The El Vireos (Dayton, OH.)


Personnel :

Frank Williams (Lead)

Sonny Jackson (First Tenor)

LeVoy Fredericks (Second Tenor)

Willis "Bing" Davis (Baritone)

Charles Hill (Bass)

Jim Jennings (Guitar), Denny Davis (Saxophone), and Bob Hensley (Drums)

Discography :

1959 - First Kiss / Silly Willie  (Revello 1002)

Biography :

The El Vireos' history is mostly forgotten but it's notable, before integration, the local act featured five black singers and a trio of white backing musicians. Like Willis "Bing" Davis, most of the El Vireos were students at Wilbur Wright High School in East Dayton. However, one singer attended Stebbins and another went to Dunbar. They sing on various stages and go to talent shows at different high schools. They performed at churches. Community centers and recreational centers always had talent shows.  Revello's Bob Bowman saw the El Vireos perform at a Mother's Day program at DePauw in 1959 and signed the group to a one-record deal. With little industry experience and no label distribution, pushing copies of the 45s fell on the group. They sold them out of the back of their cars.The single might not have been good enough to hit the national charts, but both songs are very representative of the period. The single was released with minimal promotion behind it, but  simply having a record out and hearing it on the radio energized them enough to refocus on music. They decided to get serious and really try to do something with this. Their  plan was to go on the road  but then they lost Their lead singer, Frank. He ended up drowning in the pond at the Lakeside Amusement Park and that blew them up quite a bit."Williams' drowning was among the factors that officially ended the El Vireos.

Songs :

  
First Kiss                                   Silly Willie


...

The Intentions (1) (Philadelphia, PA.)


Personnel :

Richie Mignona (Lead)

John Poloney (Second Tenor)

Bill LaRario (Bass)

Tommy Inzillo (Baritone)

John Montmore (First Tenor)

Discography :

Single :
1963 - Summertime Angel / Mr. Misery (Jamie 1253)
Unreleased :
1963 - Embraceable You (Jamie)


Biography :

The Intentions were a singing group from the Grays Ferry section of South Philadelphia. All of the members formed in Bishop Neumann High school. Richard Mignona sang lead, John Montmore  was first tenor, John F Poloney was second tenor, Tom Inzillo at baritone, and Bill Lerario was bass. Richie Mignona and John Poloney wrote and recorded "Summertime Angel" with the Intentions although they were never given credit for it. Jamie Record released the single in May 1963. Mr Misery was the " A" side written by Bob Finizo but "Summertime Angel" got the most air play on the radio. The band also has an unreleased song "Embraceable You"

Songs :

  
Embraceable You                              Summertime Angel


Mr. Misery

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Trinidad Chavez, Jim Slone and Gail Poch

The Shy Guys (1) (Portale, NM)

Personnel :

Jim Slone (Lead)

Gail Poch (Baritone)

Trinidad Chavez( Bass)

Discography :

The Shy Guys (1)
Single :
1958 - The Girl With The Flaxen Hair / Shy Guy (Trump 816)
Unreleased :
1959 -  Water Boy

Jimmie Stewart bb The Shy Guys (1)
1959 - Ten Thousan'/ Livin' Doll (Trump 817)


Biography :

Jim Slone, Trinidad Chavez and Gail Poch were in Eastern New Mexico University choir together. They were called The Shy Guys and Jim Slone was the lead singer.  At the beginning of 1958, the three friends decided to form a group. The same year they recorded two songs at Clovis, NM, where Buddy Holly recorded. Both songs were written by Jimmy Stewart. The Shy Guys backed Jimmy on two other of his compositions "Ten Thousan"'and "Livin' Doll".

"The Girl With The Flaxen Hair" b/w "Shy Guy " and "Ten Thousan"'b/w "Livin' Doll" will be released for the tiny label "Trump". They got enough airplay that as soon as they graduated in ‘58 and went and going on tour for six months to such hot spots as Boise, Idaho, and Elko, Nev.. In Boise, The Shy Guys recorded another song "Water Boy".

