The Natural Four was an American R&B group from Oakland, California. Formed in 1967, the Natural Four approached Fred Ivey about becoming their manager. Their 1969 release, "I Thought You Were Mine", sold 30,000 copies locally after being regularly played on San Francisco soul/R&B radio station KSOL and Oakland's KDIA, where it rose to number 7 on the chart. ABC Records picked them up, but subsequent releases did not repeat this success. In 1972, Chris James replaced other members, and the new group signed with Curtis Mayfield's label, Curtom Records. They released a string of US R&B hits, including the Top 40 breakthrough "Can This Be Real" in 1973. Their albums Good Vibes! (1970), Natural Four (1974), and Heaven Right Here On Earth (1975)—were produced by Leroy Hutson. After their third album failed to chart, the Natural Four disbanded in 1976.
