The Impalas were an American doo-wop group in the late 1950s, best known for their hit, " Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)".
The group formed in 1958 in Brooklyn, New York, and was composed of lead singer Joe "Speedo" Frazier (September 5, 1943 – April 1, 2014), Richard Wagner, Lenny Renda and Tony Carlucci. [1] They were a racially integrated group—Frazier was the only black member. [2]
They recorded for Hamilton Records and were found by songwriters Artie Zwirn and Aristides "Gino" Giosasi, who wrote the song "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)". [1] In 1959 disc jockey Alan Freed heard the group, added his name as a writer of the song and got them a deal with MGM Records subsidiary label Cub. In the US, the record reached No. 2 on the U.S. pop chart, No. 14 on the R&B chart. [3] Outside the US, "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)" peaked at No. 28 on the UK Singles Chart. [4] The song sold over one million copies, earning gold disc status. [5]
The group recorded follow-ups including "'Bye Everybody," "Oh What A Fool," an album for Cub, and one further single for the 20th Century label before disbanding in 1961. Frazier went on to sing with Love's Own in 1973, [1] and in 1980 resurrected the Impalas as a touring act.
Joe "Speedo" Frazier died on April 1, 2014, at the age of 70. [6] [7]