Bobby Mitchell & the Toppers were part of the wave of New Orleans rock & rollers who followed in the wake of Fats Domino and Lloyd Price. Although the group had limited success and broke up in 1954, Mitchell remained a popular figure in New Orleans R&B for 35 years. At age 17, he formed his first vocal group, the Louisiana Groovers. They hooked up with producer Dave Bartholomew, and at his urging they cut some demos for Imperial Records. Renamed the Toppers, they scored regional hits with "I'm Crying" and "4x11 Equals 44," but their youth prevented extensive touring. Mitchell was dropped by Imperial in 1958, but he continued to record for a variety of small Crescent City labels and performed regularly in his hometown until his death in 1989.