The Hesitations
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Headquarters | Cleveland , United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
The Hesitations represent an American R&B ensemble originating from Cleveland, Ohio.
Background
Established in 1965, the group secured multiple hits during 1967 and 1968, with their most notable success being a gospel-inspired interpretation of the movie Born Free theme. The ensemble disbanded after the tragic accidental passing of member George "King" Scott in February 1968. They reunited in 2006 with a refreshed lineup and resumed both recording and live performances.
Career
In November 1966, The Hesitations issued the single "Soul Superman" backed with "I'm Not Built That Way" on KAPP 790. This release garnered a four-star rating from Record World. Billboard identified the track as a promising R&B contender, and it ultimately climbed to number 42 on the R&B Singles chart.
Their album titled Soul Superman received favorable critiques in June 1967, with songs such as "Soul Kind of Love" and "She Won't Come Back" highlighted for their commercial potential.
The group also recorded "Love is Everywhere," composed by Ray Lewis, LeCharles Harper, and the Poindexters, which was paired with "Born Free" on KAPP K-878. By January 1968, their rendition of "Born Free" entered the Billboard Best Selling R&B Singles chart at position 44, reaching a peak of number 4 by late February and holding that rank for two consecutive weeks.
Released in January 1968, their album New Born Free earned positive reviews, featuring notable tracks like "Overworked and Underpaid," "Push a Little Bit Harder," "I Wish it Could Me," and "Believe in Love." This album debuted at number 30 on the Billboard Best Selling R&B LP's chart in February.
Members
- Art Blakey
- George Hendricks
- Williams Carter
- Joyce Blakey
- Garey Harbour – Keyboards
- Ronnie Wilson Jr. – Drums
- Clarence Smith – Bass
- Ric Kerr – Guitar
- Roger Maple – Saxophone
Note: This roster is not exhaustive.
- George "King" Scott (deceased)
- Leonard Veal
- Fred Deal
Discography
- Albums
- Soul Superman (Kapp Records, 1967)
- Solid Gold (Kapp, 1968)
- The New Born Free (Kapp, 1968) US #193, US Black Albums #30
- Where We're At! (Kapp, 1968)
- Charting singles
- "Soul Superman" (1967) US Black Singles #42
- "Born Free" (1968) US #38 / CAN #39
- "The Impossible Dream" (1968) US #42
- "Climb Every Mountain" (1968) US #90
- "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" (1968) US #100 / CAN #83
References
External links
- Discogs – The Hesitations