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278:", which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 2-9 May 1970. The Friends were prolific between 1969 and 1973, releasing six albums, with a seventh in 1976. They also released numerous
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In 1990, Elston and Butler planned to revive the
Friends of Distinction, but Butler suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 52 on April 29 of that year. He had already
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184:(December 10, 1948 – May 2, 2014), and Barbara Jean Love (born July 24, 1941). Butler and Elston had worked together in The Hi-Fi's in the mid 1960s, often opening for
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The
Friends of Distinction formed in 1968 in Los Angeles with original members Floyd Butler (June 5, 1937 – April 29, 1990), Harry Elston (born November 4, 1938),
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The group quit touring in 1976, and broke up soon afterward. Cleaves sang with Earth, Wind & Fire for a number of years.
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335:. Elston formed a new quartet, also called The Friends of Distinction, and the group continues to give live performances.
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When Love took time off during her pregnancy, Charlene Gibson replaced her, singing lead on the
Friends' third hit, "
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songs for the group and one composition he co-wrote, "Check It Out", was a hit for the group
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founded by Harry Elston and Floyd Butler, best known for their late 1960s
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Floyd Butler, Dani McCormick, Harry Elston, Dianne
Jackson
1124:(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.
1289:"The Friends of Distinction: Adult Contemporary Songs"
341:
died on May 2, 2014, from a stroke at the age of 65.
1314:. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W.
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1339:"US Certifications > The Friends of Distinction"
271:" also charted highly, hitting No. 15 in November.
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241:written by Elston. Released in March 1969, this
1198:"The Friends of Distinction: Top R&B Albums"
896:"Love Is the Way of Life (The Humble Stranger)"
302:" shortly after the original's release in 1970.
1267:"The Friends of Distinction: Hot R&B Songs"
199:The Friends of Distinction were discovered by
192:and Lamont McLemore, who would later co-found
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1176:"The Friends of Distinction: Billboard 200"
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1343:Recording Industry Association of America
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308:"Going in Circles" has been covered by
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1027:"Love Shack (Opened Up a Shop) Pt. 1"
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1245:"The Friends of Distinction: Hot 100"
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921:"Thumb Tripping (I'll Be Movin' On)"
256:in the U.S., peaking at No. 3 on the
188:. Other members of the Hi-Fi's were
7:
1251:. September 12, 2008. Archived from
320:, and "Love or Let Me Be Lonely" by
37:The Friends of Distinction in 1973.
1562:Musical groups established in 1968
1182:. January 22, 2015. Archived from
1048:Reviviscence – Live to Light Again
570:Best of the Friends of Distinction
522:Reviviscence – Live to Light Again
14:
294:". They also released a cover of
1312:Australian Charts Book 1970—1992
1567:Musical groups from Los Angeles
1547:African-American musical groups
218:The Friends' first major hit, "
16:American rhythm and blues group
1:
1552:American soul musical groups
1223:"The Friends of Distinction"
222:", was an Elston-sung vocal
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1413:The Friends of Distinction
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1367:The Friends of Distinction
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276:Love or Let Me Be Lonely
263:in June. The follow-up
166:Love or Let Me Be Lonely
942:Love Can Make It Easier
502:Love Can Make It Easier
245:went Top 5 on both the
54:Los Angeles, California
1020:Honey Baby, Honey Baby
209:Earth, Wind & Fire
207:, who also discovered
45:Background information
1557:American vocal groups
1525:Time Waits for No One
790:Time Waits for No One
596:Peak chart positions
363:Peak chart positions
300:It Don't Matter To Me
292:Time Waits for No One
211:, and were signed to
1504:Grazing in the Grass
1485:Friends & People
843:Friends & People
650:Grazing in the Grass
578:(2005, RCA/Sony BMG)
481:Friends & People
220:Grazing in the Grass
162:Grazing in the Grass
1572:RCA Records artists
1310:David Kent (1993).
1090:Guinness Publishing
998:"Honey Baby Theme"
194:The Fifth Dimension
1088:(First ed.).
724:"Let Yourself Go"
544:Compilation albums
1534:
1533:
1434:Barbara Jean Love
1299:on July 14, 2019.
1277:on July 14, 2019.
1255:on July 14, 2019.
1208:on July 14, 2019.
1186:on July 14, 2019.
