Dee & Di (San Diego, California)

Personnel :

Susanne Roshay

Diane Roshay

Discography :

1960 - Just You / Dream (Keen 82121 / Sims 153)
1961 - (Then I'll Say) Goodbye / Lucky Girl (Keen 8219)
1961 - Silly Billy / Roses Are Red (Acclaim 1007)

Biography :

Dee & Di were Susanne and Diane Roshay, two graduates from Clairmont High School, San Diego, class of 1960. The Girls first recorded for the Bob Keane's label Keen in 1960 with a session that produced four tracks. The Four tracks were recorded in Hollywood at Gold Star Studios with arranger, Hank Levine who provided a lovely arrangement that was sparse yet quite dreamy, showcasing Diane and Susanne's harmonic lead voices.  "Just You" b/w "Dream" were both composed by the girls as was the follow up Keen single released in February 1961, "(Then I'll Say) Goodbye" b/w "Lucky Girl".  While attending Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, the final Dee & Di disc, "Silly Billy" b/w "Roses Are Red" was released in September 1961 on the Acclaim label.

The Lively Set

By the summer of 1965, Susanne, Diane and five young men had formed the folk/pop group, the Lively Set and recorded one single for Mercury Records.  They moved to Capitol Records the following year and under the production of David Axelrod, in August released only one single as well.  The final known Lively Set single was from October 1966 on the Straight Ahead label.  After that, the doings and whereabouts of Susanne and Diane Roshay are not known other than their  names are now Diane Roshay Finnegan and Susanne Roshay McClain.  Anthony Reichardt

Songs

  
Dream                                         Just You

  
Lucky Girl                       (Then I'll Say) Goodbye

  
Silly Billy                               Roses Are Red

(L to R) Howard Washington, Chet Stewart, Dave MacPhail, Joan Stewart, Ernie Madison, and Jim Jackson.

The Tranells (Lancaster, PA)

Personnel :

Joan Stewart (Lead)

Chet Stewart (vocals)

Jimmy Jackson  (vocals)

Howard Washington (vocals)

Clyde Lucas (keyboards), Ernie Jamison (lead guitar) , Harry Wilkerson (bass), Al Gates (saxophone), Buddy Gantz (percussion)

Discography :

Singles :
1964 - Come On And Tell Me / The Music Swayed (Chelten 090)
1967 - Blessed With A Love / Take This Heart (Never Break This Heart) (Flo-Jo 101)

Unreleased :
1965 - Phantom Of The Light

Biography :

The Tranells hailed mostly from McCaskey High School in Lancaster. Also, most early 1960s-era groups practiced on the street corner, in church, a garage, school, or wherever they could find decent acoustics and space. For The Tranells, it was the house on Christian Street owned by “Uncle Herbie” Lynch where they got their start in the business. The year was

L to R (Front row) Buddy Gantz, Ernie Jamison, Joan Stewart (Back row) Howard Washington, Jimmy Jackson, Chet Stewart, David McPhail .

Founder Chet Stewart (who previously enjoyed a short stint with The Crystalaires), along with younger sister Joanie, Jimmy Jackson, and Howard Washington (who joined later), were the singers of the group. Band members included Ernie Jamison (early) and Harold Sheetz (later), lead guitar; Clyde Lucas (later replaced by David McPhail) on keyboards; Harry Wilkerson, bass; Al Gates, sax; and Buddy Gantz, drummer. The Tranells was actually the second name of the group, originally known as the Phoenicians. “Chet had the name,” said Washington. “It (The Tranells name) didn’t have meaning – it had a nice sound.” The group was Central Pennsylvania’s version of a Motown act, with a spit-and-polish, clean-cut image: well dressed, no smoking or drinking, always polite and never late. The first single, “Come On and Tell Me”/“The Music Swayed,” was released in 1964 on the Chelten label.

Originally written as an up-tempo number, this ballad had a sweet soul sound, prevalent at the time. The record enjoyed huge local success, especially at Lancaster’s WLAN-AM radio, where it pushed out Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By” for the top spot. Air personality Chuck Raymond was the driving force in The Tranells’ success at that station. Three years later the second 45RPM, this time on the Flo-Jo label, was released. “Blessed With A Love”/“Take This Heart” is a very rare recording. Music collector sources say there could have been as few as 100 copies to as many as 500 pressed. (In 2005, a legitimate reissue on Lancaster’s X-Bat label was released of this hard-to-get recording.)

