[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 118 (Friday, August 19, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      BILL BAKER, THE FIVE SATINS

 Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
constituent from West Haven, CT, who played an important role in the 
cultural history of our century.
  Bill Baker, who was the lead singer of the Five Satins, passed away 
last week, and that news brought a flood of memories to the many fans 
of the great 1950's group whose music was a big part of the soundtrack 
of their lives.
  Mr. Baker, a native of Alabama, grew up singing gospel music along 
with his mother. He moved to New Haven when he was 16 and began singing 
with area groups. His big break came in 1957, when he was invited to 
replace lead singer Fred Parris in the Five Satins, just as they were 
about to go on a national tour to promote their big hit, ``In the Still 
of the Night.'' That song, by the way, was recorded in the basement of 
New Haven's St. Bernadette's Church, which provided the hauntingly 
beautiful acoustics that characterize the recording.
  Following on the heels of their success with ``In the Still of the 
Night,'' Bill Baker and the Five Satins recorded their next big hit, 
``To the Aisle.'' The song stayed in the Top 40 for 8 weeks in the 
summer and fall of 1957, and was also featured on the soundtrack of the 
classic movie, ``American Grafitti.''
  Sadly, the Five Satins disbanded in 1959, a victim of conflicts with 
the recording company. However, Bill Baker continued to sway audiences 
with his beautiful tenor voice throughout the 1960's and 1970's in live 
performances. Throughout this time, by the way, and for a total of 32 
years, Bill Baker worked hard to support his family as an employee of 
the G&O Manufacturing Co. in New Haven.
  In the early 1980's Bill Baker's Five Satins formed and went on tour. 
I was honored when they accepted my invitation to sing at the 
announcement of my reelection for Attorney General in 1984, which was 
an evening I will never forget. Two days before his death, Bill Baker 
received honorary induction into the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America, 
an event that brought tears to his eyes, said Ann Della Camera, his 
longtime manager and resident of East Haven, CT.
  Mr. President, on behalf of the people of the State of Connecticut, 
and on behalf of the millions of fans of the Five Satins around the 
world, I wish to recognize the contributions of Bill Baker to American 
music history, and express my condolences to his family, including his 
wife, Thelma Valenti Baker, his children, Nathaniel and Tammi, his 
parents and brothers and sisters. The memory of his wonderful voice 
will live forever. As was so well stated by Harvey B. Robbins of the 
Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame in a Hartford Courant article, ``As long as the 
music of the 1950's is played, the voice and presence of Bill Baker 
will always be a part of that era.''

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