Creme D'Cocoa

Creme D'Cocoa emerged during the height of the disco era, from 1978 to 1982, and lasted long enough to release two albums and seven singles on Venture Records. The lineup consisted of three former Ambassadors, Herley Johnson, Orlando Oliphant, and Bobby Todd, plus an ex-Ebony ("It's Forever") Jennifer Holmes. The Ebonys disbanded early in 1978, as did the Ambassadors, who hadn't had a record release for nine years until Mercury Records revitalized them early in 1978 by reissuing their most popular recording: "I Really Love You," co-written by Kenny Gamble, and originally on Arctic Records.

Creme D'Cocoa's first single, "Do What You Feel" b/w "Party Land," dropped in 1978 and became a popular club number; Venture released Funked Up on its heels. They changed sounds for their second single, "Mr. Me, Mrs. You," released in 1979, which was straight Southern soul, an emotive three-hearts-in-a-tangle drama; the saucy ballad displayed their vocal power and would outlast any of their disco hits. Ironically, the same song appeared on the Ebonys' (with Jennifer Holmes) final LP on Buddah Records, Sing About Life. A third release by Creme D'Cocoa, "Doing the Dog," also in 1979, is a funky party animal that freaky dancers loved. Nasty Street, their second album, showed promised but fizzled out like the first after a promising start. Another single in 1979 didn't go and everybody was scratching their heads and pointing fingers. "Nasty Street," in 1980, got them some more disco play but not enough to fatten their bank accounts. Then came a two-year lull before the final Creme D'Cocoa single, "I Will Survive" b/w "Sweet Dream Lady," surfaced and suffered a similar fate, and Creme D'Cocoa disbanded.