The Admirations (1) (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Joe (Cookie) Lorello

Fred Mastanduno (First Tenor)

John Mahlan (Second Tenor)

Ralph Minichino (Baritone)

Lou Moshella (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1959 - The Bells of Rosa Rita / Little Bo-Beep (Mercury 71521)
1961 - To The Aisle / Hey Senorita (Mercury 71833)
1974 - Over The Rainbow / In My Younger Days (Kelway 108)

Unreleased :
1961 - Remember The Day (Mercury)
1961 - It All Happened So Fast (Mercury)

Biography :

If the quality of a vocal group was judged by the number of records released, then the Admirations would have been judged unfairly. One of the best late-'50s white doo wop groups, the Admirations were also one of the few such acts with only two records on a major label.  The quintet would have been better off with one of New York's rock and roll independents,who were used to breaking records like theirs, but in 1958, 15-year-old high school students couldn't possibly forsee such things. The group members were all friends from the same neighborhood in brooklyn, growing up around Elderts Lane  and Liberty Avenue.

   They consisted of lead Joe (Cookie) Lorello, Fred Mastanduno (First Tenor), John Mahlan (Second Tenor), Ralph Minichino (Baritone), and Lou Moshella (Bass). They practiced in hallways, on street corners, and at the neighborhood candy store and locked their eyes on a large advertisement for admiration cigar. At that moment the Admirations were born.  They began doing dances and record hops. performing songs by their favorite groups like The Flamingos and Belmonts. In the fall of 1958, an A&R assistant to Mercury's Clyde Otis named Jerry Maggat saw the group perform and brought them to Otis, who signed them up. Although their first recording was done in February 1959, for some inexplicable reason "Bells of Rosa Rita" was not released by Mercury until November of that year.

It became one of those classic East-Coast doo wop records that seemed more popular as an "oldie" than it was at the time of its ill-fated initial release. With Mercury's interest on the wane after just one record,  the group decided to disband, but in 1960 they reformed with Joe Mertens and Diane Salemme (Joe's wife) replacing John Mahlam (In the Army) and Ralph Minichino.  By the summer of 1960, the group got an opportunity and cut four more sides for Mercury, two of which were never released and two ("To the Aisle" and "Hey Senorita") that weren't issued until 1961.Though their record releases were few, the Admirations' powerful five-part chime harmony on "Bells of Rosa Rita" have endeared them to vocal group enthusiasts for almost 30 years.

  
                                                                                                                                     Louie, "friend", Johnny, friend" at Coney Island

Disappointed with Mercury's disinterest, the group disbanded for a second time  later thant year as John became a police officer, Joe and Fred joined the sanitation department, and lou joined a construction company.  In 1974, the group was resurrected for a third time doing various revival appearances in the New York city Aera.
Jay Warner (American singing groups: a history from 1940s to today)

Songs :

      
To The Aisle                    It All Happened So Fast            The Bells of Rosa RIta

  
        Little Bo-Beep             To The Aisle  / Hey Senorita

  
Over The rainbow                   In My Younger Days

...

The Envoys (2) (New York)

Personnel :

Joel Reinlieb

Discography :

1977 - Springtime / Declaration Of Love (Crystal Ball 110)

Biography :

In 1957-61 the Brooklyn native Joel Reinlieb was in the air force he was approached by four balck serviceman who were looking for a Lead singer for their group The Silk-Tones, with Joey as lead singer they participate in one talent contest at the Westover air force base in Chicopee,MA. they came in second in the voting.

When Joey finished his military obligations he attended NYC community collage where he became a member of the white group The Envoys. Joe had written two original tunes : Springtime / Declaration Of Love.

    
Raoul Cita                                                                         

 They present the sides to Raoul Cita who managed The Harptones. Mr. Cita send the group to some Harlem theatres where the group have nice live perfomances but unafortunely their songs never were realized. Finally in 1978 Crystal Ball Records released these unreleased sides in one 45 RPM.  Later Joe was part of The Newports who recorded for Kane and Guyden Records.

Songs :

   
Springtime                                        Declaration Of Love

...

