Mel Sasso, Rochell Henderson, Johnny Wyatt and T.C. Henderson

Rochell & The Candles (1) (Los Angeles, California)
 (By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel:

Rochell Henderson (Lead & Tenor)

Johnny Wyatt (Lead & First Tenor)

Mel Sasso (Tenor)

T.C. Henderson (Bass)

 

Discography

Rochell & The Candles (1)
1960 - Once Upon A Time / When My Baby Is Gone (Swingin' 623)
1961 - Hey, Pretty Baby / So Far Away (Swingin' 634)
1962 - Beg Of My Heart / Squat With Me Baby (Swingin' 640)
1962 - Each Night / Turn Her Down (Challenge 9158)
1963 - Big Boy Pete / A Long Time Ago (Swingin' 652)
1963 - Let's Run Away And Get Married / Annie's Not An Orphan Anymore (Challenge 9191)

Johnny Wyatt (& Group)
1963 - One Night With You / Goodnight (Swingin' 643)
 

Biography

The curiously named Rochell and the Candles were an all-male black vocal group, formed in 1958 in Los Angeles, by Rochell Henderson (lead and tenor), Johnny Wyatt (lead and first tenor), Mel Sasso (tenor) and T.C. Henderson (bass). The two Hendersons were not related, but both came originally from Louisiana. Wyatt was a Texan and only Sasso was an L.A. kid. The foursome played clubs until they had enough original material to record.

Four tracks were recorded in the backyard studio of Ted Brinson (a professional bass player who can be heard on most of Larry Williams's early Specialty recordings) in Watts, where at least two major 1950s hits had been recorded, "Earth Angel" by the Penguins and "Western Movies" by the Olympics. The group took their demos to Hunter Hancock of KGFJ, then one of the hottest R&B deejays in L.A. Hancock had started his own label, Swingin' Records in 1959 and scored a hit with "There Is Something On Your Mind" by Big Jay McNeely. 

Hancock tested out their song "Once Upon A Time" on his show by playing their acetate and the studio phones started ringing immediately. Released in October 1960 on Swingin' 623, "Once Upon A Time" slipped into Billboard's Hot 100 in February 1961, eventually reaching # 26. The feminine sounding lead on this doowop number was by Johnny Wyatt. The record was not in keeping with the group's image : not only was Rochell not the lead, "Rochell" wasn't even a girl. The group got plenty of work out of their hit, but when both follow-ups flopped, the group switched to the Challenge label in 1962.

  
Rochell Henderson                                                                                   Johnny Wyatt

On "Every Night" they were backed by the Champs, but this ballad didn't sell either, in spite of a good Billboard review. Their best record came in 1963, but it never stood a chance, as it was not even the A-side. "Annie's Not An Orphan Anymore" (Challenge 9191, written by Dave Burgess of the Champs) was a mid-tempo rocker that confounded its 1963 release date by harking back to an earlier era, with a "fat" sax sound. It was co-produced by Gary Usher and Mike Borchetta.

  
T.C. Henderson, Rochell Henderson, Johnny Wyatt,                                                                               Johnny Wyatt

The A-side was what you could call a proto-funk recording, "Let's Run Away And Get Married", that crashed on takeoff. Four older cuts were released in 1963 on two singles, including an odd arrangement of "Big Boy Pete", before the Candles were snuffed out. Johnny Wyatt went on to record as a solo vocalist and had releases on Challenge, Magnum and Bronco. Jay Warner writes in his otherwise excellent Billboard book of American singing groups (1992) that he was the leader of the soul group Johnny and the Expresions, but that was Johnny Matthews. Johnny Wyatt died in December 1983 at the age of 45. Rochell and the Candles were a typical one-hit wonder group with an atypical image. 
Dik (Black Cat Rockabilly Europe)
http://www.doowopy.de/old/02page/C/eCandles.html - http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/jwyatt.htm
http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/rochell_and_the_candles.htm

Songs :

Rochell & The Candles (1)

        
Once Upon A Time                  Beg Of My Heart               When My Baby Is Gone

      
A Long Time Ago                     So Far Away                    Hey, Pretty Baby

       
One Night With You                    Each Night                     Big Boy Pete

        
Lets Run Away And Get Married            Annie's Not An Orphan Anymore               Squat With Me Baby

Johnny Wyatt (& Group)

  
One Night With You                      Goodnight

...

The Enchantments (1960)

The Enchantments (5) (Queens, N.Y.)

