The Cupids (6) (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Lenny Colton (Lead)

Henry Jensen

Nicky Rodriguez

Danny Rodriguez

Discography :

1962 - (If You Cry) True Love, True Love / Let's Twist (Say Man Let's Twist) (UWR 4241/4242)
1963 - Brenda / For You (KC 115/AAnko 1002)
1963 - Lorraine / Little Girl Of Mine (MusicNote 119)
1964 - Pretty-Baby / Lets Rock (Time Square 1)

Biography :

Vocal group from Brooklyn  consisted of two Black guys ( Brothers Nicky and Danny Rodriguez) , one White (Henry Jensen) and a Puerto Rican as lead (Lenny Colton). In 1962, They recorded on United World Records "True Love, True Love" b/w "Let's Twist". With their second single, The Cupids enjoyed a big Hit with "Brenda" (First Issued on Aanko and leased to KC owned by Nat King Cole ) but their career came to a sudden halt with the death of Lenny Colton, their lead singer. He died by accident while sleeping in his car of carbon monoxide. This caused hardly a bother to their record company.

  

The record started to make some noise so the record company decided to send out another group in the Cupids place. The Camelots, David Nicholas , Milton Pratt , Joe Mercede , Elijah Summers and Julius Williams from Coney Island recorded in the same time for the Jerome brothers (Steve & Bill) for Aanko Records. Typical of the times, they simply took one of their other groups and gave them the name. So the Camelots went out doing shows as the Cupids, but didn’t make the record.

  
                         The Cupids                                                                  The Camelots as The Cupids

The group got a free ride as the Cupids on the strength of "Brenda" but they were already quite popular as the Camelots and later did well as the Harps. A few months later despite the death of their lead singer, the remaining three original singer recruited a new singer. Henry Jensen took over the lead singer and the group recorded "Lorraine" b/w "Little Girl Of Mine" on MusicNote in 1963 and "Pretty-Baby" b/w "Lets Rock" on Time Square the next year.

Songs :

(If You Cry) True Love, True Love / Let's Twist (Say Man Let's Twist)

  
Brenda                                                     For You

   
Little Girl Of Mine                                Lorraine

 ...

Tony Moon & The Aktones (Santa Monica, California)
aka Dante & The Evergreens (2)


Personnel :

Donald Drowty (Lead)

Frank Rosenthal (Bass)

Bill Young (Baritone)

Tony Moon (Tenor & Guitar)
 

Discography :

Tony Moon & The Aktones
1959 - L-O-V-E / N-A-C-L (Pan World 514)

Akim & The Aktones
1959 - Fall In Love With Me / Voodoo Drums (with The Ravels) (Pan World 520)

Will Wendel & The Aktones
1960 - Lonely Blue Boy / Lover (Trans American 10 000)



Biography :

Dean Torrence (Jan & Dean) had discovered The Pastels, a trio composed by Don Drowty (Dante), Bill Young, and Frank Rosenthal while attending Santa Monica City College. Producer Kim Fowley asked Tony Moon to help the Pastels improve their harmonies. The group's sound was solidified with the addition of guitarist, arranger, and vocal coach Tony who became a fourth Pastel.

At this time, The Pastels also working with Aki Aleong, who put out "L-O-V-E" b/w "N-A-C-L" credited to Tony Moon and the Aktones on his Pan World records. The Pastels backed Aki on  "Fall In Love With Me" again named the Aktones. Aki Aleong used the Pastels to provide backup vocal for Will Wendel on his Trans American label with "Lonely Blue Boy" and "Lover". A year later, Aki had a nice hit himself with 'Trade Winds, Trade Winds' (Reprise 20021).

    
Aki Aleong                                                                                                                         

Dean Torrence introduced the Pastels to Herb Alpert and Lou Adler (Jan & Dean's management and production team)  who asked if they would cover ‘Alley Oop’ for Madison. Agreeing to do so, they parted amicably with Aki Aleong and signed with Madison. There was another group of Pastels, known then for the hit "Been So Long",  so they changed their name to Dante and the Evergreens and rushed into the studio. Their 'Alley Oop' (Madison 130) was out in just two or three days!
(Based on an interview with Tony Moon by Jerry Osborne)



Songs :
 

Will Wendel & The Aktones

   
Lonely Blue Boy                                     Lover           


Tony Moon & The Aktones

  
L-O-V-E                                                  N-A-C-L


Akim & The Aktones


Fall In Love With Me



...

Teddy & The Twilights (1962) Top: Fred Cohen. Bottom (L to R): Larry Williams, John Odoms, Ben Hart

The Buddies (7) (Philadelphia)
aka The Deckers
aka The Tiffanys (1)
aka Teddy & The Twilights (4)

Personnel :

Fred Cohen (Lead)

John "Odoms" Williams (First Tenor)

Larry Williams (Baritone)

Ben Hart (Bass)

Discography :

Lynn Christie & The Decker's
1957 - Oh, Where Did You Go / What Did I Do (Nar 225)

The Deckers
Singles :
1958 - Sincerely With All My Heart / Come Back Baby (Yeadon 101)
1958 - Sincerely With All My Heart / The Thing (Yeadon 1041)
Unreleased :
1958 - Love What Have You Done (Yeadon)

