About this pop and soul trio

Formed in 1969 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

The Hues Corporation were:

St. Clair Lee (b. Bernard St. Clair Lee, 24th April 1944, San Francisco, California, U.S.A. d. 8th March 2011, 150 E. Lakeshore Drive, Lake Elsinore, California, U.S.A.)

Flemming Williams (b. 1953, Flint, Michigan, U.S.A. d. 15th February 1998)

and

Hubert Ann Kelley (b. 24th April 1947, Fairfield, Alabama, U.S.A.)

The Hues Corporation took their name from Los Angeles aviation giant Hughes Corp., owned by Howard Hughes, and was a humorous play on words.

They were formed in 1969 by Bernard, soprano Hubert Ann Kelly and tenor Flemming Williams.

Bernard was born in San Francisco in 1944 and attended Santa Monica College.

When he was born his surname was written down as St. Clair, however it should have been spelt 'Sinclair'.

His mother decided to leave the name as it was written by the hospital.

Bernard was the baritone singer within the group, whose main chart hit came in 1974 with their chart topper 'Rock The Boat'.

The early incarnation of the Hues Corporation's line-up comprised of three singers and three sidemen.

The sidemen were Joey Rivera from the group the Checkmates, Monti Lawston, and Bob 'Bullet' Bailey formerly of the group the Leaves.

In 1972, they contributed to the blaxploitation film, 'Blacula', starring William Marshall.

In 1973, they released the single and album 'Freedom For the Stallion', which was poorly promoted.

Black music stations thought the single sounded 'too white', while white music stations 'didn't understand the song', Bernard Lee stated at a later date.

Hues Corporation

'Rock the Boat' changed the popularity of the group completely, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Chart.

'Rock the Boat' was followed by other popular releases including 'Rockin' Soul'.

The Hues Corporation worked with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Milton Berle, Nancy Sinatra and Glen Campbell.

They also released two albums, "I Caught Your Act" and "Your Place Or Mine  on the Warner Bros. record label that missed the Billboard charts when they were eaten up by both The Stranglers' "Peaches" that considered "woman baiting" in 1977 and Ivor Biggun's sexually explicit "The Winker's Song" in 1978.

Plus, in 1980 they also released their last album, "Boogie Me, Move Me" that lost the Hot Soul album charts when it was eaten up by Elaine Page & Julie Covington's political version of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina".

Ann later left the group to become a minister, while Flemming sadly passed away.

They finally disbanded in 1981.

In 1998, Flemming sadly passed away, following a long illness.

Bernard had recently been performing a revamped Hues Corporation featuring Elaine Woodard and Bruce Glover.

He died on Tuesday the 8th of March 2011, at his home in Lake Elsinore in California, from natural causes.

He was found unresponsive in his home at 150 E. Lakeshore Drive at around 8:30 a.m.