Born 88 Years Ago Today in Texas, the Soul Singer Discovered by an NFL Legend Who Helped Turn a 1969 Hit Into a Timeless Classic

Harry Elston, the singer and songwriter who co-founded the Friends of Distinction, was born in Dallas on 4 November 1938. The group’s 1969 version of “Grazing in the Grass” became a major hit, helping establish their place in American soul and pop music; Elston died in March 2025, aged 86.

Elston began performing as a teenager, later working with Ray Charles’s backing musicians before forming the group with Floyd Butler and other singers. With manager Jim Brown’s help, the Friends of Distinction signed to RCA Records. Their “Grazing in the Grass” reached No. 3 on the US pop chart, No. 5 on the R&B chart and sold more than a million copies; the group also had hits with “Going in Circles” and “Love Me or Let Me Be Lonely”.