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Jack Pryor, Tony Mazza, Charlie Sheridan & Joe Cavanna The Classmates (7) (Brooklyn, New York)
Personnel :
Tony Mazza (Lead)
Charlie Sheridan
Jack Pryor
Joe Cavanna (Bass)
Discography :
Singles:
1961 - Homework / Here Comes Suzy (Seg-Way 104)
1962 - All I Want Is To Love You / Some Of These Days (Radar 3962)
1963 - Graduation / Teenage Twister (Radar 2624)Unreleased:
196? - Hug You, Kiss You
196? - You're Too Late
Biography :
This Classmates are from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. The group consisted of Lead Singer Tony Mazza, Jack Pryor, Joe Cavanna and Charlie Sheridan. They were friends with The Shy-Tones/Hi-Tones, The Emotions, and the Inspirations. where sang Joe Cavanna in 1959, and recorded on the Sultan label. Back in 1960, The Classmates sang in storefronts and sang at the Green Tea Room.
Tony Mazza, Joe Cavanna, Charlie Sheridan & Jack Pryor
The group cut "Homework" b/w "Here Comes Suzy" , released on The Seg-Way label. The record did very well in sales then Bobby Vinton did ‘Roses Are Red' [overshadowing everything else], Not long after, they were signed by Radar Records Originally owned by Irv Jerome and later purchased by Jerry Roth. Radar Records released two new singles by the Classmates. "All I Want Is To Love You" b/w "Some Of These Days" and "Graduation" b/w "Teenage Twister" in 1962. Then Joe Cavanna got drafted and Their lives changed.Songs:
Homework Here Comes Suzy All I Want Is To Love You
Some of These Days Graduation Hug You, Kiss You
Teenage Twister You're Too Late...
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The Vibraharps (1) (Buffalo, NY)
aka Lenny O’Henry & The Short StoriesPersonnel :
Donnie Elbert
Danny Cannon [aka Lenny O'Henry] (Lead)
Charles Hargrove [Charles Hargro] (Bass)
Donald "Duck" Simmons
Douglas Gibson
Discography :
The Vibraharps (1)
1958 - Walk Beside Me / Cosy With Rosy (Beech 713)
1959 - It Must Be Magic / Nosey Neighbours (Atco 6134)Charles Hargro The Vibraharps (1)
1959 - Baby Oh Baby / Over And Over (Dab 101)Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories
1961 - Cheated Heart / Billy The Continental Kid (ABC 10222)Biography :
Donnie Elbert and Danny Cannon co-founded the group in 1955, joined by Donald ‘Duck’ Simmons, Douglas Gibson, and Charles Hargro. Donnie was still in the group when they made their first record (written by Buffalonians Bobby Fonville & Ralph Hernandez) for NYC’s Beech Records. In fact Donnie was in the studio but due to a group squabble he didn’t sing on it!So it’s not surprising that he was the first to leave, beginning his solo career on Deluxe Records in 1957. He continued to stay in touch and remained friendly with the group though. As he was hitting the charts the Vibraharps were breaking up – for the first time. During this down time Charles Hargro went to work as his driver.
Donnie ElbertThey reunited, broke up again, reunited again. At one point Danny Cannon and Duck Simmons took off to Toronto to perform as a duet, “Danny & Donnie”, singing Everly Brothers covers! During one of their reunions the Vibraharps brought in Thomas ‘Cookie’ Hardy Jr who had a bonus talent – he could write R&B / R&R songs. He wrote both sides of their 1959 single on Atco Records. Later in 1959 they recorded a single for a local label which saw them working with Bobby Fonville & Ralph Hernandez once again. It featured Hargro and credited only him on the label. Unfortunately not much in the way of financial or chart success resulted from either of these 1959 efforts.
L-R Donnie Elbert, Danny Cannon ("Lenny O'Henry"), Donald "Duck" Simmons, Charles Hargrove ("Charles Hargro")They were drifting in and out of “active” status when local DJ Lucky Pierre took them under his wing. He hooked them up with new local management, a pair of hustlers with all kinds of connections. With the promise of work and good pay the group came solidly together and started performing in and out of town. Somehow the came to the attention of Berry Gordy (maybe through Donnie Elbert, who was also courted by the Gordy empire). They auditioned for Motown Records in Detroit, resulting in a contract offer. Unfortunately they had to turn this offer down. Their managers virtually simultaneously signed them to a deal with business contacts in New York City.
