Masqueraders Article by J R Smith

The Masqueraders main claim to fame, to an outsider at least, would seem to be there dogged persistence. Over the 40 years they have been together enough records (about 30 singles plus 3 LP's) to please even their most hardened fan have been issued (and these are just the tracks that escaped from the tape vaults) but they only actually enjoyed national chart success on 6 occasions, the last of these being in 1980.

Although originally based in Dallas, they have over the years traveled extensively and have also recorded in cities as distant to their original home as Detroit, Memphis and Atlanta. The Masqueraders used a number of different names during their early years, even assuming the identity of hot groups for live performances up to the mid 60's (which is one reason they settled upon their own name). The talent they possess however has ensured that their distinctive sound evolved over the years, thus enabling their true ability to shine through. Most of the producers that have worked with them (Isaac Hayes included), and even some who just wished they had worked with them, have recognized their special vocal expertise.

Robert Wrightsil and Charlie Moore first formed a singing group back at TC Haskell School in Dallas, Texas in 1957. They initially called themselves the Stairs and the line-up (5 strong) actually made it into the recording studio to cut a track. This original group was together for 2 years before disintegrating as members left or went into the services. After a few short-term personnel changes, Lee Jones, Harold Thomas and eventually David Sanders were permanently added to the line-up and they began performing locally, doing well in talent contests. Before long they were also performing in small towns across Texas and their burgeoning harmony skills allowed them to sound like many top chart groups. However in 1964 they decided to stop impersonating groups such as the Drifters and took on a new identity of their own, thus the Masqueraders were born.

They went into the recording studio almost straight away to cut their first record under the new name. The single (Mans Temptation) failed to make any impact but did make enough noise to enable them to hook up with a new record label, Soultown (1965). For this company, the group were allowed to cut a couple of their own compositions ("Talk About A Woman / That's The Same Thing') and these showcased the harmonies that would later become the groups trademark. Lee Jones handled lead vocal duties on the tracks, whilst behind him the others utilised gospel and doowop vocal techniques to good effect.

Unfortunately once again the single didnt manage to make an impact (even in Dallas) however Thats The Same Thing would go on to become a top Northern Soul scene play in the UK. The group decided that a more adventurous strategy was called for. Motown was dominating the soul charts at the time (1966) and so they decided to make the trip up to Detroit to audition at the companys Hitsville studio. One-way plane tickets were purchased for each member and they headed north. Unfortunately upon arrival at Motown they found that Mickey Stevenson (the producer they had arranged to audition for) had just left the company. Instead, they auditioned for James Dean and he told them that as Motown already had the hugely successful Temptations they didn't need another five strong male group.

They were crestfallen and in somewhat of a desperate plight as they didn't have enough money to get back home. As live performance fees had sustained them back in Texas, they set off to find the only local club they had heard of, the Twenty Grand. Walking the streets trying to locate the club, they came upon a house with a microphone standing in the window. Thinking that it could well be a recording studio (after all, Hitsville itself was located in a converted house) they knocked on the door. Their decision to chance their arm was instantly rewarded, as they were allowed to sing for the guy who answered their knock. He seemed impressed with their singing but told them to call back when his boss was home, as only he could make the decision as to whether they would be signed to a contract.

Encouraged, they pressed on to the Twenty Grand Club, asked for an audition and were granted permission to get up on stage and sing. Their performance went down so well that the audience threw money up on the stage to them. Thus they had sufficient cash to fund a cheap hotel over the weekend. The following Monday they met with Lou Beatty, the owner of the small studio that they had stumbled onto. He also was impressed with what he heard and signed them to his La Beat label. By pure chance, Lou had been looking to record a harmony group and had a few suitable songs already waiting to be cut. Although the group really enjoyed the experience of cutting for La Beat (where they worked with the Brothers of Soul), unfortunately none of the singles (6 in all) released by the label were big sellers. Tracks such as How and I Got The Power would eventually become sought after sounds in the UK, but their initial lack of success led the group to once again re-assess their career. Detroit no longer seemed to be the place for them to find success; even Berry Gordy was moving his empire out of the city. So following on from discussions with old colleagues back in Dallas, they travelled down to Memphis in 1968 to call in on Chips Moman.

The decision proved to be a good one as they secured a new recording contract with Chips AGP set-up. In all 9 singles were released (on various labels) during the group's time with Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill at American Studios. They first recorded 2 self-written songs, the frantic "I Don't Want Nobody To Lead Me On" & the deep soul styled "Let's Face Facts", which were released on the Wand label. However "This Heart Is Haunted" and "On The Other Side" (another slab of searing deep soul that was also released in the UK on the LP Bells Cellar of Soul Vol.2') were sold to another New York based outfit, Amy Records. To avoid the contractual problems that would have ensued if either of the companies had discovered that they were competing for the same group, the Amy single was released under the name Lee Jones and the Sounds of Soul.

