Les Humphries Singers
The Les Humphries Singers was a pop vocal group formed in Hamburg, West Germany by English singer Les Humphries. Active from 1969 until 1980, the group had several chart hits in Germany and in other European countries. The group, whose music drew heavily from gospel, country, folk, R&B and psychedelic influences, was notable for its large number of members, which at times numbered over a dozen to 30. Several of its members, including John Lawton, Jürgen Drews and Liz Mitchell, went on to have notable careers of their own. History and members Les Humphries was born John Leslie Humphreys on 10 August 1940 in Croydon, Surrey, England. After a stint in the Royal Navy, where he was a member of the naval band and attained the rank of Band sergeant major. In 1969, inspired by the success of the Edwin Hawkins Singers gospel group, he formed Les Humphries Singers in Hamburg, where he had relocated. The original line-up included Humphries, Jimmy Bilsbury, and Malcolm Magaron as lead vocals, supported by Jürgen Drews, Judy Archer, En David, Myrna David, Peggy Evers, Dornee Edwards, Henner Hoier, Heike Kloen, Liz Mitchell, Victor Scott and Tina Werner. The group consisted of a large number