The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. The O'Jays had their first hit with "Lonely Drifter", in 1963. In spite of the record's success, the group was considering quitting the music industry until Gamble & Huff, a team of producers and songwriters, took an interest in the group. With Gamble & Huff, the O'Jays emerged at the forefront... of Philadelphia soul with "Back Stabbers" , and topped the Billboard Hot 100 the following year with "Love Train". They formed the group in Canton, Ohio in 1958 while attending Canton McKinley High School. Originally known as The Triumphs, and then The Mascots, the friends began recording with "Miracles" in 1961, which was a moderate hit in the Cleveland area.
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| Career began: | 1958 |
| Members: | Eddie Levert, Bill Isles, Lester Christian, Bobby Massey, Sammy Strain, Walter Williams, Eric Grant, Nathaniel Best, William Powell |
| Hometown: | Canton |
| Also known as: | O'Jays, O'Jays, The, The O' Jays |