BIOGRAPHY OF ELMER ARMSTRONG JR
“I’ve been singing all of my life, I can’t remember ever wanting to do anything else”.
I played drums from age four to eight years of age which gave me an uncanny ease with different vocal rhythms. My first gig was at Mnt. Calvary Baptist Church, I was ten years of age. I was paid one whole “DIME”.
Fast forward 15 years, I signed my first major recording contract with Casablanca Records, helmed by the legendary, Neil Bogart I sang with a great group called… “Winners’ Circle”. Our single’s on the internet still today.
Fast forward 8 years, I recorded an album with veteran Motown Producer, Hal Davis. ‘Got caught up in record company politics and the album never saw the light of day. During that time, I worked with Marvin Gaye, Nancy Wilson, Della Reese and The Tonite Show with Johnny Carson, to hone my craft.
Fast forward 4 years, I’m singing at The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Thanksgiving Day. An assistant of The Platters heard me and asked me to join the group which was called at that time, “The Paul Robi Platters”. Paul was an original Platter I toured with the group. Sadly, Paul fell ill and passed. To keep the fire burning, I carried the torch. I have been leading that group since 1991.
I now tour as a solo artist with a repertoire that ranges from Sinatra to The Platters to Motown. I now make better use of my four octave range, which enables me to cover such a diverse book of songs. And I said before, ” I can’t remember ever wanting to do anything else but sing”.