The Platters

1. The Platters Brittany Cicchese, Vitor Milagres, Cassie Carlson, George Rodriguez, and Jacob Hayes

2. Introduction • The Platters were one of the most influential pop groups of the 1950s. In this presentation we will cover their rise to fame, the successes they had, and their unfortunate downfall. We will also discuss their style of music and the legacy they have left. • The reason for our group choosing this artist is that their music bridged the gap between R&B and Rock and Roll and opened the doors for many other artists. • Please sit back and let us educate you on the musical stylings of The Platters

3. Biographical Information • The band was created in Los Angeles, 1953 • They were one of the top vocal groups of the 1950's • They were the most popular black group of their time • Made four #1 hits

4. Biographical Information (Cont...) • The Platters number one hits were a crossover from R&B charts as well as POP charts • "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (R&B #3, POP #1) • "The Great Pretender" (R&B and POP #1) • "My Prayer" (R&B and POP #1) • "Twilight Time" (R&B and POP #1) • "Only You" (R&B #1, POP #5) • Here is a link for the song "Only You"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT-JUj-0bg8

5. How they started • The group started in Los Angeles in 1953 • Composed of: • Tony Williams (vocal) • David Lynch (tenor) • Herb Reed (bass) • Alex Hodge (baritone) • Their early careers proved to be unsuccessful until they met Buck Ram

6. Buck Ram • Buck Ram signed the band to Federal Records • Buck Ram to the band was: • Mentor • Manager • Producer • Songwriter • Vocal Coach • After a few unsuccessful records, Ram replaced Hodge with Paul Robi and to soften the group's sound added Zola Taylo

7. Pop success • With Ram's Pop songwriting classics as their musical palette, the group quickly became a Pop and R&B success; • They earned the distinction of being the first black act of the era to top the Pop charts and enjoy massive popularity with white audiences. • Top 10 Pop albums: • The Platters (1956) • Encore of Golden Hits (1960)

8. Popular Culture • The Platters were a global sensation, touring the world as “international ambassadors of musical goodwill”; • They appeared in a number of rock and roll-themed movies, including: • Rock Around the Clock (1956) • The Girl Can’t Help It (1956) • Carnival Rock (1957)

9. Their Musical Style • Their sound • Mellow • Smooth • Polished adult ballads. • Combination of • Gospel • Doo Wop • R&B • Factors defining their style • Crooning • Middle-of-the-road style • Put a soulful coat of uptown polish on pop-oriented, harmony-rich material

10. Their Musical Style (Cont...) • The secret of the Platters’ success had to do with their choice of material: • Adult ballads • Standards that predated the rock and roll era • Key elements to their songs • Crisp, impeccable harmonies • String-laden arrangements to frame songs

11. Musical Influences • The Ink Spots, a group that was more prominent in the previous decade that Ram had written songs for as well, had a great impact on the Platters; • Their influence was so profound that The Platters considered the Ink Spots to be their roots; • They paid tribute to them by producing a cover of the Ink Spots' "My Prayer", which eventually reached #1 hit in R&B and POP.

12. Controversy and Downfall • The four male group members were arrested on drug and prostitution charges • They were not convicted but their public image still suffered

13. Their Legacy • They influenced most of the Doo Wop groups to come • Motown groups in the 60's • Early Doo Wop groups • Their influence stemmed from a sound that was • Mellow • Smooth • Polished with adult ballads

14. Their Legacy (Cont...) • The Platters' sound was a combination of • Gospel • Doo Wop • R&B • The Platters had created a successful sound that was believed to inspired other genres • Country • Pop • 60 years later, people still order songs to be arranged in Platter style

15. Their Legacy (Cont...) Awards/Honors: • Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1990) • Vocal Group Hall of Fame (1998) • Grammy Hall of Fame (1999, 2002)

16. Conclusion Representation of the music of the times • their music was a mix between two of the more prominent styles of the time, R&B and Pop • It should be noted that it was particularly interesting to see how successful they were considering they were popular during a time where racial tension was clearly visible (Civil Rights Movement)

17. Conclusion (Cont...) • Place in the Evolution of rock • One step in the evolution of rock and roll was the rise of R&B. R&B was the musical style that influenced rock and roll music the most. • The Platters helped in the rise of R&B by bringing R&B music into the mainstream. • They did this with their music which crossed over into the pop charts. Their songs were not only top ten hits on the R&B charts but the pop charts as well.

18. References Fiorentino, D. D. (n.d.). The platters biography. Retrieved from http://www.hotshotdigital.com/OldRock/PlattersBio.htm Fontenot, R. (n.d.). Profile: the platters. Retrieved from http://oldies.about.com/od/50srockers/p/platters.htm Koda, C. (n.d.). The platters. Retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-platters-mn0000894335 The platters. Retrieved from http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-platters/bio/ The platters. Retrieved from http://www.history-of-rock.com/platters.htm Eder, B. (n.d.) Buck ram: biography. Retrieved from http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ram-mn0000533331 History of the platters. Retrieved from http://www.celebritydirect.org/platters/history.htm