The Paradons  (Bakersfield, California.)
aka The Trend-Tones

Personnel :

West Tyler (Lead)

William Powers (Baritone)

Bill Meyers (Bass)

Chuck Weldon (Tenor)

Discography :

The Paradons
1960 - Diamonds And Pearls / I Want Love (Milestone 2003)
1960 - Bells Ring / Please Tell Me (Milestone 2005)
1961 - I Had A Dream / Never, Never, Never (Milestone 2015)
1961 - Never Again / This Is Love (Tuffest 102)
1961 - Take All Of Me / So Fine, So Fine, So Fine (Warner Bros. 5186)

The Trend-Tones
1961 - This Is Love / Never Again (Superb 100)


Biography :

The Paradons are know best for the beautiful "Diamonds and Pearls," which reached number 18 on the pop chart in 1960, nine rungs higher than it registered on the R&B chart. The quartet, comprised of friends William Powers and Bill Meyers plus Chuck Weldon and West Tyler, gigged at school dances and local clubs around Bakersfield, CA, singing what the audience requested until a chance to record came about with Milestone Records. Their first session, one night of work, yielded eight sides, including the hit "Diamonds and Pearls" and the B-side "I Want Love."

"Diamonds and Pearls" became a favorite on radio stations and generated appearances on American Bandstand, the Apollo, the Howard, and other top venues for R&B artists. Money problems put a monkey wrench in the mix, however, and the group disbanded after disenchantment set in.

  The follow-up "Bells Ring" failed to do anything, and neither did "Take All of Me" nor "I Had a Dream." The group stayed together less than a year, but Milestone kept issuing Paradons sides until they exhausted the supply. Making rock & roll records, even good ones, didn't prove fruitful for the Bakersfield lads.

 The final Milestone's Paradons, “Never Again” b/w “I Had A Dream”  also showed up on Tufffest (102). The a-side, “Never Againz” b/w a new b-side, “This Is Love” was also issued as the Trend-Tones on Superb (100) in 1961.  After this failure to properly cash in on an important hit, the Paradons moved on to the Warner Bros.
http://rockinsteve.wordpress.com/page/2/
http://stormyweather.de/index.php?id=161&L=2


Songs :

   
Diamonds And Pearls    (First Pressing with Guitar Intro!)

      
       I Want Love                             Bells Ring                        Never Again         

     
       Please Tell Me                   I Had A Dream            So Fine, So Fine, So Fine 
 
      
   This Is Love                     Take All Of Me          

....

 The Lyrics (2) (San Antonio,Texas)

Personnel :

Abel Martinez (Lead)

Carl Henderson

Dimas Garza

Alex Pato

Discography :

Singles :
1959 - The Girl I Love / Oh, Please Love Me (Harlem 101 / Wildcat 028 / Coral 62322)
1959 - I Want To Know / The Beating Of My Heart (Harlem 104)

Unreleased :
1959 - I'm Allright (Harlem) (Unreleased)
1959 - Love And Affection  (Harlem)
1959 - Maybe You Always Say  (Harlem)
1959 - Lawdy Miss Clawdy  (Harlem)
1959 - Bad Boy  (Harlem)
1959 - Lyric's Theme  (Harlem)

Biography :

Many of the bands that emerged in the late-1950s were interracial, particularly those coming from the predominantly Chicanao west side.  Examples of interracial collaboration are many, for example, the doo-wop group, The Lyrics. The group consisted of leader, Abel Martinez, and the talented young songwriter, Dimas Garza; and African American singers, Alex Pato and Carl Henderson. The Lyrics made their first recording for Joe Anthony’s Harlem label in 1959, which was also the label’s first recording.

According to business partner Henry Carr, Joe and Henry saw The Lyrics perform at the King of Clubs in downtown. They immediately approached the group to talk about a recording opportunity. The recording of “The Girl I Love” and “Oh, Please Love Me” which was written by Dimas Garza, was released in August 1959 and of course did well on KMAC’s charts, but it also  149 rose to #14 on KONO’s hit charts.

The following year it was re-released on the Wildcat label and then again in 1962 for the national Coral label. The single also appeared in Billboard under “Moderate Sales Potential” (Billboard Magazine, November 16, 1959). The single made The Lyrics one of the top groups in the city. The Lyrics lasted until 1962 when Dimas left to join another influential group, The Royal Jesters. Carl Henderson went to California and recorded some minor hits for Renfro Records in Los Angeles.

Songs :

  
Oh, Please Love Me                             The Girl I Love      

  
The Beating Of My Heart                       I Want To Know     

  
Love And Affection                      Lawdy Miss Clawdy


...

