The Checkmates, Ltd. are an American R&B group from Fort Wayne, Indiana. The band was discovered by Nancy Wilson and included both black and white members, with their various skin tones evoking a chessboard, hence the name. Their breakthrough came in 1969 with "Black Pearl", produced by Phil Spector, which peaked at number 13 on the U.S. pop chart. The group's remake of "Proud Mary" reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart later that year. They released their debut album Love Is All We Have To Give in 1967, performing alongside notable artists such as Frank Sinatra and Herb Alpert, and singing the national anthem for the Thrilla in Manila in 1975. Lead singer Charles Hemphill, known professionally as Sonny Charles, later had a moderately successful solo career and was also a vocalist with the Steve Miller Band. The group disbanded in 1970 but reunited in 1974 for a few more years. Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith, who played drums and vocals, died on December 15, 2007, of a heart attack while on a cruise ship in the Caribbean where he and Sonny Charles were scheduled to perform.
