On this day, 20 January 1960, American vocal group The Platters played Cardiff’s Gaumont Theatre. The tour package included Cuddly Dudley and Carl Barriteau and his band.
Formed in 1952. They are one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Originally, their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre. The act has gone through several personnel changes, with one of the most successful incarnations comprising lead tenor Tony Williams, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed, and Zola Taylor.
The group had 40 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1955 and 1967, including four number-one hits. The Platters are one of the first African-American groups to be accepted as a major chart group and are one of the most successful vocal groups in the world.
As a group, The Platters began to have difficulties with the public after 1959, when the four male members were arrested in Cincinnati on drug and prostitution charges. Although no one was convicted, their professional reputation was seriously damaged and US radio stations started removing their records from playlists, forcing the group to rely more heavily on European bookings.
In 1960, lead vocalist Williams left to pursue a solo career and was replaced by tenor Sonny Turner. Mercury refused to issue further Platters releases without Williams on lead vocals, provoking a lawsuit between the label and manager Ram. As a result, the label spent two years releasing old Williams-era material until the group's contract lapsed.
