The Jive Five

The Jive Five, an American doo-wop group, formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 1954. The original lineup included Eugene Pitt, Jerome Hanna, Richard Harris, Thurmond Prophet, and Norman Johnson. Initially known as "The Genies," the group renamed themselves "The Jive Five" and achieved their breakthrough with "My True Story" in 1961 on Beltone Records, which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot R&B Singles chart for three weeks. Following Hanna's death in 1962, the group reorganized with Pitt, Johnson, Andre Coles, Casey Spencer, and Beatrice Best. They released several singles, including "What Time Is It?" and "Never, Never," before switching to United Artists Records and having a hit with "I'm A Happy Man." In 1970, they moved to Decca Records as "The Jyve Fyve" and had a minor hit with "I Want You To Be My Baby." The group remained active on the circuit, performing with various lineups that included Eugene Pitt's brothers Frank and Herbert Pitt. In the 1980s, they collaborated with Fred/Alan Inc. to create jingles for Nickelodeon and HBO Family. Notable members who passed away include Norman Johnson in 1970, Webster Harris in 2003, Maurice Unthank in 2008, Artie Loria in 2010, Beatrice Best in 2014, and Eugene Pitt in 2018.

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