The Desires (5) (New Haven, CT.)

Personnel :

"Tootsie" Cannon

Maxine McNeil

Joan Smith

Ella Smith

Esther Peeples

Josephine Ross

Discography :

1958 - Cold Lonely Heart / Bobby You (Herald 532)

Biography :

This female vocal Group from New Haven, CT.recorded two magnificent balads which recall the harmonies and the arrangements of the Five Satins. Precisely, it's because it's Fred Parris who Written and produced the group that's these melodies are so familiar. Fred Parris sometimes published under the name Andre Scott.

  
                                                                                                             Fred Parris

Under this pseudonym, the same year he composed for Fred Parris And The Satins "A Night To Remember " and "Senorita Lolita" and in 1961 for the New Yorkers (aka the Five Satins), "Dream A Little Dream" and "Miss Fine". The Desires consisted of "Tootsie" Cannon, Maxine McNeil (sister of Leroy McNeil of the Nutmegs), Joan Smith, Ella Smith, Esther Peeples (sister of Lou Peeples of the Five Satins), and Josephine Ross.


Songs :

  
Cold Lonely Heart                                  Bobby You     

...

Thanks to Marv Goldberg

Jimmy Barnes & The Gibraltars (Newark, New Jersey)
aka The Gibralters

Personnel :

Jimmy Barnes (Lead)

The Gibraltars ???

Discography :

Jimmy Barnes bb The Gibralters
1958 - No Regrets / Keep Your Love Handy (Gibraltar 101)

Jimmy Barnes & The Gibraltars
1958 - Be Careful With My Love / I Need You So Much  (Gibraltar 102)
1958 - Don't Let Nothing Stand In Your Way / Love Made Me A Fool (Gibraltar 106)

Jimmy Barnes & The Gibralters
Singles :
1959 - Our Wedding Day / Crying Cause I lost  (Savoy 1581)
Unreleased :
1959 - Stand By Me (Savoy)
1959 - No More In Life (Savoy)

Jimmy Barnes
1959 - Don't Be Mad With Me / You Thrill Me So Much ((Savoy 1590)

Nappy Brown & The Gibralters
1959 - My Baby Knows / Down In The Alley (Savoy 1582)

Biography :

Jimmy Barnes lived in Newark, New Jersey and was a former member of the Jubalaires, a best known gospel singing group. In early 1958, Jimmy Barnes fronted a singing quartet composed of him, another guy and two females  called "The Gilbraltars" sometimes misspelled "Gibralters". At the end of 1958, Jimmy Barnes and the Gibraltars waxed "No Regrets" on the Gibraltar Label. "No Regrets ", a Feb-March 1959 classic R&B swaying ballad written by Otis Blackwell took to # 14 R&B and also had it cross over to the Billboard Pop Hot 100 at # 90. The Single released under the name of Jimmy Barnes (the group is not mentioned )

The Single came out on a tiny East Orange, New Jersey label called Gibraltar Records (Gibraltar 101 b/w Keep Your Love Handy, also written by Blackwell along with Billy Dawn) that likely had zero promotional funding and (except the Gibralters) which appears to have released just one other single - Sweetpea's In Love (written by Luther Dixon b/w another Blackwell tune, A Love For Only You by The Stereos.) Gibraltar Records and Gibraltar Music Co. Inc were owned by Bill Harrington (William Owen Harrington) and operated from at least four diferent NY and NJ addresses over the years.  

Building on this first success, the group was at the Apollo Theater the week of March 6, 1959 and at the Blue Angel Ballroom (Indiana, Pennsylvania) on November 28, 1959. Jimmy Barnes and the Gibraltars only ever released 2 more singles on the label - "Be Careful With My Love" b/w "I Need You So Much" and "Don't Let Nothing Stand In Your Way" b/w "Love Made Me A Fool" both as Jimmy Barnes & The Gibraltars.

It would appear Gibraltar had some connection to Savoy Records and Otis Blackwell. In early 1960, Savoy released "Crying Cause I Lost" b/w Our Wedding Day (billed as Jimmy Barnes & The Gibralters). The group billed as the Gibraltars backed Nappy Brown on "My Baby Knows" b/w "Down In The Alley" (Savoy 1582).



Songs :

Jimmy Barnes & The Gibralta(e)rs

  
      No Regrets                               Keep Your Love Handy

  
Be Careful With My Love                   I Need You So Much   

  
Don't Let Nothing Stand In Your Way             Love Made Me A Fool        

  
Our Wedding Day                            Crying Cause I lost


Nappy Brown & The Gibralters

  
My Baby Knows                            Down In The Alley


Jimmy Barnes


You Thrill Me So Much

...

