Little Joe & The Thrillers (2) (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
aka The Royal Demons aka The Madison Brothers aka The Creators (3) aka The Friends (5)



Personnel :

Little Joe Cook (Lead)

Farris Hill (Tenor)

Richard Frazier (Tenor)

Donald Burnett (Baritone)

Harry Pachall (Bass)



Discography :

Little Joe & The Thrillers (2)
1956 - This i know / Let's do the Slop (Okey 7075)
1957 - Peanuts / Lilly Lou (Okey 7088/Epic 2206)
1960 - Stay / Please Don't Go (Okey 7136)
1956 - I'm Comin' Home Dear (Okey) (Unreleased)
1956 - I'm A Fool (Okey) (Unreleased)

The Royal Demons
1959 - What's The Matter Baby / Baby Don't (Rhythm 5004)
1961 - Kiss Kiss / Trembling Hand (Pek 8101)

The Madison Brothers
1959 - Give Me Your Heart / Baby Don't (Sure 1002)
1960 - Trusting In You / What's The Matter Baby (Cedargrove 314/APT 25050)

Farris Hill & The Madison Brothers
1962 - Did We Go Steady Too Soon / The Twirl (V-Tone 231)

The Creators (3)
1963 - Cross Fire / Crazy Love (Epic 9605)

Farris Hill & The Friends (5)
N/A - Sexy Way / Sloppin' Around [instrumental (Cool 501)


Biography :

Joe Cook was born in Philadelphia in 1922, and by 1934 at age 12, had organized his own gospel group, the Evening Star Quartet. With his falsetto voice, winning personality, and dazzling musical instincts, he was a popular local figure in Philadelphia when he started recording in 1949. He later had his own radio show in Philadelphia and in the early '50s, he decided to make the jump to rhythm & blues, which was booming at the time.

 He organized the Thrillers with Farris Hill (second lead), Richard Frazier (tenor), Donald Burnett (baritone), and Harry Pachall (bass), and by 1956 they had a contract with OKeh, the rhythm & blues imprint of Columbia Records. Their first single "Do the Slop," released that year, became a regional hit in New York and Philadelphia, and got enough action to justify an appearance at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

The Slop was one of two dances that Little Joe Cook introduced (the other was the Bicycle Bounce), and made him one of the top R&B figures in Philadelphia. It sold well enough to justify further efforts on their behalf by OKeh, which was trying to get in on the rock & roll boom.

The group's second single, "Peanuts," released in 1957, featured Cook's piercing falsetto voice as the lead. It was catchy and distinctive enough to get the group an appearance on American Bandstand. Little Joe & the Thrillers became one of the first R&B groups to score a national hit through television exposure; the single was propelled, with help from Bandstand and host Dick Clark, to number 23 nationally, and it sold in huge numbers. This was to be the Thrillers' only national hit.

Little Joe Cook

While "Peanuts" was climbing the charts, Little Joe Cook and the Thrillers parted company, supposedly over money issues. Joe continued as a solo, billing himself on his next record as "Little Joe, the Thriller". Farris Hill, Harry Paschall, Richard Frazier and Donald Burnett regrouped, changing their name to the Royal Demons and the Madison Brothers.

The Madison Brothers

Joe Cook and the group did remain on friendly terms and Cook used the four on occasion when he needed a group. The original Thrillers were called back in 1960 when Joe needed a group to record "Stay".

The Sherrys

During the early '60s, Cook organized a girl group with his daughters, eventually called the Sherrys, who charted with one record before a couple of marriages and a change in management forced them out of the business.
http://www.classicurbanharmony.net/


Songs :

   
Stay                                            Peanuts

   
This I know                                  Lilly Lou

   
Please Don't Go                            Let's do the Slop


Cds :

The Bells (1) (Harlem, New-York)
aka The Du Droppers aka The Valiants (3)


Personnel :

Joe Van Loan

Bob Kornegay

Willie Ray

Willis Sanders



Discography :

1955 - What Can I Tell Her Now / Let Me Love Love You (Rama 166)



Biography :

Sometime in the spring of 1955, The Du Droppers (Joe Van Loan, Willie Ray, Bob Kornegay) and Willis Sanders (who's usually associated with the Embers) recorded for George Goldner's Rama label as the Bells.

   
                                                                      (paste-up picture ) Kornegay, Van Loan, Ray & Sanders

Their one record was "What Can I Tell Her Now"/"Let Me Love Love You," released in July.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/DuDroppers/dudrop.html

Songs :

   
What Can I Tell Her Now                   Let Me Love Love You



Cds :

The Camerons (2) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Demilles

Personnel :

Mike DeMartino "Mike Taylor"  (Lead)

Bobby Falcone

Al Crisci

Dave Romano

Discography :

The Camerons (2)

Single :
1961 - Guardian Angel / The Girl That I Marry (Cousins 1003)

Unreleaseds:
1960 - Red Red Robin (Cousins)
1960 - Laura (Cousins)
1962 - Barbara's Doin' The Twist (Cousins)
1962 - Swinging On A Star (Cousins)

Mike Taylor "DeMartino" bb The Camerons (2)
1962 - He´s A Lover / Mi-A-Suri Talk (Dream)

Carlo bb The Camerons (2)
1963 - Little Orphan Girl / Mairzy Doats (Laurie 3157)

