Biography
Among enthusiasts of 1950s R&B vocal group harmony, the Five Keys rank among the standout ensembles to commit this style to tape. Their most widely recognized sides came from Capitol and included "Wisdom of a Fool," "Close Your Eyes," "Ling Ting Tong," and "Out of Sight, Out of Mind." Collectors, however, place even greater value on the earlier Aladdin masters such as "My Saddest Hour," "Glory of Love," and "Red Sails in the Sunset."
The original lineup united two pairs of brothers—Rudy and Bernie West together with Raphael and Ripley Ingram—all from Newport News, Virginia, within the Hampton Roads region. That area already boasted a strong legacy of vocal ensembles, having earlier produced the Golden Gate Quartet and the Norfolk Jazz Quartet. Initially performing as the Sentimental Four, the brothers entered an amateur showcase at Newport News’s Jefferson Theater. Three straight victories there earned them an invitation to New York’s Apollo Theater, where they again prevailed.
Those successes opened doors to further bookings at the Royal and Howard Theaters. While building a following along the East Coast, the group attracted the attention of Aladdin Records owner Eddie Mesner, who offered them a contract. Around the same period Raphael entered military service and was succeeded by Maryland Pierce, previously of the Avalons; Dickie Smith was also added, along with pianist Joe Jones as a sixth member. With these changes the name became the Five Keys. The group worked both coasts, cutting roughly seventeen Aladdin titles in New York and Los Angeles; among them were "Glory of Love," "How Long," "Someday Sweetheart," "Red Sails in the Sunset," and "Yes Sir, That’s My Baby," led by Rudy West and Dickie Smith, plus "My Saddest Hour" and "Serve Another Round," fronted by Maryland Pierce.
In 1953 Rudy West and Dickie Smith were called into the army, their places taken by Ramon Loper and Ulysses Hicks. By mid-1954 the Aladdin deal was ending; the label’s final Five Keys release, "Deep in My Heart," appeared in June. That July the group recorded four numbers at RCA, two of which stayed unissued; the remaining pair, "Lawdy Miss Mary" backed with "I’ll Follow You," surfaced in August on RCA’s Groove subsidiary. On 29 August 1954 Capitol announced its own signing of the Five Keys, prompting RCA to halt production of the Groove single, which quickly became the rarest of all Five Keys pressings.
Now on Capitol, the group issued "Ling Ting Tong," again featuring Pierce on lead; the record’s success secured an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. After Hicks died suddenly in 1954 and before Rudy’s discharge, Dickie Smith’s cousin Willie Winfield of the Harptones filled the lead-tenor role on a temporary basis. By 1955 Rudy had returned, and the Five Keys benefited from Capitol’s improved recording facilities. With Rudy in front and the Howard Biggs Orchestra supplying the accompaniment, they cut "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" and "Wisdom of a Fool." Another strong Capitol outing, "Close Your Eyes," showcased Maryland Pierce’s lead supported by Rudy’s high tenor. Wearying of the road, Rudy left the group in 1958. The following year, with Dickie Threat replacing him, the Five Keys recorded for King; the most notable sides were "Dream On" and "One Great Love." Whether because tastes were shifting or because Rudy’s absence altered the sound, the group never recaptured its earlier Capitol momentum. During this interval Rudy also cut solo sides for King, interpreting the Passions’ "Just to Be With You" and the Fireflies’ "You Were Mine" with an unnamed backing group.
In 1962 Rudy produced a new version of "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" for Seg-Way Records, employing a fresh Five Keys lineup of himself, Bernie West, Dickie Smith, John Boyd, and Willie Friday; the harmonies on this take were more prominent than on the Capitol original. Three years later Rudy recorded "No Matter" on Inferno with another configuration—Rudy, Edmond Hall, Ollie Sidney, Theodore Jones, and George Winfield (another cousin of Willie’s). This Newport News-based unit had previously recorded as the Chateaus for Epic and Warner Bros.
Interest in 1950s doo-wop revived in the mid-1970s, prompting Rudy to assemble yet another Five Keys group modeled on the Inferno lineup; it remained active until 1998. In 1992 the United In Group Harmony Association inducted the original Five Keys into its Hall of Fame; all founding members attended and performed together for the first time in more than forty years. That occasion marked their final collective appearance. Rudy West died on 14 May 1998; his last concert had taken place on 18 April at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. Even then his voice and phrasing remained exceptional, delighting listeners at what proved to be the final public performance by this influential R&B artist. Ripley Ingram had already passed away. The surviving original members are Bernie West, Dickie Smith, and Maryland Pierce. The bulk of the Five Keys’ recorded legacy is now accessible on compact disc.
