The Charades

Background

They started out in the late 1950s under the name The Latin Knights. The Charades were popular in the San Joaquin Valley in California doing local functions etc. The name was changed to The Charades in 1962. By 1962, they had signed with Anthony J. Hilder. They had their first release on Northridge Records. Another label they had a release on was Äva Records which was owned by Fred Astaire. Hilder who in those days was called Tony Hilder is credited ads co-composer and producer of "Please Be My Love Tonight" which was the A side of the single. Robert Hafner was the credited as co-composer for the B side. Other 45 releases were on Original Sound Records and Impact Records. They recorded a single for the Skylark label. The single "Flamingo" actually featured Los Angeles vocalist Billy Storm on lead. Storm also co-produced the single.

At one stage the group was joined by Tom Johnston who would go on to become a member of The Doobie Brothers.

Note: There was a group from Nashville bearing the same name that released a politically motivated single in 1966, "Hammers and Sickles" / "Left Wing Bird" - Monument 921. They were unrelated.

Later years

Their 1966 recording "The Key To My Happiness" has become a Northern Soul favorite, and is in Ian Levine's all-time Top Ten Northern Soul sounds list. It is also in the top-ten list of Northern Soul fillers as picked by Wigan Casino DJ Richard Searling. As recorded on the Popsike website, in a 2007 eBay auction, a black label version of the MGM release of the song went for a tasty £350.

The Charades, with original members Ray Baradat and Syl Grigsby, continue to perform and record. The group has two CD release in 2010 "Connections" and a release in 2015 "Echoes of Yesterday".

Members

Links