One of the finest and most influential rhythm & blues acts of the '50s,
the "5" Royales
began their career as a gospel group called
the Royal Sons Quintet
before crossing over to secular music in 1952. The
"5" Royales
initially recorded for
Apollo Records
, where they scored hits like "Baby Don't Do It" and "Laundromat Blues," but they enjoyed greater success when they signed with
King Records
in 1954 and stormed the R&B charts with tunes like "Monkey Hips and Rice," "Think" (later covered by
James Brown
and
Aretha Franklin
), and "Dedicated to the One I Love" (which both
the Shirelles
the Mamas & the Papas
took to the upper reaches of the pop charts). While
were one of the best harmony acts of their day, the group's secret weapon was
Lowman Pauling
, who wrote their original material and played powerful, inventive lead guitar on their sides for
King
.
Soul & Swagger: The Complete "5" Royales
is a five-disc box set that collects the group's entire recorded repertoire, from their first sides as
to their final sessions for
Home of the Blues Records
in 1964. These classic recordings offer a richly detailed portrait of a group whose early singles predated what most people think of as the birth of rock & roll, and retired as R&B was making way for what would be called soul; this is great music from a remarkable time and place, and well worth exploring for fans of vintage R&B and blues. ~ Mark Deming