The Escorts, also known as the Legendary Escorts, were an American R&B vocal group formed by musicians incarcerated at Rahway State Prison in 1970.[1]
The Escorts | |
|---|---|
 The Escorts at Rahway Prison in 1970 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Rahway, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | R&B, soul, doo-wop |
| Years active | 1970–2013 |
| Labels | Alithia Records |
| Members | Billy Martin, La’Grant Harris[1] |
| Past members | Reginald Haynes, Lawrence Franklin, Robert Arrington, William Dugger, Stephen Carter, Frank Heard, Marion Murphy[2] |
Background
editWhile incarcerated at Trenton State Prison in 1968, founding member Reginald Prophet Haynes began practicing doo-wop singing with other incarcerated people. In 1970, after members of the group were transferred to Rahway State Prison, they first performed as the Escorts at a prison talent show, where they caught the attention of Motown producer George Kerr.[3][4]
In 1973, Kerr returned to Rahway with a mobile recording unit, resulting in the Escorts' debut album, All We Need is Another Chance,[5][6] followed by Three Down, Four to Go (1974).[7]
Legacy
editThe Escorts have been sampled by hip hop artists including J Dilla and Public Enemy. They are the subject of Corbett Jones' 2017 documentary film, All We Need Is Another Chance,[8] and a version of the group has continued to tour as the Legendary Escorts. Jill Scott used the track from, "Look Over Your Shoulder", for her song, "Family Reunion" on her 2004 album, Beautifully Human.
Original members
edit- Reginald "Prophet" Haynes (March 24, 1949 – July 11, 2020)
- Lawrence Franklin
- Robert Arrington
- William Dugger
- Stephen Carter
- Frank Heard
- Marion Murphy
Discography
editAlbums
edit- 1973: All We Need Is Another Chance No. 41 U.S. R&B[9]
- 1974: Three Down, Four to Go No. 57 U.S. R&B[9]
Singles
edit| Year | Title | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US R&B[10] | ||
| 1973 | "All We Need (Is Another Chance)" | — |
| "Look Over Your Shoulder" | 45 | |
| "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow" | 83 | |
| 1974 | "Disrespect Can Wreck" | 61 |
| "Let's Make Love (At Home Sometime)" | 58 | |
| 1981 | "Heart of Gold" | — |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. | ||
See also
edit- Lifers Group – a hip hop group formed at Rahway State Prison (now East Jersey State Prison) in 1991
References
edit- ^ a b Cardine, Sara (20 September 2012). "Redemption Song". Pasadena Weekly. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "The Escorts | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ "Theater of the Resist: The Escorts and Lifers Group". Metropolitan Museum of Art. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ "ALL WE NEED IS ANOTHER CHANCE | Documentary Feature". Anotherchancedoc.com. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ Times, Joan Cook Special to The New York (24 April 1973). "Prisoners Sing Sample of Their Album". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ "'All We Need Is Another Chance' Doc Looks At The Power of Music Behind Bars". Mass Appeal. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ "3 Down 4 to Go - The Escorts | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ^ "The Power of Music in ALL WE NEED IS ANOTHER CHANCE | Montclair Film". Montclairfilm.org. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
- ^ a b "The Escorts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
- ^ "The Escorts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
External links
edit- The Escorts discography at Discogs
- Jill Scott - Family Reunion 2004 @ YouTube
- Look Over Your Shoulder ~ YouTube
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