Biography

The Dramatics (with original members Ron Banks, William “Wee Gee” Howard, Elbert Wilkins, Willie Ford, Larry Demps, and James Mack Grown) were formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1962, originally recording as the Dynamics. Under the name the Dynamics, the group recorded and released their first single “Bingo/Somewhere” in 1965, but a misprint on the follow up led to their name change as the Dramatics in 1966. They released "Inky Dinky Wang Dang Doo,” with the b-side “Baby I Need You,” and then after a change of record company, they released their first minor hit, “All Because of You” in 1967.

The big breakthrough for the Dramatics came a few years later, however, with their single “What See Is Whatcha Get.” The song, released in 1971, rose to the Top 10 on the charts and reached gold status. Wilkins and Howard departed shortly thereafter, to be replaced by Leonard “Lenny” Mayes and L.J. Reynolds, and the Dramatics went on to score a number of hits throughout the 1970’s: “Toast to the Fool,” “Me and Mrs. Jones,” “Be My Girl,” “Shake it Well,” “In the Rain,” and “I’m Going By the Stars in Your Eyes,” to name a few.

The popularity of the Dramatics began to dissipate in the next decade, and by 1982 Banks and Reynolds had launched solo careers, splitting from the group. Despite this, new releases have surfaced from the Dramatics every few years, all the way into the new millennium, with Look Inside (2002.) The Dramatics released Greatest Hits Live, showcasing a live 2001 Dramatics performance, before tragically losing Mayes in 2004. Despite this loss, the Dramatics continue to tour with the current lineup of Michael Brock (in place of Mayes), Reynolds, Ford, and Winzell Kelly.