Headliners

The Whispers

One of R&B music's most beloved and consistently popular vocal groups, The Whispers began their legendary and timeless career in 1963. Twin brothers Walter and Wallace Scott joined with friends Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson, and Gordy Harmon to form a local singing group. They perfected their tight harmonies on street corners in the Watts section of Los Angeles and in nightclubs in the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area.

The Whispers produced a string of hits over the next two decades and emerged as the leading romantic singers of their generation, racking up one gold album after another and charting numerous R&B hits throughout the '70s and '80s. The Whispers were the first artists featured on the newly formed Soul Train label (co-owned by the TV show's creator and host Don Cornelius and entrepreneur Dick Griffey). They gained national attention with their '70s albums, "One For The Money," "Open Up Your Love," and "Headlights," producing two singles that graced Billboard's Top 20 R&B Charts: "(Let's Go) All the Way" and "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out."

Their first platinum album "The Whispers" (1980) highlighted "A Song for Donny," a song written by Carrie Lucas in memory of Donny Hathaway, and their biggest hit "And the Beat Goes On." It was their most successfully selling album (double platinum). The neoclassic "Lady," written by group member Nicholas Caldwell, is still a favorite at concerts. 1987's "Just Gets Better with Time" went platinum. It featured the R&B #1 and US Top 10 pop entry "Rock Steady," a collaboration with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

Their vocal style hearkens back to a more genteel era of crooning, preferring soft pillow talk and songs that speak to heartfelt emotions. In the 1990s The Whispers joined the Capitol Records family, releasing more favorites. Expanding their creative horizons, brothers Walter and Scotty cut "My Brother's Keeper," a critically acclaimed duet album in 1993, scoring another R&B hit with a cover of the Intruders' "I Wanna Know Your Name." "Toast to the Ladies," released in 1995, featured a collection of love songs dedicated to women all over the world. In 1997 the group moved to Interscope Records where they featured the works of Babyface once again with their album, "Songbook, Vol. 1: The Songs of Babyface."

Marcus stopped performing with the group in 1989 due to ill health and, in 2000, when he passed on, the Whispers vowed never to replace him. In the new millennium the group still performs around the world to thousands of loyal fans. The group has not made any personnel changes and still consists of Walter Scott, Wallace Scott, Nicholas Caldwell, and Leaveil Degree.

The Whispers' four decades of accomplishments were acknowledged when Charlie Thomas of the Drifters inducted them into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. On June 12, 2005, The San Francisco Chapter of the Grammy Awards presented the Whispers with the prestigious Governors Award, the highest honor bestowed by an Academy Chapter.