The Phoenix Singers

The Phoenix Singers were a trio of male African-American folk singers active in the early 1960s. The members Ned Wright, Arthur Williams, and Roy Thompson were all former members of The Belafonte Folk Singers.

The trio was the musical guest on the first broadcast of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, October 1, 1962.

Carson wrote the liner notes for their first record album, The Phoenix Singers, issued by Warner Bros., WB1485, 1962. Vocal arrangements and musical direction for this album was by Milt Okun. Okun called The Phoenix Singers “one of my failure groups.” (Along the Cherry Lane, 2011, page 106.)

Their second and only other album, Warner Bros WB1522, was recorded live at The Shadows (later The Cellar Door), Georgetown, Washington, DC, entitled The Phoenix Singers in Concert.. The Phoenix Singers also appeared on at episodes of the TV show Hootenanny, as well as the Today show.

A few recordings from their albums have recently been added to YouTube.