The Valiants

The labyrinthine history of Los Angeles doo wop group the Valiants dates to early 1955, when second tenor Sheridan "Rip" Spencer formed the Sabers with his cousin Brice Coefield, who assumed baritone duties. According to Marv Goldberg's profile on his R&B Notebooks website, the cousins added first tenor Billy Spicer and bass Walter Carter prior to issuing their Cal-West label debut single, "Always, Forever," in late 1955. When the record flopped, the Sabers rechristened themselves the Chavelles, and with the intervention of Coefield's postman father met local jazz pianist Lloy...