Tony & Joe (Los Angeles)

Personnel :

Tony Savonne (Henry Imel)

Joe Saraceno

Discography :

1958 - The Freeze / Gonna Get A Little Kissin' Tonight (Era 1075)
1958 - Where Can You Be? / Play Something Sentimental Mr. DJ (Era 1083/Dore 2002)
1960 - The Duck Walk / Instant Love (Gardena 103)
1961 - Twist And Freeze / Long Black Stockings (More 619)

Biography :

Joe Saraceno has been hailed by Billboard as one of the Top 100 producers of all time and as the # 1 producer of rock instrumentals. After graduating from St. Lawrence University with a degree in business administration and psychology, Saraceno moved to Los Angeles in 1958, where he got a job as an auditor for US Steel. Arranger and pianist Ernie Freeman (“Raunchy,” #1 R&B, 1957) introduced Saraceno to the world of professional musicians, arrangers, producers, and recording studios. Saraceno began working with songwriter/pianist Tony Savonne (real name Henry Imel) on a song savonne called ”The Pause”, inspired by the dancers on American Bandstand.

Saraceno suggested a better title, “The Freeze.” They showed the song to Freeman who, although he detested it, arranged to cut a demo in Ted Brinson's garage with Plas Johnson on sax and Ed “Sharky” Hall on drums. Unable to afford professional singers, Saraceno and Savonne sang it themselves, hoping to pitch it to Jan and Arnie on Arwin Records. But after they played it for Herb Newman,  he suggested they release the demo under their first names Tony & Joe. “The Freeze“ (b/w “Gonna Get A Little Kissin' Tonight“)was released in June 1958. The silly song struck a chord with the record-buying public and, propelled by an appearance on American Bandstand, reached #33 on August 4, the date Billboard renamed its singles chart the Hot 100. A follow-up single on Era, written by Phil Spector (“Where Can You Be?”), and one each on Flyte and Gardena, failed to chart, but Saraceno was undeterred.

The Pendletones (from left) : Mike Love, Brian Wilson, David Marks, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson (hidden)

Joe decided to concentrate on making records as an independent producer. His first success came in late 1959, co-producing Russ Regan's Christmas novelty hit "The Happy Reindeer" (recorded under the name "Dancer, Prancer and Nervous"), which went to # 34 (Capitol 4300). The first record Saraceno produced solo was Dorsey Burnette's "(There Was A) Tall Oak Tree", another hit (# 23 in early 1960). After charting modestly (# 89) with the instrumental "Beautiful Obsession" by Sir Chauncey (Ernie Freeman), Saraceno had participated in four national hits in less than two years. Come 1961, Joe went to work for Candix Records, also owned by Herb Newman. He was involved with the instrumental "Underwater" by the Frogmen (# 44) and then signed a group called the Pendletones, on the basis of their song "Surfin'". Saraceno changed their name to the Beach Boys,

Songs :

     
      The Freeze             Gonna Get A Little Kissin' Tonight         Where Can You Be?

     
            The Duck Walk                        Instant Love        Play Something Sentimental Mr. DJ


...

Tommy Tucker

The Dusters (1) (Ohio]
aka The Duster’s aka The Belvaderes



Personnel :

Tommy Tucker (Tenor)

Clarence LeVille (Lead)

James Crosby (Tenor)

Yonnie Peoples

Dave Johnson (Lead)





Discography :

The Belvaderes
1955 - Don't Leave Me Here To Cry / I Love You (Baby) (Hudson 4)

The Duster’s
1955 - Don't Leave Me Here To Cry / I Love You (Baby) (Hudson 4)

The Dusters (1)
Singles :
1956 - Give Me Time / Sallie Mae (Arc 3000)
1958 - Darling Love / Teen Age Jamboree (Glory 287)
Unreleased:
1956 - Castles In Ihe Sky(Ivory Tower) (Arc)

Biography :

Tommy Tucker was not the real name of Robert Higginbotham, who had himself devised this pseudonym. March 5, 1933 Born in Springfield, Ohio, he learned to play the piano by beobachtete- later he took a local hairdresser playing with his son lessons. He refined his technique at performances in Central Ohio with the Orchestra of the saxophonist Bobby Wood in the early 50's and then founded with trumpeter Clarence LaVell a band that received a firm commitment at a club in Dayton. By 1955, the demand for vocal group music was at its zenith. The Bobby Wood Orchestra was forced to adapt to enable them to find good paying gigs and, more importantly, to strengthen survival against stiff competition. The orchestra split apart and became a doo-wop quartet overnight. Tucker and childhood pal James Crosby sang tenor leads with Dave Johnson (tenor) and Clarence Lavell (bass). Yonnie Peoples joined later when the group recorded. For live engagements, the quartet billed themselves as the Cavaliers.

   

Some time during the spring of 1955, having signed a deal with ARC Records, the Cavaliers entered Syd Nathan's King label Cincinnati studios, ready and eager to record three songs: "Give Me Time," "Sallie Mae" and a tune remembered variously as "Castles In The Sky" or "Ivory Tower".For some reason, perhaps because the Cavaliers did not want to get themselves confused with the Cavaliers on Decca or Atlas labels, the group opted to change their name to the Dusters. The Cavaliers/Dusters waited well over a year before the ARC release. Some eight months prior, the group, perhaps out of impatience, opted to try and find a record company willing to get product onto the market fast. Touring brought the group to East St. Louis where they hitched up with The Ike Turner Band. During their sojourn in the city they met up with a guy named Hudson, owner and proprietor of Hudson Records. After the audition, Hudson took the group to the King Studios in Cincinnati where they had cut previously for ARC. The group, now billed as the Belvaderes, with Crosby and Lavell sharing leads and Tucker shifting more to piano accompaniment and writing arrangements, cut two songs, "Don't Leave Me To Cry" and "I Love You (Baby)." In 1958 James Crosby wrote the splendid "Darling Love" recorded by the Dusters and released The Same year by Glory  Records.




