Vernon Green had had enough of Dootone Records. Three years into the game, and the nineteen-year-old Los Angeles native had nothing to show for his regional success. Vernon Green & the Medallions had fallen apart a couple years back, a few regional hits about cars and women under their belt. Despite recording a few more automobile-inspired tracks, subsequent groups the Cameos and the Dootones were going nowhere fast. So Vernon jumped ship. Signing on to Art Rupe’s Specialty Records–home of hit-makers like Little Richard, Larry Williams, Roy Milton, and the Liggins Brothers–Vernon assembled the Phantoms. Hoping that a gimmick might hide his identity from any contract-mad Dootone reps, the group performed under hoods. Unfortunately, the soulful young tenor was easily identifiable: he was the only doo-wop lead singer who walked with a cane, the result of an early bout with polio. Green eventually drifted back to Dootone and another group called the Medallions, but the Phantoms recorded some great tunes before he left Specialty, among them “Sweet Breeze.” From the sound of it, you’d be likely to mistake the slight, mystical wind of Green’s lyrics for a torrent. Listen to “Sweet Breeze.”
[Many thanks to Marv Goldberg and The R&B Vocal Group Index for biographical info.]
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