The Hollywood Playboys (Newark, NJ)
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

Personnel :

Hugh Garrity (Piano, Vocals)

Nick Massi (Guitar, Vocals)

Louie Leona (Saxophone)

Joe D'Amore (Drums)

Discography :

The Hollywood Playboys
1959 - You Can't Fool Me Baby / I'm Lonely (Rita 118)
1960 - Talk To Audrey / Ding Dong School Is Out (Sure 105)

Hughie Garrity & The Hollywood Playboys
1963 - Too Pooped To Popeye / Bye Bye Travlin' Man (Duel 522)






Biography :

Nick Massi was an original member of the Four Seasons (performing on some of the band's biggest hits, such as "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like a Man," and "Rag Doll"), supplying the bass vocal parts and helping arrange the band's trademark vocal arrangements. Born Nicholas Macioci in Newark, NJ, on September 19, 1935, Massi honed his singing skills with several bands during his teenage years, before hooking up with the great Frankie Valli in a local band called the Hollywood Playboys .

The Hollywood Playboys were mostly a club group in and around Newark and the Jersey Shore fronted by an Irish kid named Hugh Garrity. Tom DeCillis  was introduced to the Hollywood Playboys appearing at a lounge in Newark, NJ. He arranged to record them and released a record on the Rita label "You Can't Fool My Baby" b/w "I'm Lonely ».

Another local group, the Four lovers with Frankie Valli had cut many singles , and by 1958 their lineup had changed with Nickie DeVito and Hank Majewski leaving to be replaced by Nick Massi and Hugh Garrity, both of whom drifted in and out of the group. In late 1959, the Four Lovers added Bob Gaudio. Hugh Garrity returned with the Hollywood Playboys who cut "Talk To Audrey" b/w "Ding Dong School Is Out" for Sure Records in 1960.

1963 - Hughie Garrity & The Hollywood Playboys

In 1963, Hughie Garrity, Joey D'amora, Louie Leona and Johnny Meikel have a last single on Duel Records as Hughie Garrity & The Hollywood Playboys.






Songs:

The Hollywood Playboys

     
 Ding Dong School Is Out           Talk To Audrey                 You Can't Fool My Baby

I'm Lonely

Hughie Garrity & The Hollywood Playboys

Bye Bye Travlin' Man







….

The Singing Belles (Brooklyn, New York)





Personnel :

Anne Berry

Angela Berry

Discography :

1960 - The Empty Mailbox / Someone Loves You, Joe (Madison 126)
1960 - High Noon / Oh Happy Day (Madison 132)





Biography :

When Anne And Angela Perry were attending latin classes of Lafayette High School in Brooklyn, they used to entertain fellow pupils by singing at proms and record hops. But it wasn’t until they had graduated that the idea came to them of making it a career. So the world lost a couple of potentially great stenographers and Tin Pan Alley came up with two of its most promising new talents.

The Pretty team, (Angela a brunette and Anne a blonde) brought the disk to a record company. The girls signing a recording contract with Larry Uttal owner of Madison Records, and recorded "The Empty Mailbox" b/w "Someone Loves You, Joe". Of course it would be nice to report that it was an immediate hit. It wasn’t. But since then the girls have matured, their singing has developed a unique style and many appearances at club dates, record hops and theaters have polished their delivery.

"Someone Loves You, Joe" Charted at #91 on Billboard Hot 100 in April 1960. This was the only Hot 100 entry for the girls.   Debuted on the CHUM (Canada) chart in May 1960, peaked at #33 & charted for 5 weeks, Debuted on the Music Vendor pop chart on Apr 4, 1960, peaked at #76 & charted for 7 weeks... On April 16th, 1960, the girls began a road trip with Alan Freed's final mid-west tour. The other acts on the tour were: Teddy Randazzo, Freddy Cannon, Bobby Freeman, The Fireflies, The Mystics, Sonny Til and the Oriols and Eddy Quinteros. The tour only lasted a couple of weeks and went bust.






Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
Oh Happy Day                 Someone Loves You, Joe

  

High Noon                         The Empty Mailbox

…

The Tu-Tones (2) (Clifton, New Jersey)
aka The Tutones

Personnel :

Cecile Mastroeni

Vivian Mastroeni

Discography :

The Tu-Tones (2)
1962 - Ring Of Virgin Gold / Green Is The Color (Stagedor 1001)

The Tutones
1963 - Ring Around the Christmas Tree / Santa Danced with Our Teacher (Airco 1115)

Biography :

The Tu-Tones were Cecile and Vivian Mastroeni of Clifton, New Jersey. "Ring of Virgin Gold" and flip side "Green is the Color" was recorded in 1962 the sisters. They performed with DJ Cousin Bruce Morrow at the Bergen Mall and Palisades Park.  The record never got played on the radio due to the word "virgin" at that time.  Bruce Morrow suggested that they re-cut the record substituting a different word but the song writers refused to do that.  the girls also cut a Christmas 45 "Ring Around the Christmas Tree" and flip side "Santa Danced with Our Teacher". The two songs were recorded on a different independent label "Airco Records" and the name on the label is the Tutones.

Songs :

The Tu-Tones (2)

  
Ring of Virgin Gold`                           Green Is The Color


...

 The Hi Tones (3) (New Orleans, LA)


Personnel :

"Smooth" Curtis

Reginald Bassett

Ronald Bassett

Paul Williams


Discography :

1961 – What Was The Cause Of It All / Don’t Leave Me No Choice (Eon 101)

 

Biography :

The Hi-tones recorded "What Was The Cause Of It All” (Writer & Composer, Paul Williams) in 1961 at Cosimo Studio in New Orleans. Members of the group included "Smooth" Curtis, Reginald Bassett, Ronald Bassett and Paul Williams. Curtis was originally from Tennessee and sang background vocals for Carla Thomas ("Gee Whiz").

The Bassett twins grew up in Jamaica, NY, and were greatly influenced vocally by their older brother, Clarence Bassett, who was an original member of the group, Shep and the Limelites. Clarence also sang with The Videos,

The Five Sharps, The Flamingos and Creative Funk. After Shep died in 1970, Ronald Bassett joined the Limelites, and sang a number of years with his older brother before Clarence passed away in 2005. Ronald continued to sing with The Limelites until his death on 4/3/13.


Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
What Was The Cause Of It All             Don’t Leave Me No Choice




…

The Five Reasons (Manhattan, New York)




Personnel :

 Fred Finati

Chuck Foote

Bobby Castro

Jerry Gold

Stan Hosner

Discography :

1958 - Three o'Clock Rock / Go To School (Cub 9006)

Biography :

Vocal group from the Lower East Side in Manattan, The group  did a show with the Crests (16 candles) and the Elegants (Little Star) before there smash hits came out.

                                                                             Don Kishner

Sylvester Bradford (writer of "Tears On My Pillow") introduced the young group to Don Kishner of Aldon Music. In 1958, They recorded "Three o'Clock Rock" b/w "Go To School", the two song were released on Cub records. In 1960,  Chuck Foote sang in 1958 with the Johnny Maestro's Crests.

Songs :


  
Three o'Clock Rock                            Go To School

...