The Mariners (vocal group)

The Mariners were a pop and gospel vocal group of the mid 20th century, particularly noted for their work with Arthur Godfrey.

The Mariners were a four-piece all-male racially integrated group (two white and two African American members). They formed during World War II, in 1942, at Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn; the four members (Tom Lockard, Jim Lewis, Nat Dickerson and Martin Karl) were serving in the United States Coast Guard there. They toured Pacific military bases in 1945.

Arthur Godfrey hired them, and they were regulars on his radio show and later his television shows for several years. The presence of the integrated Mariners brought complaints from Southern politicians and Southern CBS affiliates, which Godfrey publicly and scathingly rebuffed. Godfrey summarily fired The Mariners in 1955 (a fairly common modus for Godfrey during these years).

The Mariners then guested on other shows such as the Ed Sullivan Show and continued to record (on the Cadence Records label founded by Godfrey's musical director Archie Bleyer) and appear on New York radio, but with diminishing popularity.

...
Wikipedia