Tony Waddington (songwriter) then offered it to the demo musicians, provided that they would become an actual group. The musicians agreed, were named The Rubettes, and "Sugar Baby Love" became a UK number one hit in 1974, also reaching number 37 in the US chart. They wrote and produced all of the Rubettes' subsequent UK hits – nine Top 50 hits in all between 1974 and 1977 – winning an Ivor Novello Award as Songwriters of the Year, and also reached the UK Top 10 with "Sugar Candy Kisses" by Mac and Katie Kissoon. They set up their own record label, State Records,
Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love first hit record, eventually rising to #14 both in the UK and on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot 100, as well as reaching #6 on the Soul Singles chart in the spring of 1972. The record sold over a million copies, thus receiving a gold record for its sales. It would precede White's debut as a solo act on the Billboard charts by one year, when he hit #1 R&B with "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby" in May 1973. Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love Walkin' in the Rain with the One I Love