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Velours' Lead Jerome Ramos
Tribute Page
Jerome Ramos, legendary lead singing of the 1950's R&B group,
the Velours and the 1960's and 1970's soul group, the Fantastics, died of
throat cancer on October 21, 2012 at the age of 75. His distinct tenor voice can be heard on such group classics as "My Love Come
Back," "Romeo," "Can I Come Over Tonight," "This Could Be The Night,"
"Remember" and "Can I Walk You Home". Ramos also recorded with the
late-sixties and seventies soul harmony group, the Fantastics who were also
very popular in Great Britain.
The Velours, ca. 1957
Top, left to right: Charles Moffitt, John Pearson, Donald Heywood,
Jerome Ramos, John Cheatdom. Calvin McClean at piano.
The Velours started singing in high school in Brooklyn.
After being discovered at an Apollo Theatre amateur night, they signed with
Onyx Records in 1956. The first two records, "My Love Come Back"
and "Romeo" contained the following personnel: Jerome Ramos (lead), John
Cheatdom (first tenor), Donald Haywood (second tenor), Kenneth Walker
(baritone) and Marvin Holland (bass). By 1957, Walker and Holland were
gone, replaced by John Pearson and extraordinary bass singer, Charles Moffitt.
The group's next record, their best known, was "Can I Come Over
Tonight". The record did very well in NYC and even charted briefly on
the national charts, thanks to the distinctive lead of Ramos and the unusual
"stuttering" bass runs of Moffitt. Charles Moffitt once told me his bass
styling came from scat-singer Jon Hendricks.
(From the Classic Urban Harmony Archives)
The Velours had two more outstanding records for Onyx, before
the label and its artists were sold to MGM in 1958.
(From the Classic Urban Harmony Archives)
The last record on Onyx.
Unusual green pressing, probably pressed by MGM
(From the Classic Urban Harmony Archives)
The Velours continued recording for the Cub label (an MGM
subsidiary) and later for George Goldner's Goldisc and End labels. Ramos and the original Velours
broke up in the early 1960's. Some of the group's members, including
Ramos, Cheatdom and Haywood reunited as the Fantastics in the late 1960's. This group
recorded some fine soul harmony records for the Deram and Bell labels.
Their records were widely accepted in Great Britain, the most popular being
"Something Old Something New" and "Love The Life I Lead".
The Fantastics (Velours) from the 1970's
Left to right: Jerome Ramos, Richard Pitts,
John Cheatdom, Donald Haywood
Rare Belgian Picture Sleeve
(From the Classic Urban Harmony Archives)
In the 1980's, Charles Moffitt assembled a new Velours group
without Ramos or the other members. This group was led by Eulis Mason,
formerly of the Martels ("Forgotton Spring"). Charles Moffitt's Velours
sang at UGHA frequently until Charles Moffitt was murdered after returning
home from a UGHA performance in 1986. His killer was never caught.
Eulis Mason kept the group going after that.
Jerome Ramos will always be remembered and respected as one of
the most distinctive lead voices in R&B group harmony history.
Here are YouTubes of some of our Jerome Ramos & the Velours
songs.
Can I Come Over Tonight
Romeo
Remember
My Love Come Back
This Could Be The Night
Something Old Something New
(As the Fantastics)
