Charlie Horner
is recognized worldwide as an expert on early Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll
vocal harmony. He was born and raised in Philadelphia. With a PhD from the
University of Pennsylvania, Charlie’s been totally immersed in the fields of
rhythm & blues, doo wop, soul and spiritual music since he first began
collecting records at the age of 11. That collection has now grown to over
50,000 records. Starting in 1970, Charlie hosted a popular weekly radio
program out of Philadelphia (WKDU and WXPN) on the history of R&B vocal groups
that spanned 25 years. The program was also simulcast for a time on KALX (Berkeley, CA) and WKHS (Warton, MD). In tracing the origins of urban group harmony,
he’s interviewed hundreds of singers and reunited countless groups from the
fifties who’d thought their fame was long passed. Charlie’s produced and MC’d
more than a half dozen acappella stage shows and is largely credited for a
resurgence in doo wop music in the Philadelphia area that began in the late
seventies and continues today. He’s written liner notes for over fifty albums
and published dozens of articles in magazines such as Echoes of the Past,
Goldmine, Bim Bam Boom, Record Exchanger, Harmony Tymes and Yesterdays
Memories. Charlie’s served on the board of directors of the United In
Group Harmony Association’s Hall of Fame and was president and co-founder of
the Mills Brothers Society. He was awarded the Philadelphia Group Harmony
Association’s only Lifetime Achievement Award and also received a Lifetime
Achievement Award at the first ever Philadelphia Doo Wop Festival.
Charlie and his wife Pamela reside in
Somerset, New Jersey, where they’re both active in preserving the legacy of the
vocal harmony groups. Charlie’s forty-five years of research and personal
friendships with groups like the Orioles, Ravens, Harptones, Solitaires,
Silhouettes, Frankie Lymon’s Teenagers, Chantels, Lee Andrew’s Hearts, Tymes,
Turbans and Sensations allow him to tell the story of how the music came about.
Produced and hosted a popular radio program for 23 years, aired
in PA, CA and MD.
Recognized worldwide as an expert on African American Music,
particularly quartet singing.
Conducted interviews with hundreds of historically important
vocal group singres.
Authored numerous articles on singing groups, published in music
various publications.
Authored liner notes for over 40 commercially available record
albums.
Produced historical reissue albums by several singing groups.
Presented with the first ever lifetime achievement award from
the Philadelphia Doo Wop Festival.
Selected for the Philadelphia Group Harmony Association’s first
ever lifetime achievement award.
Vice president, co-founder and then President of the Mills
Brothers society. Editor of their quarterly magazine.
Member of the Board of Directors of the United In Group Harmony
Association’s Hall of Fame.
Subject of an Associated Press feature and numerous local
newspaper articles.
Consultant with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for their 1995
Induction Ceremony.
Produced and MC’s seven major concerts.
Made dozens of guest appearances on radio programs from NY to
CA.
Toured Europe with and as a guest of popular European vocal
quartets the Golden Gate Quartet and Deep River Quartet.
Gave music presentations from PA to VA for the United in Group
Harmony Association and the Mills Brothers Society.
Now gives music presentations on the history
of R&B and Doo Wop Homevocal group singing.
![[New!]](images/smallnew.gif){kind=small}
2008 European Road Trip: Deep River Quartet & Golden
Gate Quartet