Biography
Originating in Los Angeles, California, the vocal quartet known as the Candles featured first tenor lead Johnny Wyatt (born 1938 in Texacali, Texas; died 1983), tenor lead Rochell Henderson, baritone Melvin Sasso, and bass T.C. Henderson. Their sole chart success arrived in 1961 with the single “Once Upon A Time,” which reached number 20 on the R&B listings and number 26 on the pop side, riding the brief early-1960s neo-doo-wop revival that briefly returned the style to commercial prominence. Wyatt’s falsetto lead, combined with the group’s name containing “Rochell,” convinced many listeners that a woman fronted the act. The follow-up release “So Far Away,” also issued in 1961 and again spotlighting Wyatt’s upper-register vocals, earned critical praise yet failed to register on any charts. Additional singles appeared on the Swingin’ and Challenge labels, but none restored the group’s commercial momentum. Their final effort, a 1964 reworking of the Olympics’ “Big Boy Pete,” received little attention upon release. Wyatt subsequently assumed the lead role in the soul-era ensemble Johnny And The Expressions, whose 1966 single “Something I Want To Tell You” entered the charts. Between 1966 and 1967 he also issued several solo recordings on the Bronco imprint.