LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS (ANTHONY GOURDINE) - COLLECTION WITH CLARENCE COLLINS, ERNEST WRIGHT, HAROLD JENKINS, SAMMY STRAIN, KENNY SEYMOUR - HFSID 318476

LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS COLLECTION
Collection of the classic, doo-wop soul group featuring the signed autograph sentiments from 6 band members: Anthony Gourdine, Harold Jenkins, Clarence Collins, Ernest Wright, Kenny Seymour and Sammy Strain. 6 pieces total in the collection.
Collection: 1) Autograph sentiment signed: "Sincerely/yours/Lil' Anthony and the Imperials," 3x5 card. Toned around edges. Ink note (unknown hand) on verso. Otherwise, fine condition. 2) Autograph sentiment signed: "Best Wishes/Harold Jenkins," 5x3 card. Toned around edges. Ink note (unknown hand) on verso. Otherwise, fine condition. 3) Autograph sentiment signed: "Always/Clarence Collins," 5x3 card. Toned around edges. Ink note (unknown hand) on verso. Otherwise, fine condition. 4) Autograph sentiment signed: "Best wishes,/Ernest/from/The Imperials," 3x5, card. Toned around edges. Ink note (unknown hand) on verso. Otherwise, fine condition. 5) Autograph sentiment signed: "Best Wishes/Kenny/Imperials," 5x3 card. Toned around edges. Ink note (unknown hand) on verso. Otherwise, fine condition. 6) Autograph sentiment signed: "Hi ya!/Sammy/Imperials," 5x3 card. Toned around edges. Ink note (unknown hand) on verso. Otherwise, fine condition. Little Anthony of the long-running doo-wop and soul group Little Anthony and the Imperials was ANTHONY GOURDINE. He formed the Chesters in 1957 with CLARENCE COLLINS (baritone), ERNEST WRIGHT (tenor), Tracy Lord (tenor) and Nate Rogers (bass). HAROLD JENKINS joined in 1972 as a replacement to SAMMY STRAIN, who had been with the group since 1962. After a 1958 one-off with End, the Chesters became the Imperials, with Alan Freed, a DJ at New York's WINS radio, dubbing the youthful-looking Gourdine "Little Anthony". The Imperials hit pay dirt with their first single, 1958's "Tears On My Pillow", which peaked inside the Top Five on both the pop and R&B charts, and they went on release a number of classic hits, including "Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop" (1960), "Goin' Out of My Head" (1964), "Hurts So Bad" (1965) and "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" (1969). Part of Little Anthony and the Imperials' early success rested on Gourdine, whose fresh face recalled those of teen idols like Frankie Avalon, but their longevity (a Collins-led lineup continued recording into the late 1970s) comes from their adapting their sound from doo wop to the sweet soul in vogue during the 1960s. The band reformed in 1992 and continues to tour with Gourdine, Wright, Collins and Jenkins and with KENNY SEYMOUR as their newest edition. Little Anthony and the Imperials were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, and were featured in the Hall's 25th anniversary concert extravaganza that year.