The Roamers

R&B vocal combo the Roamers formed in Jersey City, NJ, in 1953. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the September 1999 issue of Discoveries, the lineup comprised lead James Ricketts, tenor Billy Williams, baritone Sam Walton, and bass Judge Taylor. Originally dubbed the Four Flames, they soon adopted the Roamers in an obvious nod to the Drifters; after unsuccessfully auditioning for Atlantic in 1954, the group signed to Savoy, making its recorded debut late that same year with the Taylor original "Deep Freeze." At the same session, the Roamers backed Wilbert Harrison on hi...