ABOUT
The Sensations were a male-female doo-wop group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that became famous during the early 1960s. They are best remembered for the upbeat "Let Me In" which features a repeated "wee-ooo" throughout.
Formed in 1954, the group was first known as the Cavaliers with a lineup consisting of bass singer Alphonso Howell (September 4, 1936 - May 7, 1998), Roosevelt Simmons (tenor), and lead singers Yvonne Mills (soprano) and Tommy Wicks (baritone). The Sensations signed with Atco in 1955 and had two R&B Top 20 hits the following year with the ballad, "Please Mr. Disc Jockey," and their cover of Gene Austin's 1925 hit, "Yes Sir That's My Baby." Yvonne Mills married Frank Baker in late 1956 who served as the group's road manager. The Sensations toured actively and recorded several more singles before disbanding around early 1958, and Mills (now Yvonne Baker) took some time off to devote to her family. Howell also served for a time during the late 1950s as the replacement bass singer for The Silhouettes. The Sensations reformed again in 1961 and signed with the Chess subsidiary label, Argo. The new lineup consisted of original members Alphonso Howell and lead singer Yvonne Mills Baker who were joined by tenor Richard Curtain and baritone George Minor who was replaced soon after by Sam Armstrong. Armstrong then left in mid 1962 and was replaced by Tommy Cook.
The Sensations made their debut in 1961 on the Pop/Rock charts with their cover of the Teresa Brewer 1950 chart topper, "Music, Music, Music," which became a minor hit. This was followed by the group's best known song, "Let Me In" (1962), a doo-wop classic written by Yvonne Mills Baker that became a Top 5 hit on both the R&B and Pop/Rock charts. The Sensations had two more minor hits in late 1962 with "Party Across The Hall" and their version of Frankie Laine's 1947 hit, "That's My Desire."
The Sensations continued to tour and record through 1963 before finally disbanding. Yvonne Mills Baker also recorded solo beginning in the late 1950s and released a number of singles over the years that include the highly sought-after "You Didn't Say A Word" (1967).
LINKS
- Opportunity Knocks Twice for Philly's Singing Sensations Part 1, the first of a two-part series based on extensive interviews with Alphonso Howell, Yvonne Mills Baker, and others, provides a in-depth history of the group's beginnings during the mid-late 1950s.
- Opportunity Knocks Twice for Philly's Singing Sensations Part 2 describes The Sensations' later history after they reformed in 1961 and the making of their signature song, "Let Me In."
MERCHANDISE
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- The Sensations - CDs, vinyl, & more - Amazon.com
- The Sensations - Digital music - Amazon.com
- The Sensations - Rare vinyl, CDs, & more - MusicStack.com
SONGS
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The Sensations
- Let Me In 1962
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