The Chanteers (West Palm Beach, Florida)

Personnel :

John "J.P." Robinson (Lead)

Berdell Macon

Levon Kinsey

Joe Fisher

Discography :

1960/61 - Jungle Twist / The Life Of Pepe Lococo (?)
1962 - She's Coming Home / Mr. Zebra (Mercury 71979)
1962 - I Waited / Just A Little Boy (Mercury 72037)

Biography :

Early in 1958 John Robinson began his music career with the R&B group The Chanteers. This Vocal group from Roosevelt Senior high school, West Palm Peach, Florida, including J.P. Robinson, Berdell Macon, Levon Kinsey and Joe Fisher (future south florida disc jockey, who would later bring Robinson to the attention of Henry Stone). The chanteers playing gigs in many club around Miami. It states (in the ad) that the Chanteers were already a 'recording act' back in 1958 though the 1st 45 by the group was titled "Jungle Twist" and so dates from 1960 or 1961.

The group later signed a recording contract for Mercury records and cut two singles in 1962.. Three Years later, in 1965, John Robinson with Victor Kerr cut one single as "Vick & John". John Robinson would later launch a solo career that spawned through the early 1970's recording as J.P. Robinson.

Songs :

         
             She's Coming Home                                Mr. Zebra                        

   
  I Waited                                         Just A Little Boy

...

Miss Mary Grace (right)

The Three Graces ( New York)

Personnel

Mary Grace Bookhart

?

?

Discography :

Singles :
1958 - X Equals Kiss / Jimmy Joe (Golden Crest 515)
1959 - Billy Boy's Time / Lonesome And Sorry (Golden Crest 528)
1960 - Missed / 7 L  (Golden Crest 534)
1960 - Larry Applebaum / My Hero (Golden Crest 546)

Eps :
The Three Graces / The Wailers (Golden Crest 88601 / 88602)
Billy Boys' Tune / 7 L / Tall Cool One / Road Runner

Biography :

The Three Graces from New York City, were composed of Mary Grace Bookhart and two other unidentified young ladies. They recorded four singles for Golden Crest. Golden Crest was a Long Island label owned Clark Galehouse who also owned the Shelley pressing plant, makers of mostly styrene pressings. The Three Graces  had a radio turntable hit with “Billy Boy’s Tune”  which snuck in at No.100 in Cash Box national chart for two weeks in late summer 1959. Subtitled "Billy Boy's Funeral March" is a song with a wild guitar solo in the middle, sung by a group of three girls from different vocal backgrounds - classical, theatre and pop.

When reviewed in the summer of '59, Billboard called it "a sharp reading of a first class piece of material." The reviewer predicted heavy sales which never happened and this exceptional song was soon forgotten. The single was originally issued as "Billy Boy's Funeral March" and the all three gals were brunettes. The single was retitled "Billy Boy's Tune" with the same 3 brunettes and echo was added to the musical mix . Somewhere along it's life, the middle gal was replaced with a blonde and the label was changed!


Songs :

  
Missed                                       X Equals Kiss

  
Lonesome And Sorry                                     7 L          

Larry Applebaum

...

(paste-up picture) Top : Jesse Belvin. Bottom : Bobby Day & Earl Nelson

The Searchers (1) (Watts, Los Angeles)
aka The Hollywood Flames aka ....

Personnel :

Bobby Byrd "Bobby Day" (Lead)

Earl Nelson  (Tenor)

Jesse Belvin

Discography :

1958 - Wow-Wow Baby / Ooo-Wee (Class 223)

Biography :

According to Class & Rendezvous Vocal Groups, The Searchers were another spin-off from the Hollywood Flames. We do not know their full lineup but it appears to have included artists including Bobby Day and Earl Nelson (who always seemed to be in the Class recording studio for one reason or another) and Jesse Belvin. The two sides of their only single, "Wow-Wow Baby” / "Ooo Wee”’ (Class 223), have similar titles and energy. The beginning of "Wow-Wow Baby” is explosive while “Ooo Wee" sounds a lot like "Over And Over" by Bobby Day and the Satellites, issued on Class 229 during the same time period.

Songs :

  
Wow-Wow Baby                                          Ooo-Wee    


...

Left to right : Paul O' Connor, Keith Gwillians, Wes Clanahan, Dan Bowers and Kenton Kidd.
 

The Continentals (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Personnel :

Paul O' Connor (Lead)

Keith Gwillians

Wes Clanahan

Dan Bowers

Kenton Kidd

Biography :

Vocal Group from Oklahoma City composed by Paul O' Connor, Keith Gwillians, Wes Clanahan, Dan Bowers and Kenton Kidd. The group was managed  by Venita Cravens who brought all of the big shows to Oklahoma City? and who promised them they would be on all the major shows. The Continentals warmed up the audience for many big-name stars such as the Four Preps, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, the Platters and Ricky Nelson. The group will be content with covers and will never record songs.

...

The Cousins (3) (New Jersey)

Personnel :

Billy Hayes

Kevin Barry

Tom Gindhart

Bill Uhr

Discography :

1958 - I'm In Love With You (I Am) / Be Nice To Me (Decca 30609)

Biography :

Very little information on this group. The Cousins were a Vocal and Instrumental group from New Jersey composed by Billy Hayes, Kevin Barry, Tom Gindhart and Bill Uhr.

The group will only have one single released by Decca with "I'm In Love With You (I Am)" and "Be Nice To Me", both composed by the members of the group. The Cousins performed locally for two years before disbanding.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
   Be Nice To Me                                 I'm In Love With You

...