Joy & The Hit Kids - Respect (1968)

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Joy & The Hit Kids were a pop and beat group from Mannheim, Germany, that existed from 1966 to 1969.

The group was founded in May 1965 as Hit Kids. It consisted of Roland Heck on keyboards, Klaus Nagel on guitar and flute, Dieter Kindl on guitar and bass, Albin Metz on trumpet and bass, and Hans Herkenne on drums. The first three studied at the Mannheim Conservatory, and the others also had training as musicians. The head of the group was Roland Heck, and the business was handled by Klaus Nagel. They often played in US clubs in the Mannheim area. In 1966, the manager of one such club wanted to impose a singer on them that none of them knew. They refused at first, but when they heard the voice, they agreed. It was Erna Raad, who called herself Joy at that time and later Joy Fleming. With her as singer, the group was now called Joy & The Hit Kids and released several singles, first on Decca, then on Polydor. Licensed pressings of these appeared in countries such as Lebanon and Mexico. Soon Joy & The Hit Kids achieved nationwide fame as an integral part of the Talentschuppen on SWF, which became the first forum for numerous later celebrities. The group was often and gladly used by broadcasters and television stations because of their artistic abilities, also as an accompanying group for many singers. The popular phrase "Mannheim Sound" was then making the rounds. In 1969, when the group turned to more multi-layered sounds, they renamed themselves Joy Unlimited to make the change clear. During the transition, both band names appeared on the covers and labels of their records to familiarize buyers with the name change. For Joy Fleming, the group was the first springboard for her later career.