Danny Cannon and Donald "Duck" Simmons in their "Danny & Donnie"In 1961 the Vibraharps went off to NYC to record their first single, for music business powerhouse ABC-Paramount. At this time Danny met the man who would become a friend and guide his career for the next few years: Bob Crewe. The record was “Cheated Heart”. When it came out it was billed to Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories. Danny was told he was going to be the front man, he would be called Lenny O’Henry, and he was asked to sign a contract a separate contract from the whole group. Danny – not wanting to go behind their backs – disclosed this to the group and asked them what to do. Though they encouraged him to move forward with his career and appeared to accept secondary status as ‘his’ group, it was really the end of the Vibraharps. They never recorded together again, and Danny – though achieving some solo success – never was able to find the same feeling in the music business as he did when he was one of the boys. “Cheated Heart” was written by Danny. Bob Crewe wrote the flip side, a rocking number titled “Billy The Continental Kid”, a tale of hip cat Billy from Philly. Danny didn’t really care for this one that much. In general, he liked to sing ballads or anything in a Sam Cooke direction. Yet producers and his band mates often pushed him to do uptempos and rockers. So – “Cheated Heart” / “Billy The Continental Kid” is the last actual Vibraharps group record and also the first Danny Cannon solo record, though it’s credited to Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories.
by Bob The Record GuySongs :
The Vibraharps (1)
Cosy With Rosy Walk Beside Me
It Must Be Magic Nosey Neighbours
Charles Hargro bb The Vibraharps (1)
Over And Over Baby Oh Baby
Lenny O’Henry & The Short Stories
Cheated Heart Billy The Continental Kid
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Paste-up photo- Top : Edward Palatella - Bottom (L to R) : Peter Rocco, Donald Fields & John HopperThe Chancellors (1) (Port Washington, New York)
aka The Five ChancellorsPersonnel:
Edward Palatella (Lead)
John "Jiggie" Hopper (First Tenor)
Peter Rocco (Second Tenor)
Rowland Pinkney (Bass)
Donald Fields (Baritone)
Discography :
The Chancellors (1)
1957 - There Goes My Girl / Tell Me You Love Me (Port 5000)The Five Chancellors
1957 - There Goes My Girl / Tell Me You Love Me (Port 5000)Biography :
The Chancellors were a Five-man, mixed racial group consisting of three white and two black members, who came from Port Washington, Long Island. The two black members, Donald Fields (Baritone) and Rowland Pinkney were from Mineola High School and the remaining three guys, Edward Palatella (Lead), John Hopper and Peter Rocco (Second Tenor) were from Port Washington.
Jerry Blaine, owner of Jubilee Records send The group to an appearance on the Apollo theatre’s amateur night on February 20, 1957 with other 24 Rock & Roll acts. They became the first mixed racial group to perform at the Apollo Theatre. The group recorded "There Goes My Girl" b/w "Tell Me You Love Me" at the Belltone studios in New York.
Edward Palatella John Hopper Peter Rocco Donald Fields
Somehow, the review of this record in the May 27, 1957 issue of Billboard mistakenly says, "A lively, typical teen-age group side by seven kids from Port Washington, N.Y., High." Due to a threatened lawsuit by another Chancellors group, they quickly changed their name to the Five Chancellors and then vanished into the mists of doo wop soon after.
Songs :
There Goes My Girl Tell Me You Love Me
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Lucien Farrar & The Lifesavers (New York)
Personnel :
Lucian A. Lewis (Lucien Farrar) (Lead)
Discography :
1957 - Didn’t You Know / Help (Jupiter 1A/B)
1957 - Tomorrow Night / Lucky Penny (No group) (Jupiter 2A/B)
Biography :
Before recording for labels such as RCA, Hanover or Roulette, Lucien Farrar was backed by students vocal group named The Lifesavers on two singles for the Tiny label Jupiter. The two records received only limited regional exposure, then his mother encouraged him to begin his solo career.
Lucien Farrar began singing for RCA in 1958 and cut three other singles from 1958 to 1961 on Hanover and Roulette Records. Farrar cut a jazz album around 1958 with The Clarence Williams Trio (Good Morning Heartache For People In And Out Of Love). He sang in club throughout the United state and Canada.
