The Four Shades of Rhythm
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1938 |
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Oscar Lindsay (vocalist, drummer) |
| Products | Rhythm and blues music recordings and performances |
The Four Shades of Rhythm emerged as an American R&B ensemble originating in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1938, and are acknowledged as pioneers within the city's nascent rhythm and blues movement. During the 1940s, after a reconfiguration led by vocalist and drummer Oscar Lindsay, the group relocated to Chicago where they performed and recorded, producing at least seven singles.
History
The initial formation of The Four Shades of Rhythm in 1938 consisted of Oscar Lindsay (vocals, drums), Willie Lewis (guitar), Sims London (piano), and Macon Sims (bass) in Cleveland. Throughout World War II, their setlist included traditional pop numbers, show tunes, and jazz standards. The group disbanded following the war; however, Lindsay later reassembled the band with new members June Cobb on bass, Oscar Pennington on guitar, and Eddie "Bones" McAfee on piano.
By 1946, the band secured a long-term engagement in Chicago. Due to her unwillingness to move, June Cobb was replaced by Eddie Meyers. Performances in Chicago caught the attention of Vitacoustic Records executives Jack Buckley and Lloyd Garrett, resulting in recording sessions toward the end of 1947. Their first single, "One Hundred Years from Today," featuring McAfee’s lead vocals, was issued in January 1948.
Vitacoustic ceased operations in September 1948 because of financial obligations to Egmont Sonderling, owner of United Broadcasting Studio, who acquired their master recordings. To recover his investment, Sonderling established Old Swing Master Records in 1949 and released three singles from The Four Shades of Rhythm that year; however, poor technical quality and distribution challenges limited commercial success.
Oscar Pennington departed late in 1949 and was succeeded by Adam Lambert from the Cats N' Jammers. Following Eddie Meyers’ exit in 1951, Booker Collins joined the ensemble. The group recorded sixteen tracks at Custom Sound Recordings in Evanston, Illinois; these recordings were uncovered decades later in 2007. By September 1952 sessions with Chance Records, pianist Ernie Harper had taken over from McAfee, leading to a new rendition of "Yesterday."
In 1957, Mad Records released their single "Ghost of a Chance." Their final release—probably a solo project by Lindsay—was a string-accompanied remake of "A Hundred Years from Today" on Apex Records in January 1960 before the group's dissolution.