Phil & Harv & The Mixtures

Phil & Harv (Los Angeles California)

Personnel :

Willis Junior Harvey

Phillip Tucker

Discography :

Phil & Harv
1961 - Darling (Please Bring Your Love) / Friendship  (Rampart 611)
1961 - The Facts Of Love / Sweeter Than Candy (Rampart 612)

Phil & Del
1962 - Don't Play With Love / My Girl (Linda 105)

Biography :

The Mixtures began as a group called the Playboys at Oxnard High School in 1957 with members Steve Mendoza, Del Franklin & Jess Poras. Later Dan Pollock, Leroy Soto and Eddie DeRobles joined the group. In 1960, they changed their name to the Mixtures because they were a mix of races, Chicano, African-American and white. They became very popular playing at local gigs, dances and weddings.   In 1960, They backed singer Cookie Comp . The Mixtures felt they needed more vocal help so Del Franklin brought in a black singer from the projects named Phillip Tucker. Phil brought in another singer, who was also African-American, by the name of Willis Junior Harvey.  Phil and Harv would be featured singers with the Mixtures for a couple of years.

  
                Phil & Harv & The Mixtures                                                                        Delbert Franklin

The Mixtures would next back vocal  Harvey & Phillip  on "Darling)Please Bring Your Love)" and "Friendship" released in March 1961 on the Rampart label (Rampart 611). The backing vocals were done by the female group, The Blossoms though uncredited. This was follwed by by the release of Phil & Harv's "The Facts Of Love" and "Sweeter Than Candy" released on the Rampart label (Rampart 612). Following this release, Harvey Willis had some legal issues and he was replaced by The Mixtures' Delbert Franklin. In 1962 Phil & Del recorded "Don't Play With Love" and "My Girl" released on the Linda label (Linda 105).
http://wwwyoufoundthateastsidesoundcom.blogspot.com/2012/04/eastside-bands-mixtures.html
https://markguerrero.net/31.php

Songs :

Phil & Harv

Darling


Phil & Del

  
     My Girl                                      Don't Play With Love

...

The Banners  (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
aka The Four Coachmen (1)

Personnel :

William Bates

Discography :

The Four Coachmen (1)
1959 - My Own True Love / These Golden Years (MGM 12810)

The Banners
1960 - Fortune Teller / Sales Talk (MGM 12862)

Biography :

Little information on this group from Allentown in Pennsylvania. According to youtube,  William Bates would be one of the members of the group. They are not related with the four Coachmen on Castle & Adonis records.

During the summer of 1959, the Four Coachmen recorded "My Own True Love" and "These Golden Years" which would be released by MGM. Some six months later, the group recorded two good new titles, "Fortune Telle" and "Sales Talk". Mgm released the single changing the name of the group by The Banners.

Songs :

The Banners

  
Fortune Teller                                  Sales Talk

...

The Tumemasters (Bronx, New York)
aka The Chantels

Personnel :

Arlene Smith (Lead)

Lois Harris (First Tenor)

Sonia Goring (Second Tenor)

Jackie Landry (Second Alto)

Rene Minus (Alto / Bass)

Discography :

The Tumemasters
1957 - It's All Over / Sending This Letter (Mark-X 7002)

Willie Wilson & The Tumemasters
1958 - I've Lied / Sending You This Letter (End 1011)

Willie And Arlene And The Tunemasters
1958 - I've Lied / Sending You This Letter (End 1011)

Biography :

It was almost a precursor to 'Sister Act” when The Chantels first sang together, as the five female members of the group were studying at the Saint Anthony of Padua Convent in Morrisania, New York. Their leader Arlene Smith was not yet sixteen when End Records came calling in July 1957, yet she'd already gained a wealth of experience by giving recitals in Carnegie Hall. Midway through the girls’ first recording session, producer Richard Barrett used them to back up another of his signings, Willie Wilson & The Tunemasters. Arlene was awarded a portion of the writing credits on the ballad "I've Lied" , which was first released as being by Willie and Arlene & The Tunemasters. The girls were later purloined to provide back ups behind Ronnie Baxter, Jimmy Pemberton and for Barrett himself on a cover of 'Come Softly to Me’ and Summer's Love' which briefly made the Hot TOO.

Songs :

  
Sending This Letter                           It's All Over         


I've Lied

...

The Carousels (4) (Cleveland)

Personnel :

Joyce Jenkins

Carl Turner

Ronald Johnson

John Hill

Discography :

1960 - Fading Away / Solitude (G.C. 601)

Biography :

The Carousels were formed by teenagers from Cleveland's Cedar YMCA. The original lineup included 4 teenagers, Don Baker, Carl Turner, Ronald Johnson, and John Hill. Hill attended Glenville HS and the other three were from East Tech. The group performed at many local functions and teen dances. In 1957 they finished second in a WHK sponsored 'city-wide' talent contest in which 44 groups participated (the Mello-Dee's were the winners). In late 1958 Don Baker left to try his luck in Los Angeles. He got a deal with the small Jay-Tone label and released one 45. His place in the group was taken by a young woman, whose name is not known, possibly Joyce Jenkins. The group recorded one 45 in 1959 for the G.C. label. It has a nice uptempo side "Fading Away", with the flip side a recording of the Duke Ellington song "Solitude". "Fading Away" seems to be an original, based on the the use of the label's Jamigo publishing and credited to Joyce Jenkins, who is possibly the young woman singing.
https://buckeyebeat.com/

Songs :

  
Fading Away                                         Solitude  


...

The Ambassadors : Herb Johnson, Lonnie, Charlie, Stan and Weldon

The Ambassadors (2) (Philadelphia, PA.)

Personnel

Herb Johnson (Lead)

Lonnie ...

Charlie ...

Stan ...

Weldon ...

Discography :

Unreleased :
1957 - Help (Demo)
1957 - Janice (Demo)
1957 - Shang A Lang (Demo)
1957 - Bacon Time (Demo)
1957 - 8My Story Of Love (Acetate)

Biography :

              Herb Johnson was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina on December 26, 1935 and moved to Philly with his family when he was nine in 1945. That same year he recorded his first record for a quarter on one ofthose recording machines they had downtown. The song was "I Want To Be Loved By You" — a birthday present for his mom.    As a teenager attending Overbrook HighSchool in 1953, Herb auditioned at the Royal Theater at 15th & South for a radiospot on WPEN| singing The Orioles "You Belong To Me". Later that same year, Herb enlisted in the U.S. Air Force - joining a vocal group that evolved into The Lyrics. The Lyrics performed on USO tours, singing hits of the day like "Stormy Weather", “Sunday Kind Of Love” and The Moonglows "Sincerely". Herb wrote "Guilty" around this time while stationed in Puerto Rico.

The Lyrics

Herb explains: “I was homesick for my girl back home — I hadn't written to anyone in a while and felt guilty about it — that’s how the song came about". Herb was discharged a few years later, joining a West Philly group The Ambassadors who participated in a talent contest at the Leader Theater at 41st & Lancaster Ave. Luckily, someone recorded their material at Herb’s house on 55th & Vine Streets that includes an early version of "Help". The Ambassadors also recorded some demos for Irv Balin’s Gotham label, which have yet to see the light of day. In late 1959 or early 1960, Herb was singing at a local hangout called The Media AA Club at 60th & Media Street in West Philly when he was approached by Larry Kerrin, an a&r/ promo man for V-Tone Records.

Songs :

  
    Help                                        My Story Of Love

  
Janice                                          Shang A Lang


Bacon Time

...