The Channels (1) (New York)
"The Early years"

Personnel :

Earl Lewis (Lead)

Larry Hampden (First tenor)

Billy Morris (Second tenor)

Edward Doulphin (Baritone)

Clifton Wright (Bass)

Discography :

1956 - The Closer You Are / Now You Know (Whirlin 100 / Port 70014)
1956 - The Gleam In Your Eye / Stars In The Sky (Whirlin 102/Port 70017)
1957 - I Really Love You / What Do You Do (Whirlin 107/Port 70023)
1957 - Flames In My Heart / My Lovin' Baby (Whirlin 109/Port 70022)
1957 - Stay As You Are / That's My Desire (Gone 5012)
1957 - All Alone / Altar Of Love (Gone 5019)
1957 - Bye, Bye Baby / My Love Will Never Die (Fury 1021/1071)
1959 - The Girl Next Door / My Heart Is Sad (Fire 1001)

Biography :

The Channels formed in 1955 around the singers Larry Hampden, Billy Morris, and Edward Doulphin; they started as a quintet with two additional part-time members, but soon after they permanently added Earl Michael Lewis and Clifton Wright, formerly of The Lotharios.  In early 1956 the group somehow got together with Bobby Robinson owner of Red Robin Records. The group signed a two year contract with Robinson's Whirlin Disc label. In their first recording session they were able to record "The Closer You Are" written by Earl Lewis who was only 15 at the time.

  
Bobby Robinson

"The Closer You Are" was an instant hit on the national airways, but because of poor distribution it never made the national charts. The song did become very popular on the East Coast and a New York street corner doo-wop favorite. The group's next release came in late 1956, the song was "The Gleam In Your Eye", also written bt Lewis. The song showcased Lewis' full range of talent.  The Channels recorded for record labels Gone, Fury, Fire. 

They enjoyed significant regional success on the East Coast but never charted a major nationwide hit. The group disbanded in late 1959, but in 1961 Jubilee Records started releasing Whirling Disc early releases as if they were new and The Channels became hot again. The lineup changed several times over the course of the band's lifetime.

Songs :

  
The Closer You Are / Now You Know          The Gleam In Your Eye / Stars In The Sky

  
I Really Love You / What Do You Do              Flames In My Heart / My Lovin' Baby

  
Stay As You Are                                         That's My Desire

  
All Alone / Altar Of Love                         Bye, Bye Baby / My Love Will Never Die


The Girl Next Door / My Heart Is Sad  

.....

The Bay Bops (Brooklyn, New York)

 
Personnel :

Dany Zipfel (Lead)

Barney Zarzana (Baritone/Bass)

Georges Taylor Jr (Tenor)

Bobby Serrao (Second Tenor)


Discography :

Singles:
1958 - Joannie / Follow The Rock (Coral 61975)
1958 - To The Party / My Darling My Sweet (Coral 62004)

Unreleased :
1978 - Secret (Unreleased Demo) (Crystal Ball LP 129)
1978 - Tomboy (Unreleased Demo) (Crystal Ball LP 129)


Biography :

This vocal quartet was formed in Brooklyn, New York, USA, in 1957 by Barney Zarzana, Danny Zipfel, Bobby Serrao and George Taylor Jnr. "Joannie", arranged by a young Neil Sedaka, was their debut Coral single in March 1958 and it went on to sell over a quarter of a million copies.

Appearances on Dick Clark's television show and the Dean Martin Telethon, plus tours with the Drifters and Flamingos, helped to make the Bay Bops perhaps the most well-known white doo-wop group of the time.

After their second single, "My Darling, My Sweet"/"To The Party", in May 1958, the group broke up when Zipfel started another vocal group. The three remaining Bay Bops used the Ravens' Lou Frazier as lead for brief time. In the mid-60s Zipfel recorded for MGM Records without a great deal of success.

 In 1958 a new version of the Bay Bops was formed by Barney Zarzana and his brothers Michael, Vinnie and Sal, but they did not record.


Songs :

   
To the Party                                   Follow The Rock

   
Joannie                                               My Darling, My Sweet

   
Secret (Unreleased Demo)          Tomboy (Unreleased Demo)

.....