A second Wand release followed later in the year ("Sweet Loving Woman / Do You Love Me Baby" -- 1968), but this proved to be the last release by the group on Wand. Chips Moman though was able to convince Amy records to stick with them and the next Masquerader's single escaped on that company's Bell label. By now, the group's cuts had taken on a distinctive Memphis feel and the group were really beginning to forge their own unique sound. It was their initial Bell release that secured the outfit their first real taste of commercial success, when in the summer of 1968, the timeless "I Ain't Got To Love Nobody Else" was issued. This rapidly climbed the national soul chart to make it into the Top 10, it even managed to make it up to #57 on the US pop chart (and also secured the group their first British 45 release). The record stayed on the soul charts for 3 months and the group toured extensively on the back of its success, even making it back down to Texas to perform.

Their next release, "I'm Just An Average Guy" (issued on the AGP label itself but still via Bell) repeated the hit formula; it entered the national chart in January 69 and peaked at a position in the Top 30. Once again this track also escaped in the UK, being included on the 'Bell's Cellar of Soul ' Vol.3' album. Unfortunately even though 4 further singles followed, none of these made the charts and the group's profile was no longer ascendant. Around 1969, they met up with Sam Hutchins and he got on so well with them that he would sometimes be utilised as an alternate lead vocalist (in place of Lee Jones).

By 1971, they were back in Dallas and had started their own label, Stairway. They recorded and released "Let Me Show The World I Love You" but, without proper distribution, this single and 2 follow-ups sank without trace. In 1973 they returned to Memphis and with Sam now in place of Lee, signed with and recorded for Willie Mitchell's Hi label. Unfortunately this decision wasn't the right one, as Hi and Willie Mitchell were fully focused on riding the crest of Al Green's international pop and soul chart success at that time. Even though their first release for the label, the self-written 'Let The Love Bells Ring', was a really classy outing (and almost identical to the commercially successful tracks emanating at that time from Royal Studios) it failed to return them to the soul charts. A second stylish outing followed in March 74 but the group could see that Hi were concentrating their efforts elsewhere and so were tempted away to join Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul (HBS) label. With Lee having returned to replace Charlie Moore, their first outing for HBS (the single 'Baby Its You') put them straight back on the soul charts in late 1975. The good times really returned in 1976 though as, with 'Baby Its You' only just dropping off the chart, '(Call Me) The Travelling Man' (the follow-up single) surged past it on its climb into the Top 40.

To capitalise on their signing, an album (the group's first) had been released simultaneously with their first single by HBS. 'Everybody Wanna Live On' contained 8 tracks, 7 of which were penned by the Raders themselves. Although both of the cuts lifted from the album to become hit singles were the type of ballad the group were known for, other tracks included on the LP (the title track + 'Listen' & 'Sweet Sweetning') were more reminiscent of the uptempo sounds coming out of Philadelphia at that time. The album, boosted by the popularity of the singles, also went on to sell well and rose in the national chart to reach #57. When the success of their singles and the album resulted in the group undertaking some live shows in Philadelphia, Kenny Gamble (one of the masterminds behind the Philly International label) was so impressed with the group's performances that he invited them to record for him. This prospect excited the group but Isaac Hayes was having none of it and warned Kenny off. Two further cuts were lifted off the album ('Your Sweet Love Is A Blessing / Please Don't Try') in May 76 to form another single release, but this time the 45 failed to dent the charts. They were soon back in Isaac's Memphis studio though and a second album hit the shops early in 1977, 'Love Anonymous'. Unfortunately by this time, Isaac and his label were sliding into bankruptcy. Little effort was put behind promoting the album and no singles were lifted from it, so when HBS actually went under, the group had been off the charts for some time. The group however continued to perform and record (backing up Ollie Nightingale on one of his releases in 78) but they remained without a recording contract until 1980, when Bang Records in Atlanta signed them up. Bang put out a further LP and 2 singles on the group and the first of these ('Desire') spent almost 3 months on the charts in spring 1980.

This was however to be the group's last chart entry but they remained together and still performed constantly. A couple of limited edition releases on TNT escaped in the early 90's however the members took up other jobs and performing became a part time pastime for them. Lee Jones, Sam Hutchins and David Sanders moved back to live in Dallas whereas Robert Wrightsil and Harold Thomas remained in Memphis. David Sanders though travels up to Memphis when the group have a gig and today you can still catch the trio performing in the city on a regular basis.

So whether your craving is for uptempo Detroit dancers, deep emotion dripping vocal epics, Memphis movers or 70's styled soul of the highest order, the Masqueraders can supply your needs. The path that has eventually led them to Prestatyn has been a long one, but I'm sure the 40 years it has taken the group to arrive will prove to have been well worth the wait

J R Smith

Thanks go to JR Smith for ok-ing to use on Soul Source

Full details on the weekender featuring Masqueraders as just one of the guests can be found on the Legends Weekender website