Effective period / Period of releases: 1964

Members: Candy Johnson (2)

The Exciters came together in the early 1960s, first starting out as "The Igniters," a lounge band in Las Vegas. They were headed by lead singer Don Hardgrave (who came from a prior solo recording career as "Big Don Hargrave" - he dropped the "d" professionally - and that name that wasn't just dreamed up, Hardgrave was a enormous fellow) and included Bobby Fry on bass, Jack Merrill on guitar, Jim Rector on drums and Larry Ogden on sax. In 1961 they changed their name to "the Exciters." Candy Johnson was an American dancer who became part of 'The Exciters' and later became the main act of the band.