Biography
An R&B vocal group hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, the Joneses exemplified the early-1970s resurgence of vocal ensembles by working in the soft-soul style marked by a falsetto lead, polished harmonies and lush orchestral backings. Formed originally in Pittsburgh during 1969, the unit that ultimately recorded did not reach its definitive membership until after the members relocated to New York to cut sides for V.M.P. Records in the early seventies. That lineup consisted of falsetto lead Cy Brooks together with Glenn Dorsey, Sam White and siblings Reginald and Wendell Noble; on V.M.P. they scored a regional New York success with “Pretty Pretty.” After switching to the Pride label in 1973 they registered another local favorite, “Pull My String.” Mercury Records subsequently took an interest and offered a contract. At that juncture Brooks departed, and baritone Harold Taylor—who had previously performed with the Pittsburgh edition of the group—assumed the lead role. Their first Mercury release gained traction locally in Baltimore under the title “Baby Don’t Do It,” yet national recognition arrived in 1974 with the chart entry “Hey Babe,” which reached number 18 R&B. Later the same year they achieved their sole pop crossover when “Sugar Pie Guy” climbed to number 10 R&B and number 47 on the pop listings. Additional traction came in 1975 via “I Can’t See What You See In Me,” which peaked at number 28 R&B. Although the original aggregation disbanded in 1975, four subsequent revivals occurred between 1977 and 1992; throughout every iteration Glenn Dorsey remained the sole continuous member. These later configurations issued material on Epic, Spring, Collectables and Atlantic Records, each enjoying modest commercial returns.
Albums