The Prisonaires (Nashville, Tennessee)
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Johnny Bragg (Lead)

Edward Lee Thurman (Tenor)

John Edward Drue Jr. (Tenor)

Marcel Sanders (Bass)

William Stewart (Baritone))

Discograpy :

Singles :
1953 - Just Walkin' In The Rain / Baby Please (Sun 186)
1953 - My God Is Real / Softly And Tenderly (Sun 189)
1953 - I Know / A Prisoner's Prayer (Sun 191)
1954 - There Is Love In You / What'll You Do Next (Sun 207)
1976 - I Wish / All Alone And Lonely (Sun 511) (Bootleg) (1953)
1976 - Don't Say Tomorrow / No More Tears (Sun 512) (Bootleg) (1953)
1976 - If I Were King / That Chick's Too Young To Fry (Sun 513) (Bootleg) (1953)
1976 - What A Fool (Friends Call Me A Fool) / Rockin' Horse (Sun 516) (Bootleg) (1953)
1976 - Two Strangers / Lucille I Want You (Sun 517) (Bootleg) (1953)
1976 - Dreaming Of You / Surleen (Sun 519) (Bootleg) (1953)

Unreleased :
1953 - Friends Call Me A Fool (Sun)

Biography :

The Prisonaires were just that, five African-American male singers who also happened to be inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville.

Despite what normally would be considered circumstances too onerous to start a pop music career, the Prisonaires were celebrities, albeit briefly, after the recording of the one and only hit record, "Just Walkin' in the Rain," which Sam Phillips released on Sun in 1953 -- a song that three years later became a million seller for Johnnie Ray.

The band was formed by lead singer Johnny Bragg, who had been a penitentiary inmate since the age of 17 after being convicted of six charges of rape. A singer since childhood, Bragg had joined a prison gospel quintet soon after his incarceration, but after a falling out, Bragg took two of its singers, Ed Thurman and William Stewart, each of whom were doing 99 years for murder, and hooked up with recent penitentiary arrivals John Drue (three years for larceny) and Marcell Sanders (one-to-five for involuntary manslaughter), and the Prisonaires were born.

They were discovered by radio producer Joe Calloway, who heard them singing while preparing a news broadcast from the prison. Calloway suggested to warden James Edwards that the group be allowed out to perform on the radio. Edwards, a liberal reform-minded warden who saw this as part of his strategy of rehabilitation, agreed. In the meantime, Bragg was busy selling songs to music publisher Red Wortham, who sent a tape of the Prisonaires' radio performance to Jim Bulliet, a minority shareholder in Sun Records.

Bulliet sent the tape to Phillips, and despite his initial reservations (Phillips was not a huge fan of the group's Ink Spots-style close harmony crooning), arranged to have the groups transported under armed guard to Memphis to record. A few weeks later, "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was released and quickly sold 50,000 copies, a small success that was not without long-term ramifications.

Peter Guralnick notes that "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was likely the record that captured the attention of a young Elvis Presley as he read about the studio, the label, and more importantly, Phillips.

The attendant publicity was more than had been predicted, and soon warden Edwards was allowing the group out on day passes to tour throughout the state of Tennessee. The band became favorites of the state's governor, Frank Clement, and frequently performed for assembled guests at the governor's mansion.

The group never had another hit, and within a year they were finished, the result of the rise of rock & roll and Phillips' preoccupation with a young singer from Tupelo, MS, named Presley. Most of the Prisonaires had no careers outside of the prison with the notable exception of Bragg, who, despite remaining in jail off and on until 1969, recorded some marginal R&B and country for small labels in Nashville.
John Dougan, All Music Guide
http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/The-Prisonaires.html
http://www.rocky-52.net/chanteursp/prisonaires.htm

Songs :

   
Just Walkin' in the Rain        Baby Please                  There Is Love In You

   
Surleen                         Friends Call Me A Fool              There Is Love In You

   
That Chick's Too Young To Fry    What'll You Do Next      A Prisoner's Prayer

     
My God Is Real                   No More Tears                   Dreaming Of You

 ...

