"The Wind" is a 1954 doo-wop

Doo-wop

The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...

 classic by the pre-Motown Detroit R&B group Nolan Strong & The Diablos

Nolan Strong & The Diablos

Nolan Strong & The Diablos were a Detroit-based R&B and doo-wop vocal group best known for its hit songs "The Wind" and "Mind Over Matter." The group was one of the most popular, pre-Motown, R&B acts in Detroit during the mid 1950s, through the early 1960s....

. The song appears originally on the group's second 45rpm single, "The Wind / Baby Be Mine," (Fortune Records

Fortune Records

Fortune Records was a family operated, independent record label located in Detroit, Michigan from 1946 to 1995. The label owners were Jack and Devora Brown, their son Sheldon Brown recorded for the label...

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The song has a unique, reverb-heavy sound and is centered around the high ethereal lead tenor voice of the band's leader, Nolan Strong.

In 2007, The Metro Times listed "The Wind" at #11 in The 100 Greatest Detroit Songs list - which was the November 11th cover story. http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12036

"The Wind" was the group's only national hit, though most of the group's other hits were huge local successes in Detroit, including "Mind Over Matter" (Fortune #546, 1962), which went to #1 on local radio station play lists in 1962.

Cover versions

The Jesters

The Jesters

The Jesters were a doo-wop group based in New York City who achieved success in the late 1950s. They were students at Cooper Junior High School in Harlem who graduated from singing under an elevated train station near 120th Street to the amateur night contest at the Apollo Theater, where Paul...

 reached #110 on the Billboard chart in 1960 with a cover of the song.

Mark Sultan

Mark Sultan

Mark Sultan is a Canadian musician and entrepreneur from Montreal, Quebec. He was a member of a number of Canadian garage bands including the Spaceshits, Les Sexareenos, and Mind Controls...

, aka "BBQ," of King Khan & BBQ Show, recorded a version of it for an upcoming Nolan Strong tribute album titled "Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos

Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos

Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos is a vinyl-only tribute album released by The Wind Records and distributed by Norton Records....

." The vinyl LP will be released by The Wind Records and distributed by Norton Records

Norton Records

For the Canadian independent record label of the same name, see Matt Minglewood.Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music...

. http://marksultan.com/news.html?subaction=showcomments&id=1235002441&archive=1265351674&start_from=&ucat=&

The late Laura Nyro

Laura Nyro

Laura Nyro was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved considerable critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry, and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th...

 covered the song live in concert and on her album "Gonna Take a Miracle

Gonna Take a Miracle

Gonna Take a Miracle is the fifth music album by New York-born singer, songwriter, and pianist Laura Nyro. Nyro was backed up on the album by the vocal trio Labelle....

."

The Calveys featuring Gino Romano, a doo-wop group, released "The Wind" on a Comma Records 45rpm (C-445).

Personnel

• Nolan Strong - Lead vocals
• Juan Guitierrez - Tenor
• Willie Hunter - Baritone
• Quentin Eubanks- Bass
• Bob "Chico" Edwards- Guitar