The Turbans (2) (Downtown, Philadelphia)

Personnel :

Al Banks (Lead Tenor)

Matthew Platt (Second Tenor)

Charlie Williams (Baritone)

Andrew "Chet" Jones (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1955 - When You Dance / Let Me Show You (Around My Heart)(Herald 458)
1955 - Sister Sookey / I'll Always Watch Over You (Herald 469)
1956 - I'm Nobody's / B-I-N-G-O (Herald 478)
1956 - It Was A Nite Like This / All Of My Love (Herald 486)
1957 - Valley Of Love / Bye And Bye (Herald 495)
1957 - Congratulations / The Wadda-Do (Herald 510)
1958 - I Promise You Love / Curfew Time (Red top 115)
1960 - Diamonds And Pearls / Bad Man (Roulette 4281)
1961 - Three Friends / I'm Not Your Fool Anymore (Roulette 4326)
1961 - When You Dance / Let Me Show You (Around My Heart) (Herald 458)
1961 - Golden Rings / When You Dance (Parkway 820)
1961 - Six Questions / The Lament Of Silver Gulch (Imperial 5807)
1962 - This Is My Story / Clicky Clicky Clack (Imperial 5828)
1962 - I Wonder / The Damage Is Done (Imperial 5847)

Unreleased :
1957 - My Girl Has Gone (Herald)
1957 - Say Girl (Herald)
1957 - Lonely (Herald)
1957 - Sockee Soo (Herald)
1957 - Farewell To Arms (Herald)
1957 - Miss Thing (Herald) (Unreleased)
1961 - All She Wants To Do Is Dance (Roulette)
1961 - Gettin' Into Somethin (Imperial)
1961 - Sister Sookey's Back (Imperial)
1961 - Donna Kimberley (Imperial)
1961 - Hey Now! (Imperial)
1961 - It's All Over (Imperial)
1961 - Do You Feel Like I Feel (Imperial)

Biography :

The Turbans became a Philadelphia legend for being in the right place, at the right time, with the right sound. Their place in the history of R & B vocal group music is much greater than the recorded history of the group, certainly owing to the fact of the timelessness of their two best known songs. The original members of the Turbans were Al Banks - lead singer, Matthew Platt - tenor, Charles Williams - baritone, and Chet Jones on bass.

After getting their act together and working on their harmonies, group manager Herman Gillespie made contact with Al Silver the head of Herald Records in New York, one of the premier Eastern independent R & B labels. Soon in mid 1955 a recording session was set up and an uptempo tune written by Jones called "When You Dance" was to be coupled with a tune called "Let Me Show You (Around My Heart)" with the latter song to be the featured side. After a few weeks out and on the radio, it is apparent that even though "Let Me Show You" is a favorite in their hometown of Philadelphia, it is the uptempo multi-rhythmed "When You Dance" that has captured the ear of the record buying public. The release for Herald on #458 starts to get national airplay and by November breaks out into the pop music market. The unique combination of a rumba styled Latin rhythm on the vocals and straight ahead 4/4 R & B behind the sax break catches the ear on radio in 1955.

Al Banks lead ranging from baritone to swooping falsetto in front of superb three part harmony, and the bass tag line at the end of each verse is a "can't miss" vocal group formula for Herald. In December "When You Dance" is on the most played lists in major cities including Atlanta, Boston, and Detroit. In the motor city, The Turbans appear in a sold out show in early December with Detroit radio personalities Robin Seymour and Mickey Schorr.

   

In January of 1956 The Turbans sign on for a big R & B package tour that also includes Bill Haley, LaVern Baker, Shirley & Lee, The Platters, Drifters, Five Keys, Joe Turner, Bo Diddley, Roy Hamilton, and Red Prysock & his band. The tour will start in Pittsburgh and cover the Southeastern states. In February Herald releases the followup to "When You Dance" on #469. It is "Sister Sooky" and "I'll Watch Over You". The Turbans do some dates in the Midwest with Guitar Slim, including a week at Kansas City's Orchid Room.

"Sooky" gets airplay and sales in the Eastern half of the country, as listeners are intrigued by the multi-rhythmed format used on "When You Dance", and the tag line of "she's gone to Egypt". The exceptional backup vocals of the group behind Al Bank's lead is outstanding. In March the group plays the Circle Theater in Cleveland with Dakota Staton and Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams.

