The Vibranaires (1954) Clockwise from top : Bobby Thomas, Herb Cole, Roosevelt McDuffie, Mike Robinson & Jimmy Roache

The Vibes (1) (Asbury Park, New Jersey)
aka The Vibranaires






Personnel :

Bobby Thomas (Lead Tenor)

Roosevelt McDuffie (First Tenor)

Lenny Welch (Second Tenor)

William Penha (Baritone)

Joe Major (Bass)

Discography :

The Vibes (1)
1954 - Stop Torturing Me / Stop Jiving Baby ( Chariot 105)

The Vibranaires
1954 - Doll Face / Ooh, I Feel So Good (After Hours 103)

Biography :

Asbury Park, NJ-based R&B vocal group the Vibranaires formed in 1948. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the September 1975 issue of Yesterday's Memories, the group was founded by lead tenor Bobby Thomas, a devout Orioles fan who modeled his vocals after the group's leader, Sonny Til. Baritone Herbie Cole (the nephew of drummer Cozy Cole), first tenor Ulysses Jackson, second tenor Albert Smith, and bass Willie Busby completed the original lineup, which at first operated as the Crooners. By 1950, only Thomas and Cole remained, with first tenor Roosevelt McDuffie, second tenor Mike Robinson, and bass Jimmy Roache filling the holes; Roache's amplified voice was reportedly so powerful it shook the walls, prompting a name change to the Vibranaires. 

The Vibes (1956)  L to R :  Bobby Thomas, Lenny Welch, Joe Major & William Penha

 For a short time in 1953 the group worked with manager and songwriter Esther Navarro, who insisted on another name change, this time to the Cadillacs -- a demo was recorded but when an official release failed to materialize, the Vibranaires terminated their partnership.  In the meantime, the Vibranaires continued performing in New Jersey clubs, befriending Newark station WNJR DJ Joel Turnero, who in turn introduced the group to After Hours label owner Lexy "Flap" Hanford. On the eve of their first session for the label, Cole was arrested for stealing a bass guitar from a local club. He remained in jail while the remaining Vibranaires entered the studio, forcing them to create impromptu arrangements to work around his absence.

The Vibes (1956) Top L to R : Roosevelt McDuffie, Bobby Thomas, Lenny Welch  Bottom L to R : William Penha & Joe Major


 "Doll Face" appeared on After Hours in the summer of 1954, selling close to 40,000 copies in the face of minimal promotion. For the follow-up, "Stop Torturing Me," issued on Hanford's Chariot imprint, the group changed its name to the Vibes -- the shift may have resulted in the disc's disappointing sales, which prompted Hanford to cut them loose soon after. The Vibes rebounded by signing with promoter Bobby McNeil and touring the so-called "chitlin circuit" of black-owned nightclubs and theaters.

The Vibranaires (1964) - Top : Harry Accoo, Roosevelt McDuffie, Bobby Young - Bottom : Bobby Thomas

Roache was drafted in 1955, setting off a series of personnel changes that included the brief inclusion of Lenny Welch, who notched the solo hit "Since I Fell for You" in 1963. When Thomas was also drafted for military duty in 1958, the Vibes finally called it quits, although he and McDuffie later reunited in the V-Eights. In 1966, Thomas' wish was granted -- he finally joined his beloved Orioles, touring with latter-day incarnations of the group for over three decades.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Vibranaires/vibranaires.html

Songs :

The Vibes (1)

   
Stop Torturing Me                         Stop Jiving Baby

The Vibranaires

   
Doll Face                                Ooh, I Feel So Good

...

Top Willis Miller & John McGueBottom : Charles Godfrey, Luther Bond, Sedrick Cox & Clyde Giles

Luther Bond & The Emeralds (1)  (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Personnel :

Luther Bond (Lead)

Sedrick Cox (First Tenor)

Charles Godfrey (Second Tenor)

Willis Miller (Baritone)

Clyde Giles (Bass)

John McGue (Guitar)

Discography :

Singles :
1954 - What If You / See What You Done ((Savoy 1124)
1954 - Starlight, Starbright / You Were My Love (Savoy 1131)
1955 - It's Written In The Stars / I Won't Believe You Anymore (Savoy 1159)
1956 - I Cry / He Loves You Baby (Federal 12279)
1959 - Gold Will Never Do / Jitterbug Jamboree (Showboat 1501)
1959 - Old Mother Nature / Six Foot Hole (Federal 12368)
1960 - Someone To Love Me / Should I Love You So Much (Showboat 1505)

Unreleased:
1954 - Chica-Lee (Savoy)
1954 - Love Again (Savoy)

Biography :

The Emeralds got together in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio during the spring of 1953. The members of the group were lead singer Luther Bond, baritone Will Miller, tenor voices Charles Godfrey and Sedrick Cox, and bass Clyde Giles. As they worked on their harmony and stage presence, they were encouraged to try their hand at area amateur shows. Soon they had themselves a manager who was a local radio personality named Ernie Waits. He searched around looking for a chance for the new vocal group to have an opportunity to record and soon they hit paydirt with the Savoy Record Company located in Newark, New Jersey.  

   

A short time after New Year's Say in 1954, The Emeralds gathered in their home town for a session with the label. With some session musicians (Russ Hampton, Edwin Conley, Wilbur Jackson, and Charles Montgomery) they recorded the songs "See What You Done" and "What If You" on # 1124. The record was listed as by Luther Bond "And His Emeralds". In June of the year Savoy releases two songs from the January session - "You Were My Love" and "Starlight, Starbright" on Savoy # 1131.  The group had another recording session for the label in late March of 1955, again in Cincinnati.

By this time Wardell Fallon had replaced Charles Godfrey with the group. "It's Written In The Stars" and "I Won't Believe You Anymore" were released by Savoy on # 1159. Two other tunes were recorded - "I'll Love Again" and "Chicka-Lee" but were never issued. By the end of 1955, the Emeralds had split up . Willis Miller, Clyde Giles, and Sedrick Cox then got back together with Charles Godfrey, and, with the addition of lead tenor Harold Davis (a neighborhood friend), they formed the Victorials.

The Victorials : Charles Godfrey, Willis Miller, Harold Davis, Sedrick Cox & Clyde Giles

By the beginning of the new year (1956) Luther Bond had put together a new group of Emeralds consisting of John Johnson, Willie King, and Robert Trice. John McGue was the group's accompanist on guitar. This time they scored a recording deal with home town company Federal Records. In September of 1956 Luther Bond & The Emeralds recorded "I Cry" and "He Loves You Baby" on Federal # 12279. By November it was a pick hit in the trade press especially in Cincinnati. The record however never really took off and The Emeralds receded into R & B oblivion - for a couple of years anyway.

The Emeralds : Charles Godfrey, Jerry Rembert, Luther Bond, Robert Trice & Willie King

In the summer of 1959, Luther Bond & The Emeralds hooked up with Showboat Records based in Nashville, Tennessee. This label was in partnership with New York based Apollo Records and recorded the group with the tunes "Gold Will Never Do" and "Jitterbug Jamboree" on Showboat # 1501. The record got initial airplay in the cities of Nashville and Memphis, but sales went flat and did not get national attention. In November Federal Records released two songs by the group that had been held in the can for two years. The songs "Old Mother Nature" and "Six Foot Hole" were released on # 12368. Not helping the group's attempt at resurrecting their career, Ray Scrivener was involved in selling off his Republic Records label and also buying out his share of Showboat Records from Apollo.  The group had one more recording session that resulted in "Someone To Love Me" and "Should I Love You So Much" on Showboat in early 1960. Soon after that record also failed to get much attention, Luther Bond & The Emeralds called it quits.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Emeralds/emeralds.html




Songs :

     
     What If You                       See What You Done                 Starlight, Starbright

     
You Were My Love              It's Written In The Stars                         I Cry           

