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.[1][2]

Arthur Godfrey hired them, and they were regulars on his radio show and later his television shows for several years.[1] The presence of the integrated Mariners brought complaints from Southern politicians and Southern CBS affiliates, which Godfrey publicly and scathingly rebuffed.[3] Godfrey summarily fired The Mariners in 1955[4] (a fairly common modus for Godfrey during these years).

The Mariners then guested on other shows such as the Ed Sullivan Show[5] 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.[1]