The Bell Notes (Long Island, New York)
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel  :

Carl Bonura (vocals, saxophone)

John Casey (drums)

Ray Ceroni (vocals, guitar)

Lenny Giambalvo (bass)

Peter Kane (piano) 

Discography :

Singles :
1959 - I’ve Had It / Be Mine (Time 1004)
1959 - Old Spanish Town / She Went That-A-Way (Time 1010)
1959 - That’s Right / Betty Dear (Time 1013)
1959 - You’re A Big Girl Now / Don’t Ask Me Why (Time 1015)
1959 - White Buckskin Sneakers And Checkerboard Socks / No Dice (Time 1017)
1960 - Shortnin’ Bread / To Each His Own (Madison 136)
1960 - Friendly Star / Wild Child (Madison 141)

 Eps :
1959 - The Bell Notes - I’ve Had It (Time EP 100)
I’ve Had It / Be Mine / Dream Street / A Sad Guitar

Biography :

The Bell Notes may not know it but they inspired Ray Tabano and Steven Tyler, who rocked with Aerosmith. At 14, the two frequented Tabano's father's bar in the Bronx and commanded the stage when the regular band took a break.

 The Bell Notes "I've Had It" was a staple of their impromptu act. The Long Island band consisted of Carl Bonura (lead, vocals, sax), John Casey (drums), Ray Ceroni (lead, vocals, guitar), Lenny Giambalvo (bass), and Peter Kane (piano).

They signed with Time Records and hit with "I've Had It," which soared to number six in March of 1959. Four subsequent singles in 1959: "Old Spanish Town" (number 76), "That's Right" "You're a Big Girl Now," and "White Buckskin Sneakers & Checkerboard Socks," did little to advance their careers. Time also released an EP which met with the same dismal results as the barrage of singles. 

They started 1960 with two releases on Madison Records: "Shortin' Bread" (number 96) and "Friendly Star." In two years, they charted three times but only entered the Top 40 once. After a promising start, the Bell Notes disbanded in less than three years. 

In 1964, the Bell Notes were one of 64 rock artists honored with a Nu-Trading Rock n' Roll Trading Card, but unlike baseball cards the fad didn't catch on. Please note: The Bellnotes (sic!) on the Autograph label are a different group from Texas.

Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide

Songs :

     
    I’ve Had It                                Be Mine                            Shortnin’ Bread

      
Old Spanish Town                               No Dice                             Wild Child        

     
    She Went That-A-Way             You’re A Big Girl Now          White Buckskin Sneakers...

  ....

The Lamplighters aka The Tenderfoots (Los Angeles)
(By Hans-Joachim)

 

Personnel :

Willie Rockwell

Matt Nelson

Thurston Harris

Al Frazier

Discography :

The Lamplighters
1953 - Turn Me Loose / Part Of Me (Federal 12149)
1953 - BeBop Wino / Give Me  (Federal 12152)
1954 - I Can't Stand It / Smoochie  (Federal 12166)
1954 - Tell Me You Care / I Used To Cry Mercy, Mercy (Federal 12176)
1954 - Salty Dog / Ride, Jockey, Ride (Federal 12182)
1954 - Five Minutes Longer / You Hear (Federal 12192)
1954 - Yum! Yum! / Goody Good Times (Federal 12197)
1955 - I Wanna Know / Believe In Me (Federal 12206)
1955 - Roll On / Love, Rock And Thrill (Federal 12212)
1955 - Don't Make It So Good / Hug A Little, Kiss A Little  (Federal 12242)
1955 - No Other One (Federal) (Unreleased)
1956 - You Were Sent Down From Heaven / Bo-Peep (Federal 12255)
1956 - It Ain't Right / Everything's All Right (Federal 12261)
1955 - Sad & Lonely (Federal) (Unreleased)
1955 - Crazy Times (Federal) (Unreleased)
1955 - Tell It to Me (Federal) (Unreleased)

Jimmy Witherspoon & The Lamplighters
1953 - Sad Life / Move Me Baby (Federal 12156)
1953 - Just For You / 24 Sad Hours (Federal 12173)

