Read The O'Kaysion's bio below
The Original O'Kaysions who recorded Girl Watcher in 1968
Sitting left to right are Donnie Weaver on vocals and organ, and Steve Watson on Drums. Standing left to right are Gerald Toler on Sax, Wayne Pittman on Guitar, Eddie Dement on Trumpet, Jimmy Hinnant on Bass
Donnie Weaver was 12 when he joined The Kays, a group of excellent teenage musicians from Kenly, NC. He was from Rocky Mount, NC. Ten years later with the same band, at 22, he was the original singer and played organ on "Girl Watcher" at Sound Studio in Greenville, NC, on February 8, 1968. Soon thereafter he derived a new name for the band and called it The O'Kaysions. The rare 45 single cover photo above has all the original members of the O'Kaysions who played on the recording. Only 1000 were printed on the North State label. That Summer, ABC records signed the group and by the Fall of 1968, "Girl Watcher" was certified as a gold hit single. It went to #5 in the BillboardTop 100 and all the way to #1 on the R&B charts!
Wayne Pittman the guitar player wrote "Girl Watcher" along with the help of Donnie Weaver. In the studio when Donnie was asked to complete the chorus, he came up with the now unforgettable "umm, umm, umm".
In the Fall of 1968 three original members, Donnie Weaver (vocals, organ), Jimmy Hinnant (bass), and Wayne Pittman (guitar) with three new members Ron Turner on Trumpet, Jimmy Spidel on Sax, and Bruce Joyner on Drums recorded the Girl Watcher Album. It was produced by Johnny Pate. These are the same band members you will see on the Dick Clark American Band Stand Playing Cards and on the YouTube video which was shot in 1968.
By the end of 1970 all of the original members had left the O'Kaysions and the band was no more.
Getting the urge to make another big leap musically, in 1972 Donnie moved to Riverside, California. There he joined bassist Gerald Davis and put together a band to record and perform his latest songs.
Here is the story as told first person by Donnie Weaver.
"We found this solid drummer, Rick Lindley, and guitarist, Ted Trujillo. This four-piece band recorded some incredible music. The house gig at The Ramada Inn was custom made for this group since we had to do no traveling or breaking down our equipment. It was also close enough to LA to promote the masters. A scout heard us at that club and asked me if I had a demo. I asked him who he would play it for. He said "Marvin Gaye". I asked for a meeting and he set it up for the next weekend on our day off.
We followed him up the Topanga Canyon mountains and there on the top is a lovely house. Out walked Marvin and we all went into his house to discuss the music. He asked who the singer and writer was. I said "I am". He said "Your music is beautiful, I would like to put you in the studio. When would you like to get started?" I said we would need two weeks to rehearse and I would like to record at A&M Studios.
He set up the time at Twentieth Century Fox for us to rehearse and the A&M session was scheduled. He asked H B Barnum to do the strings and horns arrangement. We recorded eight of my songs using our band and two songs by other writers using the Motown Orchestra. Marvin Gaye had the Motown funk brother, James Jamerson, play bass on three of the songs and I played Carole King's baby grand which they had in that studio at the time." The rest of the story and the ageless music that evolved from this co-production by Marvin Gaye and Donnie Weaver is the subject of his upcoming book which will include the music.
In 1977 HB Barnum introduced Donnie Weaver to Myrna Smith, lead singer of the Sweet Inspirations and Elvis's backup singers in Vegas at the time. She was writing a song for the hit TV series, Class of '65. "We met at her house in North Hollywood and co-wrote, "I Need You In My Plan". I wrote the music and she wrote the lyrics and melody. It was used on the episode, "The Girl That Never Was", starring Larry Hagman and Kim Cattrall.
In 1979 Donnie met Chuck Leavell and Sea Level (now Rolling Stones keyboard player). Chuck and Jimmy Nalls made it possible for Donnie to record at Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia, using some of his band Sea Level. With Davis Causey on guitar and Lamar Williams on bass, George Weaver on Drums and Donnie Weaver on keyboards and vocals, they recorded two of his new songs "Just Gotta Talk" and "Starvin' For Love". They are universal, classics. Donnie toured briefly with Sea Level.
That same year Joe English drummer for Paul McCartney and Wings left Paul to join Sea Level as their drummer. Donnie Weaver met Joe at the recording session for their final album "Long Walk on a Short Pier". Joe English fell in love Donnie's song, "Too Many Broken Hearts", and recorded it on that album with Joe singing vocals and playing drums.
In the eighties Vana White told Merv Griffin that she really loved "Girl Watcher" and would like to use it on the show to bring her out to turn the letters on "Wheel of Fortune". They re-recorded it saying "I'm a Wheel Watcher". That was used for many years. Way to go Vana!
In the eighties and nineties Donnie focused on a scientific computer consultant career.
At the Alltel Pavilion, Jun 16, 2001, Donnie Weaver opened for Chicago in Raleigh, NC to introduce his latest songs to 15,000 people.
In November, 2003, Donnie Weaver got all six of the original members of the O'Kaysions together at the Alabama Theater in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to perform "Girl Watcher" once more for the Carolina Beach Music Association Hall of Fame Award.
In 2009 Donnie was inducted into the Twin County Hall of Fame for Nash and Edgecombe county for singing and playing on "Girl Watcher".
2010 is going to be an exciting year!