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286:" and a cover of
201:American football
152:were an American
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143:Barbara Jean Love
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1295:. Archived from
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1233:. July 17, 2013.
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1204:. Archived from
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689:Going in Circles
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269:Going in Circles
170:Going in Circles
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91:psychedelic soul
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1461:Highly Distinct
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1437:Charlene Gibson
1430:Jessica Cleaves
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1092:. p. 921.
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421:Highly Distinct
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339:Jessica Cleaves
318:Luther Vandross
182:Jessica Cleaves
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140:Jessica Cleaves
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137:Charlene Gibson
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1361:External links
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1154:Soultracks.com
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1156:. May 2, 2014
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550:Greatest Hits
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235:Hugh Masekela
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224:cover version
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190:Marilyn McCoo
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1577:Sunshine pop
1483:
1475:
1469:Real Friends
1467:
1459:
1451:
1426:Floyd Butler
1423:Harry Elston
1412:
1346:. Retrieved
1311:
1305:
1297:the original
1292:
1283:
1275:the original
1270:
1261:
1253:the original
1248:
1239:
1226:
1206:the original
1201:
1192:
1184:the original
1179:
1170:
1158:. Retrieved
1153:
1144:
1119:
1083:
1080:Colin Larkin
1047:
1018:
951:"Easy Evil"
941:
871:"Let Me Be"
849:"Down I Go"
842:
812:
782:Real Friends
781:
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564:Collectables
559:
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521:
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442:Real Friends
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419:
396:
337:
326:
314:The Gap Band
307:
304:
284:Check It Out
273:
258:
228:instrumental
217:
198:
179:
149:
148:
133:Harry Elston
129:Floyd Butler
125:Past members
101:Years active
86:sunshine pop
18:
572:(1996, RCA)
345:Discography
310:Isaac Hayes
288:Neil Sedaka
243:gold record
213:RCA Records
186:Ray Charles
154:vocal group
114:RCA Records
1541:Categories
1061:References
554:RCA Victor
322:Paul Davis
259:Billboard
205:Jim Brown
105:1968–1975
1477:Whatever
1371:AllMusic
813:Whatever
726:(B-side)
693:(A-side)
460:Whatever
168:", and "
1496:Singles
1453:Grazin'
681:Grazin'
618:R&B
583:Singles
562:(1989,
552:(1973,
398:Grazin'
380:R&B
333:Tavares
329:written
280:singles
261:Hot 100
237:, with
203:player
71:R&B
1488:(1971)
1480:(1970)
1472:(1970)
1464:(1969)
1456:(1969)
1318:
1160:May 3,
1132:
1096:
717:: Gold
675:: Gold
610:US Pop
604:Album
593:Title
372:US Pop
360:Title
265:ballad
254:charts
239:lyrics
226:of an
176:Career
110:Labels
64:Genres
50:Origin
995:1975
948:1973
893:1972
819:1971
754:1970
645:1969
590:Year
518:1975
497:1973
476:1971
437:1970
393:1969
357:Year
296:Bread
1350:2014
1316:ISBN
1162:2014
1130:ISBN
1094:ISBN
715:RIAA
673:RIAA
486:166
465:179
426:173
316:and
298:'s "
290:'s "
251:soul
249:and
164:", "
158:hits
81:soul
58:U.S.
1369:at
1231:RPM
1126:259
828:28
825:79
807:37
798:37
795:60
773:55
767:13
742:34
730:63
709:24
697:15
664:98
638:CAN
632:AUS
626:A/C
468:42
453:49
447:68
429:14
413:RCA
409:17
406:10
403:35
386:CAN
324:.
247:pop
233:by
231:hit
172:".
160:, "
76:pop
1543::
1341:.
1330:^
1291:.
1269:.
1247:.
1229:.
1225:.
1214:^
1200:.
1178:.
1152:.
1128:.
1108:^
1069:^
1042:—
1039:—
1036:—
1033:—
1030:—
1013:—
1010:—
1007:—
1004:—
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988:—
985:—
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930:—
927:—
924:—
911:—
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902:—
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886:—
883:—
880:—
877:—
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864:—
861:—
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792:"
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1502:"
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1391:v
1352:.
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1164:.
1138:.
1102:.
788:"
757:"
687:"
648:"
566:)
556:)
267:"
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