Ruben Ochoa, Nick Delgado and Al Sanchez (Sal Delgado not pictured)

The Story Tellers (1) (San Gabriel, CA.)


Personnel :

Ruben Ochoa (Baritone / Bass)

Nick Delgado (Lead / First Tenor)

Al Sanchez (Lead / First Tenor)

Sal Delgado (Second Tenor / Bass)


Discography :

1959 - You Played Me A Fool / Hey Baby (Zenith 101/Stack 501)
1990 - Gee But I Like Your Smile / Please Remember My Love (Classic Artists 118)
1991 - Heaven's For Real / This Is Goodby (Classic Artists 128)
1992 - Heart For Heart / The L.A. Shuffle Classic Artists 133)

Biography :

The Story Tellers were from San Gabriel Mission High School, located in southern California, and first got together in 1958. The group was composed  Ruben Ochoa, Nick Delgado, Al Sanchez and  Sal Delgado. They originally called themselves the Pretenders, and actually grew up together in the 1950's. Ruben Ochoa and Al Sanchez were cousins, and further, Al and Nick's fathers had sung together in a Mexican trio. The Story Tellers had one original recording in 1959 called "You Played Me A Fool", issued on Norty Beckman's Zenith and then Stack record labels. It was Norty Beckman that suggested the group name of the Story Tellers, which was quite unique. The Pretenders name had already been taken by a group on the east coast. Beckman had a record store and had heard the group sing locally, and signed them to a contract. Their record had late night airplay by several local DJ's including KFOX evening man Rudy Marini. His show was broadcast live from the Dolphins of Hollywood record store, a local Los Angeles legend. According to Al Sanchez, they had intended to cut a second record, singing the Rivileers song, 1000 Stars, but it was not what Beckman was looking for at the moment. It was what Indigo records was looking for when they pressed Kathy Young and the Innocents version shortly thereafter. The Story Tellers had some releases on the Classic Artists label starting in 1990.
http://www.colorradio.com/storytellers.html

Songs :

  
You Played Me A Fool                                   Hey Baby           


...

The Darvels (Bronx, New-York)

Personnel :

Warren Gradus (Lead)

Richie Capala

Greg Paravati

Mike Gervan

Alan Mandel (Baritone)

Discography :

The Darvels
1963 - Gone / I Lost My Baby (Eddie's 69)

Frankie & The Darvels
1977 - Mr Fortune Teller / Last Goodbye (Crystal Ball 109)


Biography :

When Donn Fileti obtained the Verdicts' masters from Bill Downs, he met a friend of his who had just cut two sides with a young group from the Bronx featuring Warren Gradus (Later with the Belmonts). The Darnels as they were Called were lucky enough to have "Gone" and "I Lost My Baby" issued in the fall of 1963 as the first and only release on the Eddies label Stan Krause, Ed's partner in this venture and Donn Fileti brought the record around as a new release to radio Stations in the Chester-Wilmington area and were promptly, but politely shown the door.

  
                                                                                            Frank Lyndon

But Cashbox gave "Gone" a B+ rating in December 1963 believing that : "Teen memory Seekers will be stirred by the optima teen ballad blend". Later with Frank Lyndon (From the Belmonts) on Lead , the Darvels cut two Unreleased side "Mr Fortune Teller" and "Last Goodbye"  issued in 1978 on Crystal Ball Records as Frankie & The Darvels.
(The Golden Groups - The Best Of relic Records)



Songs :

The Darvels

  
I Lost My Baby                           Gone

Frankie & The Darvels

    
Mr Fortune Teller                        Last Goodbye

 ...

K

KAC-TIES
*KAYS
*KEEN TEENS
*KEENS (RICK & THE)
*KENTS (1)
*KENTS (2)
KESTRELS
*KEYNOTERS (1)
*KEYNOTERS (2)
*KEYNOTES (1)
KEYSTONERS
*KIDS FROM TEXAS
*KILTS (1) (HERMAN JONES & THE)
*KINGS (2)
*KINGS (4) (JOHNNY & THE)
*KINGS & QUEENS
*KINGS MEN
*KITTENS (2)
*KNIGHT RIDERS (1)
*KNOCKOUTS
*KODAKS
*KODOKS
*KOKOMOS
*KOKONUTS (MEL CALVIN & THE)
*KOOL GENTS
KOOL KATS
*KOOL TOPPERS
*KOUNTS
*KUF-LINX

...

