The Manhattans Contact Information

THE MANHATTANS

NEW SINGLE

JUST FOR TONITE

The Manhattans

Just For Tonite is a special song that was written by Original Founding Member Edward "Sonny" Bivins and Alvin Pazant Its a love song , about a romantic evening with a special person. But it was only for, that time, the relationship never continued beyond that point for either person . So sit back ,listen and maybe you , or someone you know. can reminisce about this song also. Enjoy !!!!!


Edward "Sonny" Bivins
                                                              Alvin Pazant
                                                              Harsey Hemphill
                                                              Charles Hardy
                                                              Lee Williams

Legend has it that George "Smitty" Smith, Edward "Sonny" Bivins, Winfred "Blue" Lovett, Kenneth Kelly and Richard Taylor came to call themselves the Manhattans because, as teenage singers in Jersey City, New Jersey, they'd dream about the big time while gazing across the Hudson River at the Manhattan skyline. It's a nice story, but unfortunately it is not true. In fact, the quintet took its name from a cocktail known as the Manhattan that's made from whiskey, vermouth, and bitters. Still, the name suggested class, something the Manhattans have epitomized throughout their long career. First tenor Bivins, who characterizes the group's elegant style as "progressive doo wop," first got together with baritone singer Taylor while they were serving with the Air Force in Germany during the late 1950's. After being discharged, Bivins, Lovett and Smith formed the Dulcets in 1960. In 1961, The Dulcets recorded "Pork Chops" on the Sue Label. In 1963, with the addition of Kelly and Taylor, they formed The Manhattans. Although they began making records in 1963, the Manhattans didn't strike it big until the mid 1970's, when they successfully bucked the disco trend with a series of romantic ballads for Columbia Records. They had eight songs in the R&B Top 10 between 1973 and 1978, with the composition "Kiss And Say Good Bye" going to Number One on both the R&B and Pop Charts in 1976 and placing in the top five in England and Australia. "Shining Star" made it to number five on the Pop Charts, staying on the charts for 14 straight weeks The Manhattans continue to bring their smooth, classy live sound to their fans, with over 100 shows worldwide last year alone. With Edward "Sonny" Bivins at baritone, Al Pazant at bass, Lee "The Reverend" Williams at lead vocal and Charles "Charming Charlie" Hardy and Harsey "The Candyman" Hemphill sharing 1st and 2nd tenor, The Manhattans

Manhattans Entertainment Inc Company Corporate Officers: Edward "Sonny" Bivins, CEO Charles D. Hardy, President Alvin Pazant, Vice President Harsey Hemphill, Secretary William Lee Williams, Treasurer Executive Team:Toye Kates, Jr/ Westwood Music Group - Business Relations Victor Kaply, / Westwood Music Group - Business Relations Sharon Cardenas - Marketing Dept. Legal Representation: James A. Key, Jr. - Attorney Contact Information: Charles D. Hardy Business Manager The Manhattans R 2014 Manhattan Entertainmet Inc R 2014 updated information

In the words of Bar Mix Master "the blend of the charred oak, spiciness, of Bourbon; the sweet, herbal, and slight caramel flavour of Sweet Vermouth; and the indescribable flavour of bitters combine to make a cocktail like none other." This cocktail "is said to have been invented in New York's Manhattan Club in 1874 at the request of Winston Churchill's mother, Lady Randolph Churchill to celebrate a newly elected governor" (http://barmixmaster.com). The cocktail still these days is known as the Manhattan.

This is a multi-part story of one of the greatest and best-loved groups in the history of soul music, the Manhattans, told by its present end ex-members and many other music business figures, who have been dealing with the group throughout the years. As to the origin of the name of the group, there have been different recollections. One member is in favour of the skyline they could see right across the water from the Jersey City - "Manhattan was close to New Jersey. It was easy to remember, and we just felt we wanted to represent class" but another member, Mr. Winfred "Blue" Lovett, remembers slightly differently: "We collectively came up with the Manhattans, but we referred ourselves to the alcoholic drink. Everybody thought the name was from the borough of the New York anyway, so we just grabbed on to that."

The five singers, who became the first members of the Manhattans in the early 60s, went to two Jersey City high schools in the 50s - George Smith and Richard Taylor to Snyder High and Winfred Lovett, Kenneth Kelly and Edward Bivins to Lincoln High.

(Sonny Bivins pic taken from www.themanhattans.net)
EDWARD "SONNY" BIVINS

Edward Jesse Bivins, Jr. (tenor) is the senior member of the group in terms of his age, as he was born on January 15 in 1936. Still today he's best known as "Sonny" - "when I was young, I was always smiling" but his other nickname used to be "Dip." Sonny: "I played baseball. Then I started singing, and I couldn't sing and play baseball at the same time." He played minor league baseball in the Jersey City All-Stars.

Sonny was born in Macon, Georgia, to Willie and Edward Bivins. "My father tap-danced, and I got into music through my father." Sonny had two brothers, Donald and James, but no sisters. In Macon he started singing in a school choir and glee club. "We moved no New Jersey in 1950, and I went to Lincoln High in 1951. In school I was two years ahead of Kenny Kelly and Blue Lovett, and we all used to sing around school and on the street corners."

