Photo courtesy of The Spinners Facebook
(May 10, 2020) Many thanks to our friends at Soul Express for letting us know that the legendary Spinners have shuffled their lineup again. Charlton Washington, who has served as lead singer for the group since 2007, left the act suddenly in March, and has been replaced by former Ol Skool and Temptations Revue singer, CJ Jefferson. The St. Louis native has already started with the group and will take on the lead singer role.
For those of us who have been Spinners fans for ages, the new millennium has brought a lot of changes and heartbreaks, beginning with the heart attack and stroke suffered by lead vocalist John Edwards in 2002. That change brought a brief reunion with "It's A Shame" lead G.C. Cameron to fill in. When it became clear that Edwards could not physically return, former Delfonics member Frank Washington took over the lead vocalist position and Cameron went on to join the Temptations. Washington was, in turn, replaced by Charleton Washington in 2007.
In the mid-00s, Billy Henderson left the group and was replaced by Detroit singer/songwriter Harold Bonhart, who himself was replaced in 2009 by Marvin Taylor. Billy Henderson died of complications from diabetes on February 2, 2007. Pervis Jackson followed a year and a half later, dying on August 25, 2008, and was ultimately replaced by Detroit singer and radio personality Jessie Peck. In February 2013, Smith died, leaving Henry Fambrough as the only original member. Smith was replaced by Michigan native Ronnie "Raheem" Moss.
The current version of the group consists of Fambrough along with Jefferson, Peck, Taylor and Moss. We're looking forward to hearing this new version of The Spinners, and hope they will continue the sixty year legacy of the classic Detroit group.
To see Soul Express's full biography of new group member CJ Jefferson, click here, and to hear one of his solo performances, check out the video below.