The Demilles
1964 - Donna Lee / Um-Ba-Pa (Laurie 3230)
1964 - Cry And Be On Your Wy / Lazy Love (Laurie 3247)

Biography :

Formed by Bobby Falcone, Al Crisci and Mike DeMartino (aka Mike Taylor), This Camerons have no relation to the earlier Camerons on Cousins Records. This was a totally different group which simply "borrowed" the name (they had once been know as the Idols) for their Cousin release "Guardian Angel". "Guardian Angel" The song had come to Cichetti's attention via the previous recording by Al Reno & the Selections (Antone 101) and was one which he was anxious to record himself. Once completed and released on Cousins, the masters eventually was acquired and issued by Felsted (a subsidiary of london records). Dave Romano (Of the Tremonts) joined the Camerons after their recording. They recorded four songs " Red Red Robin", "Laura", "Barbara's Doin' The Twist" and "Swinging on a star", which remained unreleased.

 Their next release was "Mi-A-Suri Talk", written by Ernie Maresca in honor of Murray the K, a famous New York DJ. The record was produced by group member Mike DeMartino, who had it release under his own stage name of Mike Taylor. Bobby Falcone sang together with Dave Romano (Tremonts), Carlo (Belmont) as the Glen Stuart Chorus, Backing an unknown "Dion" imitator on Abel Records in 1963. The Camerons' next move was to Laurie records, where they became The Demilles.  The Demilles had two releases on Laurie records. The first release "Donna Lee" had Carlo of the Belmonts added to the Group.

Songs :

The Camerons (2)

     
Guardian Angel                             The Girl That I Marry

     
Laura                                            Red Red Robin

Mike Taylor "Mike DeMartino" bb The Camerons (2)

   
He´s A Lover                                    Mi-A-Suri Talk

The Demilles

  
Donna Lee                           Um-Ba-Pa


Cry And Be On Your Wy

...

The Saxons (1) (Los Angeles, CA)



Personnel :

Tommy "Buster" Williams (Lead)

Jesse Belvin (Second Tenor)

Eugene Church (Baritone)

Gaynel Hodge (Vocals/Piano)

Johnny Watson (Bass and guitar)

Discography :

1958 - Is It True / Rock 'N' Roll Show (Contender 1313)
1958 - Tryin' / My Love Is True (Tampa 139)

Biography :

One of Jesse Belvin's myriad groups is the Saxons. This one had consisted of Belvin, Eugene Church, Gaynel Hodge, Tommy "Buster" Williams and Johnny Watson .

   
                                                       (paste-up picture ) Belvin, Watson, Hodge, Church, Williams
                                                                

In 1957 they had recorded "Is It True" and "Rock And Roll Show" for Motola, which he finally got around to releasing in June of 1958. (By that time, they had also released "Tryin'" and "My Love Is True," on Robert Scherman and Irv Shorten's Tampa label, in February 1958.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/HollywoodSaxons/hollywoodsaxons.html



Songs :

   
Is It True                                      Rock 'N' Roll Show

   
Tryin                                             My Love Is True


Cds :

Tommy Sena & The Valmonts (Long Island, NY)
aka The Val-Monts

 

Personnel :

Tommy Sena (Lead Singer)

Larry Rosano (Sax)

Anthony DiRusso (Accordian)

Ted Valerio (Guitar)

Gary ??? (Drums)


Discography :

Tommy Sena & The Valmonts
1960 - Oh! Come On Ma! /  Fiesta in a Pizzaria (Valmont 902)
1960 - I Can't Get Up / Choo Choo Train (College Hop) (Adore 903) 

Tommy Sena bb The Valmonts
1960 - I Can't Get Up /Choo Choo Train (College Hop) (Valmont 903)
1961 - Let it Be Me / Choo Choo Train (Valmont 904) 

Tommy Sena & The Val-Monts
1962 - Onions (Remind Me Of You) / The Wobble (Valmont 905)

Tommy Sena
1962 -  Let's Just Be Friends / I Always Think of You (Top Sound 540) 

Biography :

The band was made up of Tommy Sena, Larry Rosano, Anthony DiRusso, Gary  & Ted Valerio. All members were formally trained and could read music. The band played music for both adults and teenagers. Tommy Sena & The Val-Monts  played many local dances & parties on Long Island NY during the early 60's.

They recorded several original songs including "The Choo Choo Train"," I can't Get Up", "The Wobble", "Onions Remind Me of You", "Fiesta in a Pizzaria", "Let It Be Me". They also played at "Palisades Amusement Park., New Jersey" in 1962 with Tony Orlando & Gene McDaniels. 

After one of their records was released they played at record hops in Massachusettes on the same show with Curtis Lee "Angel Eyes" & Don & Juan "What's Your Name". Unfortunately, their music never recieved much air play in the NY metropolitan area.  In 1962 The Val-Monts played a democratic rally on Long Island for presidential condidate John F Kennedy.  The band broke up somewhere around 1964-5

Ted Valerio "Radio Show"
(Every Friday morning from 9 AM to 12)

 
Songs :

Tommy Sena & The Valmonts

   
Onions (Remind Me Of You)                    The Wobble

     
Let It Be Me                           Choo Choo Train

Tommy Sena

I Always Think Of You

...