The Heartbreakers (1) (Washington, D.C)

Personnel :

Robert Evans (Lead)

James Ross (Tenor)

Lawrence Tate (Baritone)

Lawrence Green (Baritone)

Georges Davis Jr. (Bass)

Discography :

Singles:
1951 - Heartbreaker / Wanda (RCA 4327)
1952 - You're So Necessary To Me / I'm Only Following My Heart (RCA 4508)
1952 - Why Don't I / Rockin' Daddy-O (RCA 4652)
1952 - There Is Time / It's OK With Me (RCA 4849)
1952 - Cry Wind Cry / I Swear By All The Star Above (Roadhouse 1007)
1952 - Hey Baby / I only Want To Be Your Guy (Roadhouse 1008)
1952 - Heartbreaker (live) /  Embraceable yYu (Roadhouse 1010)
1952 - Is It Real / Ain't Nothing 'Shakin' (Roadhouse 1011)
1952 - We're Gonna Have Some Fun / Goodbye Baby (Roadhouse 1012)
1953 - Don't Stop Baby (Roadhouse 1014)

Unreleased :
1952 - She's Gone (RCA)
1952 - I Don't Want Anybody (RCA)
1952 - Movin' Man (RCA)
1952 - Since My Love Has Gone (RCA)
1952 - Alone In The Night (RCA)

Biography :

The Heartbreakers originated in the Washington D.C. area after the end of the second world war. The original members of the group were the Ross brothers James and William, Lawrence Tate and Fred Holmes. They met singer/song writer Bobby Evans and he wrote a song for the group called "Heartbreaker". In 1949 the group sang on a local radio program that featured local talent called "Art Brown's Amateur Hour". They went down well and a Washington area record producer and talent scout named Lillian Clairborne invited the group to appear for an audition and she told them that she would try to sign the group to a recording contract. William Ross and Fred Holmes were drafted for military service. Replacing Ross and Holmes were Lawrence Green and Junior Davis, who had been a member of the singing group The Four Dots. Clairborne secured a recording deal with RCA Victor Records.

All of the songs recorded by the group were written by Bobby Evans. Once the group began to record they made appearances at local clubs. Their first record released on RCA Victor 4327 was "Heartbreaker" and "Wanda". It met with little success. Four months later RCA released "You're So Necessary To Me" and "I'm Only Fooling My Heart" on 4508. In early 1952 RCA released "Rockin Daddy-O" and "Why Don't I?" on 4662. In 1952 "There Is Time" and "It's O.K. With Me" was released on 4849. This was the last RCA release by The Heartbreakers.In early 1953 the group broke up with Lawrence Tate and William Ross joining a group called The Griffins who recorded for Mercury, and Bobby Evans and Fred Holmes formed a vocal group called The Topps who recorded for Red Robin Records in New York. The Heartbreakers descended into obscurity until the early nineteen seventies when vocal group aficionado Les Moss started Roadhouse Records, a small collector oriented label that released six 45's by the group including a live cut of their signature tune "Heartbreaker" from an appearance at the Howard Theater in D.C. in 1952. Roadhouse also issued an album of the Heartbreakers containing some of the RCA unreleased sides by the group.

Songs :

    
There Is Time                                      Why Don't I

      
    Wanda                                   You're So Necessary To Me

 ;;;

Barbara Mercer

The Sty-Letts (Detroit)

Personnel :

Ester Lee (Lead)

Lois Hobbs (First Soprano)

Barbara Mercer (Second Soprano)

Patricia (Pat) Richardson (Alto)

Discography :

The Sty-Letts
1962 - Hello My Darling / To Too Far To Turn Around (Pillar 515)

Sandy & The Sty-Letts
1963 - I've Got Two Loves / Wishing Star (Rem 101)

Biography :

Vocal group from Detroit The Sty-Letts were composed by Ester Lee (Lead), Lois Hobbs (First Soprano), Barbara Mercer (Second Soprano) and Patricia (Pat) Richardson. (alto). In 1962, They recorded  "Hello My Darling" b/w "To Too Far To Turn Around" ( Pillar # 515 ) Written and produced by Dorothy Pierce. The next year, the group recorded "I've Got Two Loves" b/w "Wishing Star", both written by Dorothy Pierce as Sandy & The Sty-Letts on Rem Records which was also in Detroit. After a brief time in the group, Barbara signed with Golden World where she released three singles in 1965, Her 1967 recording of "Call On Me" recorded on the Sidra label was picked up by Capitol records for national distribution.

