Artist Info: The Avalons

The Avalons

By Marv Goldberg

Based on interviews with Bernard Purdie
and George Cox

© 2003 by Marv Goldberg




The Avalons were one of the four R&B groups from Newport News, Virginia to record in the 50s (the others were the 5 Keys, the Leaders, and the Chateaus). Although both the Leaders and the Chateaus were highly influenced by the 5 Keys, the Avalons, as we'll see, were much more intertwined with them.

Our story begins around 1947, with the formation of a group called the Chimes. [read more...]