The Unifics
In 1966 a group of talented students at Washington D.C.’s Howard University in 1966 formed the upstart group Al & the Vikings. Consisting of singer/songwriter Al Johnson, Tom Fauntleroy, Marvin Brown, Bob Hayes, and George Roland, the group changed its name during its first year to the Unique Five and later to the Unifics. Known for their smooth harmonies and their dapper attire (including their trademark white gloves), the Unifics soon gathered a large following in the D.C. area and began to attract attention elsewhere.
Unfortunately, outside obligations of the various members also created a number of personnel changes that often confused the group’s most loyal fans. Hayes, Roland and Fauntleroy left in 1967 (Fauntleroy leaving for the military) and the group became a quartet with the addition of Michel Ward and Greg Cook. Brown left during the following year, replaced by Harold Worthington.
The group signed with manager Guy Draper, who landed the act a contract with Kapp Records and became their producer and a principal writer. During this time, their songs were arranged by Donny Hathaway. Soon after signing with Kapp, the Unifics hit national pay dirt with their single, “Court of Love,” which scored on both the Soul and Pop charts in 1968. The Top 40 hit featured a mock-courtroom setting. Often called “the act that no group wanted to follow,” the UNIFICS “raised the bar” to the satisfaction of standing-room-only audiences at the Apollo Theater, Uptown Theater, Howard Theater and to the delight of fans across the nation.
Member Al Johnson had a briefly successful solo career in the 1980s and worked with Norman Connors, Jean Carn, The Whispers, Sharon Redd, Gayle Adams and Special Delivery. Al Johnson died on October 26, 2013, at the age of 65.
