DEE CLARK RAINDROPS (1961)

Raindrops is a 1961 song by the American R B singer Dee Clark. Released in April of that same year, this ballad peaked at position 2 on the Hot 100 and at position 3 on the R B chart. He was born Delecta Clark in Blytheville, Arkansas, and moved to Chicago in 1941. His mother, Essie Mae Clark, was a gospel singer and encouraged her son to pursue his love of music. Clark made his first recording in 1952 as a member of the Hambone Kids, who enjoyed some success with a recording of Hambone on the OKeh label. In 1953, he joined an R B group called the Goldentones, who later became the Kool Gents and were discovered by Chicago radio DJ Herb Kent upon winning a talent competition. Kent had the Kool Gents signed to VeeJay label s subsidiary Falcon, Abner. The group recorded for Falcon, Abner in 1956, and also recorded a novelty record as The Delegates. Clark embarked on a solo career in 1957, initially following the styles of Clyde McPhatter and Little