Biography
Soul singer Kenny Hamber's vocal interest first took root at Baltimore's Weldon Baptist Church, where he ranked among the choir's most frequently featured male soloists. He next joined the competitive circuit of doo-wop ensembles active throughout the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., region. His debut single appeared on the modest Spar imprint in September 1960; Hamber shared writing credit on "Tears in My Eyes," while David Robinson supplied the flip-side "Do the Hully Gully" and teamed with Hamber on the A-side, and Robinson's group backed both tracks. Spar subsequently assigned the masters to the equally modest Zenette label in 1961, yet the release received airplay solely on stations reachable by the principals themselves. The cumulative costs of recording, pressing, promotion, distribution, and collections frequently forced Spar, Zenette, and similar micro-labels to fold before they even obtained federal tax identification.
Although Hamber seldom wrote, his co-credit on the Spar single remains one of only two documented compositions; the other, "I Can Feel That You Love," lists him alongside Jerry "Swamp Dog" Williams and Philadelphia disc jockey and label operator Jimmy Bishop. Lacking a catalog of original material made it harder to secure ongoing label support when companies preferred flashier or more immediately marketable talent.
In 1964 De Jac Records issued a one-off single, "Time" backed with "Show Me Your Monkey," this time employing female backing vocalists, whereas the earlier release had featured male harmonies so understated they went largely unnoticed and sales stayed negligible. A subsequent arrangement with Bishop's Arctic Records, then enjoying success with Barbara Mason, yielded two singles now prized by Northern soul collectors. Kenny Gamble, another Arctic artist, penned Hamber's 1967 Arctic debut "Ain't Gonna Cry"; the follow-up, "Looking for a Love" coupled with "These Arms of Mine," appeared in 1968 and likewise found scant airplay beyond Philadelphia.
Undeterred, Hamber continued performing wherever opportunities arose and eventually aligned with the Hitchhikers, a Bridgeport, Connecticut-based soul ensemble whose self-titled album on ABC/Dunhill Records earned critical notice in 1976. After that project concluded, he withdrew from recording until MCK Records issued his first solo album, This Is R&B, in 1996, highlighted by a deeply affecting version of Charles Kipps' "Walk Away From Love," the song earlier popularized by David Ruffin. A second solo set, In a Romantic Mood, extended his recognition still further. Hamber maintains a steady schedule of live dates between Connecticut and Baltimore with the Kenny Hamber Revue at venues including Arch Social Club in Baltimore and Elizabeth Rose Garden in Hartford, Connecticut.
Although Hamber seldom wrote, his co-credit on the Spar single remains one of only two documented compositions; the other, "I Can Feel That You Love," lists him alongside Jerry "Swamp Dog" Williams and Philadelphia disc jockey and label operator Jimmy Bishop. Lacking a catalog of original material made it harder to secure ongoing label support when companies preferred flashier or more immediately marketable talent.
In 1964 De Jac Records issued a one-off single, "Time" backed with "Show Me Your Monkey," this time employing female backing vocalists, whereas the earlier release had featured male harmonies so understated they went largely unnoticed and sales stayed negligible. A subsequent arrangement with Bishop's Arctic Records, then enjoying success with Barbara Mason, yielded two singles now prized by Northern soul collectors. Kenny Gamble, another Arctic artist, penned Hamber's 1967 Arctic debut "Ain't Gonna Cry"; the follow-up, "Looking for a Love" coupled with "These Arms of Mine," appeared in 1968 and likewise found scant airplay beyond Philadelphia.
Undeterred, Hamber continued performing wherever opportunities arose and eventually aligned with the Hitchhikers, a Bridgeport, Connecticut-based soul ensemble whose self-titled album on ABC/Dunhill Records earned critical notice in 1976. After that project concluded, he withdrew from recording until MCK Records issued his first solo album, This Is R&B, in 1996, highlighted by a deeply affecting version of Charles Kipps' "Walk Away From Love," the song earlier popularized by David Ruffin. A second solo set, In a Romantic Mood, extended his recognition still further. Hamber maintains a steady schedule of live dates between Connecticut and Baltimore with the Kenny Hamber Revue at venues including Arch Social Club in Baltimore and Elizabeth Rose Garden in Hartford, Connecticut.
Albums
