The Larks

The Larks

The Larks are a 1950s New York doo-wop and rhythm and blues group that starts as an African American vocal ensemble and records under several names before settling on The Larks. The core line-up includes Eugene Mumford, Alden “Allen” Bunn, Thermon Ruth, Hadie Rowe Jr., David McNeil and Raymond “Pee Wee” Barnes. The group is active from 1950 to 1955 and comes from Raleigh, New York.

Formation and earlier groups

The group’s story begins with Thermon Ruth, who founds the Selah Jubilee Singers in New York in the late 1920s and later bases them in Raleigh, North Carolina, where they have a radio show. In the 1940s, the Selah Jubilee Singers record for Decca and smaller labels. Their membership overlaps with other religious groups in the area, including the Southern Harmonaires.

In 1945, Ruth tries to recruit Eugene Mumford from the Four Interns, but Mumford is instead convicted and imprisoned for a crime of which he is later pardoned. In 1946, Allen Bunn joins the Southern Harmonaires and then joins Ruth in the Selah Jubilee Singers as guitarist and second lead singer. Three years later, Ruth and Bunn leave to form the Jubilators. They then link up with Mumford and three other members of the Southern Harmonaires: David McNeil, Hadie Rowe Jr. and Raymond Barnes.

Recording as The Larks

In 1950, the six-man group travels to New York and records 17 songs for four labels in one day, using several different names. They first record gospel material as the Selah Jubilee Singers for Jubilee Records, then record as the Jubilators for Regal Records in New Jersey. They also record secular blues as the 4 Barons for Savoy Records in Newark, including “Lemon Squeezer”, before returning to Apollo Records in Manhattan as the Southern Harmonaires. Apollo owner Bess Berman discovers the arrangement and signs them, but wants to present them as a secular R&B act. The group then becomes The Larks, following the naming pattern of other bird groups such as the Ravens and the Orioles.

The earliest Larks recordings feature Mumford on lead vocals, including “When I Leave These Prison Walls” and “My Reverie”. Rowe leaves after being drafted into the Army, so “My Reverie” is recorded without him.

Chart success and touring

The group’s first chart success comes in 1951 with “Eyesight To The Blind”, a blues recording with Bunn on lead vocals and guitar, which reaches number 5 on the R&B chart. It is followed by another R&B top ten record, “Little Side Car”, a version of Smokey Hogg’s “Too Many Drivers”. During this period, The Larks appear on the Perry Como and Arthur Godfrey television shows, tour with Percy Mayfield, and record with Mahalia Jackson.

Later line-up and end of the group

At the start of 1952, Bunn leaves for a solo career, recording blues for Apollo with Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee before moving to Bobby Robinson’s Red Robin label in 1953 under the name Allen Baum. Barnes also leaves in early 1952 and becomes a session guitarist in rhythm and blues, jazz and rock ’n’ roll. McNeil later leaves to replace Bill Brown in the Dominoes. Ruth returns to North Carolina, and the group effectively stops for a time.

In 1953, Mumford leaves the Golden Gate Quartet to return to secular music. He forms a new line-up of The Larks with Orville Brooks, pianist Glenn Burgess, David “Boots” Bowers and Isaiah Bing of the King Odom Four. Apollo encourages this version of the group toward mainstream pop rather than R&B, and they release several singles in that style. They also appear in the film Rhythm & Blues Revue. The second Larks disband in 1955.