Maurice Williams

Maurice Williams (extreme left in the photo) and The Zodiacs were, in 1960, Maurice Williams, Wiley Bennett, Henry Gaston, Charles Thomas, Willie Morrow and Albert Hill. The group, at first a doo wop group, had recorded previously under the names The Royal Charms, The Gladiolas and The Excellos. They also recorded the original version of the doo wop classic “Little Darlin'”.

Maurice Williams was born in Lancaster, South Carolina on 26 April 1938 and sang gospel as a boy in church. In the 1950s he formed a group called The Royal Charms and they recorded for Excello in Nashville. Excello suggested they rename the group as The Gladiolas and their first recording, Little Darlin’, made no 11 on the R&B chart. In 1959 the group split, reformed, and renamed as The Zodiacs. They recorded the demo of “Stay” in 1960 and took it to Herald Records in New York City, who released the record. The song was written in 1953.

Maurice Williams died on 5 August 2024. No cause was given.

“Stay” is an amateur recording which was recorded in a Quonset Hut (the American name for a Nissen hut) in 1959. It is also famous for its short playing time, and is one of the shortest hit records of the period.

“Stay”, US Herald 552, 5 September 1960. “Stay” appears on UK Sue ILP 933 “The Sue Story Volume 2”. “Stay” was also released on the Top Rank label no. JAR-526.

Chart Position: Pop No. 1, 1960. UK Pop No. 14, 1961.

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Owen Gray

Owen Grey | Copyright Control | 25006 Singer and song writer and musician Owen Gray was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 5 July 1939 and is regarded as a pioneer of Jamaican popular music. He won his first talent contest aged nine. By twelve he had joined a band, playing drums, guitar and keyboards. He became associated with Chris Blackwell in 1960, and was one of the first artistes to be produced by Blackwell. In 1962 he emigrated to the United Kingdom, toured Europe in 1964, and since 1966 became recognised as a soul as well as reggae singer. In the 1970s he relocated to New Orleans and then back to Jamaica. Since the 1980s he lived in Miami, Florida. Owen Grey died in London, UK, on 20 July, 2025.

Anita Wood

Anita Wood | Copyright Control | 25007 Anita Marie Wood Brewer was born in 1937 and was a girl friend for a time to Elvis Presley. Her recording of "Dream Baby"/ “This has happened before” (US Santo 9054, 1964) was issued on Sue WI 328. She sang with Andy Williams, uncredited, on his 1959 hit of “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” and appeared regularly in his television series. Anita Wood died of pneumonia at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, on 29 June 2023, age 85.

Various Artists - The Sue Story Vol. 2 - ILP 933

ILP 933 - Various Artists - The Sue Story Volume 2 (06.66) Track Listing: The Hollywood Argyles - Sho' know a lot about love (Paxton, Fowley) | Ron Holden - My babe (Holden) | Thurston Harris - Little bitty pretty one (Day) | Dee Clark - Hey little girl (Blackwell, Stevenson) | Lee Diamond - Hatti Malatti (Wilbert Smith) | Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs - Stay (Williams) | Shirley and Lee - Let the good times roll (Goodman, Lee) | Richie Valens - La bamba (Traditional arrange by Valens) | Phil Upchurch Combo - You can't sit down parts 1 and 2 (Upchurch, Clark, Muldrow) | Bobby Lewis - Tossin' and turnin' (Adams, René) | Chris Kenner - I like it like that (Kenner, Toussaint) | Big Bob - Your line was busy (Clowney, Kornegay) | Bobby Freeman - Do you wanna dance (Freeman) | Professor Longhair - Baby let me hold your hand (Byrd) | Ronnie Hawkins - Forty days (Berry) Image: Collection of Martin Whitell.

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