The Cleftones

The Cleftones originated in Queens, NY, during 1955 when five Jamaica High School classmates—Herb Cox on lead, Warren Corbin handling bass, Charlie James as first tenor, William McClain on baritone, and Berman Patterson as second tenor—joined forces. Initially contracted to Gee, the ensemble issued its debut single, the up-tempo doo wop track “You Baby You,” toward the end of 1955 and scored a regional success. National exposure arrived the following year with the second release, “Little Girl of Mine,” which reached number eight on the R&B chart and number 57 on the pop side; two additional 1956 singles, “Can't We Be Sweethearts” and “String Around My Heart,” failed to register beyond local markets. A 1957 ballad, “See You Next Year,” likewise remained confined to New York listeners. By 1959 McClain had departed, his baritone role assumed by Gene Pearson of the Rivileers, while Patricia Spann joined the roster, shifting the ensemble’s approach from classic group doo wop harmonies toward a style centered on prominent lead vocals. That revised sound yielded its greatest commercial payoff in 1961 with the group’s hit rendition of the standard “Heart and Soul,” which climbed to number 18 on both the pop and R&B charts and stood as the Cleftones’ largest success. A second chart entry, “For Sentimental Reasons,” followed later the same year, yet the act never again matched the heights attained by “Heart and Soul.” The Cleftones disbanded in 1964, three years after their commercial pinnacle.