The Nite Lites                                                                                         Nick Massi                                         

Nickie & The Nite Lites (New Jersey)

Personnel :

Nicholas E. Macioci "Nick Massi" (Lead)

Bobby Swain (Accordion)

Pete Perry (Sax)

Pat Marra (Guitar)

Discography :

1959 - Tell Me You Care / I’m Lonely (Brunswick 55155)

Biography :

Nick Massi was an original member of the Four Seasons (performing on some of the band's biggest hits, such as "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like a Man," and "Rag Doll"), supplying the bass vocal parts and helping arrange the band's trademark vocal arrangements.

Born Nicholas Macioci in Newark, NJ, on September 19, 1927, Massi honed his singing skills with several bands during his teenage years, before hooking up with the great Frankie Valli in a local band called the Hollywood Playboys. In 1959, Nick Massi had been lead singer of a vocal & instrumental group named Nickie & The Nite Lites. The group recorded "Tell Me You Care" and "I’m Lonely" released on Brunswick.

Songs :


Tell Me You Care / I’m Lonely




…

Cal Waymon and Carl Gilbert

The Shamans (Los Angeles, Ca)

Personnel :

Cal Waymon "Waymon Cal" (Baritone, Lead)

Carl Gilbert (Tenor)

Daniel Deroin (Tenor)

Jesse Godfred James (Bass)

Cornelius Rose (Tenor)

Discography :

1959 - Valley Of Tears / Shubby Dubby Doo (Kayham KM 1/2)
1960 - Southern California / I'll Wait Forever (Kayham KM 3/4)

Biography :

The Incredibles were a Los Angeles based quartet (two guys, two girls) who were comprised of Cal Waymon, Denise Erwin, Carl Gilbert, and Jean Smith. The group was a highly regarded club act who also served as an opening act for the Four Tops on frequent live appearances. "I'll Make It Easy" was written by Cal Waymon and released on the Audio Arts label, entering the Billboard chart in October of 1966 and peaking at #39.

    
                                                                                                        The Incredibles with Cal Waymon and Carl Gilbert

Before this small success under the name of the Incredibles, Cal Waymon and Carl Gilbert have formed a vocal group called the "Shamans" in 1959. This five man singing group from Los Angeles were composed by Cal Waymon "Waymon Cal" (Baritone, Lead), Carl Gilbert (Tenor), Daniel Deroin (Tenor), Jesse Godfred James (Bass) and Cornelius Rose (Tenor). The Shamans have two records in 1959 and 1960 on the Kayham label owned by Harry A. Mitchell and Kenneth Yeager.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

  
Valley Of Tears / Shubby Dubby Doo                  I'll Wait Forever                

Southern California

...

(L to R) Alvin H. Brandon, Billy Lee, Joseph Raguso, Richie Pettagano and Paul Fernandez

The Bell-Tones (Yonkers, New York)
aka Belltones (2)

Personnel :

Alvin H. Brandon (lead)

Paul Fernandez

Billy Lee

Richie Pettagano

Joseph Raguso

Discography :

The Bell-Tones
1958 - The Merrengue / I Love You  (Scatt 1609/1610)

The Belltones (2)
1958 - The Merrengue / I Love You  (J&S 1609/1610)

Biography :

Zelma "Zell" Sanders is a Bronx-based songwriter and producer who owned and operated J&S, Dice, Scatt, Zell's and other record labels. A powerful matriarch, she controlled her recording artists, sometimes firing them on the spot if they broke her rules. Before entering the record business she was employed as a security guard, while writing songs on the side. She was working for the Police Athletic League in Harlem's 23rd Precinct. She saw the talent; it was there on the street. They all got to know Zell as the lady who went around grabbing groups. "Do you sing?", she'd ask them. "Come on up to my house." Zelma Sanders also had a particular fondness for female singers.

  
                                                                                                              Zelma "Zell" Sanders

In 1958, Zelma Sanders managed The Bell-Tones and wrote two songs for them, "The Merrengue" and "I Love You". The vocal group from Yonkers High School consists of Alvin H. Brandon, Paul Fernandez, Billy Lee, Richie Pettagano and Joseph Raguso. Before the release of their record, The boys have appeared at local dance spots, on television in Washington. D.C. and have made an Army show at Fort Belvoir, Va. Zell Sanders’ Scatt label released the single in April 1958, before one of her other labels, J&S, did the same shortly after, but under the name Belltones.

Songs :

  
   I Love You                                       The Merrengue

...

The Three Kings (McKeesport, Pa)

Personnel :

Larry Coccia

Bernie Baczowski

Tony Baczowski

Discography :

1958 - Sweet Baby / Summer Rain (Willett 305)

Biography :

Vocal and instrumental group, the Three Kings from McKeesport are Larry Coccia, 20; Bernie Baczowski,19; and Bernie's. brother, Tony, 17. Tony is a trumpeter with the McKeesport High School orchestra. Larry plays a mean guitar and Bernie the accordion. In 1958, Elmer Willett, who operates the Vogue Terrace night-club in East McKeesport with Tom McCune, is so sold on the Three Kings that he arranged for their platter debut.

When it's released, The disc was so successful that the local dee-jays have been hopping on to the record. One side is “Summer Rain,” which was composed by Jay Michael, the WCAE deejay, Lennie Martin and Walter Myer. The flip side features “Sweet Baby” by Pat Ballard. Their first platter was such a success local that Willett plans to wax another two sides in the next month. Unfortunately, the plan for a new single will never see the light of day.


Songs :


Sweet Baby


...

The Cobras (1) (Pasadena, CA)

Personnel :

Otis Lee (lead Tenor)

Nate Lee (bass)

Jimmy Randell (Tenor/Baritone)

Discography :

1955 - Cindy / I Will Return (Modern 964)

Biography :

The Cobras had formed around 1952 as group of neighborhood friends. Otis Lee was the tenor lead, joined by his brother Nate (bass) and Jimmy Randell (tenor/baritone). There was a fourth slot in the group, but it changed so often, that they doesn't remember the name of a single guy who filled it. They sang together for a couple of years

The Group were a fine vocal group who had just one release - "Sindy" aka "Cindy’ / "I Wil lReturn" on Modern 964 in August 1955. Their cover of the West Coast favourite "Sindy" followed the original, written and recorded by Squires (Mambo 105), and another version by the Tenderfoots (Federal 12228). In spite of being released (and advertised) with two different spellings, the Cobras' rendering didn't significantly rival the airplay and sales of the Squires.
https://www.uncamarvy.com/Dukes/dukes.html

Songs :

  
Cindy                                          I Will Return

...