The Tassels (New Jersey)

 

Personnel :

Rochelle Gaudet Alessi

John Gaudet

Joe Intelisano

Leo Joyce


Discography :

1959 - The Boy For Me / To A Soldier Boy (Madison 117)
1959 - My Guy And I / To A Young Lover (Madison 121)

Biography :

The Tassels emerged in northern New Jersey among such groups as the Shirelles, Joey D. & The Starlighters and the Four Seasons. The Tassels' patriotic hit To A Solider Boy was written by Mary Glen Gaudet, mother to John Gaudet and Rochelle Gaudet Alessi, the brother and sister pair who fronted the group. Both siblings were, ironically, born on patriotic days: Rochelle on Memorial Day and John on Flag Day.

The group worked and toured alongside Neil Sedaka, The Adressi Brothers, Duane Eddy and Joanne Campbell as well as many other stars of the 50's rock 'n roll scene. As one of Alan Freed's favorite groups of the Doo Wop era, The Tassels catapulted to stardom with their hit recording To a Soldier Boy. As well as climbing the radio charts, the group made several appearances on Alan Freed's television show worked with Bobby Darrin, who guest-hosted the show in Freed's absence.

It was after The Tassels' appearance on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show that To a Solider Boy began to soar. The song was a recording in its time and of its time. Its poignant sentiment hit home with many American women, mothers, and wives alike who had loved ones in military services overseas.

The Tassels on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show

This song was recorded in 1959 along with other songs such as To a Young Lover, My Guy and I and its upbeat flipside The Boy for Me, which appeared with To a Solider Boy on the Billboard's Top 100 list. Today, with our young people going off to war again, the sentiment of To a Solider Boy remains as relevant as it was when rock n' roll was born.
http://www.thetassels.com/

Songs :

    
To A Soldier Boy                       To A Young Lover

     
The Boy For Me                      My Guy And I

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