Marvin and Johnny - Baby Doll
Another rare west coast doo wop track by Marvin Phillips (b.1931 Oklahoma)and Emory 'Johnny' Perry (b. 1928 Texas) which reached #9 on the r&b charts. Their impact on the music industry occurred in Los Angeles in 1954, which was major center of the R&B recording market at the time. The pair had become acquainted in 1949 when they were saxophonists for the Richard Lewis Band. Phillips also paired with the famous R&B singer Jesse Belvin. They charted with "Dream Girl" b/w "Daddy Loves Baby" in late 1952. "Dream Girl" (which I have also uploaded) got good airplay and sales in California, but Belvin had opportunities elsewhere and left Phillips to pursue a solo career. "Marvin & Johnny" recorded "Baby Doll" b/w "I'm Not Your Fool" for Speciality Records in the summer of 1953. The new duo was well received. After their track "Cherry Pie" hit it big, the pair performed on shows and reviews that traveled around the west coast. Unfortunately, following up a monster hit like "Cherry Pie" was not easy.
Unfortunately, they never had a truly nationwide audience. They were a west coast attraction and were never as well known in the east. Because they never got that eastern exposure, Marvin and Johnny remain underappreciated for their accomplishment in developing the doo-wop sound of the 1950s.