The group, based in Memphis, Tennessee, was founded as The Gospel Writer Juniors, later changing its name to The Dixie Nightingales.
[4] Willie Neal left the act that this time, and was replaced by Quincy Billops Jr., a former member of Stax's The Mad Lads.
Changing their name to Ollie & the Nightingales, the group moved to the main Stax label, where they released a number of singles.
Their most successful was 1968's "I Know I've Got a Sure Thing", a William Bell/Booker T. Jones composition which peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Black Singles chart.
[5] Ollie & the Nightingales also sung backing vocals for Eddie Floyd on his 1968 hit single "I've Never Met a Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)" [6] In 1969, the group released a long-playing album, Ollie & the Nightingales; "I Got a Sure Thing" was not included because Atlantic Records retained ownership of that single and all other pre-1968 Stax material after Stax severed its distribution deal with Atlantic.