The Impalas
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Defunct | 1961 |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn , United States |
| Products | Music recordings |
The Impalas were a Brooklyn-based American doo-wop ensemble active between 1958 and 1961, renowned primarily for their popular track, "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)". The lineup featured lead vocalist Joe "Speedo" Frazier (1943–2014), alongside Richard Wagner, Lenny Renda, and Tony Carlucci. Distinctively, the group was racially mixed, with Frazier being the sole African American member.
The group was discovered by songwriters Artie Zwirn and Aristides "Gino" Giosasi, who composed their hallmark song. Initially, The Impalas recorded under Hamilton Records. In 1959, disc jockey Alan Freed facilitated a contract with MGM Records' Cub label and was credited as a co-writer on their hit single. This record climbed to No. 2 on the U.S. pop charts and reached No. 14 on the R&B listings, also attaining No. 28 in the United Kingdom. It achieved sales exceeding one million copies, resulting in gold disc status.
After this breakthrough, The Impalas issued additional releases such as "'Bye Everybody," "Oh What A Fool," an album through Cub Records, and a final single with 20th Century before disbanding in 1961. Joe Frazier later performed with Love's Own in 1973 and reformed The Impalas as a touring group in 1980.
Joe "Speedo" Frazier died on April 1, 2014, at the age of 70.