Did The Five Heartbeats Ever Release Another Album?

Here’s a definitive answer from a non-investigative reporter.

(Twentieth Century Fox)

One of my favorite movies of all time is indisputably “The Five Heartbeats,” the documentary/film/retelling of the allegedly fictional group of the same name. The Five Heartbeats from Harlem—Donald “Duck” Matthews, Eddie King Jr., J.T. Matthews (nobody knows what the J.T. stands for), Anthony “Choirboy” Stone and Terrence “Dresser” Williams and once upon a time, Bobby; A, E, I, O, U … and sometimes Y—took the music world by storm in the 1960s with their hit single, “Nothin’ But Love,” launching their journey into musical stardom though it was really their impromptu performance of their single “A Heart Is a House for Love” that changed it all. For the record, Eddie deserves all the props for that performance, but I don’t think Duck gets enough credit for his piano playing that riled up the crowd beforehand—that wasn’t nothing but Jesus.

Stories spread far and wide about the way they took over the stage, changing the landscape of soul music forever. Before they sang at that talent show that night, it was alleged that they were better than The Temptations and Bird and the Midnight Falcons all put together, but by the time the night ended, there was no question: The Temptations wished they could be The Five Heartbeats, and well, we all remember what happened to Bird, though he historically is the reason why everybody knows that office hours are from 9 to 5 p.m. so give that man his flowers.

The group went through it all: death, murder, record label shenanigans, hit singles, Grammy success, album covers, one brother (J.T.) smashing his brother’s (Duck) fiancée, shootings, drugs, ego, etc. For my money, they’re the greatest (allegedly) fictional group of all time. The last time we were privy to seeing the group together, they had reconnected, kinda sorta, through Jesus, at the behest of Choirboy. Eddie King Jr., who had been shot in a drug deal gone bad, got his shit together and, despite what every one of her friends HAD to suggest to the contrary, Babydoll stuck around. Choirboy, who had become somewhat of a whore during their touring days, had made enough money to help rebuild his father’s church and become the choir director. We assume he turned his life around, too, but the documentary never truly confirmed that.

Anyway, with some prodding from Choirboy, Duck reconnected with his brother, who (as per two paragraphs back) smashed his fiancée regularly, and because they were kind of old and Black, they all gathered for a cookout; I think, at Choirboy’s house. They all eventually did a very bad version of their old dance steps—because old—but it was lovely and we all smiled. Oh, by all, I mean everybody but Bobby, who, real talk, we have no idea where he ended up. Based on a conversation had with Robert Townsend, who allegedly wrote this allegedly fictional story and looked A LOT like Duck, Bobby was originally the lead singer, Duck was just the piano player, and Eddie wasn’t the lead, but because Bobby got shot in one leg and fucked up his other leg, they moved on without him. In the year of our lord 2025, I assume Bobby would definitely be telling his side of the story, but I think we can assume that because Bobby didn’t even get invited to the cookout at Choirboy’s house that he was either dead or unreachable, or more likely, wanted nothing to do with those fools who left him for dead and rode Eddie King’s voice to music stardom and excessive drug use.

With all that said—admittedly, that was a lot—one question has always lingered after the movie wrapped: Did The Five Heartbeats ever come together to make one more album? I’m not entirely sure how many albums they did release as a group; in the 1960s and 1970s—their heyday—groups dropped albums like Jimi Hendrix dropped acid. So let’s say they had at least like 10 albums. I’m sure there were attempts at solo albums somewhere.

Duck notoriously became a songwriter and producer for others—think Leon Sylvers III—and maintained his place in the music industry. I have no idea what the others did. Obviously, Choirboy and Eddie went the church choir route (an absolute cheat code), but I doubt they released any albums; perhaps they popped up in sessions for commissioned in the late ’80s and early ’90s, likely uncredited. Dresser, I mean, who knows what Dresser was doing—the utility of a bass singer without a group seems low. Case in point, Mike McCary from Boyz II Men couldn’t quite lead a group by himself; meanwhile, Shawn Stockman, Nathan and Wanya Morris (no relation) could go on quite easily without him. Duck was the gold, though. So if Duck was back in the fold, on speaking terms with everybody, it's impossible that NOBODY broached the topic AT the barbecue.

So let’s say Eddie brought it back up at the barbecue. He mentioned to Duck that he had some young dudes he was working with who just needed some songs, but why give away gold when The Five Heartbeats could drop an album that all of their fans could get nostalgic and excited about? I feel like it wouldn’t take much to get everybody else on board to at least TRY. Duck seems like the wild card since he’s both the most valuable member of the group AND the one who was hurt the most by members of the group—remember Choirboy was playing go-between for J.T. and Tanya, Duck’s fiancée. If I’m Duck, and I’m still a viable songwriter who gets work, trying to work with the boys again would sound better in theory than I think it would feel in actuality. BUT…while they’re at the cookout, a video for Flash and The Five Horsemen comes on Video Soul (shouts out to Donnie Simpson), and J.T. is offended by what he sees. I see no universe where they don’t all consider it JUST to demonstrate that they haven’t lost it like Flash did—that song was atrocious, by the way. However, Flash was still in the industry, and that says…something.

Anyway, so by my math, I think there’s no way that they didn’t at least TRY to get into the studio for a single, to do a chemistry check. Eddie seems to still be able to sing, and Choirboy was never THAT necessary to their sound, so they’re covered there. Dresser might be able to still hit the low notes, but studio magic can fix anything; J.T. could continue to play the Ricky Bell role and hop in to cover a line or two here and there. As long as Duck still had the songwriting and producing chops, there would be no reason NOT to give it the old college try. Right? Right?

I’m saying, based on the math I just mathed, that they did gather in the name of The Five Heartbeats and attempt a comeback album of sorts, but here’s ALSO what I think happened.

It doesn’t seem like J.T. and Duck ever hashed out their issues in full. Sure, they showed up to the cookout and made nice, but it seems like they genuinely hadn’t spoken in years. Keep in mind, they’re blood brothers; J.T.’s selfishness likely ruined the rest of their family functions. It seems like Duck stopped coming around altogether, and the family probably hated him for it—because it was actually his fault. I’m guessing that one day, in the studio, they started talking and Duck just had to know, “of all the girls, J.T., why did you have to go after Tanya?” and next thing you know, The Five Heartbeats experiment would come to a crashing halt, with Duck letting them all know that he missed them but too much had happened and old wounds that made Duck such a great, in-demand songwriter (I kind of assume he was like Babyface at some point), would keep him, and them, from being able to move forward as a group. Duck’s second departure would effectively end the opportunity for the other members, save for Eddie King Jr., to have one last shot at success. Though I wonder, even by the point the movie ends, a sober Eddie should have attempted a solo career by then; I’m guessing that didn’t work, which is why he had some young dudes he was working with.

J.T., Dresser and Choirboy? Eh. No demand. No shade. J.T. had the appeal, but by that point in the ’90s, they’re in the 50s and his whole schtick would have been taken and perfected by younger men like Keith Sweat and company who improved on it in ways that a 50+ year old man couldn’t.

So did The Five Heartbeats ever release another album? Nope.

And it’s all J.T.’s fault.

(Be that as it may, still can’t nobody sang like Eddie King Jr.)