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Baby Jane & The Rockabyes
aka The De Vaurs aka Henrietta & The Hairdooz
aka The Elektras aka The Lullabyes (1) (Bronx, New-York)
Personnel :
Madelyn 'Baby Jane' Moore
Yvonne DeMunn
Estelle McEwan
Yolanda Robinson
Discography :
Baby Jane & The Rockabyes
1962 - How Much Is That Doggie In The Window / My Boy John (UA 560)
1963 - Hickory Dickery Dock / Half Deserted Street (Spokane 4001)
1963 - Get Me To The Church On Time / Half Deserted Street (Spokane 4004)
1966 - Heartbreak Shop / Dance Till My Feet Get Tired (Port 3013)
The De Vaurs
1958 - Baby Doll / Teenager (D-Tone A-3/A-4)
1959 - Where Are You / Boy In Mexico (Moon 105)
The Elektras
1963 - All I Want To Do Is Run / It Ain't Easy (UA 594)
Henrietta & The Hairdooz
1963 - Slow Motion / You Got A Lot To Learn (Liberty 55545)
1963 - It Might As Well Be Me / Penn Station (Liberty 55572)
1963 - I Love Him / We'll Work It Out (Liberty 55600)
The Lullabyes (1)
1964 - My Heart Cries For You / You Touch Me (Dimension 1039)
Baby Washington Backed by The De Vaurs
1959 - The Bells / Why Did My Baby Put Me Down (Neptune 104)
1959 - Work Out / Let's Love In The Moonlight (Neptune 107)
1960 - Medicine Man / Tears Fall (Neptune 120)
1961 - Nobody Cares / Money's Funny (Neptune 122)
Biography :
Girl group Baby Jane & the Rockabyes formed in the Bronx, New York in 1958 -- according to John Clemente's exhaustive article on the Spectropop web site. The original lineup comprised vocalists Estelle McEwan, Yvonne DeMunn, Paula Hutchinson and Brenda Carrow, schoolmates united in their common affection for the Chantels.
The DeVaursOriginally dubbed the DeVaurs, a moniker inspired in part by DeMunn's surname, the fledgling group soon won a local talent show, earning the chance to cut a record with the small Brooklyn label D-Tone; Hutchinson assumed lead vocal duties on the finished single, "Baby Doll," a McEwan-penned original that failed to catch on with local radio. The DeVaurs relocated to the Moon label for the 1959 follow-up, "Where Are You," which hit the Top 20 on local station WNJR; Moon owner Al Browne also recruited the group to handle backing vocals behind a then-unknown Baby Washington, appearing on four of her Neptune label singles, among them "The Bells" and "Nobody Cares." But despite the regional success of "Where Are You," the DeVaurs began to splinter as its members married and took on day jobs -- Carrow's 1961 exit prompted the addition of five-octave dynamo Madelyn Moore, and following Hutchinson's departure, the remaining group forged ahead as a trio.
While recording demos for songwriter Arthur Crier, the DeVaurs worked with fellow session vocalist Yolanda Robinson, who soon signed on as a full-time member -- the reconstituted quartet would soon become one of the busiest session groups in New York City, regularly recording demos for writers including Bert Berns and the team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller.
When Phil Spector protégés Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans scored a Top Ten pop smash in 1962 with their update of the Disney chestnut "Zip-a-Dee Doo-Da," Lieber and Stoller borrowed the formula to remake the Patti Page smash "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?" with the DeVaurs on lead -- the group was shocked when the record appeared on United Artists credited to "Baby Jane & the Rockabyes," but when it reached number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100, the new moniker was seemingly etched in stone.
Except that the follow-up, the 1963 ballad "All I Want to Do Is Run," was instead credited to the Elektras, for reasons unknown.
