Singer Ray W. Pollard dies of cancer

Jet, April 11, 2005

Ray W. Pollard, 74, former lead singer of the 1950s group the Wanderers, recently died of lung cancer at a convalescent home in Las Vegas.

Pollard, a native of New York City, joined the Wanderers in 1953. They hit the pop charts with the songs There is No Greater Love and For Your Love in the early 1960s. Regular performers at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, The Wanderers opened for Ella Fitzgerald and shared the stage with Eartha Kitt, Redd Foxx and Sam Cooke. The group later disbanded in 1964.

In 1965 Pollard, a tenor, embarked on his own as a solo artist and released the song The Drifter. He later joined the Ink Spots as its lead singer.

In the early '70s Pollard went on to perform in the Broadway plays Purlie and Timbuktu. He also made TV and movie appearances in "Law and Order," "NYPD," New Jack City and Do the Right Thing.

In 2000 The Wanderers were inducted into the United in Group Harmony Association Hall of Fame.

Pollard is survived by his wife Connie, daughter Angel Roberts, sons Ray Pollard Jr. and Stanford Pollard, brother Mitchell Bowie, 15 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.