The Delta Rhythm Boys was an American vocal group active from 1934 to 1987.[1]

The Delta Rhythm Boys
The quartet with pianist Rene DeKnight. Top left to right: Lee Gaines, DeKnight. Center: Carl Jones. Bottom left to right: Traverse Crawford, Kelsey Pharr.
Background information
Genres	R&B, jazz, gospel
Years active	1934–1987

The group was formed at Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, in 1934 by Carl Jones, Traverse Crawford, Otha Lee Gaines, and Kelsey Pharr.[1] They moved to Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1936 and worked there under Frederick Hall as the Frederick Hall Quintet and the New Orleans Quintet.[1]

They performed on radio programs such as Amos and Andy and The Joan Davis Show, and performed on Broadway in the shows Sing Out the News and Hot Mikado.[1] The group appeared extensively in 15 films.[2] They resettled permanently in Europe in 1956.[1]

Lee Gaines died of cancer in Helsinki, Finland on July 15, 1987.[3] At Gaines's funeral(On July 22nd, 1987), Hugh Bryant collapsed while performing, and died, apparently from a heart attack.[4]

Personnel

Bass

• 1934–1987: Lee Gaines

First tenor

• 1934–1944: Elmaurice Miller
• 1940–1944: Clinton Holland
• 1944–1960: Carl Jones
• 1960–1974: Herb Coleman
• 1974–1987: Walter Trammell

Second tenor

• 1934–1975: Traverse Crawford
• 1975–1987: Ray Beatty

Baritone

• 1934–1940: Joseph "Essie" Adkins
• 1940–1943: Harry Lewis
• 1943–1960: Kelsey Pharr
• 1951–1954: Cliff Holland (temporary replacement for Pharr)
• 1962–1987: Hugh Bryant

Deaths

Kelsey Pharr died on April 20th, 1961.(He had fallen ill and entered a hospital prior)

Elmaurice Miller died on September 13th, 1962, at the age of 59.

Clinton Holland died In August of 1968, at the of 51.

On June 12, 1974 in Cannes, France, Herb Coleman and Delta Rhythm Boys members had just left the casino Palm Beach where they had just played their jazz classics when they saw a Frenchman playing Russian roulette in the street. Herb Coleman wanted to prevent the young man from playing with the revolver. The man then turned the weapon against the singer and fired, killing Herb Coleman. The man, a 29-year-old French barber, was drunk. He was arrested and charged with murder.

Traverse Crawford died on July 26th, 1975, at the age of 59.

Harry Lewis died In August of 1984, at the age of 69.

Joseph "Essie" Adkins died on August 21st, 1990, at the age of 81.

Clifford Holland died on September 26th, 1990, at the age of 71.

Carl Jones died on September 21st, 2010, at the age of 91.

References

External links

• The Delta Rhythm Boys at the Vocal Group Hall of Fame website
• The Delta Rhythm Boys at Doo Wop Nation
• Jason Gross. Carl Jones Interview. Furious.com. January 2001.