(L to R) James Brown, Strother Brown, Walter Douglas & Arthur Bell

 The Chords (1) (Washington, D.C.)


Personnel :

James Brown

Strother Brown

Walter Douglas

Arthur Bell


Discography :

1953 - In The Woods / Daddy Loves Mommy (Gem 211)


Biography :

By 1953 Mrs. Lillian Claiborne was an eight-year veteran of the music publishing and recording field. She had already enjoyed a good run of 78 rpm single releases on DC records from 1947-1950. She had placed her most promising artists on other labels (The Cap-Tans to Gotham, Dot, and Coral, TNT Tribble, The Heartbreakers, and the Young Gospel Singers to RCA Victor, and Frank Motley to Gotham and later to Specialty -all with mixed results.

   
                                                                                                                    The Sh-Boom Chords

By 1953 she was ready to get back into the local record business and managed The Chords from Washington, D.C. composed by James Brown, Strother Brown, Walter Douglas & Arthur Bell who recorded on NY's Gem Records the songs "In The Woods" b/w "Daddy Loves Mommy"  . As these guys had the "Chords" name before the ones who did "Sh-Boom", the resulting legal actions (which dragged on for months) forced a name change - of the Sh-Boom guys - to the "Chordcats".
Thanks to Marv Goldberg



Songs :

  
In The Woods                                Daddy Loves Mommy

...

The Manhattens (Detroit, Mi)
aka The Grand Prix's


Personnel :

Donald Calloway

Larry Calloway


Discography :

The Manhattens
1963 - Why Should I Cry / The Feeling Is Mutual (Big Mack 3911)

The Grand Prix's
1964 - I See Her Pretty Face / You Drive Me Crazy (Big Mack 2942)


Biography :

Detroit soul label founded by Ed McCoy. , Ed McCoy started the label from an office on Livernois near Fenkell in Detroit. Later he purchased the building on Warren Ave.(between Livernois and Wyoming) it was a old movie theatre but the seats had been removed, the stage was still there and he put his 2 track recording equipment up on the stage area, he had a couple dozen of these cheap $5. plastic mikes hanging every where from the ceiling. In 1963, The Manhattens featuring brothers Donald and Larry Calloway Recorded one single for Ed McCoy: "Why Should I Cry" b/w "The Feeling Is Mutual". The group would change its name to the The Grand Prix's  when New Jersey's Manhattans broke nationally and in 1964, they recorded the splendid "I See Her Pretty Face " b/w "You Drive Me Crazy" .



Songs :

The Manhattens

  
Why Should I Cry                         The Feeling Is Mutual


The Grand Prix's

  
I See Her Pretty Face                        You Drive Me Crazy

...

The Rockers (2) (St. Louis)
aka  The Trojans (2)

Personnel :

Art Lassiter (Lead)

Douglas Martin

George Green

Murrey Green


Discography :

The Trojans (2)
1955 - As Long As I Have You / I Wanna Make Love To You (RPM 446)

The Rockers (2)
1956 - What Am I To Do / I’ll Die In Love With You (Federal 12267)
1956 - Down In The Bottom / Why Don’t You Believe (Federal 12273)
1957 - Tell Me Why / Count Every Star (Carter 3029)


Biography :

Lassiter was born in 1928 in North Carolina. His parents were cotton sharecroppers, and Lassiter began singing after joining his uncles' gospel group. At the age of 14, he moved to Newark, New Jersey to live with his mother who had moved there for work. While in Newark, Lassiter performed with the Jubilaires. Lassiter later joined the United States Army and served during the Korean War. After leaving active service, Lassiter returned to the United States. During a cross-country drive, he broke down in St. Louis. While there he sang at an amateur club night, and was given a permanent booking. He often sang covers of Ray Charles songs, and formed The Bel-Airs with brothers George and Murrey Green and Douglas Martin. By late 1955, the band renamed themselves The Trojans and recorded with RCA Records, backing Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm. The group backed Turner again the following February, this time on Federal Records under the name of The Rockers.

Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm

Turner offered Lassiter a place in his Rhythm Revue, where he subsequently met and worked with Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, and Albert Cook. In March 1960, Turner chose Lassiter to front the Kings of Rhythm. Lassiter's trio of backup singers — Robbie Montgomery, Frances Hodges, and Sandra Harding  were called The Artettes, and eventually formed the foundation of The Ikettes. Ike Turner wrote "A Fool in Love" specifically for Lassiter, but Lassiter failed to turn up to the song's recording session at the expensive Technosonic Studios in St Louis. Tina Turner—then going by the stage name Little Ann—knew the song from rehearsal sessions, and recorded a guide track to act as a demo. Lassiter's failure to appear for the session was around the time he had disagreements with Ike Turner over financial matters; he was soon no longer a member of the Rhythm Revue.



Songs :

The Trojans (2)

  
 As Long As I Have You                  I Wanna Make Love To You


The Rockers (2)

  
What Am I To Do                           Down In The Bottom

  
Tell Me Why                         Count Every Star

  
I’ll Die In Love With You                        Why Don’t You Believe
…

The Alma-Keys (Tarentum, PA)



Personnel :

James Mansfield Kemp (First Tenor)

Richard Hayden (Second Tenor)

Lloyd Daniel Hayden Jr. (Baritone)

William Kemp (Bass)

Roland Hayden (Lead / Baritone)



Discography :

The Alma-Keys
1962 - Please Come Back To Me / Jumpin Twist (Kiski 2056)

Tawni Sims bb The Alma-Keys
1962 - Goodbye My Love / Will You Please Be Mine (Kiski 2057)


Biography :

Vocal group composed by James Mansfield Kemp (first tenor vocals), Richard Hayden (second tenor vocals), Lloyd Daniel Hayden Jr. (baritone vocals), William Kemp (bass vocals), Roland Hayden (lead vocals, baritone vocals) from Tarentum, PA. backed by The Citations. Kiski Recording Companys "The Alma Keys" who cut a classic doo wop track at the studio backed with a great dance number back in February of 1962. The Alma-Keys were essentially a doo-wop group, and by 1962 interest in doo-wop music was on the wane. There was still plenty of interest in THE TWIST though, so the Alma-Keys recorded their own variation on it ("Jumpin' Twist") with some doo-wop vocal tendencies.

The story goes that Al Rearigh the owner of the company was driving through the Tarentum neighborhood one night and these guys were singing on a street corner. They were signed immediately and the 45 was cut and released Feb. 1962 Kiski 2056.. Lead singer Roland Hayden was a big football star at Tarentum HS and all members sang in the choir at the Bethel Methodist ? Church in Tarentum. Popular teen DJ on station WKPA in New Kensington Bob Livorio played both sides often on his Saturday afternoon shows.
 

 Songs : 
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Alma-Keys

    
Please Come Back To Me                               Jumpin Twist        

 Tawni Sims bb The Alma-Keys


Please Come Back To Me / Jumpin Twist

...

(L to R) Donna Henderson, Sarah Sparks & Sue Kinder

The T-Tones (Tazewell, Virginia)


Personnel :

Sue Kinder

Donna Henderson

Sarah Sparks


Discography :

Lanie Walker  & The T-Tones
1959 - Jumpin The Gun / Tonite I Walk Alone (Blue Hen 235)

Jimmy Kinder & The T-Tones
1959 - Hangover / Alone (Blue Hen 501)


Biography :

Vocal group from Tazewell High School in Virginia consisted of Donna Henderson, Sarah Sparks & Sue Kinder. The T-Tones signed in 1959 with Blue Hen Records as back up group for the label. Blue Hen Records was run by Sam Short in Harrington, DE. ably assisted by A&R man Hugh Lee Stevenson. He owned a grocery store and ran the label out of a part of the store.

     
Lanie Walker                                                                                     Jimmy Kinder        

Best known for his two rural rockabilly songs "No Use Knocking On My Door" and "Ennie Meenie Miney Mo" recorded in 1958, Rockabilly singer Lanie Walker recorded "Jumpin The Gun" b/w "Tonite I Walk Alone" with the T-Tones in mid’ 1959. The Same year, the group back up Sue’s brother Jimmy Kinder, 17-year-old Tazewell High school student on "Hangover" b/w "Alone". Jimmy had never planned on making singing a career until a recording talent scout heard of his vocal ability and signed him. immediately. The teenage group have made several personnel appearences to promote their disc.




Songs :

Lanie Walker & The T-Tones


Jumpin The Gun


…