Personnel :

Tom DeSantis

Joey Ciarnelli

Discography :

Single :
1960 - ??? (Variety Records)
1960 - ??? (Liberty Records)
1979 - I Could Never Love Another / Good Old Acappella (Rogue 1001)

Lp :
1979 - The Enchantments Present Acappella (Rogue 1000)

Biography :

Tom DeSantis was born and raised on Doowop in Queens, N.Y.  Tommy started singing in the subways and hallways in 1958 with a group of local kids called The Velveteens composed by  Tommy DeSantis (Baritone), John Colwell (First Tenor), Ray Sharpe (Lead) and Jerry Garramone (Second Tenor). In late 1959 Tommy left the group to start a new group called The Enchantments recording for Variety, and Liberty records in the early 60's. Unfortunately, impossible to find these singles, maybe that they have never been released. After a short breakup of the original Enchantments they reformed in 1970.  The group performed, and toured throughout the 1970's until Tommy moved to S.W. Fla in 1979.

   
The Velveteens (1959)                                                                        The Enchantments (1969)            

With Sal Cangialosi (Lead), John Mannino (First Tenor), Moe Ferrari (Second Tenor), Tom de Santis (Baritone) and Frank Amico (Bass), The New Enchatments recorded two songs on the Rogue record label "I Could Never Love Another" b/w "Good Old Acappella" and a LP "The Enchantments Present Acappella". In 1984 the birth of a group known as 'City Streets' occurred after two years and a few member changes the group name became 'The Uptown Express'.

Songs :


Good Old Acappella





...

The Diadems (Pittsburgh, Pa)
aka The Torches aka The Rhythm Rascals

Personnel :

Cleveland "Butch" Martin (Lead)

Earl Thompson (First Tenor)

Robert Thompson (Second Tenor)

Jerry Hill (Baritone)

Jimmy Mitchell (Bass)

Discography :

The Diadems
1961 - What More Is There To Say / Ala Vevo (LaVere 187)
1963 - Why Don't You Believe Me? / Yes I Love You Baby  (Star  514)
1964 -  I'll Do Anything / Goodnight Irene (Goldie  715)

Jerry Hilton & The Diadems
1964 - Dancing On Moonbeams / My Little Darling (Goodie 207)

The Torches
1965 - Darn Your Love / No I Won't (Ring-O 302)

The Rhythm Rascals
1965 - Why Do You Have To Go / Girl By My Side (Sonic 117)

Biography :

The Diadems got together as a gang of ten Homewood pre-teens in 1953, organized by Cleveland "Butch" Martin (who was blind, though it never hindered his ability to sing or write a song) and Earl Thompson. They called themselves the E l Moroccos.In 1956, the core of the act formed up. Martin was the lead, and was backed by Earl Thompson (first tenor), Jerry Hill (baritone), Alvin Allsberry, Gerald Johnson and Arlene Gore. Allsberry and Johnson left in 1958, and Gore in 1959. They were replaced in the lineup by bass Jimmy Mitchell and Earl's brother Robert, a second tenor that was singing with the LaRells. The revamped group renamed themselves the Countdowns.

They didn't find any angel to back them in Pittsburgh as far as a recording deal went, so they motored to the Big Apple  in 1960 and met up with Teacho Wiltshire, of the Tin Pan Alley label. They did a demo of a Top Notes song called "Shake It Up Baby," and Wiltshire wanted them to stay in NYC to record it. But the boys were grown up now, and headed back to Pittsburgh, where their girls were.

Can't beat that home cookin'! They became the Diadems, and recorded "What More Is There To Say" b/w "Ala Vevo" in 1961 on LaVerve #187. Wiltshire didn't forget about them. He called and asked them to come back to New York to cover "Shake It Up Baby," but they were under contract to LaVerve and passed. The Isley Brothers didn't; they recorded the tune as "Twist And Shout." They were that close.

The following year, they signed on with Joe Averbach's Fee Bee label, and released some wax for his affiliates. "Why Don't You Believe Me?" b/w "Yes I Love You Baby," (Star #514), written by the group, was released in 1963, and "Dancing On Moonbeams" b/w "My Little Darling," was issued on Goodie #207 in 1964, with Jerry Hilton on lead.The Diadems quickly followed with the doo-wop Martin-Thompson song "I'll Do Anything" b/w "Goodnight Irene" (Goldie #715) the same year. Buddy Sharpe and the Shakers, local rockabilly legends, provided the musical track behind them. That was the last hurrah for the Diadems. Jimmy Mitchell took ill, and the group disbanded for a bit. They came back as the Torches in 1965, and became the Rhythm Rascals in 1966,
http://oldmonmusic.blogspot.fr/search/label/diadems

Songs :

The Diadems

    
What More Is There To Say               Why Don't You Believe Me

    
I'll Do Anything                      Yes I Love You Baby

   
Goodnight Irene                                    Ala Vevo

Jerry Hilton & The Diadems

     
My Little Darling                                 Dancing On Moonbeams 

The Torches

    
Darn Your Love                               No I Won't

The Rhythm Rascals

  
Why Do You Have                      To GoGirl By My Side

...

