1956
THE CLOSER YOU ARE * THE CHANNELS * WHIRLIN DISC 100 * USA
The group consisted of Larry Hampden, Billy Morris, Edward Doulphin, Earl Mitchael Lewis and Clifton Wright, the song was written by the fifteen year old Earl Lewis, who had been writing songs since the age of ten, and had previously sang lead in a group called The Lotharios, and the recording was their first for Bobby Robinson's new Whirlin Disc label. They had a total of five releases, including the two versions of What Do You Do, before moving to the Gone label, they continued to record for many labels with various line ups throughout the 50s 60s and 70s, it seems their final recording was a remake of their first The Closer You Are for the Soul Jam label in 1987 as The New Channels!