The Coalitions

The Coalitions story began with Philadelphian William Anthony Anderson who under the Stage name Of “Little Tony Talent” recorded “All That’s Good Baby/Your Too Young” for Juggy Murray’s Sue Label in 1966. Tony recorded a second and final solo release the Van McCoy penned and produced “Gotta Tell Somebody (About My Baby)/ Hooked On You” a 1967 release on the New York based Vando label, which McCoy co-owned with partner Jocko Henderson. Tony who was still only fifteen at the time continued to enter local talent shows in and around Philadelphia and after being beaten on a couple of occasions by vocal groups, thought the best way forward was to form a group of his own.So with high school friends Alan Williams, Bruce Dunbar and Carl Smith, Tony formed a group known as the “Deltones”. Due to a conflict of names with another Philly harmony group “The Delfonics” a change of name was soon to follow with the guys choosing a name that they thought was more relevant to the times they were living in, thus the name of “The Coalitions” was agreed on, at this juncture Carl Smith left the group to be replaced by the late Dwight Mitchell. The Coalitions first recording “Instead … How Are You/I Don’t Mind Doin’ It (Instrumental)” appeared on the local “Re Dun” label in 1974. This release was picked up later in the same year by the nationally Jamie/Guyden distributed Phil. LA Of Soul label (367) a second release (371) of “Instead … How Are You” was issued in early 1975 this time dropping the instrumental flipside in favour of a vocal outing “Later Than You Think”. After the Phil. LA Of Soul adventure The Coalitions entered a barren period recording wise during which time Bruce Dunbar left the group. His position would later be filled by Bruce Fauntleroy, with a fifth member Stephen Ferguson also joining the group. In circa 1979 with a group line up of Tony Anderson (Talent), Alan Williams, Bruce Fauntleroy, Milton Williams and Stephen Ferguson The Coalitions began recording their “Colour Me Blue” album project. Although after two years in the making the finished product was never issued. Following a lead 45 featuring two of the tracks from the album “The Memory Of You/On The Block” SJ512 which were released in 2011