doo-wop

The Vel-Tones (1) (Aliquippa, Pa.)





Personnel :

Willie Glenn (Lead)

Melvin Glenn (First Tenor)

Len Alford (Second Tenor)

Frank Abercrombie (Baritone)

William Kimbrough (Bass)





Discography :

1958 - Broken Heart / Please Say You'll Be True (Vel 9178/Fee Bee 9178)





Biography :

In 1954, Richie Blackson, Joe Freeman, Willie Glenn and Coyt Young formed a barbershop quartet from a Choir at Aliquippa High School in Aliquippa, Pa. In 1956, While in school Willie Glenn had been groomed to the more conservative musical stylings. Now, he and others would be crooners had become street corner vocalists. Not until early 1957 did a cohesive quintet, the Vel-Tones, surface with Willie Glenn, Melvin Glenn (Willie's brother), Len Alford, Frank Abercrombie and William Kimbrough. Initially, the only instrumental accompaniment was provided by Gorge Jones on piano and Organ.

  
Kripp Johnson                                                                  
Although the Vel-Tones offerings lacked originally, their superb harmony impressed former original "Come Go With Me" Dell-Viking, Kripp Johnson. On account of contractual obligations, Johnson was still recording for Joe Averbach's Fee Bee Label with a new assemblage of Dell-Vikings, aka, the Versatiles. Kripp johnson arranged an audition for the Vel-Tones at Averbach's home in Whitehall, Pa. The group brought along a new number called "Broken Heart" which had been written just for them.

  
Top : W.Kimbrough - L.Alford                                                   The Dell-Vikings - Willie Glenn in the Middle
Middle : F.Abercrombie - W.Glenn                                                                                                       
Bottom : G.Jones - M.Glenn                                                                                                              

In August, the group traveled to Cleveland, Ohio for a session at the Way Out Recording Studio. "Broken Heart" and "Please Say You'll Be True" were waxed. The Vel-Tones shared the stage with the Five Royales at the CIO Hall in Aliquippa. there were continuous engagements at a multitude of club in Pensylvania. In 1959, Kripp Johnson approached Willie Glenn about joining a new edition of the Del Vikings. Glenn agreed and With his departure the Vel-Tones finally Disbanded.

Songs :


Broken Heart / Please Say You'll Be True

The Tams (1) (Philadelhia)
aka   The  Hippies aka  The Stereos (1)

Personnel :

Carole "Devine" Varletta (Lead)

Howard "Bogey" Boggess (Baritone)

Nancy Orts (Alto)

Jack Felker (Tenor)







Discography :

The Stereos (1)
1959 - Memory Lane / Teenage Kids (Mink 27)

The Tams (1)
1959 - Memory Lane / Teenage Kids (Mink 27)
1960 - Sorry / Valley Of Love (Swan 1960)
1961 - Vacation Time / If Love Were Like Rivers (Heritage 101)
1962 - Memory Lane* / Teenage Kids (Parkway 863)

The Hippies
1963 - Memory Lane* / A Lonely Piano** (Parkway 863)

*Alternate Version
** Reggie Harrisson




Biography :

This group came from The Roxborough high Schoolin Philadelhia in 1957. They were Carole "Devine" Varletta, Howard Boggess, Nancy Orts and Jack Felker. Together they dreamt up the name Impalas; it wasn't long before they entered the requisite talent show at Roxborough High. Amazingly they won. Howard Boggess changed the name to The Stereos and Disk Jockey Bud Bress decided to manage the group.

The Impalas - Howard "Bogey" Boggess, Nancy Orts, Jack Felker & Carole "Devine" Varletta

In 1959, The Stereos came in the Allegro Studio for Mink Records with "Memory Lane" and "Teenage Kids". Mink launched the two-sider in mid-1959. But there was in fact a Stereos group from Ohio, so the label repressed the same versions under the aegis of the Tams. Not long thereafter, Bogey and Brees arranged an audition with Bernie Bennick's Swan complex…  Both cuts, "Sorry" , a weeper composed by Bogey, was coupled with Bress' "Valley of Love", were assembled.

  
                                                                                  Carole "Devine" Varletta

In 1961, Bogey and the group, perhaps augmented by another singer, issue a nifty platter for Heritage Records "Vacation Time" b/w "If Love Were Like Rivers" was fobbed off to a juke warm public. Bernie Lowe owner of Cameo,  released "Memory Lane" b/w "Teenage Kids" on his Parkway subsidiary, bust must have been alerted during the first month or so that Joe South's Tams out of Virginia objected the name "Tams".

