R&B vocal quintet The Essex was formed in 1961 by Walter Vickers and Rodney
Taylor, a pair of U.S. Marines stationed  in, what is now, Okinawa, Japan; upon
returning stateside to Camp Lejeune, NC, the duo recruited fellow leathernecks 
Anita Humes, Billie Hill, and Rudolph Johnson and recorded a demo tape which
earned them a contract with the Roulette label. "Easier Said Than Done" was
recorded in 20 minutes and went to the top of the Billboard chart in July of
1963, selling a million copies.