Sonley Roush [http://home.roadrunner.com/~hifiebay/Sonleyrouschbizcard.JPG] became the manager of the group. He brought to them a song originally done by Wayne Cochran named Last Kiss. Wilson was located, and they recorded it in 1964. It became an instant hit.
In 1964 the band played in the Knights of Columbus Hall for the San Angelo, Texas Central High School junior prom. The fee paid them by the class officers for a six-hour performance that year was $75, plus one fifth of bourbon — the drink, it was said, had become the sole sustenance of the drummer, Snake, an early incarnation both in stick style and appearance of Ginger Baker in his Cream manifestation. Last Kiss was then a current hit, and in the wide-open West Texas of the day, with lots of teens regularly driving full-bore by dark on the surrounding two-lane blacktop highways and listening after sunset to Oklahoma City mega-station KOMA, everyone at the prom thought they knew personally the crashed couple, or supposed they might be next.
Shortly following the hit, the group began to have problems. Holmes and Zeller were becoming irritated with Roush's management. Wilson began leading a party lifestyle. After only a few gigs, Wilson and the rest of the band parted ways. Wilson and Roush formed a new Cavaliers band. While driving in Ohio later that year, Roush fell asleep at the wheel. They collided head-on with another vehicle. Roush was killed and Wilson injured- he was on crutches for his American Bandstand performance a short time later. The second Cavaliers band split. Wilson recorded, backed by session musicians, Hey Little One the next year, to little success.
Meanwhile, the remaining original Cavaliers had continued. Holmes was out shortly after Wilson left, and Elliott took over leadership of the group. James Thomas came in as the new vocalist, and Buddy Croyle filled Holmes' vacancy. Shortly after that, Zeller and Smith were out, and were replaced by Snake Atkinson (guitar) and Mike Hodges (piano).
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