The Flairs (or Flares) were an American doo-wop group known for their 1961 hit "Foot Stompin', Pt.
Formed at Jefferson High School in Los Angeles, the group was originally called the Debonaires.
The members included Arthur Lee Maye, Pete Fox, Obediah Jessie, Joe Winslow, and A.V.
Cornell Gunter, who had recently left the earliest lineup of the Platters, came in to make the group a quintet.
[3] Dolphin released another single by a different group called the Five Hollywood Blue Jays around the same time.
The Flairs performed at the famed tenth Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles which was produced by Leon Hefflin, Sr. on June 20, 1954.
He got to know this group and, when a baritone was needed a few years later, recommended fellow Flair Pete Fox for the job.
With Fox joining the Cadets and Jessie recording solo (as Young Jessie), Cornell Gunter formed a new group, the Ermines, with new members George Hollis, Thomas Miller, and his cousin, Kenneth Byley.
The Cadets were again associated with the Flairs—they had just split, and ex-Cadets Willie Davis and Aaron Collins joined the Flairs.
Miller, Hollis, Davis, and Collins recorded only briefly as the Flairs, before changing their name to the Flares in 1959.
By this time, however, both of the former Cadets had left, and the group was now Miller, Hollis, Eddie King, Robbie Robinson, and Beverly Harris.
Then the lineup returned to Miller, Hollis, Willie Davis, and Aaron Collins (possibly featuring Harris).
At that time, Hollis left and was replaced by a former Flair, Randy Jones and Patience Valentine was added as a fifth member.