The Velvets facts for kids

The Velvets were an American music group from Odessa, Texas. They played doo-wop music. This style of music uses lots of singing harmonies. The group started in 1959.

A high school English teacher named Virgil Johnson formed the band. He started it with four of his students. Famous singer Roy Orbison heard them. He helped them get a record deal with Monument Records in 1960.

Their first song released was "That Lucky Old Sun". Their biggest hit song was "Tonight (Could Be the Night)". It reached number 26 on the Billboard music chart in 1961. Another song, "Laugh", also made it to the charts. After a few more songs, the group stopped playing together.

Virgil Johnson was the main singer. He sang the tenor part. The other members sang backup. Mark Prince sang bass. Clarence Rigsby sang tenor. Robert Thursby sang first tenor. William Solomon sang baritone. These four were Virgil Johnson's students. They were in his eighth-grade English class.

Some of their songs were also popular in the United Kingdom. "That Lucky Old Sun" and "Tonight (Could Be the Night)" appeared on the UK Singles Chart in 1961. The Velvets recorded 30 songs in total. These songs were later put together on a compact disc. This CD was released in 1996 by Ace Records.

Life After The Velvets

After the group broke up, Virgil Johnson became a school principal. He passed away in February 2013. Sadly, Clarence Rigsby died in a car accident in 1978.

Meet the Members

Here are the people who were in The Velvets:

• Virgil Johnson (December 29, 1935 – February 24, 2013)
• William Solomon (1941 – 2006)
• Mark Anthony Prince (September 26, 1942 – November 11, 2021)
• Clarence Rigsby (1947 – 1978)
• Robert "Bob" Thursby

Their Hit Songs

The Velvets released several songs. Here are some of their most well-known singles: