The Enjoyables

The Enjoyables were a Washington, D.C., group that at various times included Keni St. Lewis, Sidney Hall, Carl "Max" Kid, James Johnson, William Britton, and Gerald Richardson. Like most young groups, personnel changed and members were in and out frequently. They signed with Capitol Records in 1964, but the affiliation only produced "Push a Little Harder" b/w "We'll Make a Way"; St. Lewis wrote the group's material. In 1966, they released "Shame" b/w "I'll Take You Back" on the local Shrine label, owned by Raynoma Gordy-Singleton and Eddie Singleton. This was the second round for St. Lewis and Britton on Shrine -- both recorded with the Cairos on a previous Shrine single. The record didn't do any business and the members didn't emerge on another record until two years later -- this time as the Statlers on Sue 2 Records with "It's a Hurting Thing" b/w "My School." Nothing happened for the Enjoyables or the Statlers, and the members separated. Britton, with Famon Johnson (the Cairos), provided the sterling backing vocals on Billy Stewart's immortal "I Do You Love." Stewart, also a native of the district, used various hometown singers to accompany him in the studio and on the road. St. Lewis later sang with Frankie Karl and the Dreams before finding his niche as a songwriter, scribing hits for Michael Jackson, the Sylvers, Tavares, Gene Chandler ("I Fooled You This Time"), and others.