Biography: The Avalons, The Bar-Kays, The Barons, The Barrett Sisters, The Beale Street Sheiks, The Beatmen, The Beazers, The Beginning of the End, The Bel Airs, The Belleville a Cappella Choir,

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The $Avalons emerged from the same vibrant (albeit incestuous) Newport News, Virginia R&B scene that also yielded the 5 Keys, the Leaders and the Chateaus According to Marv Goldberg’s profile in the March 2002 issue of Discoveries, the group’s roots lie in a versatile R&B and gospel group dubbed the Chimes, formed in 1947 by tenor/baritone Charles “Bobby” Crawley, tenor Ulysses Hicks, baritone Leroy Harris and bass Bernard Purdie

The Bar-Kays Biography, Photos, Pictures

Initially a funky instrumental soul combo on Stax/Volt, the Bar-Kays were nearly destroyed when most of the band perished in the same plane crash that claimed Otis Redding Amazingly, the Bar-Kays not only regrouped but prospered, evolving into a popular funk ensemble over the course of the ’70s

The Barons were an early-’60s Detroit group more famous for its members (Roger Craton aka Lee Rogers, Tyrone Douglas, and Jesse Greer) than any accomplishment on their own whose records, due to limited pressings, are rare

The Barrett Sisters Biography, Photos, Pictures

Delois, Billie, and Rodessa Barrett began singing in the Chicago-based Morning Star Baptist Church in the ’40s as children Under the direction of their aunt, Mattie Dacus, they were originally known as The Barrett and Hudson Singers before becoming The Barrett Sisters

The Beale Street Sheiks Biography, Photos, Pictures

The Beale Street Sheiks was the name used by Memphis musicians Frank Stokes and Dan Sane for their blues duo on Paramount Records releases from sessions held in 1927 and 1929

One of the oldest blues bands to make it to the mid-’60s beat boom, the Beatmen started in 1960 and even played Hamburg like a lot of Liverpool bands They had a sound similar to the Poets, and tackled unconventional American R&B like “You Can’t Sit Down” (originally a Phil Upchurch Combo instrumental)

Beyond the fact that Chris Farlowe was in their lineup, little is known of this band from Ipswich except that they were produced by veteran impresario Cyril Stapleton and they tried to cash in on the brief ska/bluebeat boom of 1964 that had been fostered by Millie Small and the Migil Five

The Beginning of the End Biography, Photos, Pictures

One of the very few soul groups from Nassau, the Beginning of the End had one hit in 1971, the scintillating “Funky Nassau” They recorded an album of the same name that year, then dropped out of sight

The Bel Airs Biography, Photos, Pictures

Formed in 1981 in Columbia, MO, by brothers Dick Pruitt and Dave Pruitt, the Bel Airs specialize in modern blues with a dose of soul Highlighted by Dick Pruitt’s raspy, expressive vocals and brother Dave’s slicing guitar lines and driven by former Paladins and James Harman Band drummer Michael Cherry, the group has developed an explosive stage show that one critic likened to watching the Everly Brothers play the blues

The Belleville a Cappella Choir Biography, Photos, Pictures

The Belleville Choir is associated with the Church of God and Saints of Christ, which teaches that the African-American people are descended from the lost tribes of Israel, and incorporates aspects of Judaism into their faith