The Cubans (2) aka Little Caesar & The Romans (3) aka The Upfronts (1)

    (paste-up picture ) Johnson, Simmons, Harris & Sanders

The Cubans (2) (Los Angeles)
aka Little Caesar & The Romans (3) aka The Upfronts (1)

Personnel :

David "Caesar" Johnson (Lead)

Johnny Simmons (First Tenor)

Early Harris (Second Tenor)

Leroy Sanders (Bass)

Curtis ? (Second Tenor)



Discography :

The Cubans (2)
Single:
1959 - Tell Me / You've Been Gone So Long (Flash 133)
Unreleased:
1959 - Oh Miss Dolly (Flash)
1959 - Don't Go Baby (Flash)
1959 - Can't You See (Flash)



Biography :

David Johnson headed for Los Angeles and joined up with Johnny Simmons (first tenor) Early Harris (second tenor), Leroy Sanders (bass), and someone named Curtis (second tenor) to form the Cubans in 1955 (though none of the members were Cuban ).  They signed with Charlie Reynolds' Watts- based record label/record store, Flash Records. The Cubans' only single out of Flash's 623 East Vernon Avenue address was an enjoyable ballad called "Tell Me," with Early on lead, backed by a blues-styled jump tune similar to THE PARAGONS' later "Stick with Me Baby" titled "You've Been Gone So Long," featuring David.

   Except for some local play it went unnoticed. In 1959 the Cubans disbanded (they would not have been too popular under that name anyway during Castro's Cuban revolution), and David hooked up with Lummtone Records, owned by Lummie Fowler. He formed the Upfronts. Several years later they became little Caesar & the Romans.

Jay Warner - American singing groups: a history from 1940s to today



Songs :

   
Tell Me (Will You Ever Be Mine)           You've Been Gone So Long

   
Oh Miss Dolly                                    Can't You See

...