The Tymes

The Tymes are an American soul vocal group who enjoyed equal success in the United Kingdom and in their homeland. They are one of the few acts to have one and only one chart-topper in both the US and UK with different songs.[1]

The Tymes
The Tymes in 1969
Background information
OriginPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
GenresR&B, soul
Years active1956–Present
LabelsCameo-Parkway, Columbia, RCA, MGM, ABKCO
MembersAl "Caesar" Berry
Norman Burnett
Past membersDonald Banks
George Hilliard
George Williams
Charles Nixon
Isabelle Coles
Jerry Ferguson
Melanie Moore
Ron E. Richardson
Terri Gonzalez

Early career

The group was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1956 as the Latineers, by Donald Banks (bass), Albert Berry (first tenor), Norman Burnett (baritone), and George Hilliard (second tenor).[2] After a four-year stint on Philadelphia's club circuit, they recruited a new lead vocalist, George Williams in 1960, and changed their name to The Tymes.[2]

The Tymes had hits in the UK in the 1960s with songs such as "So Much in Love", a US chart topper and million-seller in 1963,[3] "Wonderful! Wonderful!" (a remake of the Johnny Mathis classic hit from 1957), "Somewhere", then in 1970s with "You Little Trustmaker" and "Ms Grace". The last of these became the group's biggest UK hit, reaching Number One in the UK Singles Chart in 1975,[3] but barely dented the Billboard Hot 100, long after the success of "So Much in Love". "Ms Grace", while only charting modestly in the US, was and remains a regional hit with the Carolina Beach Music scene. By 1976, Albert Berry and George Hilliard had been replaced with female singers, Terri Gonzales and Melanie Moore. Gonzales later recorded a solo album with Nile Rodgers while Moore worked as session vocalist with Kleeer and artists like Chaka Khan.

The Tymes were also The Jewels (obviously not to be confused with the R&B girl group The Jewels), as in Billy Abbott and The Jewels, whose only Hot 100 and Cashbox Top 100 entry was "Groovy Baby" in July 1963.[4][5]

In 1963, American Bandstand signed the Tymes to Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars national US tour, which was scheduled to perform its 15th show on the night of November 22, 1963, at the Memorial Auditorium in Dallas, Texas, until suddenly the Friday evening event had to be cancelled after the US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated that afternoon while touring Dallas in an open-topped car.[6][7]

Later career

Their song "So Much in Love" was elected to the Songs of the Century in 2001. In 2005 The Tymes were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. The Tymes continue to perform with surviving original members Berry and Burnett. The group appeared on the 2003 PBS special My Music: Love Songs of the 50s and 60s, one of the last times all five original members performed live.

Deceased members
  • George Williams - born George Reginald Williams Jr, December 6, 1935, Philadelphia — died July 28, 2004, Maple Shade, New Jersey - Lead vocalist[2]
  • Donald Banks - died October 7, 2011, aged 72 - bass[8][9]
  • George Hilliard - died September 24, 2014, age 73 - second tenor[10]
  • Charles Nixon - details unknown

Discography

1960s Singles
Release date Single (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated		 Chart Positions Album
US UK
1963 "So Much In Love"
b/w "Roscoe James McClain" (Non-album track)		 1 21 So Much In Love
"Wonderful! Wonderful!"
b/w "Come With Me To The Sea" (from Somewhere)		 7
"Somewhere"
b/w "View From My Window" (from Tymes Biggest Hits)		 19 Somewhere
"Isle Of Love"
b/w "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows"
1964 "To Each His Own"
b/w "Wonderland Of Love"		 78 Non-album tracks
"The Magic Of Our Summer Love"
b/w "With All My Heart"		 99
"Here She Comes"
b/w "Malibu"		 92
"The Twelfth of Never"
b/w "Here She Comes" (Non-album track)		 So Much In Love
1966 "Pretend"
b/w "Street Talk"		 Non-album tracks
"A Touch Of Baby"
b/w "What Would I Do"
1967 "This Time It's Love"
b/w "These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)"
1968 "People"
b/w "For Love Of Ivy"		 39 16 People
1969 "God Bless The Child"
b/w "The Love That You're Looking For"
(Ain't Gonna Find It Here)
"If You Love Me Baby"
b/w "Find My Way"		 Non-album tracks

1970s singles
Release date Single (A-side, B-side)
Both sides from same album except where indicated		 Chart Positions Album
US AUS[11] UK
1970 "Most Beautiful Married Lady"
b/w "Love Child"		 -
1971 "She's Gone"
b/w "Someone To Watch Over Me"		 -
1974 "You Little Trustmaker"
b/w "The North Hills"		 12 57 18 Trustmaker
"Ms Grace"
b/w "The Crutch"		 91 59 1
1975 "Someway, Somehow I'm Keepin' You"
b/w "Interloop!"		 -
"God's Gonna Punish You"
b/w "If I Can't Make You Smile"		 - 41[3] Tymes Up
1976 "It's Cool"
b/w "Good Morning Dear Lord"		 68[12] -
"Only Your Love"
b/w "Goin' Through The Motions"		 -
"Savannah Sunny Sunday"
b/w "Love's Illusion"		 - Turning Point
1977 "How Am I To Know (The Things A Girl In Love Should Know)"
b/w "I'll Take You There"		 - Diggin' Their Roots

Billboard 200 albums chart
  • So Much in Love (1963) - #15
  • Somewhere (1964) - #122
  • The Sound of The Wonderful Tymes (1964) - #117[12]

See also

References
  1. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 164. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  2. Ron Wynn. "The Tymes | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 572. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles 1955 - 2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Records Research. pp. vii, 4. ISBN 0-89820-155-1.
  5. Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffmann, Frank W (1994). Cash Box pop singles charts, 1950–1993. Libraries Unlimited. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-56308-316-7.
  6. "A Rock n' Roll Historian - Caravan of Stars Fall 1963 Tour" Rnrhistorian.blogspot.com
  7. "American Bandstand excerpt - Saturday, November 16, 1963", YouTube
  8. "The Dead Rock Stars Club - 2011 July To December". Archived from the original on August 18, 2015. Retrieved 2011-10-09.
  9. "Donald Banks, 72, vocalist with the Tymes - Philly.com". Articles.philly.com. 2011-11-01. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
  10. "Have You Heard?". Beachmusic45.com. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
  11. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 282. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. "The Tymes | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
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