The V Cashmeres (1961)

The Five (V) Cashmeres (Cleveland, Ohio)

Personnel :

Paul Pestello (Lead)


Discpgraphy :

1962 - Walkin Through The Jungle / The Hitch Hiker (Golden Leaf 108)


Biography :

vocal group from Cleveland fronted by Paul Pestello. The V Cashmeres recorded  "Walkin Through The Jungle" b/w "The Hitch Hiker" released by Golden Leaf Records owned by Gerry Lee.

  
                                                                                                          The V Cashmeres (1959)


Songs :

  
      The Hitch Hiker                              Walkin Through The Jungle

...

The Caravelles (1) (Detroit)


Personnel :

Harry Gates (lead)

Norman Hurst

Tommy Martin

Charles Poole


Discography :

1961 - Angry Angel / Pink Lips (Star Maker 1925)


Biography :

Detroit vocal group with Harry Gates, Norman Hurst, Tommy Martin, and Charles Poole. Harry had been the lead singer of The Caravelles, who had sung “Pink Lips” and “Angry Angel” in late 1961, for Carmen Murphy’s Star Maker Records. She was the owner of House Of Beauty Records, who also owned Detroit’s original Soul Records (whose name was bought from her by Berry Gordy for his new label) . Gates was also lead singer for Detroit’s original Dramatics, who recorded “Toy Soldier” for Joe Hunter (then moonlighting from his Motown job (in late 1963), and he recorded as a solo act for Enterprise Records, and may have been a member of Enterprise’s Casual-Aires (although not lead singer). Harry Gates had a rich, very distinctive voice. He is also likely to have been the lead singer of Motown's Equadors - Miracle Records "Someone To Call My Own"/"You're My Desire".



Songs :

  
Angry Angel                                          Pink Lips


...

Billy Wells & The Crescents (2) (Cleveland, Ohio)
ref : The Wigs

 

Personnel :

William Burrell "Billy Wells" (Lead)

Al Banks (Tenor)

Leroy McQueen (Baritone)

Garfield Jackson (Bass)


Discography :

Billy Wells & The Crescents (2)
1956 - Julie / I Love Only You (Reserve 105)

Clark Vaden &  The Crescents (2)
1961 - Irene / You Can Make It If You Try (Dolly 5577)


Biography :

Inspired by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, four teenagers from the Outwaithe Housing Projects in Cleveland, OH, formed a group similar to the New York sensations. Al Banks (tenor), Leroy McQueen (baritone), Garfield Jackson (bass), and 13-year-old William Burrell (lead), and christened themselves the Crescents. Al, Leroy, and Garfield were 18 years old and had graduated from school, while Burrell, who sung under the stage name of Billy Wells, still attended Kennard Jr. High. The group was making a name for themselves in the greater Cleveland area when Al Banks got the ear of Sid Friedman, who owned and ran All-Star Theatrical Agency. Sid had them audition for Henry George, who quickly signed them to Reserve Records, with Sid becoming their manager and booking agent.  From the studio came "Julie," written by member Garfield "Buddy" Jackson, and the flip, "I Love Only You," composed by Billy Wells. Reserve had a unique way of promoting its recordings, they gave the Crescents a few boxes of records and told them to drive to different R&B concerts, at which Friedman had booked them, to promote "Julie." Their recording had gotten airplay in the North and the South. 

  

Lawyer "Henry" Curtis (tenor) replaced Wells and they continued to dazzle audiences. This version of the group do the background vocals for Clark Vaden's 45 release, "Irene," and "You Can Make It If You Try," on Dolly Records. Other members left for various reasons which left an opening for Arthur Blakey to join in 1963. Arthur Blakey did most of the Crescents' leads in his readily identifiable, boisterous, shouting, country preacher style. Other artists were amazed that the Crescents could do with four voices what some groups had difficulty achieving with five. Once again they approached Sid Friedman, their previous manager and booking agent, who after hearing their exciting sound, signed them to contracts and proceeded to launch them in a new direction. The motive was to cash in on the Beatles, the latest rage, who were coming to America. To be different, they decided to jettison the Crescents and renamed themselves the Wigs, after the Whig Political Party.



Songs :

The Crescents (2)

  
     Julie                                         I Love Only You


Clark Vaden &  The Crescents (2)

  
               Irene                                    You Can Make It If You Try




...

Nathaniel 'Little Nate' Bouknight

Little Nate & The Chryslers (Brooklyn, NY.)


Personnel :

Nathaniel 'Little Nate' Bouknight (Lead)

Iva Hoyt (Baritone)

Jay McKnight (Bass)

Kirk Harris (First Tenor)

Leon Riley (Second Tenor)


Discography :

1959 - Cry Baby Cry / Someone Up There (Johnson 318)


Biography :

Led by tenor Nathaniel 'Little Nate' Bouknight, the Shells hailed from Brooklyn and displayed the classic New York street corner sound on their haunting debut "Baby Oh Baby". In 1958, The Shells "Baby Oh Baby" moved on to Goldner's End logo for 1958's "Sippin' Soda" b/w "Pretty Little Girl" and "Shooma Dom Dom" b/w "Whispering Wings" the next year. Bouknight split to form Little Nate and The Chryslers with  Iva Hoyt, Jay McKnight, Kirk Harris and Leon Riley. Little Nate & The Chryslers  waxed "Someone Up There" and "Cry Baby Cry" for Johnson in 1959. Kirk Harris & Jay McKnight later sang & recorded  with Richard Blandon & The Dubs.


Songs :

  
     Cry Baby Cry                                    Someone Up There



…

The Drivers (Germany)

Personnel :

L. Walton

 

Biography :

Back in the 50s and 60s, lots of four and five-part harmony groups sang up all over the nation. the Americans were all singers back then, and even though many had regular jobs, the big dream was to get famous enough to be on Ed Sullivan or one of his competitors' show. These guys were all truck drivers in Germany.

...