George Hollis & Kenneth Byley

The Ebbtones (Los Angeles, CA.)


Personnel :

Fred Romain (Baritone/Tenor)

Danny Kristian

Kenneth Byley (Tenor)

George Hollis (Bass)

Discography :

Single :
1957 - I've Got A Feeling / Danny's Blues (Ebb 100)
Unreleased :
1957 - Trinidad Woman (Ebb)
1957 - Fool For Affection (Ebb)
1957 - Jamaica Town (Ebb)


Biography :

From 1957 to 1959, the Los Angeles label Ebb Records released around 60 singles. Only one became a national hit, although there were several regional successes. Formed by Leonora "Lee" Rupe, with the money she received as a divorce settlement from her ex-husband Art Rupe (head of Specialty Records), and Jesse J Jones, an arranger and horn player, Ebb kicked off with The Ebbtones.

    
George Hollis & Kenneth Byley

When the Native Boys drifted apart in 1956, Fred Romain teamed up with Danny Kristian and George Hollis and Kenneth Byley of the Flairs . The Quartet recorded "I've Got A Feeling" for the new label. The group was called the Ebbtones. The flip, written and led by Danny Kristian, was "Danny's Blues." The Ebbtones record was reviewed the week of May 13, 1957.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
Fool For Affection                             I've Got A Feeling

  
Danny's Blues                                    Trinidad Woman

 
…

The Haff-Tones (Geneva, Ohio)



Personnel :

Denny Pasqualone (Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals)

Denny Pettit (Lead Guitar, Vocals)

Richard Haffa (Drummer, Vocals)

Archie Sines (Bass Guitar, Vocals)

Discography :

1963 - I Need You / Turnaround (Twilight 3476)



Biography :

Vocal & instrumental group from Genova, Ohio. The Group included bandmates - Denny Pettit, Lead Guitar, Vocals - Denny Pasqualone Rythm Guitar, Lead Vocals - Archie Sines, Bass Guitar, Back Up Vocals, & Archie Sines - Drums, Back Up Vocals. The Half-Tones performed all around the Northeastern Ohio region, most notably at Cappelli's Supper Club in Wickliff, OH; The Castaways at Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH; The Chatterbox, in Geneva, OH; Don's Danceland & The Pier Ballroom in Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH, and various other locations. They appeared with some of the most popular artists of the era including, Bill Haley & The Comets, Conway Twitty, The Crests, Bill Black's Combo. They produced a 45 record on the Twilight Label featuring the song "Turnaround" with "I Need You" in 1963.

Songs :

  
Turnaround                                    I Need You

...

L to R : Buddy Glass, Jessie James, Melvin Holmes, Charles Fuller & Calvin Talley

Jessie James & The Royal Aces (Vallejo, CA.)




Personnel :

James Herbert McClelland  "Jessie James" (Lead)

Buddy Glass

Melvin Holmes

Charles Fuller

Calvin Talley

Discography :

1961 - Cha Cha Minnie / I Will Go (Shirley 103)




Biography :

School group from Vallejo, CA. composed by Vocalists Jessie James (Lead), Buddy Glass, Melvin Holmes, Charles Fuller & Calvin Talley. The Royal Aces also consisted of five musician; Dick Ellis John Turk, Harvey Toney, Tarnage Horn and Sylvester Stewart Known later as "Sly Stone" was the guitar player in this group. In June 1961, the group recorded "Cha Cha Minnie" and "I Will Go" released in July by Shirley Records. Shirley Record is based in Fremont, Calif. owned by Ron Badger and gained distribution from Atlantic Records. After this record, Sly Stone will join the Viscaynes.

  
Musicians: L to R : Dick Ellis John Turk, Harvey Toney, Tarnage Horn                                Sylvester Stewart                         

Born in 1943 in El Dorado, Arizona, James Herbert McClelland recorded three more singles for Shirley and and one for Hit Records (several with guitar work from Sly Stone), then made the big time when he switched to 20th Century Fox Records. "Believe In Me Baby, Pt. 1" was a modest pop and R&B hit during 1967.  His biggest hit, 1970's "Don't Nobody Want to Get Married, Pt. 2," reached the R&B Top 20 for the Zea Records, and he continued recording during the '70s and '80s for T.T.E.D. Records and Gunsmoke. The latter was the label for full-lengths like 1988's "I Can Do Bad by Myself" and 1993's "Operator Please Put Me Through".




Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
I Will Go                                       Cha Cha Minnie




...

The Casualairs (Staten Island, NY)
aka The Casual-Aires

Personnel :

Pete Habild (Lead)

William Comforti

Thomas Manzo

Russell Delbe

Charlie Notabartolo

Discography :

The Casualairs
1962 - At The Dance / Satisfied (Mona Lee 136)

The Casual-Aires
1963 - Cruising  / Bossa Nova Twist (Craig 5001/CB 5001)

Biography :

The Casualairs hail from Staten Island, NY. The group then consists of Pete Habild  on lead, William Comforti, Thomas Manzo, Russell Delbe and Charlie Notabartolo. The group recorded "At The Dance" & "Satisfied" released in 1962 by Mona Lee Records. Mona Lee Records was incorporated on April, 4 1960 in New York by Samuel Kaufman, Esq., 507 Fifth Avenue. 

President was Leonora "Lee" Rupe,  ex-wife of Arthur Goldberg, better known as Art Rupe owner of Specialty Records. In 1963, the group recorded "Cruising" and "Bossa Nova Twist" . The single was released the same year by Craig Records and CB Records, both from New Jersey under the name of The Casual-Aires.

Songs :

The Casualairs

  
At The Dance                                        Satisfied    

The Casual-Aires

  
     Cruising                                      Bossa Nova Twist


...

The Crystals (2) (New Orleans)




Personnel :

Cleveland Jackson (Lead)

Marcell Scott

Douglas Landry

General Jackson

Emery Johnson



Discography :

1958 - Love You So / In The Deep (Specialty  657)




Biography :

New Orleans was the home of the Crystals, all 18 years-old when their Speciality 45 "Love You So" was cut at Cosimo Studios in New Orleans on September 17, 1958.Allen toussaint led the session, and probably discovered the group with consisted of Cleveland Jackson (Lead), Marcell Scott, Douglas Landry, General Jackson and Emery Johnson. They shared their session time with a group called the Knights, whose "Be Faithful" and "Sherry" were never issued.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

  
Love You So                                    In The Deep

…