Executive Suite -

Executive Suite was an American soul group from Camden, NJ, that released the 1974 album Executive Suite 1.

Members: Henry Tuten, Billy Tyler, Charles Conyers, Vincent Unto

Background

Executive Suite formed in Camden, New Jersey, in 1969 as the Millionaires with singers Henry Tuten, Billy Tyler, Charles Conyers, and Vincent Unto. The Millionaires recorded “A Good Love Is Worth Waiting For” backed with “You’ve Got To Love Your Baby” for Camden label Castle. The group then adopted the Executive Suite name because a Connecticut vocal group already used the Millionaires name. Tyler previously sang with the Jewels; Conyers previously sang with the Lovenotes.

Pre-album Singles: 1970–73

Executive Suite cut “Christine” backed with “Mother Nature” for Jubilee in 1970. John Madara connected the single to Gulliver, the Philadelphia band that included singer-keyboardist Daryl Hall, bassist-keyboardist Tom Sellers, guitarist Tim Moore, and drummer Jim Helmer.

Madara had worked with Dave White in the Philadelphia writer-producer team behind hits for Danny & The Juniors (“At the Hop”), Leslie Gore (“You Don’t Own Me”), and Len Barry (“1-2-3”). He and Sellers co-produced the 1969 Gulliver, which contained the original “Christine,” co-written by Hall, Sellers, and Barry. Hall added vocals to the Executive Suite version, co-arranged by Sellers and guitarist Bobby Eli with vocals arranged by Sherman Marshall.

In 1972, Bobby Martin produced and arranged “I’m a Winner Now” backed with “You Got the Kind of Love” for North Bay. Martin was a Philadelphia producer and arranger tied to the same studio network as Gamble and Huff, with major arrangement credits on “For the Love of Money” and “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.”

Babylon picked up “I’m a Winner Now,” then issued the December 1973 Executive Suite single “When the Fuel Runs Out” backed with “You Got It (Part II),” recorded at Sigma Sound Studios with Norman Harris, Phil Hurtt, Bunny Sigler, and the Harris Machine.

Executive Suite 1

Executive Suite released their singular album, Executive Suite 1, in 1974 on Polydor.

The album collects seven sides by singers Henry Tuten, William Tyler, Charles Conyers, and Vincent Unto.

“When the Fuel Runs Out” charges through a pounding dance beat and high lead cries. “When the Fuel Runs Out (Instrumental)” repeats the beat under brass punctuation. “You Believed in Me” snaps through up-tempo group harmonies, hard-driving backing, and brass accents. “I’m a Winner Now” glides at ballad pace, with the lead vocal set against close group support.

A1. “When The Fuel Runs Out” – Harris, Felder, Sigler
A2. “When The Fuel Runs Out (Instrumental)” – Harris, Felder, Sigler
A3. “You Believed In Me (Part 1 & 2)” – Lewis, Lucas, Jennings

B1. “I’m A Winner Now” – Harris, Felder
B2. “Your Love Is Paradise” – Sigler, Felder
B3. “You Got It (Part 1)” – Sigler, Hurtt
B4. “You Got It (Part 2)” – Sigler, Hurtt

Executive Suite recorded the album at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia and Mediasound in New York. Norman Harris, Ronnie Baker, and Earl Young produced and arranged “When The Fuel Runs Out,” “When The Fuel Runs Out (Instrumental),” and “Your Love Is Paradise.” Bobby Martin produced and arranged “I’m A Winner Now” and both parts of “You Got It.” Scribbles produced “You Believed In Me,” with arrangement credits for Patrick Adams and Scribbles.

Babylon issued “I’m A Winner Now” in 1973 (b/w “You Got It”), and the single reached No. 51 on the Billboard R&B chart.

In February 1974, the label followed with “When The Fuel Runs Out” (b/w “You Got It”), which reached No. 48 on the Billboard R&B chart.

“Your Love Is Paradise” became the next charting single in June 1974 and reached No. 37 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Babylon later paired “You Believed In Me (Part 1)” with “You Believed In Me (Part 2)” on Babylon 1117.

Discography: