Dose anybody have any info on the group The Invitations

thanks chaps for all the help I saw them a Wigan and a few years back at a Pontins w/end at Yarmouth.

Edited May 1, 201510 yr by richo991

The Invitations came to the UK in 1967 masquerading as The Drifters.

 

Dodgy promoter Roy Tempest was behind the scam – the Steinways performed as the Platters, the Velours as the Temptations, and the Diplomats were hoodwinked into appearing as the Isley Brothers.

 

There's a discography of the Invitations here on Dave Rimmer's Soulful Kinda Music site.

The Invitations started as The Champlains and Tip Toppers, before they became The invitations and signed with Dyno Voice Records.  Roy Jolly was the lead when they were with Dynovoice1965-66.  The others were Gary Grant (Gant?), Bill Morris and Bobby Rivers.  When they moved to MGM in late 1966 and 1967, Herman Colefield replaced Jolly.  In 1968 they moved to Diamond Records.  in 1973, Lew Kirton replaced Colefield as lead, and they moved to Silver Blue Records.  I think they lived in The New York, new Jersey Metro Area, but, some of them (Jolly, Colefield, Grant? originally came from The South (South Carolina?).

I saw the Velours as the Drifters and the Temptations

You may be wrong they were the "ORIGINAL" Drifters as i remember

yes and the original temps lol the Plaza in Rookery Road Handsworth Birmingham

I've seen at least a dozen groups masquerading as the drifters over the last 45 years some better at it than others obviously some of these had one or two members who had stood in a drifters lineup some time the nearest and the best to what I would call the drifters was in 1972  when BenE King and his band played live in the Caino Wigan Pre RW and the allniters Ben E was brilliant that night.The nearest copy group to the drifters sound wise were the Drapers 1962 63  who had the time 3 original  or maybe 4 Drifter members.If you lined all the different Lineups of the Drifters  they'd  probably  stretch longer than hadrians wall 62 years of different  members.

Cheers ML

  On 29/04/2015 at 18:41, RobbK said:

The Invitations started as The Champlains and Tip Toppers, before they became The invitations and signed with Dyno Voice Records.  Roy Jolly was the lead when they were with Dynovoice1965-66.  The others were Gary Grant (Gant?), Bill Morris and Bobby Rivers.  When they moved to MGM in late 1966 and 1967, Herman Colefield replaced Jolly.  In 1968 they moved to Diamond Records.  in 1973, Lew Kirton replaced Colefield as lead, and they moved to Silver Blue Records.  I think they lived in The New York, new Jersey Metro Area, but, some of them (Jolly, Colefield, Grant? originally came from The South (South Carolina?).

        The group member's name is Gary Gant. That's the same Gant who co-wrote Kenny Wells'

"Isn't It Just A Shame" on New Voice.

Some of the Velours used to perform as the Fantastics they played regularly on the Soul circuit in the North west 1970 till 72 along with E Starr, J Ruffian, W Bell, A Conley Ben E King,Lou Christie,and many more they were all in their prime then not forgetting Jonny Johnson n the Bandwagon and the Showstoppers all fantastic acts at their best. ML

  Quote

J Ruffian

 

wasnt he on the door..............? Oh no that was A. Ruffian.

Edited April 29, 201510 yr by Waggy

Any info on that Jay Boy release? It's labeled as "Picking up", though I'm sure they sing "packing up"...

Was this a UK recording?

  On 30/04/2015 at 06:23, Dayo said:

Any info on that Jay Boy release? It's labeled as "Picking up", though I'm sure they sing "packing up"...

Was this a UK recording?

 

UK only on Jay Boy and a great tune.

 

  On 29/04/2015 at 22:24, Waggy said:

wasnt he on the door..............? Oh no that was A. Ruffian.

 

sorry about the spelling Waggy. no it was me on the door I used to let them all in and let them all out. :yes:Cheers ML

This flyer is courtesy of Jerry Hipkiss from a previous topic where the Invitations appeared as the Drifters.

 

Great photo courtesy of Dave Welding 

 

Recall a friend was going to see the Four Tops when appearing at a local venue. When he realised the line up had changed due to unfortunate circumstance (ie bereavements, etc) he cancelled. The promoter pointed out to the punter that Bobby Charlton plus George Best, Dennis Law, etc, no longer played for Manchester United but the name remained the same.

What's in a name!

Edited May 2, 201510 yr by theothertosspot

Oh by the way, got a copy of the Invitations on JayBoy, just can't find it at present.

 

R E Gards

I have a clip of them singing 'They say the girls crazy' from the Ebony Affair shows from around the time of that release ..Perhaps I will post it up on here some day. Some nice info chaps.

Andy

  On 01/05/2015 at 19:49, theothertosspot said:

Recall a friend was going to see the Four Tops when appearing at a local venue. When he realised the line up had changed due to unfortunate circumstance (ie bereavements, etc) he cancelled. The promoter pointed out to the punter that Bobby and Jackie Charlton plus George Best, Dennis Law, etc, no longer played for Manchester United but the name remained the same.

What's in a name!

I saw the "British" Temptations at the Nite Owl in Leicester during the mid 60s and still haven´t a clue who they were although they sounded fine.

  On 01/05/2015 at 19:49, theothertosspot said:

Recall a friend was going to see the Four Tops when appearing at a local venue. When he realised the line up had changed due to unfortunate circumstance (ie bereavements, etc) he cancelled. The promoter pointed out to the punter that Bobby and Jackie Charlton plus George Best, Dennis Law, etc, no longer played for Manchester United but the name remained the same.

What's in a name!

Sorry to be pedantic but Jackie only ever played for Leeds United!

  On 02/05/2015 at 08:40, professorturnups said:

Sorry to be pedantic but Jackie only ever played for Leeds United!

Knew they played together with one team, oh it was England, fool that I am

  On 01/05/2015 at 22:51, still diggin said:

I have a clip of them singing 'They say the girls crazy' from the Ebony Affair shows from around the time of that release ..Perhaps I will post it up on here some day. Some nice info chaps.

Andy

Please post it up, I'm sure we'd all love to see it.