Charles Howard Patrick obit

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Charles Patrick, the original lead singer of The Monotones “Book Of Love” passed away on his 82nd birthday. He was believed to be the last surviving member from the original lineup.
R.I.P. Charles Howard Patrick
(September 11, 1938 - September 11, 2020)

Charles Patrick (born September 11 1938) was the lead singer of the group The Monotones.

The Monotones were a six-member black American doo-wop vocal group in the 1950s. They are considered a one-hit wonder, as their only hit single was "The Book of Love", which peaked at #5 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1958.

The Monotones formed in 1955 when when the seven original singers, all residents of the Baxter Terrace housing project in Newark, New Jersey, began performing covers of popular songs. They were:

    lead singer Charles Patrick (born September 11, 1938)

    first tenor Warren Davis (born March 1, 1939)

    second tenor George Malone (Jan 5, 1940 – October 5, 2007)

    bass singer Frankie Smith (May 13, 1938 - Nov 26, 2000)

    2nd bass singer John Ryanes (Nov 16, 1940 – May 30, 1972)

    baritone Warren Ryanes (Dec 14, 1937 – June 16, 1982)

Charles Patrick's brother James was originally a member, but he left soon after the group's formation.

They practiced in the project's recreation hall, inspired by acts like the Heartbeats, the Spaniels, the Moonglows, and the Cadillacs. They adopted their name from a previous group who already had it and were in the process of breaking up. The six friends and neighbors also began singing with the New Hope Baptist Choir, along with other choir members Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, Judy Clay, Cissy Houston, Leroy Hutson (of the Impressions), and several of the Sweet Inspirations. Houston was the choir director and Dionne and Dee Dee were cousins of Jim and Charles Patrick (leader of the  Monotones).

he group launched their career with a 1956 appearance on Ted Mack's Amateur Hour television program, winning first prize for their rendition of The Cadillacs' "Zoom". Soon afterwards, Charles

Patrick was listening to the radio and heard a Pepsodent toothpaste commercial with the line "wonder where the yellow went." From there he got the idea for the line, "I wonder, wonder, wonder who!, who wrote the book of love", later working it up into a song with Davis and Malone. In September 1957, they recorded "Book Of Love", which was released on the Mascot label in December that year. The small record company could not cope with its popularity, and it was reissued on Chess Records' subsidiary Argo label in February 1958. It became a hit, eventually reaching #3 on the Billboard R&B chart and #5 on the pop charts. The record sold over one million copies. It also reached #5 in Australia;The Monotones recorded a series of novelty follow-ups including "Zombi", and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", but they were not successful.

The Monotones disbanded in 1962. Surviving members met to revive "Book of Love" several times after the break-up. John Ryanes died in 1972, aged 31, and his brother Warren died in 1982. By 1994, the Monotones consisted of Frankie Smith, George Malone, Carl Foushee, Bernard Ransom, Bernard Brown, and Victor Hartsfield.