In April The Turbans join up with another big touring R & B show, this one titled "The Big R & B Show of 1956". Featured performers with the group are Fats Domino, Ruth Brown, Little Richard, Al Jackson, The Cadillacs, Sweethearts, Little Willie John, and Choker Campbell & his band. The show will tour for six weeks and include the Southeast, Texas, parts of the Midwest, and Toronto, Canada. After the tour finishes up Herald releases a new side from The Turbans on #478 - "I'm Nobody's" and "B-I-N-G-O".

In July the group hits the road again this time with Sonny Boy Williamson throughout the Midwest. Herald pushes the ballad side of the newest release "I'm Nobody's" hoping for a breakout in the pop market but so far they have been unsuccessful. In September Herald tries again with #486 - "It Was A Night Like This" and "All My Love". In October The Turbans pay a return visit to the Circle Theater in Cleveland.

In 1957 the year sees the last two recordings for Herald Records by the group. Early in the year Herald #495 features "Valley of Love" and "Bye And Bye". It does not do well and the group has to rely on in person appearances with name recognition from their first two hits for the label. There was a long delay in their next and last recording for Herald, which was released late in the year. It was a classic ballad called "Congratulations", and was backed with a throw away jump tune called "The Wadda-Do" on #510.

The ballad side initially did well but then kind of got lost among the great number of records that were released at the time. In later years the ballad side has become one of the most performed tunes by a capella groups and other vocal groups keeping the sound of the music alive. In early 1958 however the label was pushing the jump side in trade publications. Into the early spring, "Congratulations" seems to be making strides in overcoming the flip side as the hit for The Turbans. By late April the record had run out of steam and so had the relationship between Herald Records and the group. The Turbans recorded sporadically in the next few years, none of the releases did much of anything to improve their fortunes. There was one side for Red Top , two releases for Roulette. This was followed by one outing on Parkway. Three forgettable recordings for Imperial in the early 60s ended the recording career of The Turbans. In later years Al Banks spent some time with the post Ben E. King Drifters. There was one last memorable turn for The Turbans.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Turbans/turbans.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/turbans.html




Songs :

   
This Is My Story            When you dance               Sincerely, But Not Yours

   
The Damage Is Done           The Wadda-Do                Congratulations

   
Six Questions                  It's All Over                       Donna Kimberley

   
Tick Tock A Woo                I'm Nobody's                    Three Friends

...

Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters (4) (Philadephia)

Personnel :

Garnet Mimms (Lead)

Sam Bell

Charles Boyer

Zola Pearnell

Discography :

Singles :

Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters (4)
1963 - Cry Baby / Don't Change Your Heart (UA 629)
1963 - For Your Precious Love / Baby Don't You Weep (UA 658)
1964 - Anytime You Need Me / Tell Me Baby (UA 694) 
1964 - One Girl / A Quiet Place (UA 715) 
1964 - A Little Bit Of Soap / I'll Make It Up To You (UA 796)
1965 - So Close / It Was Easier To Hurt Her  (UA 848)   
1965 - Welcome Home / The Adventures Of Moll Flanders  (UA 868)
1965 - Everytime / That Goes To Show You  (UA 888)
1965 - Looking For You / More Than A Miracle  (UA 951)
1966 - Prove It To Me / I'll Take Good Care Of You (UA 995)   

Garnet Mimms
1964 - Look Away / One Woman Man (UA 773)

The Enchanters (4) 
1964 - I Wanna Thank You / I'm A Good Man (Warner Bros 5460)  
1965 - I Paid For The Party / I Want To Be Loved (Loma 2012) 
1966 - God Bless The Girl And Me / You Were Meant To Be My Baby (Loma 2035) 
1966 - I've Lost All Communications / We Got Love (Loma 2054)

Lps :

1963 - Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters "Cry baby" (UAL 3305 / UAS 6305)
For your precious love / Cry to me / Nobody but you / Until you were gone / Baby don't you weep / Anytime you need me / Runaway lover / Cry baby / Don't change your heart / A quiet place / So close / Wanting you

Biography :

On returning to Philadelphia in 1958 after completing his military service, Garnet Mimms discovered that times were changing and doo wop music had become serious business. After a brief stint in a secular outfit called the Deltones, Mimms wasted no time in forming a bona fide doo wop quintet, the Gainors, consisting of Sam Bell, Willie Combo, John Jefferson, Howard Tate (another figure destined for great things as a soul singer), and himself.

