Relf had already led several Los Angeles-based acts in his career, including the Laurels, the Upfronts and Valentino and the Lovers, before joining Earl Nelson in the second incarnation of Bob & Earl. This duo recorded several singles for different labels before recording 'Harlem Shuffle' in 1963. When released on the Marc label, it became a modest hit on the R&B chart, but its major success came as late as 1969 when it was re-released in the UK and was a Top 10 hit.

Bob & Earl toured together after the 1969 reissue but split up for the last time in the early 1970s.