Representative Albums: "The Best of the Heartbeats," "For Collectors Only," "Daddy's Home"
Representative Songs: "A Thousand Miles Away," "Crazy for You," "I Found a Job"
Biography
Lead singer James "Shep" Sheppard co-wrote a series of velvety doo wop ballads for the Heartbeats during the mid-'50s; one entry, "A Thousand Miles Away," was a huge R&B seller in 1956. The Queens, NY, quintet began their string of street-corner classics with "Crazy for You" and "Darling How Long," culminating with "A Thousand Miles Away." The Heartbeats recorded for Hull, Rama, Roulette, Gee, and Guyden before packing it in. In 1961 the lead singer formed a new trio, Shep & the Limelites, and scored on the charts with a heartwarming sequel to his first hit, "Daddy's Home," for Hull. "Our Anniversary" also sold well for the trio the next year, but they broke up soon thereafter. Sheppard was found dead in his auto on the Long Island Expressway in 1970. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide
The Heartbeats were formed in the mid 1950s in Jamaica, Queens. Originally called "The Hearts", they switched in 1955 when a female group by the same name scored a minor billboard hit. They were signed shortly after James "Shep" Sheppard joined the group, and were shuffled between various production companies over the next few years. The group split up in 1959, and Sheppard later went on to start Shep and the Limelites.