For their next single, an update of the nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Dock," the group was again dubbed Baby Jane & the Rockabyes, but the single was unable to recapture the success of "Doggie," failing to chart. "Get Me to the Church on Time," plucked from the musical smash My Fair Lady, soon followed, but despite tours alongside Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the Shirelles and the Supremes, the quartet never quite caught fire and Lieber and Stoller terminated their contract. Unbeknownst to her partners, DeMunn then signed with composer and producer Ed Silvers, who renamed the group Henrietta & the Hairdooz -- despite (or, more likely, because of) yet another name change, none of their three singles for the Liberty label ("Slow Motion," "It Might as Well Be Me" and "I Love Him," all issued in 1963) charted.
For their lone effort on Dimension Records, 1964's "My Heart Cries for You," the quartet was billed as the Lullabyes, and amazingly, their swan song, 1966's "Heartbreak Shop," was credited to Baby Jane & the Rockabyes, but the record flopped and early the following year, Robinson left the group.
The remaining trio opted to replace her with a male vocalist, Billy Guy, but the group nevertheless dissolved for good in 1968. DeMunn and Guy later wed, in addition to performing as the Starr-Blair Affair.
Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
http://www.spectropop.com/BabyJane/index.htmSongs :
Baby Jane & The Rockabyes
Half Deserted Street Hickory Dickery Dock
The Elektras
All I Want To Do Is Run It Ain't Easy
The Lullabyes (1)
My Heart Cries For You
your comment
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(Clockwise from Top) : Annette Swinson Smith, Valerie Swinson, Barbara Joyner & Lorraine JoynerEddie Jones & The Cashmeres (4) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Veneers
aka The Relatives (3)
Ref: The Chantels
Ref: The SwensonsPersonnel :
Annette Swinson Smith
Valerie Swinson
Barbara Joyner
Lorraine Joyner
Discography :
The Swensons
1956 - Remember Me To My Darling / Golly Boo (X-Tra 100 )Eddie Jones & The Cashmeres (4)
1959 - Daddy Can I Go To The Hop (Red Lightnin' 0059)The Veneers
1960 - Believe Me (My angel) / I (Princeton 102)
1963 - With All My Love / Recipe Of Love (Treyco 402)The Chantels
1961 - Believe Me (My angel) / I (End 1103)The Relatives (3)
Singles :
1963 - (My Heart Goes) Zigga Zagga Zoom / I'm Just Looking For Love (Almont 303)
1964 - Never Will I Love You Again / I'm Just Looking For Love (Almont 306)
1965 - Hadn't Been For Baby / Eternally (Musicor 1063)
Unreleased :
1965 - A Change Of Heart (Musicor)Biography :
The Veneers came from Manhattan and from Brooklyn, in New York City. Sisters, Lorraine and Barbara Joyner joined their cousins, Valerie and Annette Swinson, to sing in the park, for fun, and at family functions. The young teens did began getting the attention of the local songwriters who were looking for artists to record their material. As The Swensons (sic), Annette and her mother recorded one single for X-Tra Records in 1956, entitled, “Remember Me To My Darling”. In 1959, the quartet, now known as The Cashmeres, went into the studio with Eddie Jones ( former lead singer of The Demens & the Emersons) to record a novelty tune called, “Daddy Can I Go To The Hop”. Herb Abramson, founder of Jubilee and Atlantic Records, produced the single. Unfortunately, the single was not released.
Richard Barrett
In 1960, The Cashmeres had signed on to be produced and managed by Richard Barrett. He had written two songs for the group, “Believe Me (My Angel)” and “I”. At this time, the young ladies decided to change their name because they found that too many groups had already recorded under the name “Cashmeres”. They Choose the name "Veneers". Two songs were recorded and released on Barrett's short-lived Princeton Records. The record achieved a level of success in New York, but failed to chart nationally. Their release went unnoticed but it helped Barrett solve his Chantels problem by matching Veneers lead singer Annette Swinson with the three remaining Chantels, Sonia, Jackie, and Rene. In April 1960, still trying to capitalize on the group’s name, End released “Whoever You Are,” formerly the B side of “Every Night”; it had all the original Chantels magic but still lacked the driving commitment of the label.
