Patty Lace & The Petticoats (3) (New York)

Personnel :

Patty Lace (Diane Christian)  (Lead)

Paula ...

Peppi ...

Pixie ...

Discography :

1963 - Sneaky Sue / The Back (Kapp 563)
1964 - Girls Don't Trust That Boy / Girls Should Always Look Their Best (Kapp 585)
1965 - A New Boy / Say One (Is A Lonely Number) (Kapp 667)

Biography :

Hotshot producers Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer notched up some remarkable successes back in the 60s, including number ones with "My Boyfriend’s Back" by the Angels in 1963 and "Hang On Sloopy" by the McCoys in 1965, with lots of flops and almost-made-its coming in between. In late 1963 the team scored again with the Angels’ follow-up, "I Adore Him" and nearly made it three hits in a row that year with Patty Lace & The Petticoats, whose deliciously camp "Sneaky Sue" (on Kapp) undoubtedly influenced Shadow Morton's work with the Shangri-Las. Issued in the solemn aftermath of the Kennedy assassination, "Sneaky Sue" made it to #104 in early January 1964.

 
Diane Christian                                                                                                                                                

Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer frequently used studio vocalists from the New York session pool on their recordings and it seems that Patty Lace & The Petticoats were one such aggregation. Their only follow-up* had the peculiar distinction of being issued well over year later, when the group had been forgotten. Perhaps sensing this, Kapp helpfully named them on the label as ‘Patty, Paula, Peppi and Pixie’. Bob Feldman cannot recall the real identities of Patty Lace & the Petticoats other than to say that their original lead singer, Diane Christian, cut a solo 45 for Mercury. However, we do have a picture of the girls from a rare French release.

Songs :

  
Sneaky Sue                                          The Back

  
       Girls Don't Trust That Boy         Girls Should Always Look Their Best


A New Boy / Say One (Is A Lonely Number)

...

Ronald Harris, Doug Grant, George Davis, George Richardson.

The Orlandos (Columbus, Ohio)

Personnel :

Ronald Harris (Lead)

Doug Grant (Baritone)

George Davis (Bass)

George Richardson (Falsetto)

Biography :

Back in the middle 1950’s, The Orlandos had many good singers and especially their lead singer, Ronald Harris had a voice like Frankie Lymon, the lead singer of the Teenagers .The Orlandos were founded by their bass singer, George Davis who had a beautiful and far ranging bass voice. The other member of the Orlandos were George Richardson (falsetto) and Doug Grant. They occur locally for several years and over the years, other young men joining the Orlandos as vacancies, occurred were: Robert Wallace, lead and first tenor, Steve Martin, lead and first tenor, Robert Clark, first tenor, Keith White, first tenor, Leroy Foster, baritone and James Eskridge,bass..


...

The Lovetones (1) (Hartford CT)

Personnel :

Joe McBride (First Tenor)

Bobby Tinsley (Lead)

Calvin Brown (Bass)

Burton Mathis (Second Tenor)

Bobby Hamilton (Baritone)

Discography :

1956 - Talk To An Angel / Take It Easy Baby (Plus 108)

Biography :

Vocal group from Hartford, CT. composed by Joe McBride (First Tenor), Bobby Tinsley (Lead), Calvin Brown (Bass), Burton Mathis (Second Tenor) and Bobby Hamilton (Baritone). the group recorded only one single in 1956 on the small New York label "Plus".

Songs :

  
Talk To An Angel                           Take It Easy Baby

...

Dale & The Del-Hearts (Atlanta, GA.)

Personnel :

?

Discography :

1961 - I've Waited So Long / Always And Forever    (Herald 564)

Biography :

Herald Records was an American record label of the 1950s and 1960s. Herald was founded in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1952 by Fred Mendelsohn. He teamed up with Al Silver and Silver's brother-in-law, who continued Herald Records after Mendelsohn left. The company signed Lightnin' Hopkins in 1954, and The Mellowkings in 1957. Its biggest hit was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs in 1960.

Dale & The Del-Hearts came to Herald through Phil Gemhard of Windsong Music in Columbia, S.C. who also Handled Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs. "Always And Ever" bw "I've Waited So Long" came out in August, 1961. Unfortunately no information on the names of the members of the group, we only know that there were eight, five musicians and three singers.

Songs :

  
Always And Forever                        I've Waited So Long

...

The Four Epics (Philadelphia)
ref : The Vespers

Personnel :

Mickey Neil (Second Tenor)

Jack Mc Knight (First Tenor)

Jimmy Mullen  (Baritone)

Bobby Riccobene (Bass)

Discography :

The Bancrofts
Unreleased :
1960 - Wonderfull Girl

The Four Epics
Singles :
1962 - I'm On My Way To Love / When The Music Ends (Heritage 109)
1963 - Again / I Love You Diane (Laurie 3155)
1963 - How I Wish I Was A Single / Dance Joanne (Laurie 3183)
Unreleased :
1961 - Wedding Bells
1962 - My Love
1963 - Girl In The Moonlight
1963 - Summertime Angel
1963 - A Thing Worth Remembering
1963 - Mr.Weather
1963 - Girls
1963 - Cover Girl
1963 - Tammy Ann
1963 - Congratulations To Someone
1963 - For The First Time
1963 - Future Just Passed

The Vespers
1963 - Mr Cupid / Walk With My Angel (Swan 4156)

Johnny Greco bb The Four Epics
1963 - Rocket Ride / Why Don't You Love Me (Pageant 602)

Biography :

They started as a trio in the fall of '59 and called themselves the Bancrofts, a name taken from their streetcorner hangout.  They were Jack "Rocky" McKnight (1st Tenor and vocal arranger). Mickey Neill (2nd Tenor) and Jimmy Mullen (baritone).  After months of practice, they were eager to hear their sound on acetate and in May '60, they recorded Dion and the Belmonts version of Wonderful Girl. Harmony and blend were good, yet  lacked the fullness Jack was striving for, It was decided a 4th voice was needed, and in early '61 enter Bobby Riccobene, who completed the ensemble with his basso profundo.


Confident with their sound, they pooled their money for studio time and recorded some original material. The group finally made their mark after teaming up with Jerry Ross who, in 1962, suggested a name change  to the Four Epics and shuffled them to South Philly's AMS studio to record "I'm On My Way" b/w "When The Music Ends" for his Heritage label. Not only did promotional appearances abound along the eastern seaboard, Jerry  managed to keep the boys busy doing backround sessions for established artists like Chubby Checker, Little Joey & the Flips, Rick & the Masters, Freddy Cannon, and the Dovells. One of the most memorable sessions was with some of the members of the Fortune Tellers and the Dreamlovers on "Amazons & Coyotes".

 While the Heritage release was still generating airplay, Bobby Riccobene left the group and in stepped Richie Lalli just as Ross made a connection with the NY based Laurie Records.  So in 1963, the boys headed for the Big Apple and the famous Bell Sound Studios where they recorded an up-tempo version of the old standard "Again". Based on airplay and record sales, Laurie execs were ecstatic and sanctioned another release on the label. 

So, hot on its heels in '63 came the follow-up, "Dance Joanne", a ditty reminiscent of "Little Bitty Pretty One". Even as these tunes made their improbable run up the charts, the boys would soon learn their stint with Laurie would be short lived, Consequently disappointment and frustration would lead to Mickey and Richie leaving the group. Jack and Jimmy would go on to form a new group with Tony Barbella (1st Tenor), and Buzzy Shearin (2nd Tenor).  Now known as The Vespers, a proficient, albeit ,short-lived ensemble.

The Vespers : Jack Mc Knight, Jimmy Mullen, Tony Barbella & Buzzy Shearin

They had only one release  in '63 on Swan Records "Mr Cupid" b/w "Walk With My Angel"  It was a modest hit, however no others would follow and the group soon disbanded. For the next 3 decades, the musical virtuosity of Jack McKnight would be demonstrated many times, whether it be the rebirth of the 4 Epics, Exodus, Exodus II,  or arranging and producing recording sessions for other recording artists.



Songs :

The Bancrofts


Wonderfull Girl

The Four Epics

  
I'm On My Way To Love                     When The Music Ends

  
 Again                                      I Love You Diane

  
How I Wish I Was A Single                        Dance Joanne      

  
Wedding Bells                                      My Love

  
Girl In The Moonlight                       Summertime Angel

  
A Thing Worth Remembering                      Mr.Weather               

  
Girls                                            Cover Girl

  
Congratulations To Someone                   For The First Time       


Future Just Passed


The Vespers

  
   Mr Cupid                                   Walk With My Angel


Johnny Greco bb The Four Epics

  
       Rocket Ride                                Why Don't You Love Me

...