Ray Allen Trio aka The Gum Drops aka The Upbeats (2) aka The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

Ray Allen Trio (Westchester, New York)
aka The Gum Drops aka The Upbeats (2)  aka The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

Personnel :

Ray "Allen" Albanese (Vocal/Guitar)

Frank Rey (Vocal/Bass)

Harold "Feirstein" Stone (Vocal/Piano)

Discography :

Ray Allen Trio

1954 - Why Should I Love You / Love My Love (King 1383)

1954 - Amapola / Love In Rhyme (King 1399) 

1955 - I Miss You So / Money, Money, Money (King 1438)

1961 - See Africa First / Two Angels (Joy 247)

The Classmates (1)
1955 - What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss (King 1487)

The Four Classmates
1955 - What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss (King 1487)

The Gum Drops

1955 - Gum Drop / Don't Take It so Hard 1955 (King 1496)
1955 - I'll Wait For One More Train / Don't Take It So Hard (King 1499)
1955 - I Wonder and Wonder / I'll Follow You (King 4913) 

1956 - Natural born Lover / Chapel Of Hearts (King 4963)
1957 - Ba-Bee-Da Boat Is Leaving / Pigeon (King 5051)

1958 - You're The One / Gum Drop Shoes and Bells In Her Hair (Decca 30584) 

1958 - My Own True Love / On The Wings Of The Wind 1958 (Coral 62003)
1959 - I Spoke Too Soon / Sie-Tu (It's You, It's You) (Coral 62102)
1959 - It Happens Every Day / They Wake Me 1959 (Coral 62138)

Ray Allen & The Upbeats (2) 

Singles:
1961 - Let Them Talk / Sweet Lorraine (Sinclair 1004)
1962 - Peggy Sue / La Bamba (Blast 204) 

Lps :
1962 - "Tribute To 6" (Blast BLP-6804)
C'mon Everyboby / Peggy Sue / Sittin' In The Balcony / Earth Angel / Chantilly Lace / Battle Of New Orleans / La Bamba / Every Day / Running Bear / Donna / North To Alaska / Goodnight My Love

Biography :

The Ray Allen Trio started recording for King Records in 1954, and "Why Should I Love You / Love Me Love" King 1383 was there first release.

Ray Allen Trio (about 1952) -The Arthur Godfrey Show

The personal were "Ray Allen (Ray Albanese) (Guitar), Frank Rey (Bass) and Harold "Feirstein" Stone (Piano). They had very good success with there first two records, and released a total of three on King. The group added Vinnie Bell (Vinnie Gambella) (Guitar) and recorded " What Am I Gonna Do" b/w "A Kiss Is Not A Kiss" released as The Four Classmates and The Classmates

In 1955, DeLuxe released "Gum Drop" and "Save Me, Save Me" by Otis Williams and his New Group's ."Gum Drop" getting a lot of play from Alan Freed. "Gum Drop" was almost immediately covered by the Crew Cuts on Mercury Records, and that made Syd Nathan mad .

With George Montgomery

Syd Nathan refused to grant a license for "Gum Drop." As a final insult, Syd Nathan re-named the Ray Allen Trio to "The Gum Drops" and released their version of the song on King 1496 to cut into the Crew Cuts' sales. 

The group consisted of "Ray Allen (Ray Albanese), Frank Rey, Harold "Feirstein" Stone and new member Vinnie Bell (Vinnie Gambella) (Guitar), all were from New York. The Gum drops cut 9 singles for King, Decca & Coral. Their last release was as the Ray Allen Trio on the Joy record label.

In 1961 the Ray Allen Trio signing for Sinclair record as Ray Allen & The Upbeats , and released "Let Them Talk" /" Sweet Lorraine" (Sinclair 1004). The next year they released the LP "Tribute to 6" for Blast Records (a division of Sinclair Record Corp.)

Ray Allen & The Upbeats do two songs each by Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper, Johnny Horton and Jesse Belvin . "Tribute to 6" Conducted and Arranged by Vinny Catalano. A single from the LP was also released on Blast 204 with "Peggy Sue" and "La Bamba".
Thanks To Alicia Albanese

Songs :
(Updated By Hans-Joachim)

Ray Allen Trio

   
Two Angels                                Amapola

The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss
 

The Gum Drops

       
You're The One                 Don't Take it So Hard               Natural born Lover

       
Gum Drop Shoes and Bells ...                   Gum Drop                            Sei Tu                     

     
I Wonder And Wonder...     Ba-Bee, Da Boat Is Leaving        They Wake Me

     
I'll Wait For One More Train     It Happens Every Day         I Spoke To Soon


Chapel Of Hearts

Ray Allen & The Upbeats (2)

       
    Let Them Talk                      Sweet Lorraine                  Sittin´ In The Balcony

       
Earth Angel                                Donna                              Goodnight My Love

       
North To Alaska                       Peggy Sue                               La Bamba       

 ....