The Rockers (2) (St. Louis)
aka  The Trojans (2)

Personnel :

Art Lassiter (Lead)

Douglas Martin

George Green

Murrey Green


Discography :

The Trojans (2)
1955 - As Long As I Have You / I Wanna Make Love To You (RPM 446)

The Rockers (2)
1956 - What Am I To Do / I’ll Die In Love With You (Federal 12267)
1956 - Down In The Bottom / Why Don’t You Believe (Federal 12273)
1957 - Tell Me Why / Count Every Star (Carter 3029)


Biography :

Lassiter was born in 1928 in North Carolina. His parents were cotton sharecroppers, and Lassiter began singing after joining his uncles' gospel group. At the age of 14, he moved to Newark, New Jersey to live with his mother who had moved there for work. While in Newark, Lassiter performed with the Jubilaires. Lassiter later joined the United States Army and served during the Korean War. After leaving active service, Lassiter returned to the United States. During a cross-country drive, he broke down in St. Louis. While there he sang at an amateur club night, and was given a permanent booking. He often sang covers of Ray Charles songs, and formed The Bel-Airs with brothers George and Murrey Green and Douglas Martin. By late 1955, the band renamed themselves The Trojans and recorded with RCA Records, backing Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm. The group backed Turner again the following February, this time on Federal Records under the name of The Rockers.

Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm

Turner offered Lassiter a place in his Rhythm Revue, where he subsequently met and worked with Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, and Albert Cook. In March 1960, Turner chose Lassiter to front the Kings of Rhythm. Lassiter's trio of backup singers — Robbie Montgomery, Frances Hodges, and Sandra Harding  were called The Artettes, and eventually formed the foundation of The Ikettes. Ike Turner wrote "A Fool in Love" specifically for Lassiter, but Lassiter failed to turn up to the song's recording session at the expensive Technosonic Studios in St Louis. Tina Turner—then going by the stage name Little Ann—knew the song from rehearsal sessions, and recorded a guide track to act as a demo. Lassiter's failure to appear for the session was around the time he had disagreements with Ike Turner over financial matters; he was soon no longer a member of the Rhythm Revue.



Songs :

The Trojans (2)

  
 As Long As I Have You                  I Wanna Make Love To You


The Rockers (2)

  
What Am I To Do                           Down In The Bottom

  
Tell Me Why                         Count Every Star

  
I’ll Die In Love With You                        Why Don’t You Believe
…

The Alma-Keys (Tarentum, PA)



Personnel :

James Mansfield Kemp (First Tenor)

Richard Hayden (Second Tenor)

Lloyd Daniel Hayden Jr. (Baritone)

William Kemp (Bass)

Roland Hayden (Lead / Baritone)



Discography :

The Alma-Keys
1962 - Please Come Back To Me / Jumpin Twist (Kiski 2056)

Tawni Sims bb The Alma-Keys
1962 - Goodbye My Love / Will You Please Be Mine (Kiski 2057)


Biography :

Vocal group composed by James Mansfield Kemp (first tenor vocals), Richard Hayden (second tenor vocals), Lloyd Daniel Hayden Jr. (baritone vocals), William Kemp (bass vocals), Roland Hayden (lead vocals, baritone vocals) from Tarentum, PA. backed by The Citations. Kiski Recording Companys "The Alma Keys" who cut a classic doo wop track at the studio backed with a great dance number back in February of 1962. The Alma-Keys were essentially a doo-wop group, and by 1962 interest in doo-wop music was on the wane. There was still plenty of interest in THE TWIST though, so the Alma-Keys recorded their own variation on it ("Jumpin' Twist") with some doo-wop vocal tendencies.

The story goes that Al Rearigh the owner of the company was driving through the Tarentum neighborhood one night and these guys were singing on a street corner. They were signed immediately and the 45 was cut and released Feb. 1962 Kiski 2056.. Lead singer Roland Hayden was a big football star at Tarentum HS and all members sang in the choir at the Bethel Methodist ? Church in Tarentum. Popular teen DJ on station WKPA in New Kensington Bob Livorio played both sides often on his Saturday afternoon shows.
 

