Checkmates, Ltd.

The Checkmates, Ltd. were an American R&B group from Fort Wayne, Indiana.[1] The group, discovered by Nancy Wilson, was named such because the group included both black and white members, and their various skin tones evoked a chessboard;[1] their one major hit was 1969's "Black Pearl", produced by Phil Spector.[1] The song peaked at No. 13 on the U.S. pop chart.[2] Their remake of "Proud Mary" reached No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart in late 1969.[3]

The group broke up in 1970, but reunited in 1974 for a few more years.[1] They performed on the same billing as Frank Sinatra and Herb Alpert, and sang the national anthem for the Thrilla in Manila in 1975.[4] Lead singer Sonny Charles later had a moderately successful career as a solo artist. Charles and Marvin ("Sweet Louie") Smith later reunited and toured the U.S. into the 2000s.

Smith died on December 15, 2007, of a heart attack, while on a cruise ship in the Caribbean where he and Sonny Charles were scheduled to perform. He was 68.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 0-85112-733-9.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2000). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (7th ed.).
  3. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 102. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ a b "Life in Legacy - Week of December 15, 2007". Lifeinlegacy.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008.
  5. ^ "Seattletimes.nwsource.com – Obituary". Archived from the original on January 14, 2009.