Freddie Cannon bb The Buddies (7)
1961 -    Buzz Buzz A Diddle-It (Swan 4071)

The Buddies (7)
1961 - Spooky Spider / Lebone Delada (Swan 4073)

The Tiffanys (1)
1962 - The Pleasure Of Love / Atlanta (Swan 4104)

Teddy & The Twilights (4)
Single :
1962 - Woman Is A Man’s Best Friend / Goodbye To Love (Swan 4102)
1962 - Running Around Town / You Gotta Be Alone To Cry (Swan 4115)
1962 - Bimini Bimbo / I’m Just Your Clown (Swan 4126)
Unreleased :
1962 - Whispers In The Dark (Swan) 

Brenda Johnson bb Teddy & The Twilights (4)
1962 - Ben Casey/ If I Give My Love To You (Swan 4108)

Esau Isaac  bb Teddy & The Twilights (4)
1962 - Poison Pen / Every Woman’s Just Alike (Swan 4110)

Mark Valentino bb Teddy & The Twilights (4)
1962 - The Push And Kick / Walking Alone (Swan 4121)

Rochelle Johnson bb Teddy & The Twilights (4)    
1962 - Playing The Field / Gypsy Ways (Swan 4124)

Biography :

The Deckers began in Philadelphia in 1954. In 1957, the Deckers consisted of Sam Connors, John Odoms, Larry Williams, Curtis Barnes and Ben Hart. The Deckers appeared on Ted Mack's Amateur Hour TV Show, in 1957. The Deckers' first recording came about in 1957 when the group was asked to back up a young white singer, Lynn Christie, on the NAR label.  "Oh Where Did You Go" b/w "What Did I Do" (NAR 225) came out in the summer of 1957 . Shortly after the NAR recording, Curtis Barnes left The Deckers to join a spiritual group.

Through Sam Connors, the group met Jack Green. Jack formed the Yeadon label and "Sincerely With All My Heart" became its first release. Four sides were recorded, including "Sincerely With All My Heart," "Come Back Baby," "The Thing"  and "Love What Have You Done". "Sincerely With All My Heart" and "Come Back Baby" were released on Yeadon 101.  "Sincerely With All My Heart" was re-released a short time later with a novelty flip "The Thing".

   

In the early 1960's, The Deckers changed their name to the Buddies and signed with Doc Bagby (Red Top and Value labels). The first thing the Buddies did on Swan was back up Freddy Cannon on "Buzz Buzz A Diddle It" (Swan 4071). The record debuted on the Pop Charts in May 1961, reaching #51. During this time, Swan was looking for material for The Buddies to record. The first recordings the Buddies did on their own were "The Spooky Spider" backed with "Lebone Delada". After this single, Sam Connors left the group.  Fred Cohen, a friend of the group who formerly sang with Larry and John’s brother’s group, The Mohawks, joining the Buddies as lead. The group now consisted of Fred Cohen, John Williams, Larry Williams and Ben Hart.

In March of 1962, The Buddies went into the studio and cut four songs. Bernard Bennick and Tony Mammarella, the owners of Swan, decided The Buddies should have a new name to go along with their new lead and style. They gave the group two different names and issued a record under each at approximately the same time. "Woman Is A Man’s Best Friend" backed with "Goodbye To Love" was released as Teddy and The Twilights. Swan issued "Atlanta" backed  with "Pleasure Of Love" as The Tiffanies. The group became known as Teddy and The Twilights. In the spring of 1962, Teddy and The Twilights appeared on American Bandstand. Swan often utilized Teddy & The Twilights to vocally back their soloists. In addition, Fred Cohen often wrote or co- wrote songs for other Swan artists (Brenda Johnson, Esau Isaac, Mark Valentino & Rochelle Johnson) .

Teddy & The Twilights (1962) Top (L to R) : Larry Williams & Fred Cohen. Bottom (L to R): Ben Hart & John Odoms,

The next release under their own name was "Running Around Town" backed with "You Gotta Be Alone To Cry". Swan gave this release no promotion and it went nowhere. Teddy & The Twilights' third release under their own name was  "Bimini Bimbo" backed with  "I’m Just Your Clown". The record did not catch on elsewhere. The Twilights were disappointed that their records didn't go bigger than they did and blamed Swan for lack of promotion. Swan was busy promoting their big artists like Freddy Cannon and had little time for The Twilights. After 14 years of harmonizing together, the group called it quits. Their last show was at Towne Hall on May 25, 1963.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

Lynn Christie & The Decker's


Oh, Where Did You Go

The Deckers

     
Sincerely With All My Heart                   The Thing                  Love What Have You Done

The Buddies (7)

  
Spooky Spider                                 Lebone Delada

Teddy & The Twilights (4)

     
Woman Is A Man’s Best Friend        Goodbye To Love          You Gotta Be Alone To Cry

  
   Bimini Bimbo                    I’m Just Your Clown

Esau Isaac  bb Teddy & The Twilights (4)


Poison Pen

Mark Valentino  bb Teddy & The Twilights (4)    

  
The Push And Kick                                Walking Alone

Rochelle Johnson bb Teddy & The Twilights (4)    

  
Playing The Field                                 Gypsy Ways



...