The Chantels on Carlton with Annette Swinson Smith
Although The Veneers were not entirely happy about this change of plans, they knew that they could not stop Annette, who needed to be out on the stage. In 1961, she officially joined The Chantels. End 1103* was a reissue of a 1959 recording by The Veneers, with Annette Smith on lead, on Princeton 102. The Veneers, without Annette, recorded as The Relatives for the Canadian- American related Almont Records, with Lorraine taking the lead for “(My Heart Goes) Ziga Ziga Zoom” in 1963 and “Never Will I Love You Again”, released in 1964. In 1965 Barbara, Lorraine and Valerie recorded three songs for the Musicor label before they went their separate ways.
Songs :The Swensons
Remember Me To My Darling Golly BooEddie Jones & The Cashmeres (4)
Daddy Can I Go To The HopThe Veneers
Believe Me (My angel) I Recipe Of LoveThe Relatives (3)
Never Will I Love You Again (My Heart Goes) Zigga Zigga Zoom I'm Just Looking For Love
Hadn't Been For Baby / Eternally A Change Of Heart….
your comment
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The Shadows in 1958
The Shadows (6) (Medford, Oregon)
aka The Five ShadowsPersonnel :
Paul Smith (Lead & guitar)
Bill Smith (Guitar)
Tom Newcomb
Dave Mansfield
Mike Feiss
Rick Carrara
Discography :
The Five Shadows
1960 - My Love Bug / Blue Moon (Frosty 1)The Shadows (6)
1960 - Tell This Lonely Heart Goodbye / Wonder Why (Dottie 1006)Biography :
The Shadows were a vocal group with some personal changes throughout their short career between 1958 and 1961. The group formed in 1958 by six Medford boys. Members of the group, all students at St. Mary's high school, are Paul Smith (Lead), Tom Newcomb, Dave Mansfield, Bill Smith, Mike Feiss and Rick Carrara. In the beginning the group performs regularly in Medford and its surroundings. In 1958, they winning the first place in the finals of the Oregon Jaycees' talent contest. The contest was one of the closing day attractions at the Oregon State fair. Their victory opened the doors to a professional audition with Northwest Recorders in Portland and to make a guest appearance on a Portland television station. This will be the start of their professional career.
In 1960, as a quintet, they recorded "Blue Moon" and "My Love Bug" written by Lead Singer Paul Smith. The disc will be released by Frosty Records in 1960 as the 5 Shadows. That same year as a quartet, they recorded "Tell This Lonely Heart Goodbye" and "Wonder Why" Released by Dottie as The Shadows. The group perform sometimes as a sextet, quintet, quartet and even in trio when Tom Newcomb is down with a broken leg. Appearance credit include Park Hotel, Great Falls Montana, Ho-Ti Club and Hotel Benson at Portland, and at San francisco "Hungry I", "Club Sinaloa", "Facks" and the Forest Lake resort. Paul Smith, Bill Smith & Tom Newcomb will be the three members always present among all the combinations ot The Shadows over the years.
Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)
The Five Shadows
Blue Moon / My Love BugThe Shadows (6)
Wonder Why Tell This Lonely Heart Goodbye
... your comment
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The Drakes (1) (Chicago, Indiana)
aka The Dream Kings (1)Personnel :
Tom "Little Bud" Daniel (Lead)
Robert Anderson (Tenor)
William "Sonny" Anderson (Tenor/Baritone/Bass)
Lincoln Mabins (Baritone)
Ira Anderson (Bass)
Discography :
The Drakes (1)
Unreleased:
1955 - Mellow Daddy (United)
1955 - Just A Dream (United)
1955 - Take A Giant Step (United)
1955 - Let Them Talk (United)The Dream Kings (1)
1957 - M.T.Y.L.T.T. / Oh What A Baby (Checker 858)Biography :
The Drakes were neighborhood friends and mostly high school students when they formed around 1953. From East Chicago, Indiana. Tom Daniel was the group's tenor lead, and the composer of the songs they recorded for United. The other members were Lincoln Mabins (baritone) and three brothers, William Anderson (baritone), Robert Anderson (tenor), and Ira Anderson (bass).
