Can anyone please tell me anything about the Tokays on Brute - group history, line-up etc.

Also - what were the various pseudonyms Tony Clarke used to write under - damned if I can remember?

Cheers

Richard

Edited July 26, 201213 yr by Premium Stuff

SoulfulDetroit.com FORUM: Archive - Beginning May 30, 2003: Tony Clark

some info here richard.

ricky.

From CDKEND 177, there's more about them in the booklet. We've recently found some more tracks we think are them from the late 60s.

Ady

9. FALLING IN LOVE (Dave Hamilton, Thelmer 'Chico' Jones, Gene 'Geno' Gates, Rony Darrell) THE TOKAYS (P) 1999

The Tokays were an esteemed Detroit vocal group consisting of Chico, Dino, Reno, Geno and Ricardo or to put it more accurately Thelmer Jones, Billy Allen, Herbert Brown, Gene Gates and Richard Herdon.

Originally named The Legends, they recorded one single as the Tokays for Chess singer Tony Clarke's Brute label. The 'Baby Baby Baby (You've Got My Hearts Desire)' side eventually became popular with Northern Soul collectors and DJs and, in conjunction with its rarity, became a big dollar item though it rarely turns up. Apart from singing backing vocals on a lot of Detroit sessions including Golden World recordings and several JJ Barnes Ric Tic dates, the group also used to hang out at the Da Da Studios. They cut several rehearsal tapes there including an a cappella version of the Appreciations' Aware waxing 'I Can't Hide It'. The track featured here, 'Falling In Love', was, however, recorded with a view to becoming a single and the backing track and vocals were put down professionally. The backing, being somewhat sparse, may have been lined up for some sweetening with strings or filling out with brass, but the song Chico and Geno wrote with Dave and Rony shows off their excellent harmonic skills.

Just to add to Ady great info.....

Production on both Baby, Baby & Hey Senorita was by Tony Clarke (with assistance from LeBaron Taylor & Don Davis). Arrangements by McKinley Jackson. Buddy Smith also claims to have been on both these recordings, but hard to confirm this.

Tony was given the money to fund his own label (Brute), as part of his deal with Chess records.

Thanks for the info guys - much appreciated

Cheers

Richard

So did they have any connection to the detroit Legends on McKays or is just a coincidence (obviously not an uncommon name to pick).

I suspect that they WERE the same Legends on Mickay's, as they were probably the male backing singers to J.J. Barnes on Mickay's and followed Joe Hunter to Golden World/Ric Tic, to sing additional backgrounds for J.J. Barnes. How many local groups called The Legends could exist at the same time?

Could Gene (Geno) Gates be the brother of Harry (Lee) Gates?

Could Gene (Geno) Gates be the brother of Harry (Lee) Gates?

Also wondered the same Robb - would be good to establish this

Cheers

Richard

Buddy Smith also claims to have been on both these recordings, but hard to confirm this.cords.

Is anyone singing with a lisp on them?

Just to add to Ady great info.....

Production on both Baby, Baby & Hey Senorita was by Tony Clarke (with assistance from LeBaron Taylor & Don Davis). Arrangements by McKinley Jackson. Buddy Smith also claims to have been on both these recordings, but hard to confirm this.

Tony was given the money to fund his own label (Brute), as part of his deal with Chess records.

That is very weird that they gave him money to start an independent detroit label that wasn't even distributed by chess, I never heard of that. Lots of times people started sublabels of a parent label though. not saying it isn't true, just commenting that it is weird.