The Channels

Two bands have gone by the name The Channels. 1.) The Channels formed in 1955 around the singers Larry Hampden, Billy Morris, and Edward Doulphin; they started as a quintet with two additional part-time members, but soon after they permanently added Earl Michael Lewis and Clifton Wright, formerly of The Lotharios. Lewis was the group's main songwriter, writing (among others) their regional hit "The Closer You Are". The Channels recorded for record labels Gone, Fury, Port, Hit, Enjoy, and Groove. The lineup changed several times over the course of the band's lifetime. They enjoyed significant regional success on the East Coast but never charted a major nationwide hit 2.) The Channels are an indie pop band from Cambridge Massachusetts. Their work is cheery and thoughtful with catchy, creative, relatable lyrics, inspired by early sixties pop songs and garage rock.