Biography
Wade Flemons, the vocalist chiefly associated with a string of releases on the storied R&B imprint Vee-Jay, first appeared on September 25, 1940, in Coffeyville, KS, before spending his formative years in nearby Wichita. Once the Flemons family settled in Battle Creek, MI, in 1940, he assembled the vocal ensemble called the Newcomers. Although he secured a solo contract with Vee-Jay in 1958, his self-composed opening single, "Here I Stand," was issued under the billing Wade Flemons & the Newcomers and advanced to the national R&B Top 20.
The Newcomers had already dissolved by the arrival of the 1959 follow-up, "Hold Me Close"; two further singles surfaced that year—"Slow Motion" and "Goodnight, It's Time to Go"—yet neither registered on the charts. Flemons reentered the listings in 1960 with his strongest performer, "Easy Lovin'," which climbed into the R&B Top Ten, while its B-side, "Woops Now," gained traction in scattered markets. A self-titled album preceded the next single, "Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby," and in 1961 he logged his final chart appearance with a version of the Percy Mayfield hit "Please Send Me Someone to Love," which edged into the R&B Top 20.
The 1962 releases "Half a Love" and "Ain't These Tears" met with no response, and only one new title, "That Time of Year," arrived the year after. Fellow Vee-Jay act the Four Seasons supplied backing vocals on 1964's "Watch Over Her," though even their commercial momentum failed to place the record on the charts. One last single, 1965's "Where Did You Go Last Night," prompted Vee-Jay to drop the artist.
Two years later Flemons resurfaced on the modest Ramsel label with "Jeanette," which was quickly followed by "Two of a Kind." He also co-wrote the Dells' 1968 hit "Stay in My Corner" and, around the same time, joined Vee-Jay session vocalist Maurice White in the Salty Peppers for their debut single, "La, La, La." The group moved to Capitol in 1969 for "La La Time"; after one additional release, "Your Love Is Life," the lineup evolved into Earth, Wind & Fire. Flemons remained with the band, contributing vocals, vibes, and electric piano, until 1973, when White dismissed him along with several other members. Any subsequent musical work is undocumented; he succumbed to cancer in Battle Creek on October 13, 1993.
The Newcomers had already dissolved by the arrival of the 1959 follow-up, "Hold Me Close"; two further singles surfaced that year—"Slow Motion" and "Goodnight, It's Time to Go"—yet neither registered on the charts. Flemons reentered the listings in 1960 with his strongest performer, "Easy Lovin'," which climbed into the R&B Top Ten, while its B-side, "Woops Now," gained traction in scattered markets. A self-titled album preceded the next single, "Ain't That Lovin' You, Baby," and in 1961 he logged his final chart appearance with a version of the Percy Mayfield hit "Please Send Me Someone to Love," which edged into the R&B Top 20.
The 1962 releases "Half a Love" and "Ain't These Tears" met with no response, and only one new title, "That Time of Year," arrived the year after. Fellow Vee-Jay act the Four Seasons supplied backing vocals on 1964's "Watch Over Her," though even their commercial momentum failed to place the record on the charts. One last single, 1965's "Where Did You Go Last Night," prompted Vee-Jay to drop the artist.
Two years later Flemons resurfaced on the modest Ramsel label with "Jeanette," which was quickly followed by "Two of a Kind." He also co-wrote the Dells' 1968 hit "Stay in My Corner" and, around the same time, joined Vee-Jay session vocalist Maurice White in the Salty Peppers for their debut single, "La, La, La." The group moved to Capitol in 1969 for "La La Time"; after one additional release, "Your Love Is Life," the lineup evolved into Earth, Wind & Fire. Flemons remained with the band, contributing vocals, vibes, and electric piano, until 1973, when White dismissed him along with several other members. Any subsequent musical work is undocumented; he succumbed to cancer in Battle Creek on October 13, 1993.