Contemporary Christian Gospel Group The Imperials uses the name with Collins' permission. Gourdine's first wife was Judy Fouseca, with whom he had four children, and four more by his second wife, Linda. Original member Wright is married and has a daughter, Nicole. He is also a songwriter and producer. Original Imperials bass singer Glouster "Nate" Rogers is a cancer survivor. He has been married many years to wife Loretta. Original Imperials member Tracey Lord is deceased.
In early 2014, Gourdine toured the UK with David Gest's Legends of Soul, when he performed "Tears on My Pillow" and "Goin' Out of My Head". The same year, he released his biography, Little Anthony: My Journey, My Destiny, recounting his life, his memories, and his years with The Imperials.
In 2014, Goldmine magazine inducted the Imperials into The Goldmine Hall of Fame. Editor Phil Marder referred to them as one of the few 1950s doo-wop groups (though the group hated that label) to consistently chart hits during the British Invasion. Goldmine also named Little Anthony and the Imperials as one of The 20 Greatest Doo-Wop Groups of All Time.
In 2018, Little Anthony and the Imperials were inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in Detroit.
, The Imperials were still performing. Imperials founder Collins, now retired, has been replaced by Johnny Britt. De Blanc and original members Wright and Gourdine round out the group. When the group is not touring, Gourdine does stage plays and currently also has a one-man show, which he is currently doing to support his recently released biography, and to celebrate his 55-plus years as a performer.