The Channels (New York)
Personnel:
Earl Lewis (Lead)
Larry Hampden (First tenor)
Billy Morris (Second tenor)
Edward Doulphin (Baritone)
Clifton Wright (Bass)
Biography:
The Channels formed in 1955 around the singers Larry Hampden, Billy Morris, and Edward Doulphin; they started as a quintet with two additional part-time members, but soon after they permanently added Earl Michael Lewis and Clifton Wright, formerly of The Lotharios.
In early 1956 the group somehow got together with Bobby Robinson owner of Red Robin Records. The group signed a two-year contract with Robinson's Whirlin Disc label. In their first recording session they were able to record "The Closer You Are" written by Earl Lewis who was only 15 at the time.
"The Closer You Are" was an instant hit on the national airways, but because of poor distribution it never made the national charts. The song did become very popular on the East Coast and a New York street corner doo-wop favorite. The group's next release came in late 1956, the song was "The Gleam in Your Eye", also written by Lewis. The song showcased Lewis' full range of talent.
The Channels recorded for record labels Gone, Fury, Fire. They enjoyed significant regional success on the East Coast but never charted a major nationwide hit. The group disbanded in late 1959, but in 1961 Jubilee Records started releasing Whirling Disc early releases as if they were new and The Channels became hot again. The lineup changed several times over the course of the band's lifetime.