Jimmy Soul


Rudy & The Tradewinds (2) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka Jimmy & The Slanders

Personnel :

Rudy Jackson (Lead)

Tommy Pellechia (Baritone/Second Tenor)

Sammy Marotta (Bass/Baritone)

Richie Soriano (First & Second Tenor)

Adolfo Altreche (Bass)





Discography :

Rudy & The Tradewinds (2)
1962 - Unemployed / Careless Love (Angletone 543)

Jimmy & The Slanders
1962 - Rock'in Santa / Respectable (by The Chants) (U.W.R.4243)




Biography :

Rudy From The Tradewinds was Rudy Jackson & was Jimmy Soul's brother in law (If You Wanna Be Happy for the Rest of Your Life) and so before Jimmy went to Motown, he was a member of The group. They were called Little Sugar and the Slanders. Rudy and Jimmy lived on St John's Place, between 5th and 6th Ave, in Brooklyn. At this time the group was composed by jimmy Soul, Rudy Jackson , Tommy Pellechia, Sammy Marotta & Adolfo Altreche. Richie Soriano was not part of the group then. They did local gigs for the area's gangsters. Jimmy Soul was the main lead. After one meager paying gig, Jimmy Soul ran off with the money; the next thing they knew he was in Detroit.

In 1959/60, They changed their name then to Rudy and the Tradewinds, Richie Soriano joined the group, and Rudy took lead singer. The members: one black, three Italians, one Puerto Rican, in the order below. Rudy Jackson (Lead), Thomas Pellechia (Baritone/Second Tenor), Sammy Marotta (Bass/Baritone), Richie Soriano (First & Second Tenor) and Adolfo Altreche (Bass). In 1959, Sammy, Richie, Adolpho, and Tommy grew up on Sackett Street, between 4th and 5th Ave, in Brooklyn. 

  
                                                                                                          Jimmy Soul

In 1962, Sammy Marotta worked in downtown Manhattan with two guys who sang in a group called the Del Satins. From there, they were invited to audition for Jim Gribble  in 1650 Broadway. He referred the group to Angeltone Records. They recorded "Careless Love" & "Unemployed". Both sides were done in one long afternoon session. They sang at the Apollo, Palisade Park with Cousin Bruce, the Savoy, and Lenox Hill.The group broke up about 1964. They weren't going anywhere. Surprisingly in 1962, U.W.R. (United Wolrd Records) in New York released "Rock'in Santa" by Jimmy & The Slanders (A Soul Production) b/w « Respectable" by The Chants. Tt's probably a recording of the Slanders before jimmy leaves it.





Songs:

Rudy & The Tradewinds (2)

  
Unemployed                                     Careless Love







…

 The Stylemasters  (Omaha's Central High School, Nebraska)
aka The Bachelors (6)

Personnel:

Rich Hansen

Dick Mueller

Bill Snyder

Bob Larsen

Discography

The Stylemasters
1957 - I Want A Sweetheart / Cutie Of The Kitten Crowd (Foremost 111)
1958 - The Chapel / Did You Ever See A Dream Walking (Capitol 3936)
1958 - Hawaiian Sea Breeze / Those Nights (Capitol 3987)
1958 - You're A Sweetheart / Carolina In The Morning (Capitol 4076)

The Bachelors (6)
1960 - The Bachelors' Club / Do The Madison (Epic 9369)

Biography :

Vocal group from Omaha's Central high school, Nebraska composed by Rich Hansen, Dick Mueller, Bill Snyder, and Bob Larsen. The lads started singing as a quartet in Omaha's Central high school in 1952. The Stylemasters made 'their debut at Centritl's '55 Road Show. Following an engagement on Arthur Godfrey's television program in 1957, they are rapidly becoming popular as entertainers in night spots, Clubs all over the country and beyond.

The Stylemasters have sung in Sun Valley, Las Vegas and on teleVIsion shows in Los 'Angeles. The foursome played a two-week stand  at Eddy's nightclub in Kansas City and the Quartet signed a record contract with Foremost Records in Kansas City where they recorded their first single, "I Want A Sweetheart" b/w "Cutie Of The Kitten Crowd."

The next year, the Quartet signed  with Capitol Records in Hollywood. In 1958, They recorded three singles for Capitol: "The Chapel" b/w "Did You Ever See A Dream Walking", "Hawaiian Sea Breeze" b/w "Those Nights" and "You're A Sweetheart" b/w "Carolina In The Morning".

In 1960 in New York, Epic Records has signed The Stylemasters as the result of a recent nationwide talent search, by Charles Sagle, co-director of popular A&R. Mr. Sagle heard The Stylemasters in Omaha, where the four young men are featured vocalists with the United States Army Band. With eleven more months to go before completing their enlistment, Sagle goes to Washington to get permission from the Army to sign the quartet.

  
 Epic renames them The Bachelors and the group recorded one single for Epic Records, "The Bachelors' Club" b/w "Do The Madison". Because they changed their name to The Bachelors, strangly enough, shortly thereafter everyone started with 'the marriage thing'.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Bachelors (6)

Do The Madison / The Bachelors' Club

...