The Five Bell Aires aka Larry Lee & The Four Bel-aires (2)

The Five Bell Aires  (Hartford, CT.)
aka  Larry Lee & The Four Bel-aires (2)

Personnel :

Henry "Hawk" Hall  (Lead)

John  Hall (First Tenor)

Elijah "Prez" McKinney (Baritone)

James "Rock" Jenkins (Second Tenor)

Lewis Clayton (Bass )

Discography :

Larry Lee & The Four Bel-aires (2)
1959 - Can I Be In Love /  Stolen Love (M-Z 006)

Henry Hall & The Five Bell Aires
1959 - House Of Love (Unreleased)
1959 - My Friends (Unreleased)
1959 - I'm So Happy (Unreleased)
1959 - Come On to My Love House (Unreleased)

John Hall & The Five Bell Aires
1959 - Wedding Bells (Unreleased)
1959 - Come On Home (Unreleased)

Biography :

Henry "Hawk" Hall, usual lead singer, his cousin John (First Tenor), Elijah "Prez" McKinney (Baritone), James "Rock" Jenkins (Second Tenor), and Lewis Clayton (Bass ) called their group The Five Marvel Tones when they started  in 1954. They Changed  their name to the 5 Bell Aires (Inspired by the plethora of Car-named groups) .  They even won amateur night at the Apollo in Harlem two weeks in a row. Their loyal fans and members of other vocal groups who caught their act wondered why they didn't have a record out.

The 5 Bell Aires recorded 6 songs, they were first sung as rough demos in 1957, then recorded as finished masters probably in 1960 in Soyka's Somers, Ct studio.  Their Manager, John Rys almost consummated a deal with Hy Weiss at Old Town Records, but nothing finally happened… The Bell Aires did back Larry Lee (Larry Harper) Lead singer of The Embers,  on "Can I Be In Love"/ "Stolen Love" on the Local MZ label in the Fall of '59 (Henry Hall had been drafted, so they became the Four Bel-aires for MZ)

      
                                                                                                                           The Embers (Larry Lee, Second from Left) 

The Bell Aire's  Elijah "Prez" McKinney with George Cruz (from the Fluorescents), Richard Reedy and Billy Surmolian Backed Larry Lee as The Serenaders, they cut demos in Hartford and in N.Y.C

Songs :
(Update By Hans-Joachim) 

Larry Lee & The Four Bel-aires (2)

   
Can I Be In Love                    Stolen Love

Henry Hall & The Five Bell Aires

       
House Of Love                          My Friends                     

   
Come On to My Love House         I'm So Happy

John Hall & The Five Bell Aires

    
Come On Home                      Wedding Bells

 ...