Biography
R&B vocal group the Roamers came together in Jersey City, New Jersey, during 1953. Marv Goldberg’s September 1999 Discoveries profile lists the members as lead singer James Ricketts, tenor Billy Williams, baritone Sam Walton, and bass Judge Taylor. Initially called the Four Flames, the quartet soon changed its name to the Roamers in clear reference to the Drifters. After a failed 1954 audition for Atlantic, the singers landed on Savoy and cut their first sides late that year, beginning with Judge Taylor’s composition “Deep Freeze.” During the same date they supplied backing vocals for Wilbert Harrison’s “Women and Whiskey,” which appeared in early 1955. Once “Deep Freeze” climbed into the Philadelphia-area Top 20 the Roamers began touring, sharing bills with Harrison and Latin bandleader Joe Loco. That spring the group issued its second Savoy single, “Chop Chop Ching a Ling,” and shortly afterward accompanied Varetta Dillard on “You’re the Answer to My Prayer.” These recordings marked the end of the Roamers’ studio activity, although their Savoy contract remained in force until 1958. They kept performing with Harrison until the act disbanded in 1959. Williams and Ricketts then moved to Sue Records as the duo Billy & Ricky, releasing the overlooked singles “Mama Papa Please” and “How You Sound.” In 1962 the pair rejoined Walton under the name the Astronauts, yet the only outcome was an unreleased demo before the three parted ways two years later.