The Penguins were a doo wop group consisting of Curtis Williams
(December 11, 1934 - August 10, 1979) (baritone / bass) Cleveland Duncan
(b July 23, 1935) - November 7, 2012 (tenor) Dexter Tisby (b March 10, 1935)
- May 2019 (tenor) Bruce Tate (January 27, 1937 - June 20, 1973) (baritone)
Duncan and Williams were classmates at Freemont High School in Los Angles,
California. The Penguins were one of a number of doo-wop groups of the period
named after birds such as The Orioles, The Flamingos, and The Crows. One of
the members smoked Kool cigarettes, which, at the time, had "Willie
the Penguin" as its cartoon advertising character. Therefore,
because they considered themselves "cool", they decided to
call themselves "The Penguins"
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