At the end of 1960 Richard Simmons wanted to form a vocal group and for this he recruited four school friends Robert Peebles, Kenneth Buttrey, Neil Hooper and Clarence Holland, they called themselves The Paramounts it was an interracial group formed by three whites and two blacks.
After several amateur performances by the state of Tennessee they caught the attention of the announcer and music producer Noel Ball who got them a contract for Dot records where they would record in 1960 the sides "Congratulations / Why Do You Have To Go" and in early 1961 "When You Dance / You're Seventeen".
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Without any repercussion with these recordings the group soon separated, later in 1966 Robert Peebles under the name of Robert Knight obtained a success (# 13) with his song "Everlasting Love".