Rays

Artist Biography by AllMusic This R&B group consisted of Harold Miller (b. 17 January 1931), tenor Walter Ford (b. 5 September 1931), second tenor Davey Jones (b. 1931) and baritone Harry James (b. 1932). It was formed in New York in 1955, when two refugees from the Four Fellows (of ‘Soldier Boy’ fame), Miller and Jones, teamed up with James and Ford. They first recorded for Chess with no success, then moved to the Philadelphia-based Cameo label in 1957 and achieved lasting fame, albeit as one-hit-wonders, with ‘Silhouettes.’ The song went to number 3 both R&B and pop in late 1957. The flip-side, the rousing jump led by Ford, ‘Daddy Cool’, received solid play and briefly charted. These songs are much better known than the Rays, having been remade innumerable times. Herman’s Hermits in 1965 and Cliff Richard in 1990 both took ‘Silhouettes’ up the charts, while British revivalist band Darts, in 1977, and Boney M in 1976, each took ‘Daddy Cool’ into the UK Top 10.