The Golden Age Of The Ink Spots - The Best Of Everything - 101 Classic Original Recordings [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 4CD SET

Tracing the origins of The Four Ink Spots, one of the most distinctive of all vocal groups, is rather like compiling a family tree. It goes back to the early 1920s when dancer Orville 'Hoppy' Jones teamed up with 'Miff' Campbell to play in small time vaudeville. Joined in 1928 by Leonard Reed, they became The Peanut Boys. Elsewhere, Ivory 'Deacon' (better known as Deek) Watson was playing in a 'coffee pot' band known as The Percolating Puppies whose members, in addition to playing stringed instruments, would also use various sized tea and coffee pots as echo chambers for kazoos, thus emulating the sound of a larger band. When Reed left Jones and Campbell, Watson was recruited to take his place and with the addition of a fourth member, 'Slim' Green, became The Four Riff Brothers who performed together well into 1931 when Watson and Green left to pursue solo careers. In the meantime Charlie Fuqua, originally with the Patent Leather Kids, teamed with Jerry Daniels and Bernie MacKey to play in an un-named coffee pot band. The titles says it all, 101 original recordings from the greatest harmony group of the 1930s and 1940s, The Ink Spots remain a firm favourite to this day. This superb, digitally re-mastered set includes every one of their chart successes, big and small, all seven of their duets with Ella Fitzgerald, and much more. Around five hours playing time, four CD set in slip case, with a 16 page booklet setting out the history of a seminal group who influenced many subsequent popular and R&B singers.