Biography
The Pretenders' fleeting ties to the record business resist any simple characterization as obscure. Their sides stayed virtually undiscovered until various Carnival Records albums resurfaced in reissue form. Among all the acts on the label, only the Manhattans and Lee Williams & the Cymbals ever secured national attention, while the remaining Carnival singles by a host of other artists made scant commercial headway. Owner Joe Evans operated the modest outfit from his own home, assisted solely by his wife and a single part-time staffer. During this period Evans also played saxophone on the road with Motown's touring unit directed by Choker Campbell; ex-Temptations guitarist Cornelius Grant recalls that Evans used those trips to push Carnival product while supporting the Motown artists. The Pretenders' prospects dimmed further once Evans largely abandoned his commitment to the music industry. After earning a G.E.D. and enrolling in courses at Rutgers University—a decision triggered when the Manhattans departed and left him feeling betrayed after he had shaped the group from its earliest days—he was drawn back into recording by a Pretenders tape that immediately impressed him. Finding their existing name unappealing, Evans supplied a replacement. The original members were Harry Simpkins, Eugene Cohen, Neil Page, and Valerie Scott, with Page and Scott trading lead vocals. Personnel shifts occurred rapidly. Although Scott participated in their first release, a remake of the Manhattans' "I Wanna Be," she exited when her husband refused to allow touring; Patricia Tandy then stepped in, meshing smoothly and supplying a more commanding voice. Their recordings emerged as vocal showcases distinguished by striking harmonies and deeply felt leads, as heard on "For the Rest of My Days," "Hearts Were Made to Love," and a charged remake of the Manhattans' "I'm the One Love Forgot." The group shared bills with the Chi-Lites, Kool & the Gang, the Persuaders, the Intruders, Main Ingredient, and the Drifters, chiefly in the Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia areas. Though none of their records reached the Billboard charts, the Pretenders proved both versatile and accomplished. Eugene Cohen subsequently turned to writing and production, placing material on the Philadelphia International label.
Albums
