For a while there, this Manchester band was second only to the Beatles.

During their six years in the sun, they racked up twenty British hits and seventeen US ones.

Their first EP “Hermania” which came out in January 1965 included two New Orleans R&B covers – Frankie Ford’s “Sea Cruise” and Ernie K. Doe’s “Mother-In-Law”

Reference:

http://www.hermanshermits.com/articles/musicmags/mar87_rc_p2.html