The Five Red Caps

R&B combo the Five Red Caps formed in New York City in 1943. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the November 1991 issue of Discoveries, the group was previously known as the Four Toppers, whose Los Angeles-based original lineup -- tenor/drummer Jimmy Springs, second tenor David Patillo, baritone/bass player Richard Davis, and bass singer/guitarist Steve Gibson -- represented a kind of local supergroup assembling the best voices from four other combos. After cutting the 1940 singles "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia" and "Jumpin' Jive" for Otis Rene's Armor label, the Four To...