Hallmark Encore Of Foot Stompin Hits

There is an abundance of R&B and doo wop groups who have a seemingly simple lineage, with often no more than a name variation here or line-up change there. Closer investigation, however, invariably reveals that things arent quite as simple as first thought. Take for example The Flares or, as they were originally christened, The Flairs.

In fact, they began life as The Debonaires, became The Flairs when they were signed by Flair Records but struggled to make any kind of headway under either moniker. Members came and went, including Cornell Gunter (previously of The Platters and later to form The Coasters) and the group tried several other name changes, including The Chimes and The Ermines.

By 1959 they were managed by Buck Ram (who also managed The Platters) and, after discounting his name suggestion of The Peppers, opted to call themselves The Flares. This group finally saw some action when Foot Stompin Part 1 took off on the R&B and pop chart (an instrumental version was designated Part 2 and credited to Ramrock), prompting an accompanying album on Rams own Press Records label.

According to the original record, the group at this point consisted of Aaron Collins (who wrote several tracks on the album), Willie Davis, Thomas Miller, George Hollis and female singer Patience Valentine. Credited though they may have been, the chances are that European audiences who saw The Flares during 1962 saw a different line-up altogether.

In a couple of years, there was another new name, Buck Rams suggestion of the Peppers being taken up for a while before the group disbanded for good in 1964. That makes this album even more sought after; the only known album release by The Flares, featuring their only major hit!