The Manhattans come to town

The Manhattans are a legendary classic R&B vocal group that managed to achieve incredible success and longevity by adapting their style to fit the ever-changing times.  Formed in the 1960s as a doo wop-influenced R&B quintet, The Manhattans reinvented themselves as sweet smooth soul balladeers during the 1970s.

In doing so, they somehow overcame the death of lead singer George Smith, and with a new frontman, Gerald Alston became more popular than they had ever been, landing an across-the-board number one hit in 1976 with ‘Kiss and Say Goodbye’. Under the leadership of Winfred ‘Blue’ Lovett (who also composed some of the group’s biggest hits), The Manhattans survived as a viable chart act well into the 1980s, over two decades after their formation.