- one ▁hits . ▁The ▁Plat ters ▁are ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁groups ▁to ▁be ▁accepted ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁chart ▁group ▁and ▁are ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁vocal ▁groups ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Band ▁formation ▁and ▁early ▁years ▁The ▁Plat ters ▁formed ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁and ▁were ▁initially ▁managed ▁by ▁Federal ▁Records ▁A & R ▁man , ▁Ralph ▁Bass . ▁The ▁original ▁group ▁consisted ▁of ▁found ing ▁and ▁naming ▁member , ▁Her b ▁Re ed , ▁Alex ▁H odge , ▁Corn ell ▁G unter ▁and ▁Joe ▁Jefferson . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁G unter ▁left ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁F la ires ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁lead ▁vocal ist ▁Tony ▁Williams . ▁The ▁band ▁then ▁released ▁two ▁singles ▁with ▁Federal ▁Records , ▁under ▁the ▁management ▁of ▁Bass , ▁but ▁found ▁little ▁success . ▁Bass ▁then ▁asked ▁his ▁friend , ▁music ▁entrepr ene ur ▁and ▁song writer ▁Buck ▁Ram , ▁to ▁coach ▁the ▁group ▁in ▁hope ▁of ▁getting ▁a ▁hit ▁record . ▁Ram ▁made ▁some ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁line up , ▁most ▁not ably ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁female ▁vocal ist ▁Z ola ▁Taylor ▁and , ▁in ▁aut umn ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁the ▁replacement ▁of ▁Alex ▁H odge ▁by ▁Paul ▁Rob i . ▁Under ▁Ram ' s ▁guidance , ▁The ▁Plat ters ▁recorded ▁eight ▁songs ▁for ▁Federal ▁in ▁the ▁R & B / g ospel ▁style , ▁scoring ▁a ▁few ▁minor ▁regional ▁hits ▁on ▁the ▁West ▁Coast