Where are the dukays?

[arr&bee]

As most of us here know,the great[gene chandler]started his career as a member of a doo-wop group-the dukays,with such gems as-festival of love-the girl's a devil-night owl..the classic[duke of earl]was recorded with this group,so i'm just wondering are there any other members still with us and do they ever appear?

[lakeside]

The Dukays [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-dukays-mn0000785533)' bright future dimmed only when record-company shenanigans did them in; their 1961 smash "The Duke of Earl" was credited solely to their lead singer, Eugene Dixon [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eugene-dixon-mn0000162820) [[aka Gene Chandler [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gene-chandler-mn0000162820)), who left the group after it was re-released on another label. One of the most popular groups on Chicago's south side [[the Englewood neighborhood), the Dukays consisted of Dixon [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dixon-mn0000764354), Shirley Jones [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/shirley-jones-mn0002312298) [[tenor/soprano), James Lowe [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-lowe-mn0000138123) [[second tenor), Earl Edwards [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/earl-edwards-mn0001307744) [[baritone), and Ben Broyles, the unforgettable bass on "Duke of Earl." Songwriter Bernice Williams [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bernice-williams-mn0002288626) befriended the Englewood sensations and became their main songwriter when they soon signed with Nat Records. The group's first single, "The Girl Is a Devil," sold locally and did a little business outside of Chicago in 1961. They were showstoppers live: everything about them was exciting, especially Shirley Jones [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/shirley-jones-mn0002312298) [[Dixon [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dixon-mn0000764354)'s cousin), who stepped and blew notes right along with the fellows, almost a funky edition of the Platters [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-platters-mn0000894335). In December of 1961, Nat released their third single, "The Duke of Earl" b/w "Kissin' in the Kitchen," and all hell broke loose. By the following month, a deal was consummated with Vee Jay Records, who re-released "Duke of Earl" and credited it to Gene Chandler [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gene-chandler-mn0000162820) [[he adopted the surname from actor Jeff Chandler and people always shortened his first name anyway). The Dukays [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-dukays-mn0000785533) felt slighted, abused, and mistreated. Vee Jay didn't re-record the song, but simply slapped their label on new pressings on the Nat acetate.
As appeasement, Vee Jay signed the group to a separate deal and reissued their second single "Nite Owl." Charles Davis [[aka Nolan Chance [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nolan-chance-mn0001788811)) replaced Chandler [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chandler-mn0000100273) and Margaret "Cookie" Stone took over for Shirley Jones [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/shirley-jones-mn0002312298), who quit. Vee Jay issued three singles by the Dukays, two in 1962 and one in 1963, but none of them clicked. They appeared uncredited on a few of Chandler [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chandler-mn0000100273)'s solos, before he switched to Constellation Records, the label that made him an R&B icon.
Nearly two years passed before the Dukays surfaced in November 1964 on the Jerry-O label with "The Jerk." The new group featured Claude McRae [[lead), Richard Dixon, Earl Edwards [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/earl-edwards-mn0001307744), and James Lowe [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-lowe-mn0000138123). In 1965, Jerry-O, owned by Jerry J. Murray, issued the final Dukays [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dukays-mn0000785533) single, "Mellow-Fezneckey" b/w "Sho-Nuf M.F." [[a scandalous title for the times); neither did much business and they disbanded. Nolan Chance [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nolan-chance-mn0001788811) recorded solo for Constellation and other labels, while Chandler [[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chandler-mn0000100273) carved a stellar solo career.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cvPoEOr_Th8/T8LPniw1RwI/AAAAAAAAB04/1MAWcJ28rJ8/s1600/img988.jpg

[arr&bee]

Thanks lakeside.