• Track Listing

The Spaniels were a pioneering doowop vocal group from Gary, Indiana, and were probably the first successful R&B group to emerge from the USA's MidWestern states. They were also the first group to be signed by the new VeeJay label (they had already signed Jimmy Smith), and became the label's most successful vocal group as it established itself as probably the first independent African-American owned label of any significance. The group came together at Roosevelt High School in Gary, led by James 'Pookie' Hudson, and they were the first vocal group to use the technique of having a lead singer at one microphone with the other members at a second. They scored in 1953 with their first release Baby It's You, which made the R&B Top 10 and in 1954 had their biggest hit with Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite which was an R&B No. 5 and crossed over to No. 24 in the pop charts. This great value 51-track 2-CD collection brings together all the tracks that they released during the first decade of their career, either as A & B sides of their singles or on their two LPs for VeeJay, and it is a great showcase for their distinctive vocal talents and high quality songwriting. It's welcome addition to Acrobat's already substantial catalogue of doo-wop offerings.