Songs :
Didn’t You Know Tomorrow Night
Help
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1955 - John Wilson , Lillian Leach , Harold Johnson & Norman Brown
The Mellows (1) (Bronx, New-York)
Personnel :
Lillian Leach (Lead)
John Tiny Wilson (First Tenor)
Harold Johnson (Second Tenor & Guitar)
Norman Polecat Brown (Bass)
Discography:
The Mellows (1)
Singles:
1954 - How Sentimental Can I Be / Nothin' To Do (Jay Dee 793)
1955 - Smoke From Your Cigarette / Pretty Baby, What's Your Name (Jay Dee 797)
1955 - I Was A Fool To Let You Go / I Still Care (Jay Dee 801)
1955 - Yesterday's Memories / Lovable Lily (Jay Dee 807)
1956 - Lucky Guy / My Darling (Celeste 3002)
1956 - I'm Yours / Sweet Lorraine (Celeste 3004)
Unreleased :
1958 - So Strange (Apollo)
1958 - Be Mine (Apollo)
Demos A cappella :
1956 - I Call To You (Celeste)
1956 - Sweet Lorraine (Celeste)
1956 - Lucky Guy (Celeste)
1956 - My Darling (Celeste)
1956 - I'm Yours (Celeste)
1956 - You're Gone (Celeste)
1956 - Ain't She Got Nerve (Celeste)
1956 - When The Lights Go On Again (Celeste)
1956 - I'm Gonna Pick Your Teeth With An Ice Pick (Celeste)
Lillian Lee & The Mellows (1)
1956 - You've Gone / Moon Of Silver (Candlelight 1011)
Carl Spencer & The Mellows (1)
1957 - Farewell, Farewell, Farewell / No More Loneliness (Candlelight 1012)
Biography :
The original members of this 50s vocal harmony group from the Bronx, New York, USA, were female lead Lillian Leach, first tenor Johnny ‘Tiny’ Wilson, second tenor Harold Johnson and bass Norman ‘Polecat’ Brown. The Mellows never had a national R&B hit, but enjoyed a number of regional hits on the east coast on the strength of the lead voice of Leach, who possessed one of the warmest and most sensual voices in the history of doo-wop.
Joe Davis
The three boys had met as teenagers at the Morris High School in the Bronx, New York, USA. They encountered Leach at a party in 1954 when she joined their harmonizing. The revised blend was an instant hit, and the sound it produced gave the quartet their name (having learned that their original choice, the Mello-Tones, had already been employed elsewhere). They signed a contract with veteran Joe Davis on his Jay Dee label, releasing the Johnson penned ‘How Sentimental Can I Be?’. They made their biggest impact with their second release, the exquisitely romantic ‘Smoke From A Cigarette’, from early 1955.
1956 - Arthur Crier, John Wilson, Harold Johnson , Gary Morrison & Lillian Leach
It achieved substantial local success, and during the neo-doo-wop renaissance of the early 60s became one of the most requested oldies. The next release, another remarkable ballad, ‘I Still Care’ (1955), received modest airplay. Its b-side featured another wonderful ballad, ‘I Was A Fool To Care’. The last release for Jay Dee was ‘Yesterday’s Memories’, another under appreciated masterpiece of its time.
1956 - Harold Johnson, John Wilson, Gary Morrison, Arthur Crier & Lillian Leach with manager' David Levitt
In 1956, the Mellows moved to the Celeste label, and at this point Norman Brown left and vocal group veterans Arthur Crier and Gary Morrison were added. Commercial success at Celeste was not forthcoming, even for the outstanding ‘My Darling’. The group left the company in 1957, and completed one more recording session for Apollo in 1958 (which was left in the can) before disbanding. Johnson and Crier went on to form the Halos, who backed Curtis Lee on ‘Pretty Little Angel Eyes’ and enjoyed a hit under their own steam with ‘Nag’.
1955 - John Wilson , Lillian Leach , Alan Freed, Harold Johnson & Norman Brown
Lillian Leach And The Mellows probably attained greater fame after the record collecting community rediscovered the group’s recordings during the 60s and lionized them. A reunion of the Mellows took place in 1984 with three of the original members, and the group have continued to peddle sweet R&B pop on the nostalgia circuit ever since.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Mellows/mellows.html
Songs :
The Mellows (1)
How Sentimental Can I Be Nothin' To Do Smoke From Your Cigarette
I Was A Fool To Let You Go / I Still Care Yesterday's Memories / Lovable Lily
Lucky Guy / My Darling I'm Yours / Sweet Lorraine
Pretty Baby, What's Your Name So Strange Be Mine
Lillian Lee & The Mellows (1)
You've Gone Moon Of Silver
Carl Spencer & The Mellows (1)
Farewell, Farewell, Farewell / No More Loneliness
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