 The group toured widely, building up a reputation as one of the top R&B acts of the era, edging out the Five Keys and the Clovers (two of the top R&B groups of the early 1950s) and commanding audiences which crossed racial divides.However, Ward's strict disciplinarian approach, and failure to recompense the singers, caused internal problems.Ward is remembered as a petty tyrant who levied fines against group members for infractions, including arriving late for rehearsals and wearing un-shined shoes on stage.