Born Herbert Alexander Cox in Cincinnati, Ohio, he moved to NY as a young teenager, first to Harlem and then to Queens. In 1955, at Jamaica High School in Queens, New York, two singing groups - The Clefs and The Silvertones - merged to form The Cleftones. The lead singer was Herbie Cox and other group members were Berman Patterson, Warren Corbin (bass), Charlie James and William "Buzzy" McClain. Vocal battles were regularly fought with other local groups, including Gene Pearson's Rivileers and James Sheppard's Hearts (later The Heartbeats).
The Cleftones, all aged between 16 and 18, practiced in the back room of a beauty parlour owned by Buzzy's parents on 107th Avenue and Merrick Road. Their early influences were The Swallows, The Diamonds, The Cardinals, The Moonglows and The Penguins. However, as the group developed, they began to favour the more up-tempo songs and began to write in that vein.
In late 1955, encouraged by their school-friend manager Dave Ralnick, the boys auditioned for Apollo, Baton and Old Town, but were turned down by them all. The next stop was Rama Records at 220, West 42nd Street, in an office over the PAL (Police Athletic League). Label owner George Goldner auditioned them and immediately signed them to his newly-formed Gee label.
"You Baby You" was released in December 1955 (just a month later, Elvis was appearing on The Dorsey Brothers' TV Show and RCA were putting all their resources behind "Heartbreak Hotel"). "You Baby You" followed its label-mate "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" into the Billboard Pop charts and reached #78, selling an estimated 150,000 copies.The next release was Herbie's own competition "Little Girl Of Mine". It sold over 750,000 during its heyday, and probably close to a million more since then. The record was released in the UK on Columbia 3801 (45 and 78), with the earlier hit "You Baby You" on the flip.
Subsequent releases through the remainder of 1956 and 1957, but the sales never matched those of their first two releases. The group's first big live show in 1956 was at Detroit's Fox Theatre with The Cadillacs, Lavern Baker, Lonnie Donegan, Bobby Lewis, Bob Crewe and The Royal Jokers. The group were visually exciting and were always in demand for live appearances. They set a record by appearing 12 times in one year at Murray The K's Apollo Theatre dance parties. Alan Freed used them on nine holiday special shows.
In the summer of 1958 the Cleftones recorded their first Roulette record "She's So Fine". Once again it was not a big hit neither were other singles. A change in the personnel resulted in a female member Patricia Spann joining the group. The Cleftones wound up back on the Gee record label. In 1961, they released "Heart And Soul" (Larry Clinton's 1938 hit). It was a big success and The Cleftones were back in the Pop charts, hitting #18 (#10 R&B). "We were very proud of being one of the only groups to have hits in both the 50's and 60's," said Herbie Cox.
In 1962, back on Gee, the Cleftones two LPs "Heart And Soul" and "For Sentimental Reasons." They recorded one additional single in 1963 on the Ware record label (#6001) called "He's Forgotten You" and "Right From The Git Go." The Cleftones broke up in 1964 until 1970, when Berman and Herbie met in a bar and decided to put the group back together again, including Herbie's cousin Tony Gaines. A few oldies revival shows later, and they were once again doing regular performances. At some point in the 70's several old cuts from the "For Sentimental Reasons" L.P. were issued on Robin Hood Records.
In 1990, the Cleftones recorded a 45 on the Classic Artists record label - "You Lost The Game Of Love" and "My Angel Lover". In April 1991, The Cleftones made it to Europe for the first time, appearing at the Wembley Convention Centre with The Five Keys. More recently, in 1999, the Cleftones appeared on the PBS special "Fifty Years of Doo Wop" singing their classic "Heart And Soul".
The group consisted of various members over the years with Herb remaining as the only original Cleftone. The group’s last live performance was in April 2017 in Las Vegas. Herb also had a corporate career with Manufacturers Hanover Bank in Manhattan, juggling the demands of a business career and continuing to perform on weekends and rehearse one evening a week. Herb finally left NY and relocated to Fayetteville in 2004. With his friend and business partner, Gene Tompkins, they produced several annual shows at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center with headlining Doo Wop acts.
Herb Cox developed Alzheimer's and died in Fayetteville, Georgia on December 7, 2019, at the age of 81.
(Edited mainly from tims.blackcat.nl. Most pictures from uncamarvey)