It was towards the end of 1951 that Johnny Otis (born John Veliotes; he found it gainful to pass as black), the 30-year-old Savoy recording star who also worked as a talent scout for King Records of Cincinnati, came upon a group called the Royals at a talent show at the Paradise Theatre in Detroit. Through Otis, the four-man group—Henry Booth, Sonny Woods, lead singer Charles Sutton, and guitarist Alonzo Tucker—were signed by King boss Syd Nathan, and in January 1952 the Royals began recording for King’s sister R&B label Federal.

The Royals’ first record, “Every Beat Of My Heart” (written by Johnny Otis, the song eventually, in 1961, became a hit by Gladys Knight and the Pips), was released in March 195(2. This single did not do too well, nor did the four that followed; and in the early summer of 1953, lead singer Charles Sutton moved aside to make room for another Detroit son, Henry Bernard Ballard.