The Platters

Welcome to The Platters Music Website. This website was created to inform viewers and listeners of the musical history and legacy, of one of the world’s most famous and successful singing groups of the 50’s Rock ’n’ Roll era "The Platters". Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre. The group was somewhat different from others that had gone before it, and featured some innovations that gave the group a great appeal in the 50's. Lead singer Tony Williams started his training singing in Church gospel groups, and his resonant tenor voice added to the Platters unique sound. By adding a female vocalist to the ensemble which was not common in doo-wop groups at that time, brought another element to the groups appeal.

The use of strings in their recordings also contributed to The Platters unique sound. They were the first black act of the rock era to reach number one on the pop charts. They went on to record 33 more pop hits on the Mercury Record Label. They had 40 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1955 and 1967, including four No. 1 hits. The Platters were one of the first African American groups to be accepted as a major chart group and were, for a period of time, the most successful vocal group in the world.

From 1955 to 1957, The Platters were in such high demand that they traveled non stop all around the world-thus their name for one of their albums was called The Flying Platters. The Platters toured Australia, Singapore, The Philippines, England, South America, Japan, Morocco, France and many more countries.