Artist Biography
The Sheiks (aka the Five Sheiks) of Norfolk, VA were an R&B harmony vocal group, originally called the Five Pearls. In 1954, the quintet -- consisting at that time of Kenneth Kimball, Johnny Wilson, Horace Jenkins, William Collins, and Alton Parker -- crossed paths with aspiring producer Frank Guida, who had lately relocated to Norfolk from New York City. He liked their sound enough to set up a recording session at a local radio station, which yielded a pair of songs, "Give Me Another Chance" and "Baby Don't You Cry," credited to the the Five Sheiks -- as it turned out there was already a group using the Five Pearls name. Guida released it on his own, newly founded Ef-En-De label, and it did well enough that Atlantic Records ended up releasing the group's second single, "Walk That Walk" b/w "The Kissing Song," in December of 1954. The group went on to enjoy a solid recording career in association with Guida, and their members included Raymond Haskiss. They were still working in the early '60s, releasing "Why Should I Dance" in 1961, an extraordinary longevity for an early-'50s harmony vocal group. ~ Bruce Eder
Hometown
Norfolk, VA, United States
Genre
Worldwide