Lonnie Cook:  

Life Lonnie Thurman Cook, was born on November 26th, 1940, in Kansas City, Kansas, USA. His earliest musical ambition (6 years old) was to be an operatic vocalist but he still listened to the radio to satisfy his craving for music in general. His musical focus changed shortly thereafter (1948) when he heard what proved to be the genesis of R&B group harmony (later, in the 60's, to be dubbed Doo Wop). From 1948 on the country was full of street corner aspirants that rehearsed and honed their vocal skills without the use of musical instruments or studios. That proved to be the best training ground, for all the music of his future years was enhanced as a result of the harmony that was learned. He helped form a group called The Fandangos in 1953 and his life course was set. That group consisted of: Jerry Reeves or Alvin Fant, Bass Homer Glover, 2nd Tenor and lead Harvey Shannon, 1st tenor, Eddie Wade, Baritone Lonnie Cook 2nd tenor and primary lead. They all lived within two blocks of each other and could call rehearsals at a moments notice. They only had about 15 original songs, all written by Lonnie. The group was managed by a local politician and was provided matching group suits in the Bellbottomed fashion of the day. Although they never recorded, their success is best summed up in the fact that they immortalized a song that no other group in the country sang or seemed to be aware of. To this day that song is unknown to the doo wop aficionados that make up the hardcore collectors of note. The Fandangos used the song as their theme song and could not perform without singing it. The original was only sung as a B-side for a group that was recording a song that was already considered a smash, that group of origin never sang the B-side again. The Fandangos sang it in excess of 5,000 times. Lonnie has always considered the song to be the best R&B group song ever recorded. Just flip your original copy of "I'll Be Home" by the Flamingos, and you'll find "Need Your Love". Ironically, Lonnie later sang with a Kansas City group of the same name but spelled Flamingo(e)s. That group was the vocal representative of a Sumner High School club that was comprised of the best dressed students. The fact that the industry could overlook a song of that magnitude also accounts for the fact that he later became a DJ and focused on the great music that was being ignored by the charts. The Harptones are probably the best example of how great music was ignored because they are considered to be as good as any group of that era, but they never had a charted hit. After a brief stint with the Flamingoes and a move across the river to Kansas City, Missouri, his next vocal group was: The Five Stars. Jerry Reeves or Herman Williams, Bass Fred Harris, 2nd Tenor and lead Ira terry (or) William Cook (brother), 1st tenor Ronald Hargrove, Baritone Lonnie Cook 2nd tenor and primary lead. This group didn't last very long but did perform a couple of times, notably one weekend when William Cook was forced to wear a process f...Expand for more