 Record producer Carl Davis signed the group to OKeh Records in 1963, but their early records were not successful.Dobyne left in 1964, later writing for The Temptations and recording for Motown though his recordings were not released at the time.Lead singer duties for the Artistics were taken over first by Charles Davis, previously of The Dukays, and then by Marvin Smith (born October 8, 1940, Palestine, Arkansas), previously of The El Dorados.