The Five Pennies

The Five Pennies -- Clifford Curry, Benjamin Washington, Charles Holloway, Herbert Myers, and John and James Myers (twins) -- met in high school in Knoxville, TN. Prior to Curry's involvement, they recorded four years earlier as the Echos (unreleased) and backed Faye Adams on her number one smash "Shake a Hand." Things started poppin' after Curry joined, their manager, Fred Logan (a big bootlegger in Knoxville), got them a deal with Savoy Records in Newark, NJ. Savoy's owner Herman Lubinsky renamed them the Five Pennies (though there were actually six members) to avoid confusion with another group. Out the box they backed Big Al Miller on "All Is Well" b/w "Try to Understand" (1955), credited as Big Al Miller & the Five Pennies. Savoy followed with the first released credited solely to the Five Pennies "Mr. Moon" b/w "Let It Rain" (1955); the A-Side "Mr. Moon," a Curry composition, is quintessential '50s doo wop with a southern flavor. Their final Savoy release, "My Heart Trembles" b/w "Money," made a little noise but not much, a consortium of Curry, Holloway, Washington, and Herbert and James Myers collaborated on both sides. They cut six tracks for Savoy but only 2 singles surfaced. Herald Records acquired the masters and rights to two tracks ("Wedding Bells" and "Put This Ring on Your Finger") in 1956 but shelved them; they didn't see daylight until King Tut Records exposed them in the '80s. According to Curry, the group also recorded his "Mine for a Lifetime" (unreleased) for Savoy. The members splintered. John Myers banded with the Chimes for two Arrow Records' singles in 1957, and then the Four Jokers for one Sue single in 1958. In 1964, he revived the Five Pennies as the Four Pennies for one release on Brunswick Records, "You're a Gas With Your Trash" written by...