The Penguins
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1953 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music recordings, performances |
The Penguins were a doo-wop ensemble originating from Los Angeles, California, active throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s. They gained widespread recognition for their 1954 track, "Earth Angel", which stands as one of the earliest rhythm and blues pieces to achieve success on mainstream pop charts. The song climbed to No. 8 on the US Billboard Best Sellers in Stores pop ranking and dominated the R&B chart at No. 1 for a duration of three weeks.
Early career
The founding members included tenor Cleveland Duncan (1935–2012), baritone/bass Curtis Williams (1934–1979), tenor Dexter Tisby (1935–2019), and baritone Bruce Tate (1937–1973). Duncan and Williams, who had attended Fremont High School in Los Angeles together, established the group in late 1953 before adding Tisby and Tate. Their musical approach combined elements of rhythm and blues with rock and roll. Curtis Williams contributed the song "Earth Angel," co-written alongside Gaynel Hodge from The Hollywood Flames.
The group's name was inspired by Kool cigarettes' mascot "Willie the Penguin," symbolizing their stylish and "cool" persona. Initially, Dootone Records released "Hey Senorita" as the A-side in late 1954; however, disc jockeys favored the B-side "Earth Angel," which ascended to No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart for three consecutive weeks in early 1955. By 1966, this single had achieved sales of four million copies. Following this success, the group issued a holiday-themed record featuring "A Christmas Prayer" backed with "Jingle Jangle."
In July 1955, The Penguins appeared at the eleventh Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Los Angeles' Wrigley Field, performing alongside notable musicians including Lionel Hampton and James Moody. Cleveland Duncan provided lead vocals on "Earth Angel" and later revisited the song in Frank Zappa’s 1963 tribute "Memories of El Monte," which celebrated pioneering rock and roll artists from El Monte, California.
Because radio stations maintained segregated playlists at the time, white vocal group The Crew-Cuts recorded their own version of "Earth Angel" in 1955; their rendition reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart, outpacing The Penguins’ original. This achievement helped launch The Crew-Cuts’ career in producing crossover adaptations of R&B hits.
The songwriting credits for "Earth Angel" were ultimately distributed among Curtis Williams, Gaynel Hodge, and Jesse Belvin.
After "Earth Angel"
Following their breakthrough with "Earth Angel," The Penguins brought on Buck Ram as their manager. Ram’s primary focus was managing The Platters, a lucrative touring act that had yet to score hit singles. Utilizing The Penguins’ rising fame, Ram secured a dual contract with Mercury Records for both groups—Mercury’s primary interest being The Penguins. However, The Platters eventually became Mercury’s more commercially successful act, while The Penguins did not replicate their initial chart success.
In 1955, Bruce Tate departed and was succeeded by Randy Jones, who later joined the Cadets. During the summer of 1956, Jones and Tisby temporarily exited the group and were replaced by Ray Brewster and Teddy Harper; both Jones and Tisby returned shortly thereafter. Curtis Williams left in December 1957, with Harper becoming a permanent member afterward. Although The Penguins did not attain further national chart success, their 1957 rendition of "Pledge of Love" reached No. 15 on the R&B chart.
Later years
The ensemble ceased operations in 1962. Cleveland Duncan carried on performing under the name "The Penguins," joined by new member Walter Saulsberry and supported by the Viceroys. Subsequent configurations featured Duncan alongside Saulsberry, Vesta and Evelyn King, and Vera Walker. By the close of the 1960s, performing as the "Fabulous Penguins," the group included Duncan, Walker, and Rudy Wilson. Throughout the 1970s, the roster comprised Duncan, the returning Saulsberry, and Glenn Madison from the Delcos (Indiana), a lineup that remained intact until 2012.
The Penguins made an appearance on the PBS program Doo Wop 50. In 2001, Duncan, Madison, and Saulsberry performed with guest artist Randy Jones. However, plans for Jones to rejoin permanently were interrupted by a stroke he suffered during rehearsals; he passed away shortly thereafter. Jones had also collaborated with the reunited Jacks/Cadets during the 1990s. Cleveland Duncan passed away on November 7, 2012, in Los Angeles at 77 years old.
Paul Simon's song "Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War" includes a nod to the group. Simon has shared that "Earth Angel" was his first exposure to R&B music and recounted how he conveyed its significance to his father, a big band musician.
Award
In 2004, The Penguins were honored with induction into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame.