The Nortones

Steve Barri

The Nortones (Los Angeles)
ref The Storytellers

Personnel :

Steve Barri (Steven Barry Lipkin)

Bernie Reed

Discography :

The Nortones
1959 - Susie Jones / That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles  (Warner Bros 5065)
1959 - Boy / Smile, Just Smile (Warner Bros 5115)
1960 - Cookie Mon / I'm Gonna Find You (Stack 502)

Steve Barri
1961 - Story Of The Ring / I Want Your Love (Rona 1004)
1961 - Please Let It Be You / Down Around The Corner (Rona 1003)
1962 - Don't Run Away From Love / Two Different Worlds (Rona 1005)
1962 - Never Before /  Whenever You Kiss Me (Rona 1006)

Biography :

Steve Barri was born Steven Barry Lipkin in Brooklyn, New York, on February 23, 1942. His family moved to California when he was just a child. He began his career as a songwriter. He submitted his songs to Screen Gems Music which was run by Lou Adler. Adler liked Barri's songs, and helped him get his first recording of a Barri original. Steve teamed with Bernie Reed. Warner wrote "The Nortones, Bernie Reed and Steve Barry, The two 18-years-olds who comprise the group, play their own guitar accompaniment as well as write their own material". In May Their manager, Norty Beckman sends them to the studio were they record four songs. The same month, Warner released "Suzie Jones" / "That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles" as the Nortones.

  
Steve Barri                                                                                                                              
The single wasn't a hit but it was a way into the business for the newly minted music professional, and over the next few years Barri tried several other avenues of expression, including cutting a few records as a singer, all to no avail. In the early '60s he teamed up with Carol Connors, an ex-member of the Teddy Bears (notable as an early group featuring Phil Spector in its lineup, and for its recording of his "To Know Him Is to Love Him") -- they didn't succeed as a duo, and subsequently formed a trio, the Storytellers, with Connors' sister Cheryl, and their debut single on Dimension, "When Two People (Are in Love)," brought Barri back into the orbit of Lou Adler, who produced the record. This successful entrepreneur then paired Barri with protege (Phil) P.F. Sloan and together the new team began creating material for many of Adler's acts. Jan And Dean, Johnny Rivers and Terry Black were among those benefiting from Sloan/Barri songs, while the duo also recorded in their own right under various pseudonyms, notably the surfing act the Fantastic Baggys.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Nortones

  
I'm Gonna Find You                    Smile, Just Smile

  
Susie Jones                                            Boy

  
                     Cookie Mon                   That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles
 


Steve Barri

  
I Want Your Love                       Please Let It Be You

  
Don't Run Away From Love                      Never Before          


Whenever You Kiss Me

…