Doo wop quintet the Beavers formed in New York City in early 1949. According to an article on Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks website (http://home.att.net/~marvy42/index.html), the lineup was assembled by voice coach Joe Thomas and comprised lead tenor Freddy Hamilton, tenor Dick Palmer, lead baritone John Wilson, bass Raymond Johnson and pianist/arranger Howard Biggs, who previously served in the same capacity with early R&B hitmakers the Ravens. In late June, the Beavers cut their first session for RCA.