Spaniels lead singer dead at 72

Singer and songwriter Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson of the doo-wop group the Spaniels died Tuesday, January 16, of complications from thymus cancer at his home in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Hudson was born June 11, 1934 in Des Moines, Iowa, but was raised in Gary, Indiana, where he sang in church choirs. The Spaniels were formed by Hudson and fellow students at Roosevelt High School. The Spaniels's hit song "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" was a million-selling Top 5 R&B hit in 1954. It reached No. 24 on the pop chart. At the time, only black radio stations played the song. Soon after, The McGuire Sisters recorded a version of the song which sold more copies than the original. Hudson fell on hard times after going solo, spending part of the 1960s and 70s homeless. Hudson began singing again in the 1980s and started receiving royalties for "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" in the 1990s. In 1991, the Spaniels were honored with an award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and recorded an album, "40th Anniversary." Hudson was 72.

Sources: LATimes.com, destinationdoowop.com, Associated Press, Legacy.com