Air Week: November 27-December 3, 2017

The Cardinals 

The Cardinals only scored 3 R&B hits, but all 3 made the top ten and are considered classics today. The group formed in Baltimore in late 1946 and came to the attention of Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson, co-founders of Atlantic Records in very early 1951. They were signed immediately and soon Atlantic sent their house arranger, Jesse Stone, down to Baltimore to work with the group and prep them for their first recording session, which was held in March, 1951. The Cardinals, who were known as the Mellotones at that time, were used to singing pop songs. Jesse Stone had to give them that R&B sound. Their first release, “Shouldn’t I Know,” climbed the R&B charts and put The Cardinals on the map. Their version of “The Wheel Of Fortune” in 1952 is considered the definitive R&B version of that song today as is their 1955 rendition of the Chuck Willis penned tune, “The Door Is Still Open.” Lead tenor Ernie Warren has one of the most beautiful and distinguishable voices in all of early R&B and Matt The Cat brings The Cardinals’ music and legacy to life on this week’s “Juke In The Back.”

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