Checkmates, Ltd.

The Checkmates, Ltd. were an American R&B group from Fort Wayne, Indiana. The group, discovered by Nancy Wilson, included both black and white members; their one major hit was 1969's "Black Pearl", produced by Phil Spector. The song peaked at #13 on the U.S. pop chart.[1] Their remake of "Proud Mary" reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart in late 1969.[2]

The group broke up in 1970, but reunited in 1974 for a few more years. They performed on the same billing as Frank Sinatra and Herb Alpert, and sang the National anthem for the Thrilla in Manila in 1975.[3] Lead singer Sonny Charles later had a moderately successful career as a solo artist. Charles and Marvin ("Sweet Louie") Smith later reunited and toured the U.S. into the 2000s.

Smith died on December 15, 2007 of a heart attack, while on a cruise ship in the Caribbean where he and Sonny Charles were scheduled to perform. He was 68.[3][4]

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed the Checkmates, Ltd. among hundreds of artists who lost material in the 2008 Universal fire.[5]

Members
  • Sonny Charles – lead vocals – (born Charles Hemphill, September 4, 1940, Fort Wayne, Indiana)[6] – Charles was later a vocalist with the Steve Miller Band.[7]
  • Bobby Stevens – vocals
  • Harvey Trees – guitar
  • Bill Van Buskirk – bass
  • Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith – drums, vocals
  • Calvin Thomas – drums
  • Jimmy Milton – vocals

Discography

Albums
Year Album Billboard 200 R&B Record label
1967 Live! At Caesar's Palace — 36 Capitol Records
1969 Love Is All We Have to Give 178 — A&M Records
1971 Life — — Rustic Records
1974 F/S/O — —
1977 We Got the Moves — — Fantasy Records
Sould Out — — Gucci Records

Singles
Year Title Peak chart
positions		 Record Label B-side Album
US R&B UK AU
1966 "Do the Walk (The Temptation Walk)" — — — — Capitol Records "Glad for You"
"Kissin' Her and Crying for You" — — — — "I Can Hear the Rain"
1967 "Please Don't Take My World Away" — — — — "Mastered the Art of Love"
"Walk in the Sunlight" — — — — "A & I"
1969 "Love Is All I Have to Give" 65 — — 31 A&M Records "Never Should Have Lied" Love Is All We Have to Give
"Black Pearl" 13 8 — 31 "Lazy Susan"
"Proud Mary" 69 — 30 — "Spanish Harlem"
1970 "I Keep Forgettin'" — — — — "Do You Love Your Baby"
1974 "Sexy Ways" — — — — Rustic Records "Run Nigger Run" F/S/O
"Got to See "U" Soon" — — — — "Might Get Betta"
1976 "All Alone by the Telephone" — — — — Polydor Records "Body Language"
1977 "I'm Laying My Heart on the Line" — — — — Greedy Records "Make Love to Your Mind"

References
  1. Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. 7th edition, 2000
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 102. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. Lifeinlegacy.com Archived December 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Seattletimes.nwsource.com – Obituary Archived January 14, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  5. Rosen, Jody (June 25, 2019). "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  6. Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. 7th edn, 2000
  7. Steve Miller Band Celebrates 40 Years With 'Live' DVD | Billboard.com
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