The Radiants were formed in 1960, set up by a group of young men who met at the Greater Harvest Baptist church in Chicago. At first, they sang a mixture of Gospel and secular songs, but later their desire to secure a recording contract led them to concentrate on the Doo-Wop songs written by the group’s leader Maurice McAlister. The other founder members were Wallace Sampson, Elzie Butler, Jerome Brooks and Charles Washington. In 1962 they were signed by Chess Records, achieving some local success with their single “Father Knows Best”.
By 1964, the group had been reduced to a trio by the departure of Brooks, Butler and Washington and the addition of Leonard Caston Jr. The new set-up had two hit singles, “Voice Your Choice”, which reached number sixteen on the R&B chart, and “Ain’t No Big Thing”, which made it to number fourteen. The following year saw several more changes of personnel, with the new line-up consisting of Wallace Sampson, the only remaining member from the original group, plus new members James Jameson, Mitchell Bullock and Victor Caston, Leonard’s younger brother. They released one more charting single, “Hold On” (number 35 R&B), before leaving Chess Records in 1969.
The group’s original leader, Maurice McAlister, teamed up with Green McLauren to work as a duo, known as Maurice & Mac. McLauren had joined the Radiants for a short time in 1962/1963.
Maurice & Mac were assigned to the Checker label and went to Muscle Shoals in 1967 as part of the Chess Records contingent that Leonard sent to work with Rick Hall. The first three singles released by Chess in 1967 and 1968 were all recorded at FAME Studios. They were all good, but one track stands out. “You Left The Water Running”, written by Dan Penn, Oscar Franck and Rick Hall, is an outstanding example of Southern Soul. Sadly, the good folk at Chess didn’t push the songs at all and they failed to make a mark. Nevertheless, “So Much Love”, “Why Don’t You Try Me”, and “You Left The Water Running” are well worth a listen!
Back in Chicago, the duo started working with Gene Barge, who co-wrote some of the next four tracks they released, as well as arranging and producing them. Just as in Muscle Shoals, the recordings are good, but the company failed to promote them.
In 1984 a compilation appeared in Japan, on the P-Vine Special label, entitled “Lean On Me”, which contains seven FAME recordings and seven Chicago tracks. It is an excellent album. The duo really should have been considered as worthy competitors for Sam And Dave in Memphis, but that was not to be.