The Gainors made frequent trips to the recording studio over the next three years, and cut a total of eight singles for three different labels: Red Top (later absorbed by Cameo Parkway), Mercury, and Talley Ho.   With little success to speak of, the Gainors folded in 1961 and Mimms and Bell left to form a new group. Together with Charles Boyer and, unusually enough, a female member, Zola Pearnell, they gave rise to Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters.

Mimms was probably disillusioned with Philadelphia by now (shades of W.C. Fields perhaps?!) and, convinced that the city was more concerned with the teen idol phenomenon, persuaded his new bandmates that the future for their musical direction lay elsewhere.  Relocation to New York brought a meeting with legendary songwriter and producer Bert Berns. Under Berns' wing, they signed for United Artists and began a collaboration with a second historic songwriter/producer, Jerry Ragavoy.

Jerry Ragavoy with Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters

The partnership was immediately fruitful, yielding the classic "Cry Baby", an epic R&B tune which pretty much defined the sixties soul genre. The record was a smash hit, staying in the U.S. R&B chart for three whole months and reaching the no. 1 position. Even more surprising. "Cry Baby" hit number 4 in the pop chart, no mean feat for an uncompromising soul record.

The Enchanters were warming to the task. Another Ragavoy tune, "Baby Don't You Weep" (surely the inspiration for Billy Joe Royal's wonderful "I Knew You When" a couple of years later?), scored a hit later in the year, and this was followed by a peerless cover of Jerry Butler and the Impressions' Abner classic "For Your Precious Love".

United Artists had themselves a star. Garnet Mimms was something different: a singer with an extraordinary range (from powerful tenor to nerve-tingling falsetto) and an ability to switch from one genre to another with the greatest of ease. Indeed, the partnership between the Enchanters on the one hand and Ragavoy and Berns on the other was very much an experiment in applying Mimms' gospel and deep soul roots to the new uptown soul in vogue in New York.

Somewhat surprisingly, Mimms and the Enchanters parted company in 1964 following their sixth United Artists single, an impressive cover of the Jarmels' "A Little Bit Of Soap". The Enchanters did continue with Sam Bell as replacement lead vocalist, but there was little hope of recreating the magic of those previous UA releases. Mimms, on the other hand, was far from finished, and struck out on a promising solo career.
http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/garnet_mimms.htm

Songs :

      
For your precious love       Until You Were Gone                One Girl

       
Ther Goes my baby         Baby Don't You Weep       Dont Change Your Heart

       
A Quiet Place                        Cry Baby                     Anytime You Need Me

...

The Class-Airs ( Bristol, RI)

Personnel :

Jerry Raymond "Cal Raye" (Falsetto, First Tenor)

Al Gilbert (Bass)

Bob Armstrong (First Tenor)

Ken Catalano (Second Tenor,Baritone)

Discography :

The Class-Airs
1961 - Too Old To Cry / My Tears Start to Fal (Honey Bee 1)

Cal Raye & The Class-Airs
1964 -  Lovely Lies / Mr. Peppermint Man (Pharaoh 364)

Biography :

Group from Bristol,RI. consited From left to right: Al Gilbert (bass) , Bob Armstrong (first tenor), Ken Catalano (second tenor, barritone), & Jerry Raymond "Cal Raye" (falsetto, first tenor) . They all sang lead, depending on the song and the range. The original group name was the Classics, which they had to suddenly change it to The Class-airs when another group came out with a hit record using the same name 'Classics' whom you all know quite well.
By dowopper51

Songs :

The Class-Airs

   
Too Old To Cry                             My Tears Start to Fall

Cal Raye &  The Class-Airs

   
Lovely Lies                         Mr. Peppermint Man

Cal Raye & Don Decarlo


We Belong Together

 ...