The Crows

The Crows

The Crows are a Harlem doo-wop group active from 1951 to 1955. The group’s core members are Gerald Hamilton, William Davis, and Daniel “Sonny” Norton. They are also associated with Harold Major and Jerry Wittick in their early line-up, with Mark Jackson joining later on tenor and guitar.

They become known for “Gee”, their first single and only major hit. The song is recorded in February 1953 and first appears as the B-side of “I Love You So”, but radio play turns it into the group’s signature record. It reaches number 2 on the Billboard rhythm-and-blues chart and number 14 on the pop chart in 1954, and is often cited as an early rock and roll record by a rock and roll group.

The group starts out in 1951 singing sidewalk harmonies and is discovered at Apollo Theater’s Wednesday night talent show by agent Cliff Martinez. He brings them to producer George Goldner, who has just formed the Rama Records label. The Crows are the first group signed to the label and the first to record for it.

Their first recording session includes backup work for singer Viola Watkins, and “Gee” is the third song they record that day. The song is written in a short time by William Davis, with Watkins also credited as a co-writer. By January 1954 it has sold 100,000 copies. Rama then issues other singles by the group, including “Heartbreaker”, “Baby”, and “Miss You”, but none match the success of “Gee”. The group breaks up a few months after the record falls from the charts.

The Crows are regarded as a one-hit wonder. The original line-up does not reunite, and later deaths of Gerald Hamilton and Daniel Norton prevent any future reunion.