Lil Greenwood (bb The Lamplighters)
1953 - I'll Go / I'm Crying (Federal 12158)
1954 - All Is Forgiven / Mercy Me (Federal 12165)

The Tenderfoots
1955 - Kissing Bug / Watussi  Wussi Wo (Federal 12214)

1955 - Save Me Some Kisses / My Confession (Federal 12219)

1955 - Those Golden Bells / I'm Yours Anyhow (Federal 12225)

1955 - Sindy / Sugar Ways (Federal 12228)
1955 - Lavern (Federal) (Unreleased)
1955 - No Other One (Federal) (Unreleased)

Biography :

"The L.A.-based Lamplighters are best known as the group who later evolved into the Sharps, the backup group for Thurston Harris ("Little Bitty Pretty One," number two R&B and number six pop in 1957 for Aladdin). Former Hollywood Flame second tenor Willie Ray Rockwell, Matt Nelson, Al Frazier, and Harris formed the Lamplighters in the spring of 1952 and began appearing in a number of neighborhood nightspots, including Club Alabam on Central Ave., and the Barrelhouse Club in Watts, a nightclub owned by musician Johnny Otis and his partner Bardu Ali.

          
Thurston Harris                           Jimmy Witherspoon                              Lil Greenwood 

Otis introduced the group to Ralph Bass at Federal-King Records, which was actually headquartered in Cincinnati at the time. Bass signed the group to Federal, and in the late summer of 1953, began issuing the group's first singles, of which "BeBop Wino" b/w "Give Me" scored some much-needed airplay on the West Coast. They also backed up blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon and appeared with Linda Hayes and the Flairs, and performed at the Tenth Anniversary Cavalcade of R&B at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles with headliners Ruth Brown, Count Basie, and Louis Jordan.

Subsequent Federal singles failed to score much airplay for the group, who were virtually unknown outside of their home base in South Central Los Angeles. In mid-August 1954, the Lamplighters were on the bill for another huge R&B extravaganza at the Savoy Ballroom, hosted by DJ Hunter Hancock. During the fall months, because of the lack of support from Federal, the group's personnel was changing often. By year's end, they were an entirely different group: Eddie Jones, Harold Lewis, Carl White, and Sonny Harris.

 In early 1955, Federal released a few more singles which failed to sell and soon ended their association with the group.
Later in the year, the Lamplighters signed with Decca for only one single, then returned to Federal, who tried something new: they decided to re-name them "The Tenderfoots," hoping to start anew and get off on the good (tender) foot. Four recordings were released by the group under this name, but were quickly forgotten.

Three more Federal singles were during the next sixth months; these came from the band's first recording sessions and so they were credited to the original Lamplighters name. The Lamplighters/Tenderfoots then evolved into a group called the Sharps, who were known most for being the backup group for Thurston Harris, who by 1954 was on a off-and-on relationship with the Lamplighters, occasionally appearing with them as a fill-in as needed.

Harris' cover version of Bobby Day's "Little Bitty Pretty One," a classic novelty number featuring the Sharps doing backgrounds, provided him with his one and only Top Ten R&B and pop hit, which made it to number two R&B and number six pop in 1957 for Aladdin. He also had another Top 20 R&B hit, "Do What You Did," in 1958.

The Sharps

The Sharps recorded for Vogue Records: "Lock My Heart" and "Shufflin'," which is an extremely rare and valuable single. They also provided backing vocals on many of Duane Eddy's hit songs. Some of the Lamplighters/Tenderfoots/Sharps eventually joined up with Kim Fowley and Gary Paxton and appeared as the Rivingtons in the early '60s, scoring with "The Bird's the Word" and the immortal "Papa Ooh Mow Mow" hit (both songs provided the cornerstone for the Trashmen's wacky hit "Surfin' Bird")."
Bryan Thomas, All Music Guide

http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/lamplighters.html
http://koti.mbnet.fi/wdd/thurstonharris.htm

Songs :

   
I Used To Cry Mercy, Mercy                   Part Of Me

   
Roll On                                         Love, Rock & Thrill

   
Salty Dog                                   Be Bop Wino

   
Ride Jockey Ride                                       Tell Me You Care

CD :