Biography
The Four Palms, a doo wop quartet, came together on the grounds of Camp Pendleton in Twentynine Palms, California, during the first months of 1957, as detailed in Marv Goldberg’s R&B Notebooks profile. Lead singer Hasker Nelson, tenor Louis Faison, baritone James Jackson, and bass Nate Thomas assembled the group specifically to compete in a U.S. Navy talent contest, where they captured first place and advanced to represent their division at the Worldwide All-Navy Talent Contest in New York City. Their victory marked the first time an African-American act had won the international competition and the first time a doo wop ensemble had done so; the prize included a slot on The Ed Sullivan Show, after which the quartet headlined a string of military showcases and associated celebrations.
In March 1958 the Four Palms inked a deal with Aladdin Records and recorded their debut single, “Jeanie, Joanie, Shirley, Toni,” which they promoted with another appearance on Ed Sullivan. The release met with little success, and by early 1959 the four men had received their military discharges and returned to civilian routines. Lacking the military performance circuit that had supported them, the group lost momentum. A 1959 single titled “Maybe It’s Wrong,” issued on the World Pacific label under the name the Rainbeaus to sidestep contractual obligations to Aladdin, went unnoticed because most stations and stores remained unaware of the name change, causing the record to vanish quickly. The Four Palms disbanded in early 1960.
In March 1958 the Four Palms inked a deal with Aladdin Records and recorded their debut single, “Jeanie, Joanie, Shirley, Toni,” which they promoted with another appearance on Ed Sullivan. The release met with little success, and by early 1959 the four men had received their military discharges and returned to civilian routines. Lacking the military performance circuit that had supported them, the group lost momentum. A 1959 single titled “Maybe It’s Wrong,” issued on the World Pacific label under the name the Rainbeaus to sidestep contractual obligations to Aladdin, went unnoticed because most stations and stores remained unaware of the name change, causing the record to vanish quickly. The Four Palms disbanded in early 1960.