The Mello-Tones (1) (New York)
aka the Jets (3) 



Personnel :

Ray Hulbert (Lead Tenor)

Joe Lipscomb (Second Tenor)

Oliver James (Baritone)

Louis O'Neil (Bass)


Discography :

Singles :

 Marga Benitez & The Mello-Tones (1)
1954 - Man Loves Woman / Winos On Parade (Decca 48318)

The Mello-Tones (1)
1954 - I'm Just Another One In Love With You / I'm Gonna Get (What I Came...) (Decca 48319)

The Jets (3)
1956 - Heaven Above Me / Millie Brown (Gee 1020)
 

Ep :

Rhythm and Blues Bit  (Decca ED-2399)
1956 - I'm Just Another One In Love With You / I'm Gonna Get (What I Came For Last Night)

LP :

He Digs Rock'n Roll (Decca DL 8315)
1956 - I'm Just Another One In Love With You / I'm Gonna Get (What I Came For Last Night)

 

Biography :

These were neighborhood friends who grew up on 132d Street in New York's Harlem. In 1953, responding to the R&B vocal group phenomenon taking place, they got themselves together and decided to form a vocal group. The members were between fifteen and eighteen years old at their start. They retained the services of manager Cliff Martinez but got their contract as a result of Hulbert's persistence with Decca management.  On April 6, 1954, they had their first session, they recorded "Man Loves Woman" and "Wino's On Parade" behind Marga Benitez and, under their own name, "I'm Just Another One In Love With You" and "I'm Gonna Get (What I Came For Last Night)."

The record didn't sell particularly well, but the group toured the East Coast on the strength of it. Lack of success caused O'Neil to leave, and he was replaced by Charlie Ca rrington. Next, they went to audition for George Goldner at Gee records. He agreed to record them, but insisted that they change their name to a more contemporary-sounding one: the "Jets." The group didn't like this, but they went along. Their only Jets record - "Heaven Above Me"/"Millie Brown" - recorded in April of 1956 and released in July, also failed to make any waves. Once again, the disc wasn't sent out for review.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/MelloTones/mellotones.html

Songs :

Marga Benitez & The Mello-Tones (1)

  
Man Loves Woman                              Winos On Parade


The Mello-Tones (1)


I'm Just Another One In Love With You / I'm Gonna Get (What I Came For Last Night)


The Jets (3)

  
Heaven Above Me                               Millie Brown    







…

1956 - Leonard Veal, Sonny Turner, James Frierson  & Melvin Smith - (Bottom) Leuvenia Eaton
 

The Five Jades (1) (Cleveland, Ohio)
aka The Metrotones (2) 

Personnel :

Charles "Sonny" Turner (Lead)

Leonard Veal (Second Tenor)

Fred Camp (First Tenor)

James Frierson (Baritone)

Melvin Smth (Bass)

Leuvenia Eaton

Discography :

The Metrotones (2)
1957 -  Please Come Back / Skitter Skatter (Reserve 116)

The Five Jades (1)
Without Your Love / Rock And Roll Molly (Duke 118)

 



Biography :

The Metrotones were among the myriad doo wop acts to emerge from postwar-era Cleveland. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the November 1997 issue of Discoveries, baritone/tenor Guy Spears, baritone James Frierson, and bass Andrew Fortson co-founded the group in 1953 while students at John Adams High School, cycling through several tenors before adding first tenor Fred Camp and second tenor Leonard Veal the following year.

1955 - Fred Camp,  Leonard Veal, Russel Cole (Manager) James Frierson  & Andrew Fortson - (Bottom) Leuvenia Eaton  

 In late 1954, Spears was drafted into military duty, and after a brief collaboration with alto Kim Tolliver, the Metrotones recruited alto Leuvenia Eaton. In March 1955, this new lineup claimed top honors in the inaugural Fame and Fortune amateur showcase at Gleason's Musical Bar, earning a weeklong headlining engagement at the club that resulted in performances at Cleveland's Quincy Theater and Circle Theater.  The Metrotones also opened for the Ravens and the Drifters at Cleveland Arena before adding tenor Sonny Turner in the spring of 1955. 

Camp exited the lineup soon after, and that summer Fortson received his draft papers as well, prompting the addition of bass Melvin Smith. Despite their local popularity, the Metrotones did not sign a record deal until early 1957, inking with the Reserve label to cut their debut single, "Please Come Back," which featured Turner on lead. Local station WJMO nevertheless found its nonsensical flip side, "Skitter Skatter," too suggestive and banned the record from the air, effectively crippling its commercial momentum.

1958 - Bill Brent,  Sonny Turner, Angelo Jones, Leuvenia Eaton & Leonard Veal

The single proved their lone Reserve release, and in 1958 the Metrotones renamed themselves the Five Jades and signed to Don Robey's Duke Records to issue "Without Your Love," with Eaton on lead.  It too failed to catch on at radio, and when Frierson was the next co-founder summoned to serve military duty, the group's days were numbered. After much additional personnel turnover, Turner exited in late 1958 to pursue a solo career, followed a few months later by Eaton.

While the remaining roster continued as the Five Gents, Turner successfully auditioned to join the Platters, replacing the great Tony Williams in 1959 and remaining with the R&B legends for over a decade.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Metrotones/metrotones.html

Songs :

The Metrotones (2)

  
Please Come Back                            Skitter Skatter


The Five Jades (1)

  
Without Your Love                     Rock And Roll Molly

...