The audience's reaction to the Somerville-led group was so positive that they decided that night they would turn professional.Īfter 18 months of rehearsal, they drove to New York and tied for 1st Place on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. Thomas Aquinas Church in Toronto singing in a Christmas minstrel show. The group's first performance was in the basement of St. They decided to form a stand-up quartet called the Diamonds. In 1953, Dave Somerville, while working as a sound engineer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, met three other young singers. Contrary to a popular myth, the father of Tom Hanks was never a member of the group. They were most noted for interpreting and introducing rhythm and blues vocal group music to the wider pop music audience. The original members were Dave Somerville (lead), Ted Kowalski (tenor), Phil Levitt (baritone), and Bill Reed (bass). The Diamonds are a Canadian vocal quartet that rose to prominence in the 1950s and early 1960s with 16 Billboard hit records.