  
       Gold Will Never Do / Jitterbug Jamboree           Old Mother Nature / Six Foot Hole      

  
          Someone To Love Me       Should I Love You So Much      

…

Oma Heard

The Darlings (2) (Los Angeles, CA)
aka The Sweethearts (2)
aka The Sa-Shays
aka The Utmosts
aka The Dynels
aka The Postalettes
aka The Delicates (2)

Personnel :

Oma Heard (Lead)

Carlotta "Cookie" Robertson (Lead)

Maxine Waters

Julia Waters

Discography :

The Sweethearts (2)
1961 - They Talk Too Much / Puppy Love (Hi-III 116)
1961 - Summer Days / What Is Love (Hi-III 117)

The Sa-Shays
1961 - You Got Love / Boo Hoo Hoo (Zen 101 / Alfi 1)
1963 - Here Comes The Love / I’ll Make You Love Me (Zen 109)

The Utmosts
1962 - I Need You / Big Man (Pan Or 1123)

The Dynels
1962 - Boy Friend / Let's Do It Again  (Dot 16382)
1964 - Just A Face In The Crowd / C'mon Little Darlin’ (Natural 7001)

The Postalettes
1963 - He Played One, Two, Three, Four / Like Chalypso (Instrumental) (Dore 662)

The Darlings (2)
1963 - To Know Him Is To Love Him / Train Out Of Memphis (Instrumental) (Dore 663)
1963 - He Played One, Two, Three, Four / My Pillow (Dore 677)
1966 - The Horn Goes Beep Beep Beep / Floatin' On Cotton Candy (Instrumental) (Dore 775)

The Delicates (2)
1963 - My Pillow / He Played One, Two, Three, Four (Dee Dee 677 / Celeste 676)

Biography :

The Darlings, a female quartet comprising Oma Heard, Carlotta "Cookie" Robertson (Gaynell Hodge’s niece who In 1960 with Joyce Chapel & Marie Love recorded as The Chiffons and The Unforgettables) and the sisters Maxine and Julia Waters, were managed and produced by a former artist named Bobby Sanders - real name: Jerome Lenoir. In 1963, Dore issued two consecutive singles by the group under different names, the first as the Postalettes singing 'He Played 1, 2, 3, 4' (a variation of 'The Paddiwack Song'), the second as the Darlings with their punchy revival of 'To Know Him Is To Love Him', heard here. Sanders produced all four at the same (with Grayson arranging) and assigned the masters over Dore on 23 January 1963.

    

Three of the four girls had previously sung in a Fremont High School group named the Sweethearts, who recorded for producer H.B. Barnum in 1961 and moonlighted on obscure one-off 45s as the Utmosts and the Sa-Shays.  Although amateur, they were already establishing career paths as versatile session vocalists and barely knew their identity from one release to the next - immediately prior to signing for Dore, they had recorded a one-off 45 for producer Steve Venet (himself a former Dore artist) as the Dynels on Dot.

                                                                                                   Oma Heard

Something about 'He Played 1, 2, 3, 4' piqued Lew Bedell interest because a few months later, he re-issued it with a new B-side ('My Pillow') on Dore 677 crediting the Darlings. Then again, in October 1963 on Dee Dee 677 as by the Delicates!. And he wasn't finished yet. Possibly frustrated by his inability to break the record, Bedell sold the master to a couple who ran a tiny R&B label, Celeste, out of their LA home, prompting a further re-issue with the revised title 'This Old Man' on Celeste 676. Oma Heard later sang with Ike Turner's Ikettes, did session work and recorded under her own name for Motown in the late 1960s, while the Water sisters worked as background singers on countless sessions by such diverse artists as Paul Simon, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Paul and Rod Stewart.

