The Five Du-Tones, an American soul vocal group comprising Willie Guest, Robert Hopkins, LeRoy Joyce, Oscar Watson and James West, formed in 1957 while attending Patrick Henry High School in St. Louis, Missouri. The group's initial lineup saw changes when Joyce's mother relocated to Chicago, Illinois, prompting most members to follow her there. In Chicago, the lineup was supplemented by Andrew Butler and Frank McCurrey. Between 1963 and 1967, The Five Du-Tones recorded nine singles on George Leaner's One-derful Records. Their breakthrough came with "Shake a Tail Feather", which peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard R&B chart and number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. The group continued to release dance-oriented tracks, including "The Chicken Astronaut" (1963) and "The Gouster" (1964). Despite their creative output, constant touring took a toll on the group's creativity and cohesion. In 1963, James West died from heart failure at age 26 and was replaced by David Scott. The group disbanded in 1967. Notable posthumous recognition includes Ike & Tina Turner's cover of "Shake a Tail Feather" in 1969, which was also featured prominently in the film The Blues Brothers (1980) and the soundtrack of the 1988 film Hairspray.