Another single, “Phantom of the Light,” was never released. The record was supposed to be released between the first and second singles. It was recorded at Dr. Henry Williams’ house on West Orange Street in Lancaster.Between recordings, the group would perform all over central and eastern Pennsylvania. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The Orlons, and Patti and The Emblems were a few of the groups with whom they shared the stage. The Tranells backed Patti Labelle in the studio; however, they never received the credit they were due.
story by Derek Shaw

Songs :

  
Come On And Tell Me                The Music Swayed

  
Take This Heart (Never Break This Heart)         Blessed With A Love           


...

George "Lucky" Lloyd

The Joylarks (Allentown, Pa)
aka The Floridians

Personnel :

George "Lucky" Lloyd

Farouk Kamma

Norman Williams

John Price

Discography :

The Joylarks
1959 - Betty My Love / In The Rain (Snag 107)

The Floridians   
1961 - I Love Marie / The Lucky Old Sun (ABC-Paramount 10185)

Biography :

In Allentown, George Lloyd was approached by some other guys in the neighborhood who were interested in forming a singing group. The group consisted of Farouk Kamma, Norman Williams, John Price and George Lloyd and rehearsed and practiced the popular hits at the time.  They decided to  to name themselves the Joylarks and participed  to an audition for the “Pepsi-Teen-Show.” A record promoter had the show had this radio and was listening and heard them sing.

His name was T. Griffin. He approached the group afterward and asked them if we were interested in cutting a record.  Two songs written by two members of the group were recorded. "Betty My Love" which was written by Farouk Kamma and “In The Rain" which was written by John Price. George Lloyd arranged the background vocal and harmony for both songs.” It was officially released in May of 1959 by Snag records. Almost two years later, the group recorded two new titles "I Love Marie" and "The Lucky Old Sun" released in February 1961 as the Floridians.

Jay & the Techniques

Some years later George Lloyd met young Jay Proctor (from the Sinceres) and started a new group : Jay & the Techniques.


Songs :

The Joylarks

  
Betty My Love                         In The Rain

The Floridians   

  
I Love Marie                           The Lucky Old Sun

...

The Vibraharps (1) (Buffalo, NY)
aka Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories

Personnel :

Donnie Elbert

Danny Cannon [aka Lenny O'Henry] (Lead)

Charles Hargrove [Charles Hargro] (Bass)

Donald "Duck" Simmons

Douglas Gibson

Discography :

The Vibraharps (1)
1958 - Walk Beside Me / Cosy With Rosy (Beech 713)
1959 - It Must Be Magic / Nosey Neighbours (Atco 6134)

Charles Hargro The Vibraharps (1)
1959 - Baby Oh Baby / Over And Over (Dab 101)

Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories
1961 - Cheated Heart / Billy The Continental Kid (ABC 10222)

Biography :

Donnie Elbert and Danny Cannon co-founded the group in 1955, joined by Donald ‘Duck’ Simmons, Douglas Gibson, and Charles Hargro. Donnie was still in the group when they made their first record (written by Buffalonians Bobby Fonville & Ralph Hernandez) for NYC’s Beech Records. In fact Donnie was in the studio but due to a group squabble he didn’t sing on it!So it’s not surprising that he was the first to leave, beginning his solo career on Deluxe Records in 1957. He continued to stay in touch and remained friendly with the group though. As he was hitting the charts the Vibraharps were breaking up – for the first time. During this down time Charles Hargro went to work as his driver.

    
Donnie Elbert                                                                                                                

They reunited, broke up again, reunited again. At one point Danny Cannon and Duck Simmons took off to Toronto to perform as a duet, “Danny & Donnie”, singing Everly Brothers covers! During one of their reunions the Vibraharps brought in Thomas ‘Cookie’ Hardy Jr who had a bonus talent – he could write R&B / R&R songs. He wrote both sides of their 1959 single on Atco Records. Later in 1959 they recorded a single for a local label which saw them working with Bobby Fonville & Ralph Hernandez once again. It featured Hargro and credited only him on the label. Unfortunately not much in the way of financial or chart success resulted from either of these 1959 efforts.

L-R Donnie Elbert, Danny Cannon ("Lenny O'Henry"), Donald "Duck" Simmons, Charles Hargrove ("Charles Hargro")

They were drifting in and out of “active” status when local DJ Lucky Pierre took them under his wing. He hooked them up with new local management, a pair of hustlers with all kinds of connections. With the promise of work and good pay the group came solidly together and started performing in and out of town. Somehow the came to the attention of Berry Gordy (maybe through Donnie Elbert, who was also courted by the Gordy empire). They auditioned for Motown Records in Detroit, resulting in a contract offer. Unfortunately they had to turn this offer down. Their managers virtually simultaneously signed them to a deal with business contacts in New York City.

