The Gales (2) (Washington, DC)

Personnel :

Edward Smith

James Goldring

Edward Goldring

Aaron Grier


Discography :

1958 - Guiding Angel / Baby Come Home (Mel-O 111)
1958 - If I Could Forget / Josephine (Mel-O 113/114)
1960 - Squeeze Me / I Love You (Winn 916)


Biography :

Vocal group from Washington, DC. composed by Edward Smith, James Goldring, Edward Goldring & Aaron Grier. The Gales signed a recording contract with Mel-O records, 1674 Broadway, New York City. There was an awful lot of labels and publishers at 1674 Broadway in the 1950s. All four songs by The Gales were written by the four members of the group. Mel-O Released the two singles the same year (1958) but the success was not there. in August 1960, they released a third record, this time on John Dickerson's Winn label (of Washington, D.C.). Winn who will release the following year the Senators and the Marvells (Same Group) . James Isom who have been part of this two group joined the Gales for about a month before joining the Satisfactions.


Songs :

  
 Guiding Angel                                   Baby Come Home


If I Could Forget / Josephine

  
Squeeze Me                                        I Love You    

...

Clarence E. Quick 

The Eastmen (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
aka The East-Men

Personnel :

Clarence E. Quick (Bass)

Watsie Lumbard (First Tenor)

Jethro Worthy (Second Tenor / Baritone)

Russell Worthy (Second Tenor / Baritone)

Harold Allen (First Tenor)


Discography :

The Eastmen
1959 - Lover Come Home / Bye Bye My Baby (Mercury 71434)

Watsie Lumbard & The East-Men (Featuring Hal Jaxon)
1960 - Passion/ Hum-Dibby-Do-Wah (Glow 100)


Biography :

In late 1958, Del Vikings founder, bass singer, and principal songwriter Clarence E. Quick  having received his discharge from the United States Air Force, left the Del Vikings to join the Eastmen, another act that was signed to Mercury Records.  Consisting of Watsie Lumbard, brothers Jethro and Russell Worthy, Harold Allen, and Quick, the Eastmen recorded one single for the label before Jethro left the group in the spring of 1959. Seeking a replacement, Quick brought in Ayers, who was capable of singing lead , first tenor, and second tenor.

This lineup of the Eastmen remained intact for over a year, until Quick and Russell Worthy left. Ayers, Lumbard, Allen, and new members LaVangelis Hicks and Ivan “Lincoln Fig” Figueroa, of Lincoln Fig and the Dates, recorded “Passion” and “Hum-Dibby-Do-Wah" For Glow Records  in Late 1960. After “Come Go With Me” lead singer Norman Wright was discharged from the service in January of 1960, he and Quick formed a new Del Vikings unit with Ayers and Clarence's cousin, William Blakely, who had initially joined the Mercury lineup in 1957.


Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Eastmen


Lover Come Home / Bye Bye My Baby

Watsie Lumbard & The East-Men (Featuring Hal Jaxon)

  
       Passion                                  Hum-Dibby-Do-Wah
  

...

The Griffins (1)  (Washington, D.C)
aka The Warblers
(By Hans-Joachim)

 

Personnel :

William Ross (Lead)

Bill Alford (First Tenor)

Lewis "Flip" Thompson (Second Tenor)

Lawrence Tate (Bariton)

Joshua Bright (Bass)


Discography :

The Griffins (1)
1955 - Sing To Me / I Swear By All The Stars Above (Mercury 70558)
1955 - Bad Little Girl / Scheming (Mercury 70650)
1956 - Forever More / Leave It To Me (Wing 90067)
1956 - Why Must You Go / My Baby's Gone (Mercury 70913)

The Warblers
1973 - Is This The Real Thing / It’s Wrong (The Ontarios) (Baron 101)
1973 - Love Me Baby (The Ontarios) / Scheming (Baron 106)
1974 - She's Too Tall For Love / Lonesome Again (The Serenaders) (Outhouse 102)

Marie Knight (bb The Griffins (1)) (not credited)
1956 - As Long As I Love / Tell Me Why (Wing 90069)


Biography :

Lawrence Tate and William Ross joined the Griffins in 1953 from the RCA Heartbreakers, who had disbanded in 1953.The Griffins were previously known as the Warblers. The tunes shown below as by the Griffins on Mercury, Entitled "Scheming", was earlier cut by the Warblers.In February of 1955 Mercury Records signs The Griffins to their label.

