Oscar Toney Jr.

Toney was raised in Columbus, Georgia, United States, and sang gospel in churches while young. In his teens, he joined a gospel group called The Sensational Melodies of Joy, and after this joined secular group called The Searchers (no relation to The Searchers), who released a few singles between 1958 and 1961.^[1] In 1964, Toney released a solo single, "Can it All Be Love", on King Records, but did not garner any widespread notice.^[1]

Toney then began working with the record producer Papa Don Schroeder, who used Toney as a backup replacement for James & Bobby Purify when one of the two singers was unavailable for a live performance. Schroeder had Toney signed to Bell Records in 1967, and his first single, a cover of "For Your Precious Love" by Jerry Butler & the Impressions, was produced by Chips Moman.^[1] The tune would be the first and most successful of Toney's four chart hits.^[1] His last single was 1969's "Down in Texas" b/w "Aint That True Love", which failed to chart, and Toney left Bell when Schroeder quit the music industry.

Toney toured the UK a few times during the 1960s, brought to England by agents Henry Sellers and Danny O`Donavan. He insisted after his first tour to have the same backing band which was Merlin Q from London. Merlin Q were Dave Kerr-Clemenson on bass, Andy Locke and Wally Scott on guitars, with Eddie Richards on drums and Denis White on Hammond organ. After their first rehearsal at the Q club in Paddington, Oscar said to Sellers "you said they were good but not that good".^{[citation needed]} The tour included all the Northern soul venues, such as Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester and Golden Torch in Tunstall. After the last tour Kerr-Clemson, Locke, Scott and Richards went on to become Edison Lighthouse.

In 1970, Toney released a single, "Down on My Knees", on Capricorn Records, but the tune did not chart; three more singles, all flops, followed on Capricorn, which dropped the singer in 1973.^[2]

Toney's career was tenuous in America, but the British love for Northern soul resulted in a second wind. Later in the 1970s, he was signed to the British record label Contempo Records for six singles and an album, yet none of these sold well,^[1] and in the 1980s Toney left the secular industry to focus on gospel again.

• For Your Precious Love (Bell Records, 1967) U.S. No. 192, US R&B Albums No. 27
• I've Been Loving You Too Long To Stop Now!, 1975
• Make It Easy On yourself!, 1975
• Papa Don's Preacher, 1988
• Oscar's Winners, 1998
• Oscar Toney, Jr. Resurfaces!, 2000
• Guilty of Loving You (BGR Records, 2001)

Collaboration: Cliff Ellis & Oscar Toney, Jr Over At Mary's Place, 2008