Real name: Robert Banks

Banks began his singing career when he was 12 years old and had his first recital at Germantown's Canaan Baptist Church, one of the most influential black churches in Philadelphia. Soon, however, he moved from gospel music to the emerging genre of doo-wop, which had a distinctive sound. Banks stopped singing in the 1980s following surgery that left him unable to belt out songs the way he used to.

Do NOT confuse with Gospel organist/arranger Robert Banks.