Danny Cannon and Donald "Duck" Simmons  in their "Danny & Donnie"

 In 1961 the Vibraharps went off to NYC to record their first single, for music business powerhouse ABC-Paramount. At this time Danny met the man who would become a friend and guide his career for the next few years: Bob Crewe. The record was “Cheated Heart”. When it came out it was billed to Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories. Danny was told he was going to be the front man, he would be called Lenny O’Henry, and he was asked to sign a contract a separate contract from the whole group. Danny – not wanting to go behind their backs – disclosed this to the group and asked them what to do. Though they encouraged him to move forward with his career and appeared to accept secondary status as ‘his’ group, it was really the end of the Vibraharps. They never recorded together again, and Danny – though achieving some solo success – never was able to find the same feeling in the music business as he did when he was one of the boys. “Cheated Heart” was written by Danny. Bob Crewe wrote the flip side, a rocking number titled “Billy The Continental Kid”, a tale of hip cat Billy from Philly. Danny didn’t really care for this one that much. In general, he liked to sing ballads or anything in a Sam Cooke direction. Yet producers and his band mates often pushed him to do uptempos and rockers. So – “Cheated Heart” / “Billy The Continental Kid” is the last actual Vibraharps group record and also the first Danny Cannon solo record, though it’s credited to Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories.
by Bob The Record Guy

Songs :

The Vibraharps (1)

  
Cosy With Rosy                            Walk Beside Me


  
It Must Be Magic                      Nosey Neighbours


Charles Hargro bb The Vibraharps (1)

  
Over And Over                           Baby Oh Baby
 

Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories

  
       Cheated Heart                          Billy The Continental Kid

...

Jewel Akens

The Four Dots (2) (Los Angeles)
aka The Composers

Personnel :

Jewel Akens (Lead)

Albert “Jerry” Stone (Lead)

Freddy Clark

Sam Dearden

Warn Crosby (Bass)

Discography :

Jerry Stone & The Four Dots (2)
1958 - My Baby (She Loves Me) / It's Heaven (Freedom 44002)

The Four Dots (2)
1959 - Don't Wake Up The Kids / Pleading For Your Love (Freedom 44005)

John Ashley bb The Four Dots (2)
1959 - I Want To Hear It From You / Seriously In Love (Silver 1002)

The Composers
1963 - I Had A Dream / You And Yours (Era 3118)

Biography :

The Houston-born singer spent his teenage years in Los Angeles; around 1958 he met Jerry Stone of doo wop group The Fascinators, whose "Shivers and Shakes" had been released that year on Walter "Dootsie" Williams' L.A.-based Dootone label. Jerry and Jewel formed The Four Dots with Warn Crosby, Freddy Clark and Sam Dearden (unwittingly taking the name of a Pittsburgh group that had recorded for Bullseye in 1956); entrepreneur Jerry Capehart, a songwriter and manager of Liberty Records rock and roller Eddie Cochran, took notice. "My Baby," a routine uptempo doo wop song credited to Jerry Stone and the Four Dots, appeared in the fall of '58 on a new Liberty subsidiary label, Freedom.

Cochran played guitar on the group's Freedom sides. "Don't Wake Up the Kids," a domestic novelty along the lines of The Coasters' chart topper "Yakety Yak," was promoted in trade magazines in January '59; Jewel composed the B side, "Pleading For Your Love," his name misspelled on the label as "Jewel Akins." Liberty had no further interest after these two singles, so Capehart started his own label, Silver, and had the group do backing vocals for actor John Ashley (star of late '50s guilty pleasures Dragstrip Girl, Motorcycle Gang and Hot Rod Gang) on his initial bid to be a singing idol; "Seriously in Love" was a good midtempo rhythm/teen track, but it failed to establish Ashley among the ranks of hitmaking actor-singers.  

  
                                                                                    John Ashley

In 1963, Jerry and Jewel formed the Composers. The Composers were an offshoot of the Four Dots. In 1963 they worked for Herb Newman at Era Records, demoing songs. They got their chance to record two Albert Stone songs for which Newman named the group the Composers. Though excellent sides, nothing happened with the release. Akens would come back to the label in 1964 when his other group the Turn-Arounds (formerly the Rainbows) cut ‘Ain't Nothin’ Shakin”, That same session had Jewel singing The Birds And The Bees’ as a solo because the group refused to sing the novelty song. Akens got sole billing and a new career when his record became a pop hit around the world.

https://www.waybackattack.com/akensjewel.html

Songs :

Jerry Stone & The Four Dots (2)

  
My Baby (She Loves Me)                           It's Heaven            

The Four Dots (2)

  
Don't Wake Up The Kids                   Pleading For Your Love

John Ashley bb The Four Dots (2)

  
I Want To Hear It From You                    Seriously In Love       


The Composers

  
I Had A Dream                                    You And Yours

...