The band formulated in Eunice, Louisiana in 1955 as teenagers first consisting members Doug Ardoin, Skip Morris, Bert Miller, Bryan Leger, and Harris Miller. As their popularity soared, the band became the first Caucasian band to perform music specifically recorded by black people.[1] In early 1965, they released their first self-titled album on the Jin label and recorded at Floyd Soileau's studio in Ville Plaatte, Louisiana. In the spring, the band separated from front man Clint West, who led his own version of the Boogie Kings. The band began to feature trumpeter G.G. Shinn on vocals, who had previously been only an occasional vocalist. By May of that year, Jerry LaCroix, (performing under the name Jerry "Count" Jackson) joined the group. Jerry and G.G. sang several numbers as a duet, a feature only rarely seen in American rhythm and blues, and probably unique in the South at that time. A new album was quickly recorded in New Orleans at Cosimo Matassa's studio under the production of Baton Rouge's Sam Montel, which was released in the late summer of 1965. This combined with a hitherto unseen stage performance not generally seen in southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas gave the band a stature and popularity new to the region. In the winter-spring of 1966, the band traveled to Las Vegas in an attempt to break out. Hoping that the release of a 45 rpm by Houston's Huey Meaux ("That's Blue Eyed Soul", backed with "Do 'em All", recorded at his Pasadena, Texas studio) would launch them to success, this tour was not the success hoped for. The band returned to Louisiana in June 1966 to general acclaim. The Las Vegas exposure taught the band much about presentation and performance. However, friction involving G.G. Shinn led to his separation from the band in the summer of 1966, to be replaced by Duane Yates, formerly of the Capris. Meanwhile, lawsuits were settled that resulted in the prohibition of Clint West using the name "Boogie Kings", though he had earlier released an album on Soileau's Jin label, Live at the Purple Peacock. To integrate Duane into the band and present him to the band's followers, a new album was recorded at Sam Montel's Baton Rouge studio entitled Blue Eyed Soul. This was released in the fall of 1966 Though mostly cover material, the album featured a single, "Philly Walk" which achieved respectable regional success, no mean thing in the face of the so-called "British Invasion." Many[who?] consider the album the band's best studio effort. Though mostly covers, the performances recorded did not come across as token album filler, but genuine interpretations of the material by the band. The personnel - Jerry Lacroix -vocals and sax, Duane Yates - vocals and trumpet, Ned Theall- trumpet, Norris Badeaux - lead sax, Dale Gothia - sax, Dan Silas- baritone sax, Bryan Leger- organ, Jack Hall- guitar, Gary Dorsey-bass, and Kenny Yetman-drums – are considered by many who have known the band since inception to be the definitive Boogie Kings personnel.[citation needed] This roster constituted the group in its most unchanged form in the years that the band made several recordings, as well as the faces the public saw during the years of its expanding popularity from public appearances. In the Spring of 1967 Gary Walker was introduced into the group, and the three singers performed as "The Three Kings". Jerry laCroix left the band in May 1967, though any void in the act was filled by Gary Walker. A live album had been recorded at Galveston's Bamboo Hut, but by the time this was released Jerry was briefly with the Soul Counts, before joining G.G.'s "Rollercoasters." In the mid 1960s, the band expanded, including Ned Theall, a Cajun trumpeter from Abbeville became the group's leader. It was because of him that the band changed their style of music (swamp pop) to a more blue-eyed sound of music.[2] The band toured throughout the United States and helped back big-name musicians on the stage and in the recording studio. The Boogie Kings, organized as loose co-operative, voted to replace Ned Theall while in Los Angeles in 1967. The band returned to Louisiana, and selected Jack Hall as leader. Ned briefly organized a group featuring Duane Yates on vocals, Jon Smith on sax, and Bobby Ramirez on drums. Re-formed, the band continued to play in Louisiana and southeast Texas. By 1968, the band started going through a succession of vocalists, most of them very talented in their own right, though the stage excitement wrought by G.G. Shinn, Jerry LaCroix, and Duane Yates was seldom recaptured. These vocalists included Rosemary Clark, Buddy Wright, Little Alfred Babineaux, James Anderson, and Johnny Giordano,to name just a few. Turnover among the sidemen began to accelerate as well. By the end of 1969, only Jack Hall and Dan Silas remained from the group's heyday. The group finally sputtered out in 1972-73. The first of many "reunions" began in 1974 at the Texas Pelican, setting the style for various 'reunions' over the subsequent years. They reformed again in 1975 and 1982 before fading into obscurity once again. In the late 1980s, the band released "Cajun Soul" in 1988 and "Nine Lives" in 1989. After that recording, the band disbanded. However, they reunited in 1991 and went back to recording swamp pop music. The band released three albums in the 1990s. To date, The Boogie Kings are still performing. They added three new members to the supergroup and released a new album. The band are still in high demand, touring and performing throughout Louisiana. Read more on Last.fm. 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