The Four Blazes were an American R&B vocal and instrumental group formed in Chicago and popular in the 1940s and 1950s. They were also occasionally billed as The Five Blazes and (probably just on record labels) as the "Blasers" or the "Flames."

Career

The group was formed in 1940 by drummer Paul Lindsley "Jelly" Holt, an experienced Chicago musician who had previously been a member of the Five Rhythm Rocketeers. The Rocketeers had a residency at the Grand Terrace Ballroom, and linked up with

Earl Hines Earl Kenneth Hines, also known as Earl "Fatha" Hines (December 28, 1903 – April 22, 1983), was an American jazz pianist and bandleader. He was one of the most influential figures in the development of jazz piano and, according to one source, " ...

for a European tour in 1939. When they returned, the Rocketeers broke up and Holt formed a new band, The Four Blazes. The other original members were Jimmy Bennett and William "Shorty" Hill on guitars and mandolin, and Prentice Butler on bass. Bennett was later replaced by lead guitarist Floyd McDaniel (1915-1995), and the group also added pianist Ernie Harper (1920-1984) - brother of pianist

Walt Harper Walter Eugene Harper (July 3, 1926 – October 25, 2006) was an American jazz pianist and influential nightclub owner. Early life Harper grew up in the Schenley Heights section of Pittsburgh and was the sixth of eight children. Harper's father h ...

from Pittsburgh. As The Five Blazes, they signed with Aristocrat Records in 1947, becoming only the second act to record for the predecessor to

Chess Records Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock and roll ...

. Confusingly, one of their numbers was "Chicago Boogie," and an entirely different group from Los Angeles called The Four Blazes recorded a song called "Chicago Blues" around the same time. The Chicago group became The Four Blazes again after Ernie Harper left in 1948 for a solo career. In 1951, Butler died and was replaced by lead vocalist and bass player Tommy Braden. The group recorded a series of singles for United Records from 1952 onwards, several of them featuring saxophonist Eddie Chamblee. Their first release, "Mary Jo", hit # 1 on the R&B charts in August 1952, and the follow-ups "Please Send Her Back To Me" and "Perfect Woman" also made the R&B top ten. In 1954, Braden left the band for a while, seeking a solo career; he died in 1957. Although Braden returned for a while, and Red Holloway took over from Eddie Chamblee accompanying the band in the studio, the Blazes broke up for good after a last recording session in 1955. "Jelly" Holt started a new vocal/instrumental group called the Four Whims before retiring in the early 1960s, and McDaniel performed with the Ink Spots before launching a solo career late in life.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Four Blazes African-American musical groups Musical groups established in 1940 Musical groups from Chicago American rhythm and blues musical groups Musical groups disestablished in 1955 United Records artists