The Four Knights were a successful African-American doowop group active in the post-war era, who, unlike many of their contemporaries in the genre, enjoyed their hit success in the pop charts rather than the R&B lists.
Formed in 1943 as a gospel quartet, and becoming popular on radio, they moved into the secular market and signed to Decca in 1946, having hits in the pop and UK charts through to 1959.
This 58-track set comprises selected A- and B-sides of their singles on the Capitol and Coral labels during this era – we have tried to minimise duplication of tracks with our existing Acrobat product Oh Baby! Best Of Volume 1 1951-1954 (Acrobat ACMCD4030), as this collection covers a much longer period of their career. It naturally features all their US pop and UK chart entries, including their Top 10 hits Oh Happy Day and (Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely, as well as their Top 10 hits with Nat King Cole, If I May and That’s All There Is To That, plus one other hit with Nat, My Personal Possession.
It includes at least one side from just about all their single releases during these years, so is a fairly comprehensive overview of their output, and provides an insight into the way their music developed as the pop landscape changed, as well as an admirable showcase for their talents as an accomplished vocal harmony group.
REVIEWS
Full marks to Acrobat for issuing this set which is a very indicative representation of their output, and containing some very fine examples of tasteful close harmony singing, free of gimmicky effects and mannerisms, especially when the material matched their abilities. - Gerry Stonestreet (In Tune Issue 348)
Now whilst I have to be honest here and say this is not really my music there is absolutely not a bad cut on this collection. I particularly like Cry, Got Her Off My Hands, It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie, I Wish I Had A Girl, If I May (with Nat King Cole) and O’ Falling Star. A must for collectors. - Graeme Scott (Blues Matters March 2021)