The original lineup united two pairs of brothers—Rudy and Bernie West together with Raphael and Ripley Ingram—all from Newport News, Virginia, within the Hampton Roads region. That area already boasted a strong legacy of vocal ensembles, having earlier produced the Golden Gate Quartet and the Norfolk Jazz Quartet. Initially performing as the Sentimental Four, the brothers entered an amateur showcase at Newport News’s Jefferson Theater. Three straight victories there earned them an invitation to New York’s Apollo Theater, where they again prevailed.
Those successes opened doors to further bookings at the Royal and Howard Theaters. While building a following along the East Coast, the group attracted the attention of Aladdin Records owner Eddie Mesner, who offered them a contract. Around the same period Raphael entered military service and was succeeded by Maryland Pierce, previously of the Avalons; Dickie Smith was also added, along with pianist Joe Jones as a sixth member. With these changes the name became the Five Keys. The group worked both coasts, cutting roughly seventeen Aladdin titles in New York and Los Angeles; among them were "Glory of Love," "How Long," "Someday Sweetheart," "Red Sails in the Sunset," and "Yes Sir, That’s My Baby," led by Rudy West and Dickie Smith, plus "My Saddest Hour" and "Serve Another Round," fronted by Maryland Pierce.
In 1953 Rudy West and Dickie Smith were called into the army, their places taken by Ramon Loper and Ulysses Hicks. By mid-1954 the Aladdin deal was ending; the label’s final Five Keys release, "Deep in My Heart," appeared in June. That July the group recorded four numbers at RCA, two of which stayed unissued; the remaining pair, "Lawdy Miss Mary" backed with "I’ll Follow You," surfaced in August on RCA’s Groove subsidiary. On 29 August 1954 Capitol announced its own signing of the Five Keys, prompting RCA to halt production of the Groove single, which quickly became the rarest of all Five Keys pressings.
Now on Capitol, the group issued "Ling Ting Tong," again featuring Pierce on lead; the record’s success secured an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. After Hicks died suddenly in 1954 and before Rudy’s discharge, Dickie Smith’s cousin Willie Winfield of the Harptones filled the lead-tenor role on a temporary basis. By 1955 Rudy had returned, and the Five Keys benefited from Capitol’s improved recording facilities. With Rudy in front and the Howard Biggs Orchestra supplying the accompaniment, they cut "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" and "Wisdom of a Fool." Another strong Capitol outing, "Close Your Eyes," showcased Maryland Pierce’s lead supported by Rudy’s high tenor. Wearying of the road, Rudy left the group in 1958. The following year, with Dickie Threat replacing him, the Five Keys recorded for King; the most notable sides were "Dream On" and "One Great Love." Whether because tastes were shifting or because Rudy’s absence altered the sound, the group never recaptured its earlier Capitol momentum. During this interval Rudy also cut solo sides for King, interpreting the Passions’ "Just to Be With You" and the Fireflies’ "You Were Mine" with an unnamed backing group.
In 1962 Rudy produced a new version of "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" for Seg-Way Records, employing a fresh Five Keys lineup of himself, Bernie West, Dickie Smith, John Boyd, and Willie Friday; the harmonies on this take were more prominent than on the Capitol original. Three years later Rudy recorded "No Matter" on Inferno with another configuration—Rudy, Edmond Hall, Ollie Sidney, Theodore Jones, and George Winfield (another cousin of Willie’s). This Newport News-based unit had previously recorded as the Chateaus for Epic and Warner Bros.
Interest in 1950s doo-wop revived in the mid-1970s, prompting Rudy to assemble yet another Five Keys group modeled on the Inferno lineup; it remained active until 1998. In 1992 the United In Group Harmony Association inducted the original Five Keys into its Hall of Fame; all founding members attended and performed together for the first time in more than forty years. That occasion marked their final collective appearance. Rudy West died on 14 May 1998; his last concert had taken place on 18 April at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. Even then his voice and phrasing remained exceptional, delighting listeners at what proved to be the final public performance by this influential R&B artist. Ripley Ingram had already passed away. The surviving original members are Bernie West, Dickie Smith, and Maryland Pierce. The bulk of the Five Keys’ recorded legacy is now accessible on compact disc.
Albums
Hot Harmony - Burning Melodies from The 5 Keys
2023
The Glory of Love
2021
The Best Of The Aladdin Years
2011
Best Of The Capitol Years
2011
Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind / You're The One
2010
Dream On
1991
Capitol Collectors Series
1989
Singles