Songs :

The Sty-Letts

  
    Hello My Darling                          Too Far To Turn Around

Sandy & The Sty-Letts


 I've Got Two Loves

...

Sonny Edwards  bb The Spirals (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel:

Sonny Edwards (Edward Romano Jr) (Lead)

The Spirals

Discography :

1962 - Toy Balloon / This Time I'm Gonna Cry (Cevetone 508)
1963 - Soapy Duck And The Wiggle Wobble / I Love You Tenderly (Cevetone 516)
1964 - Make The Teardrops Go Away / Hand Full Of Tears (Cheer 1007)

Biography :

Sonny Edwards, 18, was still in grade school when he left Jersey City. His name was not Sonny Edwards, He was just Edward Romano Jr. a boy whose young voice was a welcome addition to his church choir. Edwards syartet singing professionally at the age of 13 when he and some friends at his Brooklyn high School formed a vocal group named the Spirals. He stayed with the group until 1962, when they broke up.

Sonny has been living with his parents in Brooklyn. Sonny's Manager, John Cevetello (owner of Cevetone Records in Jersey city) live and works here. Sonny Edwards recorded Three Records and have many appearance. His biggest success includes "Toy Balloon" b/w "This Time I'm Gonna Cry", two songs he wrote himself, on the Cevetone Label. The group backing him were his friends from his old group in Bensonhurst , The Spirals.

Songs :

  
          Toy Balloon                               This Time I'm Gonna Cry 

  
I Love You Tenderly                            Hand Full Of Tears

...

Rick Russell

Rick Russel bb The Del Satins (Levittown, PA.)


Personnel :

Rick Russel (Lead)
The Del Satins
Stan Ziska
Fred Ferrara
Tom Ferrara
Leslie Cauchi
Keith Koestner

 Discography :

1963 - My Angel / It's Time To Cry (Poplar 120)

Biography :

In 1963, 18-vear-old Rick Russell of Levittown, hoping to make it to the big time as a singer and songwriter. This teenager's biggest message is: “When vou feel like you just want to die, it's time to cry” from his song, “It's Time to Cry. "Graduate of Plainedge High School, Rick have singing from long time, and his high school vears gave him plenty of practice., he started plaving the guitar in 1959.

The Del Satins

He cut the disc when he was still Richard Gennari of 248 Wantagh Ave. Levittown, But when he cut the disc at Poplar records in New York, his name read Rick Russell. Poplar, founded in New York City in 1962 by Stan Soifer, generally featured doo wop-styled groups, but backed them with often surprisingly sharp early rock arrangements that avoided being derivative by adding in little percussion touches, unusual basslines, and touches of horns. For this recording, Stan calls on one of the best vocal groups in New York: The Del Satins. The result is "My Angel" and "It's Time To Cry". Unfortunately the success is not there and Rick will not return to the studio.

Songs :

  
My Angel                                     It's Time To Cry

...

The Moniques (1) (Trenton, NJ)

Personnel :

Robert Fletcher

Sandy Williams

Frank Billups

Gerry Billups

Discography  :

1962 - Hey Girl  / Goin' Down To Birdland (Benn-X55)
1962 - Love So Wonderful / Teach Me How To Dance (Benn-X58)

Biography :

In the 1960s, musician-producer-songwriters Frank Bendinelli and Leroy Lovett formed a production company, Ben-Lee Music, that generated tracks that were leased to other labels, as well as sides that were put out on their own small Philadelphia labels, like Benn-X and Sonata. The Moniques cut their two singles on Benn-X. 

Songs :


        
                           Hey Girl                               Goin' Down To Birdland               
        

    
           Love So Wonderful                  Teach Me How To Dance   

 ...