Klique was a popular vocal trio in the early 80s, best known for their hot remake of Jackie Wilson’s “Stop Doggin’ Me Around,” but with a fair number of hits over a half decade.
Klique was formed in 1978 by siblings Isaac and Deborah Suthers. After some starts and stops, they added singer Howard Huntsberry and landed a deal with MCA Records. The trio scored immediately with the 1981 dance track, “Love’s Dance,” which hit the R&B top 25. It led to a string of moderate charters before they landed big with “Stop Doggin’ Me Around,” which topped the charts in 1983. The song was produced by Thomas McClary in his first notable work after leaving the Commodores. It also displayed the vocal similarities that Huntsberry had with the late Wilson.
The group continued to perform with moderate success until splitting after 1985’s Love’s Cycles, which included the top 20 hit “A Woman, A Lover, A Friend.” Isaac Suthers went on to write and produce for artists auch as Cherelle and Michel’le while Deborah recorded solo with some success. Isaac recently issued a holiday single called “Another Christmas Night.” Huntsberry had the most solo success, playing Jackie Wilson in the movie La Bamba and later hitting #11 on the R&B charts with the single “Sleepless Weekend.”
By Chris Rizik
