The Chesters - The Fires Burn No More 1957

The Chesters (Brooklyn, New York) aka Little Anthony & The Imperials Personnel: Jerome "Little Anthony' Gourdine (Lead) Clarence Collins (Baritone) Ernest Wright, Jr. (Second Tenor) Tracy Lord (First Tenor) Glouster Nat Rogers (Bass) Biography: Following the failure of the Duponts Winley and Royal Roost, lead singer Gourdine began looking for another group to sing with. He met the Chesters, and it was a perfect fit. At a party in Jamaica, Queens, the group was introduced to a member of the Cellos, who had "Rang Tang Ding Dong " on the charts at the time. He got them an audition He got them an audition with Charles Mehrenstein at Apollo. At the audition they sang several of Anthony's original tunes, which were eventually recorded. They officially became the Chesters at this time. Before going to Apollo, the group tried to hook up with Richard Barrett at End Records (the label Anthony would eventually sing for), but Barrett was terribly busy with the Chantels, Isley Brothers, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. The Chesters recorded for Apollo, but poor promotion and financial difficulties did not allow their disc to succeed, and they called it quits. Baritone Keith Williams, Collins's predecessor, also recorded with the Highway QCs, as did Collins. Williams left as rehearsals and so on were interfering with his schoolwork. The liner notes accompanying Relic's Apollo-4 CD state that Keith Williams was the baritone for the group and omit Clarence Collins.

Added 21 Aug 2026