The Manhattans

In the words of Bar Mix Master "the blend of the charred oak, spiciness, of Bourbon; the sweet, herbal, and slight caramel flavour of Sweet Vermouth; and the indescribable flavour of bitters combine to make a cocktail like none other."  This cocktail "is said to have been invented in New York's Manhattan Club in 1874 at the request of Winston Churchill's mother, Lady Randolph Churchill to celebrate a newly elected governor" (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbarmixmaster.com&s=4917d13a5eca76bd7dbc24a45b2ff5084c8d305c3edbfa92f4d227d6013bb411" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://barmixmaster.com</a>). The cocktail still these days is known as the Manhattan.

 This is a multi-part story of one of the greatest and best-loved groups in the history of soul music, the Manhattans, told by its present end ex-members and many other music business figures, who have been dealing with the group throughout the years.  As to the origin of the name of the group, there have been different recollections.  One member is in favour of the skyline they could see right across the water from the Jersey City - "Manhattan was close to New Jersey.  It was easy to remember, and we just felt we wanted to represent class" - but another member, Mr. Winfred "Blue" Lovett, remembers slightly differently: "We collectively came up with the Manhattans, but we referred ourselves to the alcoholic drink.  Everybody thought the name was from the borough of the New York anyway, so we just grabbed on to that."

(The pic courtesy of Mrs. Jeanie Scott)

The five singers, who became the first members of the Manhattans in the early 60s, went to two Jersey City high schools in the 50s - George Smith and Richard Taylor to Snyder High and Winfred Lovett, Kenneth Kelly and Edward Bivins to Lincoln High.

(Sonny Bivins pic taken from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.themanhattans.net&s=336ee9d2f81f5794835ea11a58d9121837e1cd20e89513408a5528de03177ad5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.themanhattans…</a>)
EDWARD "SONNY" BIVINS

   Edward Jesse Bivins, Jr. (tenor) is the senior member of the group in terms of his age, as he was born on January 15 in 1936.  Still today he's best known as "Sonny" - "when I was young, I was always smiling" - but his other nickname used to be "Dip." Sonny: "I played baseball.  Then I started singing, and I couldn't sing and play baseball at the same time."  He played minor league baseball in the Jersey City All-Stars.

 Sonny was born in Macon, Georgia, to Willie and Edward Bivins.  "My father tap-danced, and I got into music through my father."  Sonny had two brothers, Donald and James, but no sisters.  In Macon he started singing in a school choir and glee club.  "We moved no New Jersey in 1950, and I went to Lincoln High in 1951.  In school I was two years ahead of Kenny Kelly and Blue Lovett, and we all used to sing around school and on the street corners."

 Sonny's early idol was Sam Cooke, and of the later acts he puts the Temptations first, but thinks highly of the Dells, the Spinners, the O'Jays and B.B. King, too.  His all-time favourite record is To Each His Own by Nat King Cole.  He has five children - Mark, Pam, Doug, Yvette and Kenny - but they're not active in music.  "They have their own things they wanted to do in life."