The Five Satins

The Five Satins, famed for their single 'In the Still of the Night', are one of America's most successful doo-wop groups. Their origins go all the way back to another group, The Canaries, which Fred Parris had been a part of. When he was expelled Parris decided to take another run at doo-wop and formed The Scarlets. They had a minor hit with 'Dear One' in 1953, but when they were enlisted and dispersed across the country Parris formed a new group, The Five Satins, in their stead. By 1956 the group had recorded and released their first single, 'In the Still of the Night', via Standard Records. By the end of the year it had been leased to Ember and become a massive hit, making it to number three in the R&B chart and number 25 in the pop charts.

By the time it was charting, however, Parris had been stationed in Japan by the military and singer Bill Baker had to step in to perform lead vocals on the Satins' follow-up single, 'To the Aisle', another R&B chart top ten hit. When Parris returned to the US he reorganised the group and the new line-up, which included Richie Freeman, Sylvester Hopkins, West Forbes, and Lou Peeples, had a minor hit with 1959's 'Shadows'.

The Satins had fresh success with 'In the Still of the Night' in 1960 when it appeared on Art Laboe's first 'Oldies but Goodies' compilation and re-entered the pop charts. The group rode the success for the 60s and much of the 70s, with various incarnations performing at oldies revues across the States and Europe.

They continued to record sporadically and had occasional hits with the likes of 'Two Different Worlds' (1974), 'Everybody Stand Up and Clap Your Hands (For the Entertainer)' (1976) and, finally, 'Memories of Days Gone By' (1982). Since the 80s Parris has continued to perform with various configurations of The Five Satins at oldies shows.