The Centurys

Bernie Dupree

The Centurys (Pittsburgh, PA)

Personnel :

Bernie Dupree "Cletus Marland" (Lead)

John Stevenson (Bass)

James Jefferson (First Tenor)

Stanley Reed (Second Tenor)

Melvin Cornelious (Baritone)

Discography :

The Centurys
1959 - Take My Hand / Oh Joe, Joe (Fortune 533)

Cletus Marland
1961 - Be My Love (Call My Own) / Cupid Arrow (Wink 102/Bevmar 961)
1961 - Like I Never Felt Before    Bernie Dupree / I'll Take Care Of You (Roulette 4388)
1963 - Keep On A Loving / Every Now And Then (Terry 109/Geneva 109)
1965 - You're Gonna Miss Me / Yesterday (Terry 110)

Bernard DuPree
1965 - Yesterday Today And Forever / You Are Going To Miss Me (Granger 1000)

Biography :

The Centurys were from the Glen Hazel, Glenwwod, Hazel Wood and Hill District neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. In 1951 Bernie Dupree and Melvin Cornelious was part of a singing group called the Originals with Donal Moss, Woodrow Covington and Brooks... Although their performances were initially confined to "house parties", school dances and social gatherings, they somehow drew the attention of WCAE (Pittsburgh, Pa) disk jockey Jay Michel. He sent the Originals to New York for an audition that will not follow. By 1954, The Originals regrouped as a quartet calling themselves the Wonders with Donal Moss, Bernie Dupree, Melvin Cornelious and Marvin Brown. They singing at small clubs and at the end of 1955, the group had become semi inactive. Marvin Brown left to join the Mellows who change their name to the Four Dots and cut two records for Bullseye label in 1956.

In 1956, Odell Bailey heard some youthful vocalist purveying close knit cappella rhythms in his Beltzhoover neighbourhood and offered to manage the harmonizers, now know as the Dreamtones. The quintet was fronted by Bernie Dupree with James Jefferson, Sammy Daniels, Billy Cyrus and John Stevenson. Bailey proceeded to rename the group The Centurys. Shortly thereafter, Cyrus and Daniels leave, replaced by Melvin Cornelious and Stanley Reed. From 1957 into 1959, The Centurys were one of the busiest non-recording groups working not only the Pittsburgh vicinity but also out-of-state. The Century walked away as a winner of an audition for the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scoot Show. October 1959, Bailey secured a contract for the Centurys with Detroit Based Fortune Records operated by Jack & Deborah Brown. They recorded "Take My Hand" and "Oh Joe, Joe" released as Fortune 533 the week of November 2, 1959. The group continued to perform until 1961 before breaking up. In 1960/61, Bernie Dupree changed his name to Cletus Marland and had a few of solo releases with some nice Doo wop.

Songs :

The Centurys

  
Take My Hand                                 Oh Joe, Joe

Cletus Marland

     
Like I Never Felt Before          I'll Take Care Of You                Keep On A Loving

     
   Every Now And Then            You're Gonna Miss Me                       Yesterday           

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