The Del Vikings - Whispering Bells

The Del Vikings were one of the first integrated vocal groups in rock 'n' roll. Corinthian “Krips“ Johnson, Norman Wright and Clarence Quick were black, and David Lerchey and Donald “Gus“ Backus were white. Although the group's two biggest hits, “Whispering Bells“ and “Come Go With Me“ were released by Dot Records in 1957 and 1958, both songs were actually recorded in 1956 for a small Pittsburgh label called FeeBee Records. The songs became a hit in the local Pittsburgh area and Dot signed the group to a contract. Instead of having them re-record their songs, which was what was usually done in those situations, Dot simply purchased the master tapes from FeeBee and pressed the records from them--a practice that became commonplace later, but Dot was one of the first, if not the first, to do it. ~ One of the leading cover groups of the mid-'50s, the Diamonds adapted current R&B hits into pop gold of