The Ivy Leaguers (Los Angeles, California)



Personnel :

Richard Owens

Louise Williams

Beverly Pecot

Lena Calhoun



Discography :

1957 - Beware Of Love / Deposit Your Love In The Bank Of My Heart (Flip 325)

Biography :

In August 1957, Flip record issued "Beware Of Love" and "Deposit Your Love In The Bank Of My Heart" by the Ivy Leaguers.

   
                                                                ( Paste up picture : Louise Williams, Richard Owens, Beverly Pecot)

The Ivy Leaguers were a spin-off from The Six Teens, consisting of Richard Owens, Louise Williams, Beverly Pecot, and Lena Calhoun.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Sixteens/sixteens.html


Songs :

   
Beware Of Love                 Deposit Your Love In The Bank Of My Heart


Cds :

The Velvet Keys (Queens, New-York)

Personnel :

Phil Spina  (First Tenor)

Tommy Malon (Lead singer)

Stanley Wagner (Second Tenor)

Vinny Pascale (Baritone)

Discography :

1957 - Lets Stay After School / My Baby's Gone Away (King 5090)

1957 - The Truth About Youth  / Don't Take My Picture Take Me (King 5109)

Biography :

Velvet Keys originated out Springfield Gardens, Queens New York 1956 the members were Tommy Malon Lead Singer, Phil Spina 1st Tenor, Stanley Wagner 2nd Tenor and Vinny Pascale Baritone. We all attended Woodrow Wilson Vocational High School in Ozone Park Queens NY.

We did most our singing on the street corner and in the basements of our houses. I think we were a bit better then the average white groups that were around at the time and on our 1st audition with King Records landed a contract to do 8 sides which we only did only 4 ,they consisted Of "My Baby's Gone" "Lets Stay After School" "Don't take my picture" and "The Truth about Youth" They were released 1957-1958.

We received very little air play in the New York area and became upset with King Records and when they renewed our contract we broke up and didn't continue on as a unit. Phil Spina went on to write some songs and produce the Riffs along with Jim Tagliaferri & Dennis Lambert Sunny Records 1964 "Little Girl" "Telltale Friends"Why are the Nights so cold" and "Storm". In 1978  Fred Toscano & Phil Spina formed "Ribetones" "Crazy Little Momma" 1979 various labels Europe.
Phil Spina.


Songs :

   
Lets Stay After School                     My Baby's Gone Away

   
The Truth About Youth                   Don't Take My Picture Take Me

 ...

The Four Sounds (2) (Indianapolis, IN)

Personnel :

Jimmy Gilford

William "Worm" Harris

Kenneth E. Moore

Jimmy Scruggs

Discography :

1961 - When I Find My Love / Someone Yo Show Me The Way (Federal 12421)
1961 - The Ring / Peter's Gun (Tuff 1)
1962 - Nobody Wants Me / Mama Ubangi Bangi (Ran-Dee 104)

Biography :

Prior to 1960, record companies such as Capitol and Dot maintained offices in Indianapolis near the Indiana Avenue entertainment district, along Capitol Avenue.  These labels sought out the best talent that Indianapolis offered, from jazz artists to doo-wop singers.  Beginning in the mid-1950s, doo-wop swept the nation and the youth of Indianapolis accepted this new trend in music

Guilford recalled taking a record player and a stack of 78 RPM records to these recording studios hoping to persuade a talent scout to sign them to a deal.  Guilford and his friends practiced daily on the street corners adjacent to Martindale Avenue on the east side of Indianapolis.  They were familiar with the popular songs of the day, and took the record player with them for accompaniment during their tryout.

  
                                         Jimmy Gilford                                                                            The Four Sounds                            

Guilford and his group, the Four Sounds, were lucky enough to record and then tour with a doo-wop revue during the 1950s, as was Indianapolis native Thurston Harris, who recorded the hit “Little Bitty Pretty One” in 1957.  

The Four Sounds Record on the Ran-Dee Label at Chicago's Universal recording studio

The Celeste group has no relation to the Indianapolis group with Jimmy Guilford.  The Tuff (January 1961), Federal (May 1961), and Ran-Dee (October 1962) sides are by the same group. The Federal and Project sides were all leased from William Harris (Thurston Harris' brother), so these must have been independently recorded.
MARV GOLDBERG http://www.uncamarvy.com/

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

 The Four Sounds (2)

   
         The Ring /   Peter's Gun                Mama Ubangi bangi                

      
Someone To Show Me The Way                 Nobody Wants Me                   

When I Find My Love

 ...