Were Originally: The Original Manhattans Were Edward Sonny Bivins, George Smitty Smith, Winfred Blue Lovett, Richard Ricky Taylor, Kenny Wally Kelly
Taking their name from the popular mixed drink, The Manhattans began their legendary musical journey. After placing third in a competition at the Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater, their undeniable musical star power earned them their first recording contract. Joe Evans, a former Motown musician, who had started Carnival Records eagerly signed The Manhattans. It didn’t take long before their first major hit "I Wanna Be (Your Everything)" broke onto the Pop and R&B charts. And the hits just kept coming. With "Searching For My Baby" and "Follow Your Heart" selling records by the hundreds of thousands, the group was on their way to national recognition.
In a mere three years, songs like "Baby I Need You" and "I ‘m The One Love Forgot" firmly established The Manhattans a place in musical history. This earned the group NATRA’s "Most Promising Group" award. After moving to King Records (Deluxe Label), their smooth sound and repeated quality songwriting, soon brought court from Columbia Records, a subsidiary of world renowned CBS. This accomplishment afforded them the power of self-producing and collaboration on their albums. From their inception and throughout their career, with their classic songs "There’s No Me Without You", Kiss And Say Goodbye" and "Shining Star", The Manhattans set a new RIAA standards for platinum sales. Numerous awards and a Grammy proved again just how resplendent the group had become to their artistic community and the hearts of their fans.
Throughout the decades, with one enduring song after another, this exalted super group continues to leave their mark on the world-touring stage. They perform at numerous charity events and make appearances at lofty high profile festivities such as former President Clinton’s Christmas Gala. The late "Original" founding member Edward "Sonny" Bivins vowed to preserve the integrity of this priceless musical gem. He gathered the vocal styling of Charles Hardy, Harsey Hemphill, Alvin Pazant & Lee Williams, to complete the modern day lineup and seek out new horizons. The group continues to record and perform songs, with melodies and harmonies that few of us will ever forget. This lineup carries forth, the musical tradition of The Manhattans for generations to come.
