Originating as an outgrowth of the jazz ensemble the Hi-Lo’s, the vocal quartet took shape when Don Shelton, a former member of that prominent ’50s group, chose to launch Singers Unlimited once the Hi-Lo’s disbanded in 1964. He settled in Chicago, Illinois, focusing on television commercial work, and in 1967 brought Gene Puerling, another Hi-Lo’s alumnus from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, into the same city. Together with Len Dresslar and Bonnie Herman, they assembled the quartet specifically to produce advertising spots in the doo wop and vocal-group style. Shelton’s industry ties quickly opened doors, generating steady and profitable assignments. Yet the brief thirty-second excerpts left their creative drive unfulfilled, prompting them to use leftover studio time after a session to capture an a cappella version of the Beatles’ “The Fool on the Hill.” Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson then forwarded the resulting demo to MPS Records in Germany, securing the newly christened Singers Unlimited a formal recording deal. Their debut album of standards appeared in 1972, featuring additional John Lennon/Paul McCartney numbers alongside selections from Joni Mitchell, all delivered with technical precision and lively spirit within a doo wop/a cappella framework. Though it made little impact on the pop charts, the release earned the German Record Grand Prix of 1973. Throughout the remainder of the decade, further albums continued to appear for a dedicated audience.
