The Chords

The Chords are a doo-wop group from New York, formed in 1951 by brothers Carl and Claude Feaster alongside James C. Keyes, Floyd McRae, and William Edwards. The group was discovered in 1954 during a performance in a subway station, leading to their signing with Atlantic Records. Their breakthrough came with the release of "Sh-Boom", originally the B-side of their single Cross over the Bridge. The song gained significant popularity due to its catchy rhythm and lyrics, reaching number 2 on the R&B charts and number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1954. This success marked a cultural milestone as it introduced white audiences to black R&B music. Following their hit, The Chords changed their name to The Chordcats due to a naming conflict with another band. They released "A Girl to Love" under this new name but saw little success. In 1955, they renamed themselves The Sh-Booms and continued releasing singles, including "I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire" in 1957 and "Blue Moon" in 1960. Despite these efforts, the group disbanded in the early 1960s. Carl Feaster passed away in January 1981, followed by Claude Feaster in November 1975, James C. Keyes in July 1995, Floyd McRae in March 2013, and William Edwards in 1964.