• The Plurals (Elizabeth, New Jersey)

     

    Personnel :

    Pasquale “Pat” Mazzillo (Lead / Second Tenor)

    Richard “Rip” Wagner (First Tenor)

    Carl Anderson (Second Tenor)

    Theodore “Teddy” Bennett (Baritone)

    Bob Black (Bass)

     

    Discography:

    1958 - Donna My Dear / Miss Annie (Wanger  186/187 - Bergen 186/187)
    1959 - Goodnight / I'm Sold (Wanger 188)

     

    Biography :

    Carl Anderson and a group of friends, Pat Mazzillo, Ted Bennett, Richard Wagner and Robert Black, sang in the school’s glee club. The school sponsored a talent show and Anderson and his friends, who were popular because of their ability to harmonize, were asked to enter the contest.


    Plurals on WLBR with Henry Homan

    They did that under the name of The Plurals, and won the second place prize for their rendition of the then-popular “Memories Of You,” a classic doo wop number. Their popularity increased and they continued to sing in the glee club, but were also given solo spots in which they represented their school.

    Additionally, they worked at teen dances, and actually performed as a warm-up group for such rock and roll stars as Frankie Avalon, Bo Diddley, The Shirelles, and many more.They got their first break when a record producer, Frankie Freid, heard them sign. He offered them an opportunity to record for his company, C&M Records, which was based in Elizabeth.

       

    Anderson, who loved to listen to the local black singing groups, became fascinated with a tune called “Miss Fannie.” The song is up tempo and Anderson improvised with it and created a different version and called it “Miss Annie.” The record made it to Billboard’s Top 40 along with it’s flip side, “Donna My Dear.” The group came out with a follow-up tune, also a collaboration between Anderson and his friends.


    With Lead singer Mike Benz

    Pat Mazzillo was working one day, He was underneath a car, arc welding a gas tank and somehow a spark caught the garage on fire.He was rushed to East Orange Hospital in critical condition. Pat died ten days later, on Sunday February 8, 1959. Frankie Freid suggested that they look for another lead singer and continue.

    The Plurals held their first rehearsal with Mike Benz on lead at the Roseville Methodist Parish Hall. They recorded “Goodnight” and “I’m Sold” in April 1959. The songs “Goodnight” again advanced into the Billboard charts, this time cracking the Top 100.

    http://www.classicurbanharmony.net/Plurals%20for%20web.pdf


    Songs :


       
    I'm Sold                                Miss Annie

       
    Goodnight                             Donna My Dear

      ...


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