Songs :

The Sweethearts (2)

  
   They Talk Too Much                            Puppy Love         

  
Summer Days                                  What Is Love

The Sa-Shays

  
You Got Love                          Boo Hoo Hoo

  
Here Comes The Love                I’ll Make You Love Me

The Utmosts

  
I Need You                                    Big Man

The Dynels

  
     Boy Friend                                     Let's Do It Again

  
Just A Face In The Crowd                   C'mon Little Darlin’        

The Darlings (2)

  
To Know Him Is To Love Him                             My Pillow                   

The Delicates (2)


My Pillow


...

The Chimes (3) (Los Angeles)
aka The Champs (1)
ref: The Wonders (4) aka The Wanderers (3)

Personnel :

Horace "Pookie" Wooten (Tenor)

David Cobb (Second Tenor)

Charles Jackson (Tenor)

Booker Jones (Baritone)

Talbert Walton (Bass)




Discography :

The Chimes (3)
Singles :
1955 - Zindy Lou / Tears On My Pillow (Specialty 555)
1956 - Chop Chop / Pretty Little Girl (Specialty 574)
Unreleased :
1956 - The Chimes Ring Out (Specialty)

Tony Allen & The Chimes (3)
1956 - Especially / Check Yourself, Baby (Specialty 570)

Tony Allen & The Champs  (1)
1955 - Nite Owl / I (Specialty 560)

The Wonders (4)
1958 - Be My Love Be My Love / Tell Me    (Forward 601)

Tony Allen & The Wonders (4)
1958 - Be My Love, Be My Love / Tell Me  (Tampa 157)
1959 - Loving You / Lookin' For My Baby (Jamie 1119)

Bobby Starr (Tony Allen & The Wonders (4))
1959 - Sweet Man / Please Give Me A Chance (Radio 120)

Tony Allen & The Wanderers (3)
1961 - Everybody's Somebody's Fool / If Love Was Money (Kent 356)

Biography :

In August 1955, The Chimes from South Central, Los Angeles, under band leader Horace "Pookie" Whooten signed a contract with Specialty Records. The group consists of Horace "Pookie" Wooten (Tenor), David Cobb (Second Tenor), Charles Jackson (Tenor), Booker Jones (Baritone) and Talbert Walton (Bass) . In September, they released "Zindy Lou" and "Tears on My Pillow" their first single, the A-side with influences of African rhythm and a hypnotic singing in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, the local charts reached, but without nationwide reactions.

  
                                                                                                                                                    Tony Allen

Robert Alexander "Bumps" Blackwell songwriter and arranger at Specialty Records make session With Tony Allen, held at Master recorders in Hollywood on 12 August 1955 with The Chimes singing behind him even though they were billed on the Record as The Champs.  The Chimes backed everybody on Specialty.  They were properly named on Allen's sequel Single Especially. The back of Especially was improvised in the studio based on an idea by Charles Jackson "Check Yourself, Baby". The collaboration as a session musician with Allen was abruptly terminated by its breach with Specialty. Then the band released again in April 1956 under their own name "Pretty Little Girl" and "Chop Chop".

  
David Cobb & Horace "Pookie" Wooten                                                                                     

The record career of the Chimes was already finished in 1956, but the connection to Tony Allen was maintained: So supported him  Horace "Pookie" Wooten, Charles Jackson & David Cobb as "The Wonders" and "The Wanderers" repeatedly in various publications. Horace "Pookie" Wooten, Charles Jackson & David Cobb would go on to form The Lions in 1960, and later reformed as The Resonics.

Songs :

The Chimes (3)

     
Zindy Lou                      Tears On My Pillow                        Chop Chop

  
  Pretty Little Girl                   The Chimes Ring Out


Tony Allen & The Chimes (3)

  
       Especially                      Check Yourself, Baby


Tony Allen & The Champs (1)

  
Nite Owl                                             I       


The Wonders (4)

  
Be My Love Be My Love                   Tell Me                   


Tony Allen & The Wonders (4)

  
       Loving You                      Lookin' For My Baby

Bobby Starr (Tony Allen & The Wonders (4))

  
      Sweet Man                     Please Give Me A Chance

Tony Allen & The Wanderers (3)


Everybody's Somebody's Fool / If Love Was Money



…