The Checkers (American band)

The original members were John Carnegie (Tenor/Lead), Charlie White (Tenor/Lead), Irwin "Teddy" Williams (Tenor), James Turner "Buddy" Brewer (Baritone), and Bill Brown (Bass/Primary Lead).

Often times, the group had a fluid membership with the only constants being two young men, John Carnegie and Irwin “Teddy” Williams.

Brewer, Brown, and Joe Lamont (also an original member of the Dominoes) had been in the 5 International Gospel Singers of South Carolina together.

In January 1953, White left due to his drug problems and later that month, had joined The Clovers as was intended in 1951.

Baughan would sing falsetto on the bridge of their most famous song, a cover of The White Cliffs of Dover.

[2] In the late spring of 1954, Baughan would exit the group to join The Drifters again, this time as a replacement for Clyde McPhatter.

Brown went about to reform the Checkers before their last studio session in late 1954, this group consisted of Eddie “Monkey Man” Harris (former lead of the Blue Dots on Deluxe), David Martin (2nd Tenor, formerly of the Sparrows with Perry Heyward), and James Williams (Baritone).

[5] The whereabouts of later members Eddie Harris, David Martin, and James Williams are unknown.