Jim Slone had to go into the Army for six months and when he got out he took his first full-time disc jockey job in Farmington, NM. He eventually cut a bunch of demos and had four records on a couple of different labels, but he never had a hit. In 1963, Jim re-recorded "The Girl With The Flaxen Hair" backed by a female group, The Kimberlys.  He started as a disc jockey, worked his way into sales, then man- agement and ownership. Before it was all over he was fortunate enough to own nine radio stations.

Songs :

The Shy Guys (1)

  
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair                          Shy Guy                 

Jimmy Slone bb The Kimberlys

 
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair                    Wedding Bells              

...

Bruce & Boyd

The Twin Tunes (Altoona, Pa.)
aka The Twin Tunes Quintet

Personnel :

Boyd Coulter (Bass)

Bruce Coulter (Piano)

Tony Carle (Trumpet)

D'Roxy Weems (Drums)

Jimmy Conti (Saxophone)

Discography :

The Twin Tunes
1954 - You Are The Most / Where Do I Go (I Go To You) (Coral 61319)
1955 - Japanese Rhumba / I'll Make You Mine (Sound 115/116)
1955 - Miss Paradise / The Goodbye Song (Sound 120)
1955 - The Vision / Feel So Good (Sound 125)
1955 - Never / Good Bye (Sound 127)
1956 - Valley Of Tears / Please Don’t Leave Me (Sound 131)

The Twin Tunes Quintet
1957 - Baby Lover / The Love Nest (RCA 7091)
1958 - Dream Face / Run-Around, Run-Around (RCA 7225)

Biography :

In 1954, Bruce and his twin brother, Boyd from Altoona, Pa., formed a traveling musical team known as the “Twin Tunes”. Both Bruce and Boyd are graduates of the Altoona Senior High School. The brothers added Tony Carle (trumpet), D'Roxy Weems (drums) and Jimmy Conti (saxophone). Between 1954 and 1955, the Twin Tunes recorded six singles, the first for Coral and the nexts for the Sound Records label in Philadelphia.

      

During this period, they made a solid reputation and began to perform locally. The Twin Tunes becomes The Twin Tunes Quintet. The Coulters and their new combos are quickly becoming one of the outstanding combos in the entertainment business. In 1957, RCA Records released two singles "Baby Lover" b/w "The Love Nest" and "Dream Face" b/w "Run-Around, Run-Around" the next Year.

They have played long engagements in Wahington D.C., Baltimore, Md., Detroit, Mich., Indianapolis, Ind., Saint Louis, Mo., Toronto, Ca. In 1958, they have spent three months in Las Vegas playing at the Dunes hotel, The Riviera and the Tropicana.

Songs :

The Twin Tunes

  
Where Do I Go (I Go To You)            The Vision / Feel So Good   


Valley Of Tears / Please Don't Leave Me


The Twin Tunes Quintet

  
Baby Lover                                    Dream Face

  
Run-Around, Run-Around                          The Love Nest          

...

The Shufflers (2) (Chattanooga. TN)

Personnel ;

Cortez Foust (Lead)

Charlie Young

Discography

Single :
1954 - Lovin' On My Mind / Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That (Okeh 7040)
Unreleased :
1954 - Bad, Bad Women (Okeh)
1954 - Jump Ted! (Okeh)


Biography :

Vocal group formed in 1953 in Chattanooga.TN. composed by Cortez Foust, Charlie Young and two other people whose first and last names have been forgotten. They cut "Ain't Nothin' Wrong with That"  b/w "Lovin' on My Mind" on Okeh 4-7040.  The Shufflers also recorded two other songs for Okeh that were unreleased "Bad, Bad Women" and  "Jump Ted!". 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That                   Lovin' On My Mind          

  
Bad, Bad Women                                      Jump Ted!  

...