Songs :

  
                      Darling Love                      Don't Leave Me Here To Cry             

  
I Love You (Baby)               Give Me Time

  
Sallie Mae                            Teen Age Jamboree

...

The Blue Jays (1) (Oakwood Park, Chicago)

Personnel :

?

Discography :

1953 - White Cliffs Of Dover / Hey Papa (Checker 782)

Biography:

The Blue Jays, from Chicago, Ill, made only one record, featuring an excellent version of "White Cliffs Of Dover". Other groups that covered this standard include The Five Keys, Lee Andrews and The Hearts, The Five Willows, and The Checkers. There is two versions of "White Cliffs Of Dover." Gene Ammons is on Sax on both versions.

The 1st version is the Checker 78 version, & the 2nd is from a compilation album, titled "The Golden Age Of Rhythm & Blues Anthology." A 2 Record LP Set. The group featured here, from Washington, have nothing to do with The Blue Jays led by Leon Peels who recorded 'Lover's Island' or The Hollywood Blue Jays who became The Flairs. That group is from Oakwood Park.


Songs :


White Cliffs Of Dover (Two Versions)

…

The Mello-Tones (1) (New York)
aka the Jets (3) 



Personnel :

Ray Hulbert (Lead Tenor)

Joe Lipscomb (Second Tenor)

Oliver James (Baritone)

Louis O'Neil (Bass)


Discography :

Singles :

 Marga Benitez & The Mello-Tones (1)
1954 - Man Loves Woman / Winos On Parade (Decca 48318)

The Mello-Tones (1)
1954 - I'm Just Another One In Love With You / I'm Gonna Get (What I Came...) (Decca 48319)

The Jets (3)
1956 - Heaven Above Me / Millie Brown (Gee 1020)
 

Ep :

Rhythm and Blues Bit  (Decca ED-2399)
1956 - I'm Just Another One In Love With You / I'm Gonna Get (What I Came For Last Night)

LP :

He Digs Rock'n Roll (Decca DL 8315)
1956 - I'm Just Another One In Love With You / I'm Gonna Get (What I Came For Last Night)

 

Biography :

These were neighborhood friends who grew up on 132d Street in New York's Harlem. In 1953, responding to the R&B vocal group phenomenon taking place, they got themselves together and decided to form a vocal group. The members were between fifteen and eighteen years old at their start. They retained the services of manager Cliff Martinez but got their contract as a result of Hulbert's persistence with Decca management.  On April 6, 1954, they had their first session, they recorded "Man Loves Woman" and "Wino's On Parade" behind Marga Benitez and, under their own name, "I'm Just Another One In Love With You" and "I'm Gonna Get (What I Came For Last Night)."

The record didn't sell particularly well, but the group toured the East Coast on the strength of it. Lack of success caused O'Neil to leave, and he was replaced by Charlie Ca rrington. Next, they went to audition for George Goldner at Gee records. He agreed to record them, but insisted that they change their name to a more contemporary-sounding one: the "Jets." The group didn't like this, but they went along. Their only Jets record - "Heaven Above Me"/"Millie Brown" - recorded in April of 1956 and released in July, also failed to make any waves. Once again, the disc wasn't sent out for review.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/MelloTones/mellotones.html

Songs :

Marga Benitez & The Mello-Tones (1)

  
Man Loves Woman                              Winos On Parade


The Mello-Tones (1)


I'm Just Another One In Love With You / I'm Gonna Get (What I Came For Last Night)


The Jets (3)

  
Heaven Above Me                               Millie Brown    







…

  The Velveteens

The Velveteens (1) (Agawam, Massachusetts)

Personnel :

Maureen Grady (Lead)

Nancy Roy

Judy Roy replaced by  Sandy Vigneault

Discography :

1960 - Please Holy Father Pt.1 / Please Holy Father Pt.2. (Stark 12591)
1961 - Teen Prayers / Baby-Baby (Stark 101/102)
1961 - I Thank You / Meant To Be (Stark 105/Laurie 3126)

Biography :

Vocal group from Agawam, Massachusetts, The Teensters (Judy Schinelli, Maureen Grady, Nancy Roy and Judy Roy) sang in their Junior High school choir. After Judy Schinelli left the group, the name was changed to "The Velveteens". The Velveteens' first recording was called "Please Holy Father" on Chuck Lidell's label Stark Records. Backing the girls was a local group called Monty & the Specialties. After the first recording, Judy Roy left the group and was replaced by Sandy Vigneault of West Springfield.

  
                  The Velveteens                                                                                                     The Teensters                                       

Chuck Liddell changed the song a little and the girls went back to New York to record "Teen Prayer", the new title. Maureen Grady was the lead singer and the song reached number one in this area in May of 1961. The same year, the Girls cut "I Thank You" b/w "Meant To Be" on Stark 105 and re-released the next year on Laurie Records. The Velveteens can be heard as stated above SHOUTING behind The Davi recordings on Stark#110 "Go Charley" .

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

      
Please Holy Father                   Teen Prayers                               Meant To Be     


  
Baby-Baby                             I Thank You

...