{{short description|American R&B vocal group}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Soul Generation | image = File:Soul generation early 70's.jpg | caption = Original members | image_size = | origin = Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. | genre = R&B, soul | years_active = 1970-present | label = Ebony Sound Records | associated_acts = The Stylistics, Black Ivory, Blue Magic, The Dramatics, Touch of Class | website = | current_members = Cliff Perkins*<BR> Veda LaRue<BR> Donald Taylor<BR> Krystal Perkins | past_members = Earl Davenport*<BR> Herman Hammond *<BR>Jeffrey Burgess*<BR> Michael Murphy<BR> Ted West <BR>*Original Member }} '''Soul Generation''' is an American R&B vocal group from Jersey City, New Jersey, which had a number hits in the 1970s, including "Body and Soul (That's the Way It's Got to Be)", "Million Dollars", and "I Wonder What She's Doin'".

==History==

===Early days=== The group was originally known as The Citations, and formed in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1970. Members included group founder Cliff Perkins (lead singer, tenor, choreographer), Earl Davenport (second tenor), Thomas Timmons (bass), and Herman Hammonds (baritone). Timmons left the Citations in 1971 and was replaced by Jeffrey Burgess. The group changed their name to Soul Generation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Soul Generation All Music |website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/soul-generation-mn0000042640/biography}}</ref>

===Career=== Their first single, "Body and Soul (That's the Way It's Got to Be)" was produced and written by producer, arranger, and promoter Paul Kyser. Soul Generation and Kyser recorded the song at A & R Recording Studios in New York, New York. The single was released on Ebony Sound Records out of Newark, New Jersey, and distributed by Hilary Records Inc. in April 1972.<ref>{{cite web |title=Soul Generation All Music |website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/soul-generation-mn0000042640/biography}}</ref> The song spent 11 weeks on the ''Billboard'' R&B singles chart, peaking at No. 27 on May 27, 1972.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Soul Generation Billboard R&B Chart 1972 |magazine=Billboard |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/r-b-hip-hop-songs/1972-05-27}}</ref> After the release of their debut single, Soul Generation went back to the studio to record an album entitled, ''Beyond Body and Soul''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Beyond Body & Soul Discogs |website=Discogs |year=1972 |url=https://www.discogs.com/Soul-Generation-Beyond-Body-And-Soul/release/1264414}}</ref> Soul Generation recorded the album at Record Plant, in New York City, with record producer and arranger Stan Vincent at the helm. The album was released in late 1972, with the single, "Million Dollars", released to radio in February 1973. "Million Dollars", written by Jeffrey Burgess and Stan Vincent, entered the Billboard R&B singles chart on March 10, 1973, where it spent four weeks, peaking at No. 45.<ref>{{cite web |title=Million Dollars 45 karat |url=http://www.45cat.com/record/es176}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Soul Generation Billboard 1973 |magazine=Billboard |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/r-b-hip-hop-songs/1973-03-31}}</ref> The B-side to the single, "Super Fine", was written by, Burgess and Vincent. Their third and final single from the album, "Ray of Hope", was released in April 1973. "Ray of Hope" and the B-side, "Young Bird", was written by Vincent.

In 1974, Bobby Ragona became the group's manager, and Soul Generation released two more singles in the 1970s. "I Wonder What She's Doin'" in 1974, written by Vincent, and "Praying for a Miracle", written by Van McCoy. In 1975, Earl Davenport died and was replaced by Michael Murphy, who stayed with the group until 1977. The group now performed as a trio, with Perkins, Burgess and Hammond until 1982. Soul Generation disbanded in 1983.

===Later years=== In 1989, the group reunited with Perkins, Burgess, Hammond, and Ted West performing on the Classic Soul Circuit throughout the country. This unit stayed together until 2004. New members, Veda LaRue-Perkins and Donald Taylor replaced Hammond and Burgess. Krystal Perkins, who is Cliff Perkin's daughter performs with the group as well.

In 2004, with Perkins the only original member left in the group, the name was changed to Soul Generations featuring Cliff Perkins. As of 2020, Soul Generation featuring Cliff Perkins is still performing and celebrating 50 years in the music industry.

==Discography==

===Studio albums=== *1972: ''Beyond Body and Soul'' *2013: ''Oooh! Baby''<ref>{{cite web |title=Ooh Baby |url=https://www.soultracks.com/soul-generation-ooh-baby-review |website=SoulTracks - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews |accessdate=18 July 2020 |language=en |date=22 October 2013}}</ref>

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Title ! Peak chart positions |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="35"| US<br>R&B<ref>{{cite web |title=Soul Generation - Million Dollars |url=http://www.45cat.com/record/es176 |accessdate=2 August 2020}}</ref> |- | 1972 | align="left"| Body and Soul | 27 |- | rowspan="3"| 1973 | align="left"| Million Dollars | 45 |- | align="left"| Ray of Hope | &mdash; |- | align="left"| I Wonder What She's Doin' | &mdash; |- | 1974 | align="left"| Baby "Praying For A Miracle | &mdash; |- | rowspan="4"| 2013 | align="left"|Oooh! Baby | &mdash;

|- | align="left"| Your Way | &mdash;

|- | align="left"| Heaven Only Knows | &mdash; |- | align="left"| Yesterday's Memories | &mdash; |- | colspan="3" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * BadCatRecords - [http://badcatrecords.com/SOULgeneration.htm Soul Generation] * Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/artist/185639-Soul-Generation Soul Generation] * 45Cat - [https://www.45cat.com/artist/soul-generation Soul Generation - Discography] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDqeI4Dce4I Soul Generation]

Category:African-American musical groups Category:American rhythm and blues musical groups Category:American vocal groups