The Essex was an
American R&B vocal group formed in 1962. They are best known for their 1963
chart-topper and million selling track, "
Easier Said Than Done".
Career
Founding members Walter Vickers (
guitar) and Rodney Taylor (
drums) were
U.S. Marines stationed in
Okinawa,
Japan.
After being transferred to
Camp LeJeune in
North Carolina, they enlisted fellow Marines Billy Hill and Rudolph Johnson as group members.
Next they added a female lead singer, Anita Humes, another Marine.
In 1963, a
demo earned them a
recording contract with
Roulette Records. They
recorded "
Easier Said Than Done" in twenty minutes. The
song was
written by Larry Huff and William Linton,
who said that the beat was inspired by the sound of multiple teletype machines, noisy mechanical beasts pounding out copy in the base's communications room. Released as their first
single, the song reached the
top of the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The track sold over one million
records and received a
gold disc award from the
R.I.A.A.
"Easier Said Than Done" reached #41 in the
UK Singles Chart in August 1963.
Rudolph Johnson left the group, and the Essex became a quartet. Three months after "Easier Said Than Done" reached #1 in July 1963, the group had a #12
hit with the follow-up song, "A Walkin' Miracle" in September 1963.
On the label of this single, the group name appeared as 'The Essex Featuring Anita Humes.' The next single, "She's Got Everything," was a #56 hit. Marine duties made it hard for the group to take advantage of their hits; for example, before long, Johnson was posted to
Okinawa.
Humes released several
solo singles on the Roulette label, but had no chart success.
The
vinyl recordings are collectors' items. A
best-of CD was released by
Sequel Records in 1995.
[Amazon.com]
Discography
Singles
- "Easier Said Than Done" (b/w "Are You Going My Way?"): The Essex - Roulette 4494 (1963)
- "A Walkin' Miracle" (b/w "What I Don't Know Won't Hurt Me"): The Essex featuring Anita Humes - Roulette 4515 (1963)
- "She's Got Everything" (b/w "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind"): The Essex - Roulette 4530 (1963)
- "What Did I Do" (b/w "Curfew Lover"): Anita Humes And The Essex - Roulette 4542 (1964)
Albums
- 1963 Easier Said Than Done - Roulette SR25234 (stereo) - U.S. albums chart #119
- 1963 A Walkin' Miracle - Roulette SR25235 (stereo)
- 1964 Young & Lively - Featuring Anita Humes with The Essex - Roulette SR25246
Band member origins
See also