The Dream KingsMay 12, 1955 they have a session with United records. Unfortunately, both of The Drakes' sides were left in the can; they did not see release until they were included in a Delmark compilation of vocal group sides done for United. In October 19, again, the group recorded two sides; again they would not see release until many years later. The Drakes changed their name to The Dream Kings and recorded a single for Checker in 1957; "M. Y. T. L. T. T." was a local hit.
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/unitedstates2.html
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Drakes/drakes.html
Pictures & Songs By Hans-Joachim
Songs :The Dream Kings (1)
M.T.Y.L.T.T. Oh What A BabyThe Drakes (1)
Mellow Daddy Let Them Talk
Just A Dream Take A Giant Step.....
your comment
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The Rivieras (1) (Englewood, New Jersey)
Personnel :
Homer Dunn（Lead)
Ronald Cook（Tenor）
Andrew Jones（Baritone）
Charles Allen（Bass）
Discography :Singles :
1958 - Count every star / True love is hard to find（Coed 503）
1958 - Moonlight serenade / Neither rain nor snow（Coed 508）
1959 - Our love / Midnight flyer（Coed 513）
1959 - Our love / True love is hard to find（Coed 513）
1959 - 11th hour melody / Since I made you cry（Coed 522）
1960 - Moonlight cocktails / A blessing of love（Coed 529）
1960 - Great big eyes / My friend（Coed 538）
1960 - Easy to remember / Stay in my heart（Coed 542）
1961 - Eldorado / Refrigerator（Coed 561）
1964 - Moonlight cocktails / Midnight flyer（Coed 592）Unreleased :
N/A - My silent love (Coed)Lps :
196? - The Rivieras Sing (Post 2000)
Moonlight Cocktails / Eleventh Hour Melody / Count Every Star / Easy To Remember / Midnight Rider / Moonlight Serenade / Our Love / Stay In My Heart / Blessing Of Love / True Love Is Hard to Find / Neither Rain Nor Snow / Serenade In Blue.
Biography :
The careers of Englewood, NJ, natives Homer Dunn, Andy Jones, Ronald Allen, and Charles Cook hadn't reached first base when they met manager of a group named the Avons, who christened them the Four Arts because they favored pop songs. After Warren Lanier rediscovered the quartet, he renamed them the El Rivieras, though they remained unrecorded until Jones met William Fix, the manager of the Ames Brothers.
Fix arranged an audition with Marvin Cane and George Paxton, the owners of Coed Records, and the El Rivieras were off and running. They dropped the "El," and debuted as the Rivieras with "I Count Every Star," which entered the pop charts at n° 73 in 1958. Good management kept them working, taking them as far west as Chicago. Their biggest hit, "Moonlight Serenade," reached number 47 in 1959. "Our Love" generated no action, but their fourth release, "Since I Made You Cry," dented the pop charts at number 93 in 1960.
Four subsequent releases -"Moonlight Cocktails," "My Friend," "Stay in My Heart," and "El Dorado" -- went unnoticed. However, "Moonlight Cocktails" along with "Moonlight Serenade" became popular selections on beach-music compilation albums. After the label folded in 1961, the Rivieras soon faded into the moonlight. ~ Andrew Hamilton, Rovi
Songs :
My friend Easy to remember My silent love
Moonlight Cocktails Count every star 11th hour melody
Stay in my heart Moonlight Serenade Serenade In Blue 2 comments
Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues - Mail : jcpiazza26@gmail.com
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