The Flamingos

One of the definitive doo-wop groups, The Flamingos began to take shape in 1950 in Chicago, Illinois when Jake and Zeke Carey met John E. Carter and Paul Wilson when all of them were performing in a Jewish choir. Sollie McElroy came on board before the group made their initial demos in 1952. Signing to Chance Records, the group issued a number of singles that became regional hits, most notably “Golden Teardrops.” Nate Nelson replaced McElroy when the band signed to Chess Records. The Flamingos had their first national hit in 1956 with “I’ll Be Home,” which climbed to number 5 on the R&B chart. Zeke Carey and Carter left the group, and Tommy Hunt then joined, followed by Terry Johnson. Zeke Carey returned to the group and this formation would record their biggest hit in 1959, the genre-defining doo-wop romantic ballad “I Only Have Eyes for You.” That song hit number 3 on the R&B chart and climbed to number 11 on the pop chart. A year later, “Nobody Loves Me Like You” landed in the Top 30 on both charts and ended up being their last big hit. They released a series of singles up through 1976 and toured regularly as an oldies act. The Flamingos were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Unfortunately, the group’s line-up splintered over the years and there were several versions of the group out on the road at the same time. By 2025, no original members remained in the Flamingos’ line-up although Terry ‘Buzzy’ Johnson had joined the group in 1958. All of the founding members of the Flamingos have passed away over the years along with some of the members who joined the group during their formative years. Tommy Hunt, who joined the Flamingos in 1956, died on February 12, 2025, at the age of 91.