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Frank McWilliams Chester Mayfield Willie McWilliams
The Casanovas (1) (High Point, NC)
Personnel :
Chester Mayfield (Lead)
Willie McWilliams (First Tenor)
Melvin "Mike" Stowe (Second Tenor)
William Samuels (Baritone)
Frank McWilliams (Bass)
Discography :
Singles :
1955 - That's All / Are You For Real (Apollo 471)
1955 - Hush-A-Meca / It's Been A Long Time (Apollo 474)
1955 - I Don't Want You to Go / Please Be My Love (Apollo 477)
1955 - My Baby's Love / Sleepy Mead Mama (Apollo 483)
1957 - Please Be Mine / For You And You Alone (Apollo 519)
1958 - You Are My Queen / (I Got A) Good Lookin' Baby (Apollo 523)Unreleased :
Rock A Bye Baby (audition tape)
My Love For You
Love Me Baby
Night Rider (Acapella)
Listen To Those Bells(Acapella)
Please Be Mine (Acapella)
Pleading from My Heart (Acapella)
You Are My Queen (Acapella)
Good Lookin’ Baby (Acapella)Biography :
The Casanovas were a spiritual quartet turned rhythm and blues group from High Point, North Carolina. They started out as the Jubilee Kings a few years after World War II, joining Frank and Willie McWilliams with nephews Chester and L. D. Mayfield. The teens sang right up to, through, and past the Korean War (they were all drafted and became paratroopers during the campaign) until they were discovered by 5 ROYALES roadie Bob Woodward in 1954. He introduced them to William Samuels, brother-in-law of Lowman Pauling of the 5 Royales, and Melvin Stowe, both from nearby Winston-Salem.Bess Berman (Apollo) Chester Mayfield
By 1954 the spiritual quartet became an R&B quintet. Woodward had contacts at Apollo Records and sent owner Bess Berman one of the group's demo tapes. The result was a trip to New York for the vocalists to record their first songs in November 1954. "That's All" (April 1955), with Chester singing lead, was their first release on Apollo. (The group sported three lead singers, and each had several chances to front the group on subsequent recordings.) "That's All" was a straightforward R&B ballad with no particular merit other than the appealing harmony and a sincere reading from the lead. Their second single, out in May, was a blues ballad with harmonic turns reminiscent of THE MOONGLOWS' 1953 Chance masterpiece "Baby Please." Plodding ahead, the group recorded and released a third single in July titled "I Don't Want You to Go."
Willie McWilliams Frank McWilliams
Though no more distinguished than its predecessors, this song's Chester-penned melody did serve as the nucleus for Lowman Pauling's "Dedicated to the One I Love », which he and his 5 Royales released in 1957 and which later became a hit for THE SHIRELLES in 1961 (#3)and THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS in 1967 (#2). The week before Christmas brought in the Casanovas' next ballad A side (come to think of it, all of their A sides were ballads), a nice high-tenor recording by Melvin Stowe called "My Baby's Love." The Carolina quintet didn't record or have a record out in 1956 and worked mostly on a local club basis. In the summer of 1957 they returned to New York for another shot, recording the beautiful ballad "Please Be Mine". Their last 45 came out in 1958 but by this time it was apparent that Apollo was just going through the motions, and the group gave up singing together by the end of the decade. No, they didn't have any hits,
Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)
That's All Are You For Real Hush-A-Meca
It's Been A Long Time I Don't Want You to Go Please Be My Love
My Baby's Love Sleepy Mead Mama Please Be Mine
For You And You Alone You Are My Queen Rock A Bye Baby
My Love For You Love Me Baby (I Got A) Good Lookin' Baby
Night Rider Please Be Mine (Acapella) Listen To Those Bells (Acapella)
Pleading from My Heart (Acapella) Good Lookin’ Baby (Acapella) Please Be My Love (Acapella))
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The Citations (2) (Manhattan, New York)Personnel :
Nicky Grazan (Lead)
Nino Grazan
Hugo Lopez
Discography :
Nicky North & The Citations (2)
Single :
1963 - Magic Eyes / Mystery Of Love (Canadian American 136)
Unreleased :
1963 - He likes To rock & Roll (Canadian American)The Citations (2)
1965 - Down Went The Curtain / That Girl Of Mine (MGM 13373)Biography :
Group from the west side of New York, Hells Kitchen in Manhattan, Home of other groups like the Sunsets and the Young Lads. The Citations starts singing in 1956 and They wait 1963 for cut their first record for Canadian American as Nicki North & The Citations.
The Canadian-American record label listed New York and Winnipeg as its main offices, but the company was started in Grand Forks, ND and the Winnipeg office was simply a mailing address to give off an international image. The label was started in 1957 in New York by Leonard Zimmer. The two biggest hits on the label were Santo and Johnny's immortal "Sleepwalk" and Linda Scott's "I Told Every Little Star"
The group must wait another two years before recording again, the Citations recorded "Down Went The Curtain" b/w "That Girl Of Mine" released by MGM records in 1965.
Songs :Nicky North & The Citations (2)
Magic Eyes Mystery Of LoveThe Citations (2)
That Girl Of Mine Down Went The Curtain
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(L to R) Eddie Idol, Boyce Cruthers, Bill Snell and Bobby Davidson
The Four Corners (Guilford, NC)
Personnel :
Bobby Davidson (Lead)
Bill Snell
Boyce Cruthers
Eddie Idol
Biography :
The Four Corners, Guilford's vocal group, made their first professional debut at The WSG talent show in December 1960. The group, which has risen to great popularity among the student body, is made up of Bill Snell, Boyce Cruthers, Bobby Davidson, and Eddie Idol. The group has started out singing "Rock 'n Boll". They plan to get into more types of popular music as they gain time and experience. Each boy has had previous experience in singing with groups prior to the formation of their new group. In addition to appearing in the WSG Show, the Corners have sung at Woman's College and at private parties.
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The La Vals (New York)
Personnel :
Johnny Hickson (Lead)
Ann Smith
Sandra Lee
Chhristine Flowers
Biography:
Vocal group that occurred in New York from 1958 to 1959, they had a little success and promises of records ... Have they recorded???...
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