Spinoff groups In 1959, Lester began a solo career. That same year, Harvey Fuqua, following the advice of another Chess artist, Bo Diddley, worked with the Marquees, where Fuqua first met Marvin Gaye. Relocating the group from their hometown of Washington, D.C., to Chicago, Fuqua soon brought Chuck Barksdale into the group after Barksdale's group, the Dells, was temporarily on a break following a car crash involving one of its members. Fuqua renamed the group Harvey and the New Moonglows. In April 1959, Fuqua sang lead on the ballad "Twelve Months of the Year", which included a spoken recitation by Gaye, repeating an early trademark of the Moonglows in "Ten Commandments of Love". Later in 1959, Chess issued the songs "Unemployment" and "Mama Loocie", which was Gaye's first lead vocal. Most of the time, Fuqua recorded solo numbers and often promoted his and the New Moonglows' songs on TV and in movies. During this time, the group recorded background vocals for the likes of Etta James and Chuck Berry.
Spinoff groups In 1959, Lester began a solo career. That same year, Harvey Fuqua, following the advice of another Chess artist, Bo Diddley, worked with the Marquees, where Fuqua first met Marvin Gaye. Relocating the group from their hometown of Washington, D.C, to Chicago, Fuqua soon brought Chuck Barksdale into the group after Barksdale's group, the Dells, was temporarily on a break following a car crash involving one of its members. Fuqua renamed the group Harvey and the New Moonglows. In April 1959, Fuqua sang lead on the ballad "Twelve Months of the Year", which included a spoken recitation by Gaye, repeating an early trademark of the Moonglows in "Ten Commandments of Love". Later in 1959, Chess issued the songs "Unemployment" and "Mama Loocie", which was Gaye's first lead vocal. Most of the time, Fuqua recorded solo numbers and often promoted his and the New Moonglows' songs on TV and in movies. During this time, the group recorded background vocals for the likes of Etta James and Chuck Berry.