The Counts

The Counts – Five-piece “doo-wop” group. First dubbed the Five Diamonds, the Counts originated at Crispus Attucks High School in 1953 with members Chester Brown (lead), Robert Penick (first tenor), Robert Wesley (second tenor), Robert Young (baritone), and James Lee (bass)—all students of sixteen and seventeen years old. Inspired by the Drifters and the Four Freshmen, the Counts sang the popular hits of the day. Their discovery by a talent scout at the Madam Walker Theater led to a recording date with Dot Records in Gallatin, Tennessee, and the outcome was an original hit in “Darling Dear” (#6 on the R and B charts in 1954). On the strength of their hit, a rigorous national tour and other recording dates followed, although they didn’t repeat the success of their first record. Eventually, they cut ties with Dot Records. Through it all, they stayed together and continued to make records in Indy with Jimmy Coe playing saxophone. Notable appearances with the original line-up were at the Indiana Black Expo in 1985 and 1986 and the forty-year reunion for the Crispus Attucks class of 1954 (James Lee’s class).