The Tams/Hippies, with new Members

ABC's Tams had already issued a clutch of recordings on Arlen and General American soon to score a major triumph in "What Kind Of Fool" during the Fall of 1963. Lowe changed the name to Hippies, and switched out the flip to "A Lonely Piano".





Songs :

     
Memory Lane                         Teenage Kids                            Sorry

      
Valley Of Love                  If Love Were Like Rivers            Vacation Time

...

The Gee-Tones
aka Gregory Howard bb The Cadillacs





Personnel :

Gregory Howard (Lead Tenor)

Ray Brewster (Baritone)

Bobby Spencer (Baritone)

J.R. Bailey (Tenor)

Roland Martinez (Baritone)

Ronnie Bright (Bass)





Discography:

Gregory Howard bb The Cadillacs
1963 - When In Love (Do As Lovers Do) / Sweet Pea (Kapp 536)

The Gee-Tones
196? - When In Love (Do As Lovers Do) / Sweet Pea (Gee 1013)

The Cadillacs
1962 - White Gardenia / Groovy Groovy Love (Capitol 4825)

Bobby Ray & The Cadillacs
1963 -  I Saw You / La Bomba (Capitol 4935)

Biography :

Gregory Howard… The Gee-Tones…??? "When In Love (Do As Lovers Do)" b/w "Sweet Pea" was released on Kapp in '63. It was under the name Gregory Howard, 12 years old , a Friend of Irwin Levine (writer & producer).  There were no Gee-Tones credited. In fact, thats pretty much the Cadillacs singing backup with Ronnie Bright former Bass of the Valentines singing the bass (same guy who sang the bass part on Mr. Bass Man).

  

Originally released on Kapp 536 but only as a demo/DJ/promo, no regular issue. When the record was heard and its scarcity realised by the doo-wop fraternity the record was soon, in the late 60s, bootlegged. This release credits the artist as "The Gee-Tones featuring 15-year-old Gregory Howard", and with tongue firmly in cheek was issued on the label most famous for Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Gee 1013. This has caused some confusion -- due to the age of the bootleg many authoritive guides list this record as a legitimate release with a price to match.

  
Ronnie Bright                                                   Ray & The Cadillacs

This Cadillacs. In 1963 Ray Brewster joined the Cadillacs after Earl Carroll left to sing with the Coasters.  Ray Brewster and Roland Martinez brought in former members Bobby Spencer and J.R. Bailey and recorded on Capitol Records through 1964. about the same time they were supplying backing vocals for Gregory Howard, they were doing the same for Bobby Ray on Capitol, "La Bomba" / "I Saw You".

Songs :  
Updated by Hans-Joachim

Gregory Howard bb the Cadillacs

  
When In Love (Do As Lovers Do)                  Sweet Pea

Bobby Ray & The Cadillacs                       

   
I Saw You                                    La Bomba



The Cadillacs

   
White Gardenia                               Groovy Groovy Love





...

The Sinceres (2) (New York)




Personnel :

Billy Johnsen (Lead)

Georgie (First Tenor)

Buddy Nugent (Bass)

Paddy Monaco (Second Tenor)

Mikey (Baritone)





Discography :

1960 - Darling / Do You Remember (Sigma 1003 / 1004)




Biography :

Several nationalities make up this group from New York :Lead singer Billy Johnsen is Norwegian and German, bass Buddy Nugent is Irish, Baritone Mikey is polish, second tenor Paddy Monaco is Italian and first tenor Georgie is South American…

The Sinceres cut "Darling" b/w "Do You Remember" for Sigma Records in 1960.





Songs :

  
Do you remember                                 Darling

...

 
The Charmels aka The Charmells  (click on picture)

..

• The Vel-Tones (1) | 12-04-2014
• The Tams (1) aka The Hippies aka The Stereos (1) | 10-04-2014
• The Gee-Tones aka Gregory Howard bb the Cadillacs | 08-04-2014
• The Sinceres (2) | 07-04-2014
• Doowopheaven | 07-04-2014
• The Talkabouts | 05-04-2014
• The Intruders aka The four Intruders | 05-04-2014
• The Tonnettes (2) aka The Dixie Belles 

 | 04-04-2014
• The Dantes (1) | 02-04-2014
• The Naturals (6) aka The Duvals (5) | 01-04-2014
• The Sunbeams (1) | 31-03-2014
• The Four Hits | 29-03-2014
• The Cavaliers (1) | 28-03-2014
• Lonnie & The Carollons | 26-03-2014
• The Buccaneers | 24-03-2014