Chocolate Syrup

Chocolate Syrup's absolute beginning is unknown, but the majority of the members who began recording under the moniker for Ira Records in 1970 had New York City roots with the exception of Frank Avery, who was from Pittsburgh. The group was formed by producer Bobby Martin in the early 1970's. Members of the group were Frankie Avery, Norris Harris, Leonard Wolfe, Jimmy Holiday and L.J. Reynolds.
Seventeen year old L.J. Reynolds replaced Avery for a brief time after Chocolate Syrup's first Ira single, "Stop Your Crying." Reynolds had released a couple of solo singles in his native Saginaw, MI, and one with a group he fronted called L.J. Reynolds & the Relations. Motown had left Detroit, so Reynolds believed the Big Apple was his best shot; it was on this mission that he became acquainted with Chocolate Syrup (CS).
Carl Smith was the lead singer on Stop Your Cryin'. The song was released on the Avco Embassy label in 1971. The single went to No. 30 on the Cash Box chart, week ending 5/15/71. The group recorded on Law-Ton, Avco Embassy, Brown Dog, MVTH, and Mainstream labels from 1971 through 1974.