Cornell Gunter (November 14, 1936 – February 26, 1990) was an American
rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...
singer, most active in the 1950s and 1960s. He was born in
Coffeyville
Coffeyville is a city in southeastern Montgomery County, Kansas, United States, located along the Verdigris River in the state's southeastern region. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 8,826. Coffeyville is the most popul ...
, Kansas, and died in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
, after being shot in his automobile. He was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
The Platters
The Platters was an American vocal group formed in 1952. They are one of the most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound bridges the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the new burgeoning genre. The a ...
. He had recorded with the yet-unnamed Platters, singing back-up on
Big Jay McNeely
Cecil James "Big Jay" McNeely (April 29, 1927 – September 16, 2018) was an American rhythm and blues saxophonist.
Biography
Inspired by Illinois Jacquet and Lester Young, McNeely teamed with his older brother Robert McNeely, who played bar ...
's recording "Nervous Man Nervous" on Federal Records in 1953. Gunter also was a member of The Flairs and The Coasters. The title song from the 1957 Susan Oliver film, ''The Green Eyed Blonde'', was sung by Gunter.
Will "Dub" Jones
Will J. "Dub" Jones (May 14, 1928 – January 16, 2000) was an American R&B singer. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and died in Long Beach, California.Bobby Nunn and Leon Hughes in early 1958. After Gunter left the Coasters, he toured with
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...
. in 1961, he was part of a group called "D's Gentleman" which featured future members of
The Dells
The Dells were an American R&B vocal group. Formed in high school in 1953 by founding members Marvin Junior, Verne Allison, Johnny Funches, Chuck Barksdale, and Michael and Lucius McGill, under the name the El-Rays. They released their first r ...
Charles Barksdale and Johnny Carter as well as Richard Harris and William Herndon. In 1963, he formed his own Coasters group; they were usually billed as "The Fabulous Coasters". Gunter made several solo
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including a
cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song relea ...
of
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul music, soul artists of all time, Cooke is common ...
Dot Records
Dot Records was an American record label founded by Randy Wood (record producer), Randy Wood and Gene Nobles that was active between 1950 and 1978. The original headquarters of Dot Records were in Gallatin, Tennessee. In 1956, the company moved ...
in 1957.
In 1987, he was inducted into the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
along with the rest of The Coasters.
Cornell's sister,
Shirley Gunter
Shirley M. Gunter (September 29, 1934 – December 1, 2015)The Flairs and released with the Queens and in solo in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Ace Records released a
compilation album
A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. If by one artist, then generally the tracks were not originally intended for rel ...
in 2006 of Shirley's recordings from the 1950s entitled ''Oop Shoop: The Flair and Modern Recordings 1953–1957''.
Another sister, Gloria Gunter, recorded the singles "Move On Out" and "Your Love Reminds Me" (Arch #1610) in 1959. "Move On Out" was an answer to The Coasters'
hit
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
"
Yakety Yak
"Yakety Yak" is a song written, produced, and arranged by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for the Coasters and released on Atco Records in 1958, spending seven weeks as #1 on the R&B charts and a week as number one on the Top 100 pop list. ...
", on which Cornell sang. Both sides of the record were made available on CD in 2006. "Move On Out" appears on ''Rock 'n' Roll Mamas'' (Popcorn #6004), and "Your Love Reminds Me" appears on ''Rare Female Doo Wops'' (Popcorn #6005).
Gunter (who was gay and in later years preferred to spell his name Cornell Gunther) was in the process of making a new comeback, when an unknown
assassin
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...
shot him in his car in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
on February 26, 1990 (some files say February 27). The survivors of his group continue to tour as "The Original Cornell Gunter's Coasters Inc."
See also
*
List of unsolved murders
These lists of unsolved murders include notable cases where victims were murdered in unknown circumstances.
* List of unsolved murders (before 1900)
* List of unsolved murders (1900–1979)
* List of unsolved murders (1980–1999)
* List of u ...
Discography
Singles
*"I Had a Love" (Flair #1012) (1953)
*"This is the night for love/Let's make with some love (Flair #1044) (1954)
*"True Love" / "Peek, Peek-A-Boo" (Loma #701) (1955) (as The Ermines)
*"You Broke My Heart" / "Pretty Baby I’m Used To You Now" (Loma #703) (1956) (with The Ermines)
*"Keep Me Alive" / "Muchacha, Muchacha" (Loma #704) (1956) (with The Ermines)
*"I'm Sad" / "One Thing For Me" (Loma #705) (1956) (with The Ermines)
*"She Loves To Rock" / "In Self Defense" (ABC Paramount #9698) (1956) (with The Flairs)
*"You Send Me" / "Call Me A Fool" (Dot #15654) (1957)
*"Baby Come Home" / "I Want You Madly" (Eagle #301) (1957)
*"If We Should Meet Again" / "Neighborhood Dance" (Liberty #55096) (1957) (as Cornel Gunter)
*"Lift Me Up Angel" / "Rope Of Sand" (Warner Brothers #5266) (1962)
*"It Ain't No Use" / "In A Dream Of Love" (Warner Brothers #5292) (1962)
*"If I Had The Key To Your Heart" / "Wishful Thinking (Challenge #59281) (1965) (as Cornell Gunter and The Cornells)
*"Love in My Heart" / "Down in Mexico" (Together #101) (1976)