doo-wop

The Illusions (1) (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Charlie Van Nostrand

Dom Bartolomeo

Sammy DeMarco

Ralph Florio

Joseph Dailey Jr.

Discography :

1960 - The Letter / Henry & Henrietta (Coral 62173)

Biography :

In 1958, Two vocal groups were competing in a talent contest in a Brooklyn nightspot. At the end of the night the two groups combined and formed the Illusions.   

In 1959, the group signing a recording contract with Coral. Their first & only record, "The Letter" b/w " Henry & Henrietta" was released on Coral 62173 the next year.

The group appeared in many club & show in New York...

Songs :

   
Henry & Henrietta                                  The Letter

...

 
Jean & The Darlings (4) aka Jeanne & The Darlings (4)  (click on picture)

..

The Dee-Jay's (2) (Philadelphia, PA)





Personnel :

William Jackson

Joe Bell (Second Tenor)

Bruce Bell (Bass)

Norwood Long

Raymond Robinson

Discography :

Singles :
1961 - You Took Your Love From Me / Canadian Sunset (Sonata 1100)

Unreleased :
1962 - Where Are You (Sonata)
1962 - Come And Get It (Sonata)




Biography :

This group was formed in 1959 by William Jackson who picked Joseph and Bruce Bell, Norwood Long and Raymond Robinson to sing on talent shows with him under the name the Lovenotes, which was changed to the Tunisians and finally The Dee-Jays in 1960! We came along in the time of street corner groups and competed against most of them and won but Uncle Sam and the Military draft in 1963 broke up the group!



Jimmy Bishop who was a disc jockey at WHAT radio was our manager and along with his gospel queen wife Louise Williams-Bishop who exposed us to numerous gospel singing groups, they believed we were headed for great things but like many performers in those days who were not being paid for their work, reality made us seek a more secure future.

  

The Dee-Jay's cut their first single in December 1961 for the local label Sonata. The group cut two other sides "Where Are You" and "Come And Get It" for a second single but it was never released  because Dinah Washington's "Where are you" hit the airwaves and it was felt although the songs were completely different , the same title would be confusing.
Joe Bell

Songs :

   
You Took Your Love From Me                 Canadian Sunset

...

The Highlighters (4) (Seattle, Wa.)

Personnel :

George Palmerton

Grady McCartt

Dean Wicka

Don Fulton

Tom McMillan



Discography :

Unreleased :
1957 - Hey Senorita (Coral)
1957 - Heaven and Paradise (Coral)
1957 - Don't Do It (Coral)
1957 - You (Coral)
1957 - In The Still Of The Night (Coral)
1957 - Blues Stay Away From Me (Coral)
1957 - I Love You So (Coral)
1957 - Ring A Ling (Coral)
1959 - Devil Or Angel
1959 - BlueWorld (live)




Biography :

In 1954, four schoolboys from Seattle's northend were hanging out with a gang of friends no one had ever met.  These were mostly night friends, who lived on radio dials from stations in towns across America. By the time they entered high school, The Highlighters had been performing and rehearsing most nights for a couple of years.   By their junior year they were so heavily booked they often attended school in their stage outfits.

   
George Palmerton                                                     The Highlighters

They were regulars on a Seattle weekly TV show and were often brought in to perform at Rock and Roll traveling shows that played Seattle's big theatres.  In those days they shared the stage with Paul Anka, The Everly Brothers, Bobby Darin and their like.  Between appearances, they did backup vocals on record dates and backgrounds for radio commercials. In 1957 The Highlighters were picked up and signed by Coral Records.

The group was brought into the studio to record, and put through photo shoots for an album cover. Students of the era might guess what's coming, because at the approach of 1958, Coral Records surprised the industry by announcing bankruptcy and proceeding to go quickly and completely out of the business.  The Highlighters now had a contract with a record company that did not exist.  
http://thehighlighters.net/index.php

Songs & Cds :

http://thehighlighters.net/dp-discography.php




...

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 Illusions (1) | 24-04-2014
• Doowopheaven | 23-04-2014
• The Dee-Jay's (2) | 22-04-2014
• The Highlighters (4) | 21-04-2014
• 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
• 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