The Mariners (vocal group)

The Mariners were an American pop and gospel vocal group of the mid 20th century, particularly noted for their work with Arthur Godfrey.

The Mariners were a four-piece all-male racially integrated group (two white and two African American members). They formed during World War II, in 1942, at Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn; the four members (Tom Lockard, Jim Lewis, Nat Dickerson and Martin Karl) were serving in the United States Coast Guard there. They toured Pacific military bases in 1945.^[1][2]

Arthur Godfrey hired them, and they were regulars on his radio show and later his television shows for several years.^[1] The presence of the integrated Mariners brought complaints from Southern politicians and Southern CBS affiliates, which Godfrey publicly and scathingly rebuffed.^[3] Godfrey summarily fired The Mariners in 1955^[4] (a fairly common modus for Godfrey during these years).

The Mariners then guested on other programmes, such as The Ed Sullivan Show,^[5] continued to record (on the Cadence Records label, founded by Godfrey's musical director Archie Bleyer) and appear on New York radio, but with diminishing popularity.^[1]

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (January 2017)

• [Arthur Godfrey with The Mariners]: "Turkish Delight" (1948, Columbia 38246)^[6]
• "On the Island of Oahu" (1949, Columbia)^[1]
• "Sometime" (1950)^[1] (charted at No. 16)^{[citation needed]}
• "With These Hands"
• "They Call the Wind Maria"^[1] (1951,^{[citation needed]} Columbia 39568)^[6] (charted at No. 30)^{[citation needed]}
• "I See the Moon" (1952) (charted at No. 14; their biggest and last hit)^[1]
• [Arthur Godfrey and The Mariners]: "Oh Mo'nah" (1954, Columbia 40271)^[2]
• "Zindy Lou" (1955, Cadence 1278)^[6]
• "I Heard Ya the First Time" (1958, Tiara T45-6111)^[6]

• The Mariners Sing Spirituals (c. 1956, Cadence CLP-1008)^[6]
• Hymns By The Mariners (1956, Columbia B-217)^[6]
• Fourteen Best-Loved Hymns (Columbia CL 609)^[6]
• Great American Hymns (Harmony HL 7168)^[6]
• Christmas 'Round The World (Columbia CL 6227)^[6]
• Seven Years Before the Mike [The Mariners with Arthur Godfrey]: (Columbia CL-6295 10" 33-1/3 rpm disk)
• [With Haleloke Kahauolopua and Arthur Godfrey]: Hawaiian Blossoms (Coronet KLP 024)^[6]

Singles compilation

• In Command (2006, Jasmine Records)^[1]