The Satintones
| Company type | Vocal group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Defunct | 1961 |
| Headquarters | Detroit , United States |
| Products | Singles, albums |
The Satintones were a pioneering American R&B ensemble active during the late 1950s and early 1960s, recognized as the inaugural artists to record under the Motown label.
The initial roster featured Charles "Chico" Leverett, Sonny Sanders, James Ellis, and Robert Bateman. In 1961, Leverett departed and was succeeded by Vernon Williams and Sammy Mack. Between 1959 and 1961, they issued six singles on Motown but failed to secure a hit, ultimately dissolving by the close of 1961.
Career
When Tamla Records (which later became Motown) was established in January 1959, Sanders and Bateman contributed as backing vocalists for owner Berry Gordy. They aimed to assemble a vocal group including Brian Holland and James Ellis. Due to Holland's other commitments, songwriter Chico Leverett joined instead, forming The Satintones who signed with Motown.
As Motown’s first recorded act, they released "Going To The Hop" backed with "Motor City" prior to Smokey Robinson's Miracles. Although their initial release did not achieve commercial success, the B-side's title inspired Gordy to adopt the name "Motown" for his label.
The Satintones put out multiple singles; notably, "Tomorrow and Always" was pulled from release after allegations of copyright infringement related to the Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow." Following Leverett’s exit in 1961, the group struggled to fill his songwriting role and produced two additional singles before disbanding. Recordings intended for an album remained unreleased until 2009, when they appeared on The Satintones Sing.
After the group dissolved, Bateman teamed up with Brian Holland forming the songwriting and production duo Brianbert, while Sanders gained prominence as an arranger and producer based in Chicago. The Satintones briefly reunited during the late 1980s for Ian Levine's Motorcity Records initiative.
Chico Leverett passed away in 2013 at age 79; both Bateman and Sanders died on October 12, 2016.
Singles
- "Going to the Hop" b/w "Motor City" (Tamla T 54026, July 1959)
- "My Beloved" b/w "Sugar Daddy" (Motown M 1000, October 1959)
- "Tomorrow and Always" b/w "A Love That Can Never Be" (Motown M 1006, April 1961) (withdrawn)
- "Angel" b/w "A Love That Can Never Be" (Motown M 1006, May 1961) (replacement release)
- "I Know How It Feels" b/w "My Kind of Love" (Motown M 1010, June 1961)
- "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" b/w "Faded Letter" (Motown M 1020, October 1961)
Albums
- The Satintones Sing! The Complete Tamla and Motown Singles Plus (Ace CDLUX 002, 2009)