Biography
Among the standout figures of the doo wop period was Pookie Hudson, who served for years as lead vocalist of the Spaniels while also composing their landmark 1954 single "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight." Thornton James Hudson came into the world on June 11, 1934, in Des Moines, IA, though he passed nearly all of his formative years in Gary, IN, where a fond aunt gave him the nickname "Pookie." His extended relatives encompassed cousins Josephine Baker and Thomas "Fats" Waller, who paid occasional visits to the Hudson household. During high school he helped establish the R&B vocal ensemble the Hudsonaires, a name later changed to the Spaniels after bass singer Gerald Gregory's wife remarked that the five members sounded like "a bunch of dogs." Early in 1953 WGRY disc jockey Vivian Carter encountered the group and, after securing $500 from a Gary pawnshop, joined future spouse Jimmy Bracken in launching Vee-Jay Records, an imprint that would rank among the most significant independent labels of postwar American music.
The Spaniels became the first act to cut material for Vee-Jay, laying down their opening release, "Baby It's You," during May 1953. The single soon reached the national R&B Top Ten on the strength of Hudson's smooth lead and its distinctive vibrato. "The Bells Ring Out" appeared before the year closed, and in the opening months of 1954 the group delivered its third outing, "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight." Hudson had written the number for girlfriend Bonnie Jane Davis; the track rose to number five on the R&B listings and number 24 on the Billboard pop charts, though its enduring reputation was further secured by prominent placement in George Lucas' 1973 box-office hit American Graffiti.
Commercial fortunes never again matched those of "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight," yet 1955's "You Painted Pictures" still climbed to number 13 on the R&B side. The original roster's stability was already eroding: first tenor Ernest Warren entered military service the next year, and after second tenor Willie C. Jackson departed, Hudson himself chose to exit. The remaining members kept touring for nearly twelve months, leaving Gerald Gregory as the sole founder by autumn 1956. At that point Hudson was ending his marriage and crafting fresh material; he consented to return, resulting in the December 1956 release of his new composition "You Give Me Peace of Mind." Its successor, "Everyone's Laughing," also reached number 13 R&B, but later titles such as "You're Gonna Cry" and "Crazee Babee" attracted scant notice.
Through the rest of the decade the Spaniels maintained a grueling tour schedule, yet Vee-Jay releases met diminishing radio response, prompting the label to drop the act in late 1960. Subsequent recordings appeared on Neptune with "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" and on Parkway with "John Brown," after which the group disbanded in 1963. When Hudson signed as a solo artist to Lloyd Price's Double L label, he enlisted several former bandmates for his initial effort, "I Know, I Know," and the follow-up, a new version of "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons," likewise featured Spaniels alumni.
Several years passed with little public activity until Hudson resurfaced in 1966 on the Jamie imprint with "This Gets to Me." Although the single drew minimal attention at release, it later gained favor within Britain's Northern soul scene. Another three-year interval preceded a 1969 Buddah re-recording of "Goodnight Sweetheart," issued under the Spaniels name despite Hudson being the only veteran present. The following year he established his own North American label and retrieved a pair of unreleased Spaniels masters from 1963 Double L sessions; when "Fairy Tales" unexpectedly charted at number 45 R&B, he reassembled the Buddah configuration for further singles, among them 1971's "Lonely Man" and "Come Back to My Arms."
A 1974 Canterbury remake of "Peace of Mind" marked the close of that later Spaniels recording phase, even as assorted lineups persisted on oldies and doo wop bills. In 1987 the small Tacamtra imprint issued Hudson's last solo single, "Love Songs (On the Radio)," and in 1992 he entered the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame. One year afterward he convened original members including Willie C. Jackson and Opal Courtney for a short-lived official reunion; thereafter he again fronted ad-hoc groups, one centered in Gary and another in Washington, D.C. Following an extended struggle with cancer, Hudson passed away at his Capitol Heights, MD, residence on January 16, 2007, at age 72.
The Spaniels became the first act to cut material for Vee-Jay, laying down their opening release, "Baby It's You," during May 1953. The single soon reached the national R&B Top Ten on the strength of Hudson's smooth lead and its distinctive vibrato. "The Bells Ring Out" appeared before the year closed, and in the opening months of 1954 the group delivered its third outing, "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight." Hudson had written the number for girlfriend Bonnie Jane Davis; the track rose to number five on the R&B listings and number 24 on the Billboard pop charts, though its enduring reputation was further secured by prominent placement in George Lucas' 1973 box-office hit American Graffiti.
Commercial fortunes never again matched those of "Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight," yet 1955's "You Painted Pictures" still climbed to number 13 on the R&B side. The original roster's stability was already eroding: first tenor Ernest Warren entered military service the next year, and after second tenor Willie C. Jackson departed, Hudson himself chose to exit. The remaining members kept touring for nearly twelve months, leaving Gerald Gregory as the sole founder by autumn 1956. At that point Hudson was ending his marriage and crafting fresh material; he consented to return, resulting in the December 1956 release of his new composition "You Give Me Peace of Mind." Its successor, "Everyone's Laughing," also reached number 13 R&B, but later titles such as "You're Gonna Cry" and "Crazee Babee" attracted scant notice.
Through the rest of the decade the Spaniels maintained a grueling tour schedule, yet Vee-Jay releases met diminishing radio response, prompting the label to drop the act in late 1960. Subsequent recordings appeared on Neptune with "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" and on Parkway with "John Brown," after which the group disbanded in 1963. When Hudson signed as a solo artist to Lloyd Price's Double L label, he enlisted several former bandmates for his initial effort, "I Know, I Know," and the follow-up, a new version of "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons," likewise featured Spaniels alumni.
Several years passed with little public activity until Hudson resurfaced in 1966 on the Jamie imprint with "This Gets to Me." Although the single drew minimal attention at release, it later gained favor within Britain's Northern soul scene. Another three-year interval preceded a 1969 Buddah re-recording of "Goodnight Sweetheart," issued under the Spaniels name despite Hudson being the only veteran present. The following year he established his own North American label and retrieved a pair of unreleased Spaniels masters from 1963 Double L sessions; when "Fairy Tales" unexpectedly charted at number 45 R&B, he reassembled the Buddah configuration for further singles, among them 1971's "Lonely Man" and "Come Back to My Arms."
A 1974 Canterbury remake of "Peace of Mind" marked the close of that later Spaniels recording phase, even as assorted lineups persisted on oldies and doo wop bills. In 1987 the small Tacamtra imprint issued Hudson's last solo single, "Love Songs (On the Radio)," and in 1992 he entered the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame. One year afterward he convened original members including Willie C. Jackson and Opal Courtney for a short-lived official reunion; thereafter he again fronted ad-hoc groups, one centered in Gary and another in Washington, D.C. Following an extended struggle with cancer, Hudson passed away at his Capitol Heights, MD, residence on January 16, 2007, at age 72.