The Goldenaires

Henry Gabb, Gene Ravain, Roy Picou - Bottom : Augie Wenzel 

The Goldenaires (New Orleans, Louisiana)


Personnel :


Roy Picou (Lead/Second Tenor)

Augie Wenzel (First Tenor)

Henry Gabb (Baritone)

Gene Ravain (Bass)


Discography :



1959 - All About You / My Only Girl (Ron 325)
1960 - Love letters  / Ding Bats (Ron 332)

Biography :

Ric and Ron were founded by Joe Ruffino, who named the labels after his two sons. Ruffino had learned how the R&B business worked through his association with Record Sales, the New Orleans record distribution outlet, and with Johnny Vincent, who based his Ace and Vin labels in Jackson, Mississippi but recorded almost exclusively in New Orleans. For a while Ruffino was Vincent’s eyes and ears, bringing several acts to Ace, including the Supremes and Lenny Capello. However, in 1958 Vincent cut him loose to do his own thing.

1958 - Henry Gabb, Augie Wenzel, Roy Picou and Gene Ravain

Ruffino started Ric that spring with a handful of Ace masters he’d received as a parting gift from Vincent. He hired guitarist/bandleader Edgar Blanchard as his first A&R head and signed Al Johnson as the label’s initial artist. Blanchard soon moved on but his successors, Harold Battiste and the young Malcolm “Mac” Rebennack, carried on his work without missing a step before they in turn went on to greater fame as the 60s progressed.

   
1959 - Henry Gabb, Roy Picou and Augie Wenzel                                                     Joe Ruffino                        

At the beginning of 1959, Joe Ruffino signed a vocal group "the goldenaires", a quartet composed of Roy Picou, Henry Gabb, Augie Wenzel and Gene Ravain. The quartet occurs locally in jazz clubs and other venues under the name of "Four Goldenaires". Ron released two singles "All About You" b/w "My Only Girl" in 1959 and "Love letters"  b/w "Ding Bats" at the beginning of the year 1960. From 1959, in spite of the departure of Gene Ravain the Goldenaires continue to occur in trio in the clubs of New Orleans and its surroundings.


Songs :

   
All About You                                   Love letters

   
My Only girl                                  Ding Bats

 

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