BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN VOCAL GROUP FROM LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA "THE WHISPERS " A GROUP FROM THE 1960s ONWARDS : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

                  BLACK              SOCIAL           HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The Whispers is a R&B-Dance vocal group from Los Angeles, California, with a consistent track record of hit records dating back to the late 1960s. The Whispers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003, and were winners of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's prestigiousPioneer Award in 2008. By popular vote, the group was inducted into The SoulMusic Hall Of Fame at SoulMusic.com in December 2012.

The Whispers formed in 1964 in Watts, California. The original members included twin brothers, Wallace "Scotty" and Walter Scott, along with Gordy Harmon, Marcus Hutson and Nicholas Caldwell. After Harmon had his larynx injured in a drunk driving accident in 1973, he was replaced by former Friends of Distinction member Leaveil Degree. Scotty Scott's fluid, melodic voice is featured on virtually all of their hits.]

The group scored many hits on the R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they hit #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1980 with "And the Beat Goes On / "Can You Do the Boogie" / "Out the Box". In 1987, they enjoyed a brief tenure in the Top 40 when "Rock Steady" became their first Top 10 success on the Hot 100, reaching #7, while also capturing the #1 spot on the R&B chart.

Although they recorded mainly in Philadelphia in the early to mid '70s, most of their studio work since has been done in Los Angeles. Their most successful period was in the 1980s with SOLAR Records (Sound Of Los Angeles Records), which was run by their manager at the time, Dick Griffey. The Whispers later established their own production company, Satin Tie Productions, through which they released their independent 2006 album "For Your Ears Only."

The group opened Game 2 of the 1989 World Series at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum with their rendition of the National Anthem.

Marcus Hutson left the group in 1992 due to prostate cancer. According to the Whispers' website, when Hutson died of it in 2000, they vowed to never replace him, and now perform as a quartet.

Jerry McNeil resigned his position as keyboardist in the latter part of 1993 in order to spend more time with his family.