The Four Graduates (1966)

The Four Graduates (1) (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Personnel :

Tony "Junior" Talotti (Lead)

Al Capuano (Second Tenor)

Joe Mehl (Baritone)

Bobby Loscano (Bass)

Discography :
Singles :
1962 - Lisa / Something In The Air (Benn-X 51)
1963 - Miracles / She Loves Me For My Self (Champ 3469)
Unreleased :
1962 - Happy Tears (Benn-X)

Biography :

The Four Graduates formed in South Philadelphia in 1959. The members are First Tenor/Lead: Tony "Junior" Talotti, Second Tenor: Al Capuano, Baritone: Joe Mehl, and Bass: Bobby Loscano. They were produced for almost their entire career by Leroy Lovett. 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 Four Graduates recorded a handful of things ; "Lisa" b/w "Something In The Air " for Benn-X, however, except for this and one release on Champ in 1963 ("Miracles" b/w "She Loves Me For Myself"), none were released. The group was specialising in concert and Night Club entertainment and disbanded at the end of 60s following the untimely death of their lead singer.

Songs :

  
Something In The Air                                    Lisa                 


She Loves Me For My Self


...

Joseph Sovathy, Julie Matthews, William Matthews, Robert Park and Geno

Geno & The Encores (2) (Finderne, New Jersey)

Personnel :

Eugene "Geno" Viscione (Lead)

William Matthews (Guitarist)

Julie Matthews (Bass)

Joseph Sovathy (Pianist)

Robert Park (Drummer)

Anthony Polnasek (Rhythm Guitarist)

John Rossi (Saxophonist)

Frank Fontinell (Saxophonist)

Disography :

Geno & The Encores (2)
1962 - Loves Encore / Fading Winds (The Encores) (WGW 3001)
1962 - Love Hidden Island / Gerry Gerry (Delree & The Encores) (WGW 3002)
1962 - Rita My Teenage Bride / Midnite Walk (The Encores)(Inst.)(WGW 3003)

Emil Spak & The Encores (2) (Vocal Background, The Plazas)
1962 - Stuck-Up / Hold-Up (Inst.) (WGW 3004)

Biography :

Eugene Geno Viscione got his first job in a barber shop in Somerville at 13, working there after school. He later worked full-time as a barber in Somerville and Manville, and in 1958 opened Geno's Barber Shop on Main street, Finderne. In Bound Brook, where he was born, he began singing when in the 6th grade at Lamont School. He made his debut as a singer on the stage of Somerville High School two years later.

  
Geno                                                                                                               Geno                

In 1959, Geno began assembling his recording band, most of the members also are parttime musicians who still earn their livings at other jobs. Lead Guitarist of the Encores is William Matthews, Mrs Julie Matthews, who with her husband teaches at East Brunswick Music Center, also belongs to the band and play Bass. The other member of the band are Joseph Sovathy, Pianist, who works at sears Roebuck, Newark, Robert Park , Drummer, an office worker in Newark, Anthony Polnasek, rhythm guitarist, John Rossi , Saxophonist, a school teacher in Somerset Conty and Frank Fontinell, also a saxophone player and a school teacher.

Frank Fontinell, Anthony Polnasek, William Matthews, Robert Park, Julie Matthews, Joseph Sovathy, John Rossi & Geno

The Encores, who practice in Keyport two nights each week, have concentrated on rehearsing and recording during their first year. Their four single will be released by the WGW label, owned and produced by Geno. Geno has written both songs on the Encores' first record : "Loves Encore" and "Fading Winds" and also is composer of  "Love Hidden Island" on their second backed by "Gerry Gerry" composed by Anthony Polnasek. On their third records Geno has written "Rita My Teenage Bride" and William Matthews "Midnite Walk". In a more rock & roll style "Stuck-Up" and "Hold-Up" an instrumental will be released under the name Emil Spak & The Encores.


Songs :

Geno & The Encores

  
Rita My Teenage Bride                          Loves Encore       

Emil Spak & The Encores

  
   Stuck-Up                                      Hold-Up (Inst.)

...

Norman (Otis) Richmond

The Perennials (Los Angeles, CA.)

Personnel :

James "Pee Wee" Faulkner (Lead)

Norman (Otis) Richmond  (First Tenor)

Charles Brinkley (Second Tenor)

Frank Harrison (Baritone)

Keenen Selico (Bass)

Discography :

1963 - I'm Yours Until The End / My Big Mistake (Ball 1016)

Biography :

Vocal Group of Teenagers from Los Angeles called the Perennials. The group consisted of Norman (Otis) Richmond (first tenor), Charles Brinkley (second tenor), Frank Harrison (baritone), Kenon Selico (bass) and William "Pee Wee" Flaunker (lead vocals). Three of the group were from Fremont High School and two were from Centennial High School. The Perennials use to sing songs on the corner in Los Angeles on the corners of Manchester and Avalon.

   
                             John & Ruth Dolphin                                      The M-M’s & The Peanuts : Willie Donell, Pat White, Norman  Richmond

In 1963, the Perennials recorded "I'm Yours Until The End" b/w "My Big Mistake" for Ruth Dolphin's Ball record label. The Perennials broke up before the end of 1963. Norman Richmond joined Pat White and Willie Donell. The trio formed  The M-M’s & The Peanuts and recorded three singles for Money Records.

Songs :

  
    My Big Mistake                            I'm Yours Until The End

...