Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Malcolm Dodds (Lead)

Prentiss Polk (First Tenor)

Bill Glover (Baritone)

Danny Simmons (Bass)

Discography :

Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops
1957 - It Took A Long Time / Beauty And The Beast (End 1000/Roulette 90)
1957 - Fools Rush In / Can't See You  (End 1004)
1958 - Tonight / Unspoken Love    (End 1010/Reo 8211)
1958 - Your Voice / The Swingin' Platoon  (Decca 30653)

The Tunedrops
1957 -  Rosie Lee / Speak For Yourself (Gone 5003)

Tony Mitchell "Tony Passalaqua" bb Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops
1963 - Candle in the Wind / Million Drums (bb The Angels) (C A R 157)

Biography :

Malcolm Doods was born in Brooklyn, and studied classical music at NYU. He was still living in Brooklyn in the early 50s and was busy working as a musical/vocal instructor and as always was involved with choral groups in Schools, YMCAs and churches, using his real name, Malcolm Williams.

The Normanaires

It was during this period that he was approached by arranger Fred Norman, to sing in a group. Thus the Normanaires were formed, comprised of Malcolm, Dorice Brown, Bill Glover and Sam Dillworth. The group stayed together for two years, working locally, before breaking up.

 
1957 - The Tunedrops & Friend (Nixon Theather, Philiadelphia)

 After one single with the Four Clicks, "You Lied"/"Higher Than High" in 1954, Malcolm , with Prentiss Polk, Bill Glover and Danny Simmons are featured on this first side for George Goldner's End label as Malcolm Dodds & the Tunedrops In 1957. They would have three total released on End, one on Decca and one on Gone.

Malcolm Dodds and the Tunedrops backed up Tony Passalaqua on "Candle In The Wind", when Tony recorded as Tony Mitchell on the Canadian American label at the request of Steve Lawrence's brother Bernie, head of a&r there.     The  group had faded into obscurityand were sustaining themselves by doing studio work Without any success, the group disgusted broke up soon and Malcolm Dodds continue recording as a solo artist.

Neil Sedaka "The King Of Clowns" background singers The Malcolm Dodds Singers

Malcolm Dodds become a composer, arranger and choir director of The Malcolm Dodds Singers; a backup group for many popular artists.

Songs :   
 (Updated by  Hans-Joachim)

Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops

     
Can't See You                      Your Voice                       Tonight

     
It Took A Long Time                Fools Rush In                   Unspoken Love

     
The Swingin' Platoon        Beauty & The Beast       Rosie Lee / Speak For Yourself



The Tunedrops


Rosie Lee / Speak For Yourself

Tony Mitchell bb Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops


Candle in the Wind

...

The Four Cal-Quettes  (Los Angels, CA)
aka The Four Coquettes

Personnel:

Judi Hersh

Carol McConkey

Muffy Cohan

Mary Anne Lucas

Discography:

The Four Coquettes
1961 - Sparkle And Shine / In This World (Capitol 4534)

The Four Cal-Quettes
1961 - Star Bright / Billy My Billy (Capitol 4574)
1961 - I'm Gonna Love Him Anyway / Most Of All (Capitol 4657)
1962 - I'll Never Come Back / Again (Capitol 4725)
1963 - Movie Magazines / I Cried (Liberty 55549)

Biography :

The Four Coquettes  formed at Los Angels, CA. Their first recordings were “Sparkle And Shine" "In This World” after they changed their name to the Four Cal-Quettes. The girls had a number of popular songs in 1961 that appeared at the top of the pop charts.   They appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.

"I'll Never Come Back (Silly Boy)" is the answer song to The Letterman's hit, 'Come Back Silly Girl' and it's the last of their Capitol singles and probably their best double-sider has Jimmie Haskell's larger than life string arrangement blending perfectly with the girls' beautiful harmonies. Both Jimmie Haskell and Stu Phillips could really assemble a beautiful string arrangement.

"Movie Magazines" / "I Cried" (Liberty 55549), this 1963 release is the last of the group's five singles and the only one issued on the Liberty label. Judi Hersh, Carol McConkey, Muffy Cohan, Mary Anne Lucas cut this single at Hollywood's Gold Star Studio.