 Songs : 
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Alma-Keys

    
Please Come Back To Me                               Jumpin Twist        

 Tawni Sims bb The Alma-Keys


Please Come Back To Me / Jumpin Twist

...

(L to R) Donna Henderson, Sarah Sparks & Sue Kinder

The T-Tones (Tazewell, Virginia)


Personnel :

Sue Kinder

Donna Henderson

Sarah Sparks


Discography :

Lanie Walker  & The T-Tones
1959 - Jumpin The Gun / Tonite I Walk Alone (Blue Hen 235)

Jimmy Kinder & The T-Tones
1959 - Hangover / Alone (Blue Hen 501)


Biography :

Vocal group from Tazewell High School in Virginia consisted of Donna Henderson, Sarah Sparks & Sue Kinder. The T-Tones signed in 1959 with Blue Hen Records as back up group for the label. Blue Hen Records was run by Sam Short in Harrington, DE. ably assisted by A&R man Hugh Lee Stevenson. He owned a grocery store and ran the label out of a part of the store.

     
Lanie Walker                                                                                     Jimmy Kinder        

Best known for his two rural rockabilly songs "No Use Knocking On My Door" and "Ennie Meenie Miney Mo" recorded in 1958, Rockabilly singer Lanie Walker recorded "Jumpin The Gun" b/w "Tonite I Walk Alone" with the T-Tones in mid’ 1959. The Same year, the group back up Sue’s brother Jimmy Kinder, 17-year-old Tazewell High school student on "Hangover" b/w "Alone". Jimmy had never planned on making singing a career until a recording talent scout heard of his vocal ability and signed him. immediately. The teenage group have made several personnel appearences to promote their disc.




Songs :

Lanie Walker & The T-Tones


Jumpin The Gun


…

The Emeralds (4) (Sterling Heights, Mi)


Personnel :

James Fischer (Soprano Lead)

Joe Barnett (Baritone)

Jeff Okun (Tenor)

Cubie Maddox (Bass)


Discography :

1959 - The Lover / Madamoiselle (Venus 1002)
1963 - Marsha / You're Driving Me Crazy  (Venus 1003)




Biography :

Four High School boys from Sterling Heights High School compose a quartet known as the Emeralds. Two sophomores, 15 year old Joe Barnett and sixteener Jeff Okun, and two juniors, 16 year old Cubie Maddox and seventeener James Fischer are the singers who working together since early 1958 . They attended the Southwestern Michigan Vocal festival at Western Michigan University as members of their choir, they were greatly applauded by almost 1300 attending students, and were commended for their fine harmonisation.

The Emeralds entertained frequently in town and in neighboring towns including such places as the boat Show, ’59, Queen Contest, ’59, Post Prom frolics, Bangor and South Haven talent Shows, school dances and at Wateryliet High School. They have appeared on Chicago Bandstand, at the Green Door Nightclub… They cut two records during the latter part of March 1959. Recorded by the Venus Record Company in Chicago were this four tunes: "The Lover", "Madamoiselle", "Marsha" and "You're Driving Me Crazy". All four are unique in that all written and arranged by the Emeralds themselves.



Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

  
The Lover                                         Madamoiselle

  
You're Driving Me Crazy                               Marsha         


…

(From Left) Linda, Sandra and Rus

The Lakewoods (Lakewood, CA)

Personnel :

Linda Leeper

Sandra Leeper

Rus Leeper

 

Discography : :

1962 - Everlasting Love / The Golden Locket (Associated Artists 1660)


Biography :

The Lakewoods were a vocal trio from Lakewood, Ca. composed by sisters’ Linda, Sandra and Rus Leeper.  Linda, 14, and Sandra, 13, are students at Hoover Junior High School and Rus attends Holmes Elementary School. In 1962, The Lakewoods recorded the very nice "Everlasting Love"  b/w  "The Golden Locketon" released by Associated Artist Records. Jesse Hodges is credited as producer on the Associated Artists release. Hodges owned Hollywood Sound Recorders and he owned the Associated Artists label, which released about twenty 45s, including a couple of Hodges’ own singles.

 
Songs :


Everlasting Love

…