4 Bel-Aires

The 4 Bel-Aires represent the many, many R&B groups that recorded a single record and then seemingly faded completely out of sight. The start of the 4 Bel-Aires was at the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, in Georgetown, D.C. There, in 1955, bass Vernon Ricks and baritone Robert "Slick" Russell started harmonizing on R&B songs when they worked in the kitchen on Sunday mornings. They were eventually joined by first tenor Alfred "Nookie" Robinson (whose name is usually shown, incorrectly, as "Albert"). © 2007, 2009 by Marv Goldberg