Sonny's early idol was Sam Cooke, and of the later acts he puts the Temptations first, but thinks highly of the Dells, the Spinners, the O'Jays and B.B. King, too. His all-time favourite record is To Each His Own by Nat King Cole. He has five children Mark, Pam, Doug, Yvette and Kenny but they're not active in music. "They have their own things they wanted to do in life."

(On the right: Early Smitty; The pic courtesy of Mrs. Jeanie Scott)
Sonny reminisces how he met their future lead singer, George Smith, for the first time during a teen dance night at the YMCA in 1953 in Jersey City. "I heard somebody playing the piano in the adjacent room from the dance hall. Slowly I opened the door and peeked my head inside and saw a young, teenage guy about my age playing the piano and singing I Cried in my Mother's Arms. I walked over to him and started to harmonize with him. We looked at each other, smiled and we introduced ourselves. His name was George "Smitty" Smith. As time went on, our relationship grew closer and we eventually left high school and went into the military vowing to complete our high school education once we got out of the service."

In 1954 Sonny joined the NG. "After the National Guard, I was in the Air Force in Germany till 1957."

(Smitty at the Apollo; The pic courtesy of Mrs. Jeanie Scott)
GEORGE "SMITTY" SMITH

The second oldest in the first line-up of the Manhattans is George Hoza Smith (tenor), who was born in Florida on December 18 in 1939. Jeanie Scott: "His mother couldn't remember his actual birth date. It was either supposed to be December the 18th, or December the 28th." Mrs. Jeanie Scott, formerly McCarthy, who today is the wife of the legendary Jimmy Scott and handles his business (www.jimmyscottofficialwebsite.org ), lived with Smitty until his untimely passing in December 1970. "We got together in 1969, so I was with him maybe a year and a half."

(On the right: Jimmy Scott, The pic courtesy of Mrs. Jeanie Scott)
"When Smitty was a toddler, perhaps four years old, his mother and his father separated. The only thing he could remember about his father is him walking with some dogs (laughing). His mother moved to Jersey City with Smitty and his oldest sister Marion. Marion has lived her whole adult life in California. Eventually his mother married another man, whose last name was Smith, and he became Smitty's stepfather, and that's how he got his name. Smitty's mother had ten children. After Marion and Smitty who they all called ‘Brother' she had eight other children, so Smitty had three half brothers and five half sisters. Tommy was Smitty's youngest brother and he had a group called 8 Mile High. The other brothers, Bobby and Joe, had a group of their own, too, Out of Limits."

"Smitty had three children. When Smitty was fifteen years old, his girlfriend got pregnant with George, Jr., aka ‘Dewberry', so they got married. George, Jr. looked exactly like him. After he came back from the service, she had another baby while he was away, Michelle, which Smitty took as his own. Later he had his daughter Paula with a girlfriend."

Through his mother, Smitty first sang gospel music in church and then joined his newly-found singing pals, while in Snyder High. "Smitty and Sonny were close at the time, Blue and Kenny were close". After Snyder High, Smitty joined the Air Force and was stationed in California for two years.

My first memory of the Manhattans would be hearing their records on the radio - I'm the one that Love Forgot, Searchin' for my Baby... I had been going to all their shows and I kind of had a crush on Smitty, but I was afraid to talk to him. I had seen him around, and I was peeking around corners at him. Eugene Pitt of the Jive Five would tease me and say ‘go on and knock on their dressing room door and talk to Smitty', but I wouldn't go over there. It wasn't until a couple of years later. They were about to do a show at the Cheetah in New York on 52nd street. I sent Smitty a message and he called me up and he came over to my house the next day. We got together, and we were together ever since, and he moved me in his mother's house until he passed. As a matter of fact, I stayed with her for a couple of years after that and I remained close to the family throughout the years, especially with Smitty's Mother, brother Bobby - who was like a brother - and Smitty's children George, Jr., & Paula."

WINFRED "BLUE "LOVETT

Winfred Lorenzo Lovett (bass) was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on November 16 in 1940 to Lovonia and William Lovett. "My father was a singer in church, and he made it mandatory that I sing in church on every Sunday also." Winfred has two sisters, Billie and Gwendolyn, and today he resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

Most know this bass singer extraordinaire best under the simple moniker of "Blue." "It's my so-called nick-name. If you hung out on streets - and you're not necessarily bad or are in gangs and nothing like that - you had a nick-name, and because of my complexion and a long hair and a beard "Blue Jesus" was my name. I naturally dropped the 'Jesus' and kept the ‘Blue'." During his high-school years he was also called "Bacon" for a short while.

Blue has seven children: William, Robyn, Tania, Kia, Damon, Marisa and Rico. "None of them do anything professionally in music, except Rico, who was born in 1986 and who does rapping. All my kids live on the west coast."

Some of Blue's favourite recordings of all times include Neither One of Us by Gladys Knight & the Pips and Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye. "Also Luther Vandross has come up with some magnificent songs that I like. I think my all-time bass singer would be Melvin Franklin of the Temptations. The Temptations started us off. We patterned us after the Temptations and Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions."

In Lincoln High, Blue played football and baseball. "Then I couldn't play sports because of my asthma. Baseball was out and football was definitely out, so my third choice was music, and I never thought that I would get an opportunity. If you were from the New York area, it was very hard back then to get a record deal. You had to be discovered."

Sunday, November 17, 2013