Young Deenay formed in Brooklyn in the late 1960s with William "Billy Rock" Jones on lead vocals, Jimmy Lewis on organ, Roland Carter on bass, and Willie "Little Willie" Eason on drums. They signed with Scepter Records and put out a debut single called "I'll Bet You" in 1966. Their follow-up that same year was "Walk On By," a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Billy Rock's vocal over Jimmy Lewis's organ made it their defining recording.
"Walk On By" reached number six on the pop charts and topped the Billboard R&B chart for two weeks. The group's later releases didn't match that success. Billy Rock left in 1970 to try a solo career, and Young Deenay carried on as a trio. They kept performing and putting out records into the 1980s. In 1996, they were inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.
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