 
Marie Knight                                                                                                                The Griffins (1)

In less than a month Mercury # 70558 is released featuring the group's versions of the songs "I Swear By All The Stars Above" and "Swing To Me".In July "Bad Little Girl" and "Scheming" on # 70650. In March of 1956 The Griffins are moved to the Wing label from Mercury . In April "Forevermore" and "Leave It To Me" are released on Wing # 90067. In August The Griffins are back on Mercury with "Why Must You Go" and "My baby's Gone" on # 70913.

Songs :

The Griffins

  
              Sing To Me                      I Swear By All The Stars Above

  
Bad Little Girl                                          Scheming

  
Forever More                                     Leave It To Me


Why Must You Go / My baby’s Gone

Marie Knight (bb The Griffins (1))


As Long As I Love / Tell Me Why

The Warblers

  
Is This The Real Thing                             Scheming         

...

Jimmy Mack & The Watts (Hamden, Connecticut)

Personnel :

Jimmy Mack

Betty Watts

Ann Watts

Discography :

Jimmy Mack & The Watts
1959 - I Believe I Love You / True Lover Girl (Elgin 1028/1029 / Gee 1056)

Betty Watts & The Watts / Annie Watts & The Watts
1959 - Do Me A Favor / Let It Be (Elgin 1030/1031)

Bette Watts
1960 - Do Me A Favor / Let It Be (Wand 104)
 

Biography :

Jimmy Mack & The Watts were a trio from Hamden, Connecticut whose "I Believe I Love You" / "True Lover" (Gee 1956) from 1960 was originally issued on Elgin 1028 in 1959. (There is no connection between this Jimmy Mack and the Detroit or Chicago based singer of the same name who recorded for labels Palmer, Hamster and other in the ‘60s and ‘70s), The Watts were the Watts sisters (Betty and Ann) who had their own record "Let It Be" / "Do Me A Favor" on Elgin 1030 (Reissued on  Wand 104)

Songs :

Jimmy Mack & The Watts

  
I Believe I Love You                            True Lover Girl  

Betty Watts The Watts


Do Me A Favor

Annie Watts & The Watts

Let It Be


…

Seated  : Gino Custode , Richard Larson (Manager) - Standing : George Cranden. Kenneth Parsons & Lee Parker

Gino & The Barons (5) (Woodbridge, N.J.)


Personnel :

Gino Custode (Lead)

Kenneth Parsons

Lee Parker

George Cranden


Discogrphy:

1959 - Peggy / Pretty Lu (Larsen 100)

Biography :

Gino Custode Is the group’s organiser and the lead singer. Kenneth Parsons, Lee Parker and George Cranden are the other members of The Barons and Richard Larson of Bergenfield Is the boy’s manager.  The boys, all of whom are 16 years of age, have only been practising together four months. They have sung at several Friday hight teen dances In the Township, and are slated to appear at School 19, Menlo Park Terrace, and have already sung at the School dances In Colonia. In Early December 1959, The Four teen­agers re­corded two songs In Newark. The next week they picked up the 1000 copies of the disc which they must plug and sell them­ selves. Gino Custode composed “Peggy,” a cha-cha with he composed himself. On the reverse side is “Pretty Lou,” a jitter-bug number by professionals, Irv Decker and Luclle Hobbs.


Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
Peggy                                                    Pretty Lu


...