THE PRISONAIRES
The Prisonaires era una banda afroamericana de estilo Doo-Wop formada por un grupo de delincuentes encarcelados en la penitenciaria de Nashville, Tennessee. Formada en 1953, el grupo nació cuando Johnny Bragg (encarcelado en prisión por 6 delitos de violación) conoció a dos cantantes gospel, Ed Thurman y William Stewart (ambos condenados a 99 años por asesinato). Más tarde dos nuevos presos se unieron a la banda, John Drue Jr. (condenado 3 años por robo) y Marcell Sanders (5 años por homicidio) completando este peculiar quinteto musical.
El grupo se hizo famoso al ser descubierto por el productor de radio Joe Calloway que los escuchó cantar mientras se preparaba una emisión de noticias desde la prisión. El productor de radio les convenció para que tocaran ese mismo día una canción en directo. Desde aquel día el nombre “The Prisonaires” corrió de boca en boca.
El grupo firmó un contrato discográfico con Sun Records, con la condición de que cuando salieran de la cárcel para ir a grabar al estudio, fueran custodiados bajo policía armada. Unas semanas más tarde su canción “Just Walkin ‘in the Rain” se convirtió en todo un hit vendiendo más de 50.000 copias.
Su éxito fue tal que se le concedieron permisos de un día para salir de la prisión e ir a tocar a pequeños conciertos repartidos por todo el estado de Tennessee. Convirtiendose así en el grupo favorito del propio gobernador del estado, Frank G. Clement.
La carrera del grupo fue muy corta, apenas duró dos años. Pero sirvió para forjar una gran historia que tiene su propio documental, llamado “The Prisonaires”.
DOOWOP - VOCAL GROUP HARMONY
Prisonaires (Nashville, Tennessee)
Members :
Johnny Bragg (Lead)
Edward Lee Thurman (Tenor)
John Edward Drue Jr. (Tenor)
Marcel Sanders (Bass)
William Stewart (Baritone))
Join our IndieGogo campaign to help tell The Prisonaires story: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the...
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theprisonaires
Follow us on Twitter: @theprisonaires
#theprisonaires #theprisonairesdocumentary
The Prisonaires were five African-American singers in the 1950s, who also happened to be inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville. Their doo-wop sound, known best through their hit "Just Walkin' in the Rain" influenced generations of rock and pop legends to come, including Johnny Ray and Elvis Presley. This documentary takes you through the stories that surrounded them, from hard time to good times, with never before seen interviews of lead singer Johnny Bragg who was serving six consecutive terms. You'll be amazed at the miracle that brought their talent to the ears of the early music recording industry.
Join our grassroots campaign to ensure The Prisonaires' story is told! After 15 years of collecting rare archival photos, exclusive interview footage and music, The Prisonaires Documentary -- with your help -- will make history as the first film to ever tell their incredible story. Share this page and join our IndieGogo campaign, set to launch in September, 2013.
The Prisonaires were just that, five African-American male singers who also happened to be inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville. Despite what normally would be considered circumstances too onerous to start a pop music career, the Prisonaires were celebrities, albeit briefly, after the recording of the one and only hit record, "Just Walkin' in the Rain," which Sam Phillips released on Sun in 1953 -- a song that three years later became a million seller for Johnnie Ray. The band was formed by lead singer Johnny Bragg, who had been a penitentiary inmate since the age of 17 after being convicted of six charges of rape. A singer since childhood, Bragg had joined a prison gospel quintet soon after his incarceration, but after a falling out, Bragg took two of its singers, Ed Thurman and William Stewart, each of whom were doing 99 years for murder, and hooked up with recent penitentiary arrivals John Drue (three years for larceny) and Marcell Sanders (one-to-five for involuntary manslaughter), and the Prisonaires were born.
They were discovered by radio producer Joe Calloway, who heard them singing while preparing a news broadcast from the prison. Calloway suggested to warden James Edwards that the group be allowed out to perform on the radio. Edwards, a liberal reform-minded warden who saw this as part of his strategy of rehabilitation, agreed. In the meantime, Bragg was busy selling songs to music publisher Red Wortham, who sent a tape of the Prisonaires' radio performance to Jim Bulliet, a minority shareholder in Sun Records. Bulliet sent the tape to Phillips, and despite his initial reservations (Phillips was not a huge fan of the group's Ink Spots-style close harmony crooning), arranged to have the groups transported under armed guard to Memphis to record. A few weeks later, "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was released and quickly sold 50,000 copies, a small success that was not without long-term ramifications. Peter Guralnick notes that "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was likely the record that captured the attention of a young Elvis Presley as he read about the studio, the label, and more importantly, Phillips. The attendant publicity was more than had been predicted, and soon warden Edwards was allowing the group out on day passes to tour throughout the state of Tennessee. The band became favorites of the state's governor, Frank Clement, and frequently performed for assembled guests at the governor's mansion.
The group never had another hit, and within a year they were finished, the result of the rise of rock & roll and Phillips' preoccupation with a young singer from Tupelo, MS, named Presley. Most of the Prisonaires had no careers outside of the prison with the notable exception of Bragg, who, despite remaining in jail off and on until 1969, recorded some marginal R&B and country for small labels in Nashville.
Comments