The Spellbinders

The Spellbinders were a harmonizing bunch from New Jersey whose spellbinding harmonies undoubtedly inspired their name. Robert Shives' classy, suave falsetto leads further defined the slick mixed male/female quintet of the Spellbinders. Shives, James Wright, Ben Grant, McArthur Munford, and Elouise Pennington signed with Columbia Records in 1965 and befriended Van McCoy to write and produce for them. The Spellbinders' first single, "For You," is one of McCoy's best and their biggest hit. "A Little on the Blue Side" b/w "Chain Reaction" didn't go, but the third release, "We're Acting Like Lovers," nearly duplicated the success of "For You..." A rendition of "Danny Boy" sold poorly and soured the Columbia deal, despite the two hit singles. Their last single appeared on Date Records, a subsidiary of Columbia. However, the mellow version of "Since I Don't Have You" b/w "I Believe" failed to make an impression and the crooners faded into obscurity. Wright began with the Creators, who waxed their first single on T-Kay Records with "I'll Never Do It Again" b/w "Boy He's Got It," and two more singles on Phillips: "Yeah He's Got It," and "I'll Stay Home." The 45s didn't sell much and the Creators soon disbanded. Hughie Harris and Danny Austin revised the Creators into the Ad Libs ("The Boy From New York City"); Elouise Pennington performed with a '70s edition of the Ad Libs. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide