By Gavin Miller, Web Services Coordinator
Each week of June, we open the 88.9 Vault of Soul with profiles of iconic soul pioneers. To begin 2025’s June coverage, WERS recognizes a vocal group who inspired soul pioneers (and pioneers across genres) long after their initial lineup took over the 1950s charts: The Platters.
Listening to The Platters feels like being enchanted. There is a whimsical quality to the group’s production—even in the late 1950s—that feels timeless. While their music carries a classic quality, their history is anything but mundane. Forming an all-black rock ‘n roll vocal group in the late 1950s was a difficult task on its own, given that the music industry was embroiled in racism. However, The Platters, with their four number-one hits and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, did not merely persevere—they thrived. Still, several challenges remain in the history of The Platters shifting members and the illegal copyright tactics of producer and manager Samuel “Buck” Ram.
BIOGRAPHY
Catching Fire
A creative match was lit in 1952 by bass singer Herb Reed as he recruited talented vocalists across Los Angeles to sing with on street corners. This wasn’t easy, and did not happen without sacrifice; Reed was forced to flee an abusive home in Kansas City at just fifteen years old. Music was what Reed knew and, luckily, what the town of Los Angeles breathed. Ralph Bass, a pioneering R&B producer and talent scout, sought the likes of Reed and his new LA friends’ music for Federal Records. The vocalists, however, needed one last thing: a name. Reflecting on the record that the studio wanted, one name came to mind: The Platters. After all, platters are what records are built to stand on!
Samuel “Buck” Ram, a popular writer and producer who wrote with several other artists, aided in getting the Platters signed in a 2-for-1 deal with Mercury Records. At the time, Mercury was more interested in another group listed in the deal, The Penguins. However, it was The Platters that found greater popular success. “Only You (And You Alone)” was the quintet’s breakout hit. Though it went through several iterations before a finalized release, once the track was out, it soared. “Only You” became a top ten hit and boosted The Platters to national recognition.
Challenges Overcome, History Made
While the path to continual success seemed secure, the sharp edge of mid-20th century American ideology posed threats. Zola Taylor, who joined the Platters at just 15 years old, was a rare female singer in popular 1950s groups. Overcoming the burden of gender expectations at the time came as the music spoke for itself. In 1959, racist charges that were brought against members of The Platters reinforced laws under Jim Crow. While all four members were eventually acquitted, radio play lessened within the United States and Buck Ram brought The Platters to Europe. While at first these challenges put the Platters up against seemingly impossible odds, the group persevered at every turn.
As members came and went, Herb Reed watched several people—from short-lived members to Buck Ram himself—try to take hold of The Platters name for financial gain. However, courts later decided that ownership rightfully belonged to Reed. Despite this, it’s important to pay respect to several incredible singers who were a part of The Platters.
Highlighting Other Original Members
Zola Taylor, who was an original member of The Platters until 1962, recorded lead vocals on their remarkable hit song “He’s Mine”. It is no wonder that most successful years of The Platters’ extended career—1954-1963—included Zola.
Another interesting bit of The Platters history includes Cornell Gunter, an overlooked member of The Platters’ original lineup. Gunter was a member of The Flairs and The Coasters as well, giving him a legendary status in the late 1950s Rhythm and Blues scene. In fact, Cornell was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Coasters, not The Platters. That’s because he was quickly replaced by the iconic singer Tony Williams, who, like Reed, went to the military before moving to Los Angeles. While Reed was discharged after a short stint in the military, Williams made his way all the way to the rank of sergeant. It was legendary pop vocalist Tony Bennett who was convinced that “Only You” had potential, launching the group to greater success.
Who Influenced The Platters:
- The Orioles
- Sarah Vaughan
- Ella Fitzgerald
- Nat King Cole
- The Ink Spots
- The Four Aces
- Billy Ward and his Dominoes
Who The Platters Influenced:
- Gladys Knight and The Pips
- Sam Cooke
- The Beach Boys
- The Temptations
- Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
- Four Tops
- The O’Jays
- The Supremes
- Sly and Family Stone
- Shalamar
- Lucy Pearl
Awards and Honors:
- Vocal Group Hall of Fame (1998)
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee (1990)
- NME Award For World Group (1957)
Spotlight Tracks
“Only You (And You Alone)” (1955)
It’s hard to talk about The Platters legacy without mentioning “Only You (And You Alone),” a ballad on love and dedication. Tony Williams, only having recently joined the group, takes on lead vocals. The guitar that starts out the track and the slow pace of the lyrics that follow represent a wondrous blend of doo-wop and rock. The Platters would become famous for this genre bending, which influenced groups long after their time.
The song still influences not just artists, but media. The song appears in the popular video game Far Cry 5. This media influence is nothing new, however: “Only You” also appeared in George Lucas’ 1973 film American Graffiti. It’s appeared in several other movies and TV shows, as its timeless quality evokes strong emotions from listeners.
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” (1959)
“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” is monumental in scope. Lush strings rise and fall against vocal melodies, adding a gravitas unheard in previous versions. “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” was originally written before The Platters’ time; it was a 1933 show tune by Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach. However, the elevation of the writing and production by The Platters brought the song to its greatest height in both quality and popularity. In 1959 the song was a number one hit! Topping the chart yet again, The Platters found continued success in their rendition of “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” even as the group’s lineup began to change.
“He’s Mine” (1957)
“He’s Mine” was not the most popular song recorded by The Platters (though it was still a top thirty hit, which speaks to the group’s success in the latter half of the 1950s). However, it’s blend of doo-wop and rock demonstrates the specialized niche that The Platters carved out in rock and roll history. Zola Taylor’s vocals leading as the men fall behind her, especially at her young age, makes the song a bold hit for the time. The snappy snare that guides the rhythm of the song makes the tune incredibly danceable, especially as horns fall in and out of the mix.
“The Great Pretender” (1955)
Another number-one hit with Tony Williams leading the vocal direction, “The Great Pretender” lives on in covers by several of the greats. Freddie Mercury and Sam Cooke took great steps to bring integrity to their covers; the latter’s rendition allegedly inspired the band the Pretenders to choose their name! The melancholy lyrics behind a steady piano and high-pitched oohs and low, bass ahhs brings layers to the feelings of sadness represented. The covers of songs like “The Great Pretender” and their respective successes only further influences the vast effects of all who The Platters inspired. Roy Orbison’s cover, for instance, demonstrates how The Platters were key in building the sound of the rockabilly movement. Besides being a fantastic song,
“The Great Pretender” highlights how The Platters caught listeners beyond their own versions of songs.
