Charles Pikes & The Scholars – Unlucky In Love

6th November 2021 · 1960s, 1965, Music

A teenage Lyn Collins sang lead vocals on this Northern Soul stomper in an obscure girl group called Charles Pikes & The Scholars.

Northern Soul fans might recognise it as the B-side of a single called What Do You Do, released in August 1965. Both great, but this one has the edge for me.

The lead singer is a teenage Laverne Collins, who went on to team up with James Brown and find fame as Lyn Collins, with the 1972 hit Think (About It).

Charles Pikes, a gospel artist and composer from Abilene, Texas, plays the piano and the other singers in his vocal trio (which lasted from 1963-70) were Beverly Neal and his sister Brenda Pikes.

Charles had a music degree from the University of Texas and served as a Minister of Music for numerous churches.

He was also musical director for a famed gospel trio called The Barrett Sisters, from Chicago, and went on to produce many of their records.