With a nod toward the sound of Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans' 'Zip-A-Dee Doo Dah', the sparse but echo laden arrangement get's a wallop of sound with a drum fill at the end of each bar of music. More than likely the girls split up after this recording to go to college or get married. Unfortunately these sweet vocal harmonies spilling out of the grooves would be the group's 'swan song' to the music biz.
http://www.unihi61.com/FourCalquettes.htm

Songs :

     
Again                                         I Cried                                Most Of All

  
                Star Bright               I'll Never Come Back (Silly Boy)

...

from left to right : Bob Easingwood,  Ronnie King, Patsy (Tookie) Andy and Larry Namee

The Windsors (2) (Pennsylvania)

Personnel :

Ronnie King (Lead)

Patsy "Tookie" Andy (Second Tenor)

Bob Easing Wood (First Tenor)

Larry Namee (Baritone)

Discography :

1958 - Carol Ann / Keep Me From Crying (Wig-Wag 203)

Biography :

Ron King, 2nd from left , organized The Windsors doo wop singing group while still a student at Washington high School in Washington, PA. The Windsors headed to New York and cut two sides for Wig Wag Records: "Carol Ann" b/w "Keep Me From Crying." at Regent Sound Studios; the same studio at which Johnie Maestro & The Crests were recording the classic teen age anthem"Sixteen Candles.

from left to right : Larry Namee, Bob Easingwood, Patsy (Tookie) Andy and Ronnie King

Members of the group included Ron, Bob Easingwood, Patsy Andy and Larry Namee. ventually Ron left the Windsors, learned how to play guitar and formed a band called Ronnie King and the Passions.
http://www.myspace.com/ronkingsings

Songs :

     
Keep Me From Crying                                Carol Ann             

...

Ronnie & The Relatives (1) (New York)
aka The Ronnettes

Personnel :

Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett

Estelle Bennett

Nedra Talley

Discography :

1961 - My Guiding Angel / I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead (May 111)
1961 - I Want a Boy / Sweet Sixteen (Colpix 601)

Biography :

Ronnie & The Relatives were formed in the Washington Heights/Spanish Harlem area of New York City. Sisters Veronica (aka Ronnie) and Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley first started harmonizing together as teenagers in 1959, inspired by doo wop groups like Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers and Little Anthony & the Imperials. First calling themselves the Darling Sisters, the trio also worked on their dance moves, and won the famed amateur talent contest at the Apollo Theater; afterward, they began formal vocal training.

In 1961, they were standing in line to get into the Peppermint Lounge -- epicenter of the twist dance craze -- when a manager mistook them for an act he'd booked.  They performed to great response, and were quickly hired as regulars. Later that year, they appeared in the film Twist Around the Clock, and danced in shows staged by disc jockey Murray the K. They also got a record deal with the Colpix label, issuing their debut single "I Want a Boy" as Ronnie & the Relatives that year.  Follow-up singles credited the group as the Ronettes, including "I'm on the Wagon," "Silhouettes," and "Good Girls," but none were anything more than regionally popular. The Ronettes caught their big break when they met Phil Spector, who saw in them talent he could mold to his specifications; he was already tiring of his association with the Crystals, substituting outside singer Darlene Love on several records credited to them.

Songs :

   
My Guiding Angel                       I Want a Boy    

   
        Sweet Sixteen              I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead

...

The Roamers (Jersey City, New Jersey)


Personnel :

James Ricketts (Lead)

Billy Williams (Tenor)

Sam Walton (Baritone)

Judge Taylor (Bass)


Discography :

The Roamers
1954 - Deep Freeze / I'll Never Get Over You (Savoy 1147)
1955 - Chop Chop Ching A Ling / Never Let Me Go (Savoy 1156)

Wilbert Harrison & The Roamers
1955 - Women And Whiskey / Da Dee Ya Da (Savoy 1149)

Varetta Dillard & The Roamers
1955 - You're The Answer To My Prayer / Promise Mr. Thomas (Varetta Dillard) (Savoy 1160)


Biography :

R&B vocal combo the Roamers formed in Jersey City, NJ, in 1953. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the September 1999 issue of Discoveries, the lineup comprised lead James Ricketts, tenor Billy Williams, baritone Sam Walton, and bass Judge Taylor.

Originally dubbed the Four Flames, they soon adopted the Roamers in an obvious nod to the Drifters; after unsuccessfully auditioning for Atlantic in 1954, the group signed to Savoy, making its recorded debut late that same year with the Taylor original "Deep Freeze." At the same session, the Roamers backed Wilbert Harrison on his single "Women and Whiskey," issued in early 1955; when "Deep Freeze" reached the Philadelphia area Top 20, the group went on tour, additionally hitting the road with Harrison and Latin bandleader Joe Loco.

  
                   Wilbert Harrison                                                                                   Varetta Dillard

In the spring the Roamers released their sophomore effort, "Chop Chop Ching a Ling," soon after backing Varetta Dillard on her "You're the Answer to My Prayer." The session proved to be their last, despite a Savoy contract that kept them tied to the label until 1958. The group continued touring with Harrison until dissolving in 1959.

Williams and Ricketts then signed to Sue as Billy & Ricky, issuing a pair of singles, "Mama Papa Please" and "How You Sound," to little notice. In 1962 the duo reunited with Walton as the Astronauts, but generated nothing beyond an unreleased demo before splitting two years later. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Roamers/roamers.html
http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/illnever.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/roamers