Singer. He was a R&B singer, best known for his hit "Take a Letter, Maria" which reached number 2 on the Billboard pop chart in 1969. Born Ronald Bertram Aloysius Greaves in Georgetown, which was then British Guyana, he grew up on a Seminole reservation in California and was also the nephew of soul singer Sam Cooke. In the early 1960s, he moved to England to perform and record as lead singer for the group Sonny Childe and the TNT's, which had the UK hits "This is Mersybeat" (1963) and "Heartbeat" (1967). Returning to America, he was signed to Atco Records and released the album "R.B. Greaves" (1969), which contained the hit single "Take a Letter, Maria" selling more than a million copies. His other Top 40 recordings included "Always Something There to Remind Me" (1970), plus remake covers of "Fire and Rain" (1970), "Whiter Shade of Pale" (1970), "Margie, Who's Watching the Baby" (1972) and "Naked Eyes" (1983).
Singer. He was a R&B singer, best known for his hit "Take a Letter, Maria" which reached number 2 on the Billboard pop chart in 1969. Born Ronald Bertram Aloysius Greaves in Georgetown, which was then British Guyana, he grew up on a Seminole reservation in California and was also the nephew of soul singer Sam Cooke. In the early 1960s, he moved to England to perform and record as lead singer for the group Sonny Childe and the TNT's, which had the UK hits "This is Mersybeat" (1963) and "Heartbeat" (1967). Returning to America, he was signed to Atco Records and released the album "R.B. Greaves" (1969), which contained the hit single "Take a Letter, Maria" selling more than a million copies. His other Top 40 recordings included "Always Something There to Remind Me" (1970), plus remake covers of "Fire and Rain" (1970), "Whiter Shade of Pale" (1970), "Margie, Who's Watching the Baby" (1972) and "Naked Eyes" (1983).
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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