The Dolphins (6) (Cincinnati, OH)

Personnel :

Carl Edmondson

Paul Singleton

Marv Lockard


Discography :

1964 - Hey Da Da Dow / I Don't Want To Go On Without You (Fraternity 937)
1965 - Beautiful Woman / Little Donna (Fraternity 940)



Biography :

The Dolphins ‚ Carl Edmondson (bottom), Paul Singleton (middle), and Marv Lockard (top) ‚ That year, Edmondson, who was by then a successful record producer, booked time at the King Records studio and recorded his original song "Hey-Da-Da-Dow"with engineer Dave Harrison. He recruited Singleton and Lockard from the Seniors.

The song's pleasing melody and moderate tempo caught the ear of Harry Carlson, founder of fraternity Records. He released the record, and it received strong airplay across the tristate area. The record peaked on the Billboard pop chart at No. 69 on December 19, 1964, at a time when the British Invasion was in full swing. "Unfortunately, 'Hey-Da-Da-Dow' was a turntable hit," Edmondson said. "that is it received airplay but not large sales. But the song has been remade by other artists over the years".
(Carl Edmondson)

Songs :

 
 Hey Da Da Dow / I Don't Want To Go On Without You

 ...

1960, The Del Royals : Randy, Tommy and Mike with a young girl.

The Del Royals (1) (Dellroy, Ohio)

Personnel :

Sonny Tanner

Eddie Baggott

Jan. H. Kennedy

Discography :

1960 - Barbara / I'd Wait Forever (Warwick 111/112)

Biography :

They were three lads from Dellroy who briefly chased musical fame in 1959: Sonny Tanner, Eddie Baggott and Jan. H. Kennedy. Jan. H. Kennedy met Norman Austen “Sonny” in the summer of 1951.  By their junior year, at Carrollton High School, Eddie, a year younger, joined the boys that year. At Carrollton, they met Jerry Glasser, the youngest of 10 Glasser family kids. His older brother, Richard, professionally known as Dick Lory, had a Top Ten hit and was on American Bandstand. Another brother, Pat, known as Pat Shannon, also appeared with Dick Clark on Bandstand. Jerry, with brothers Teddy and Bobby, recorded as The Three G’s, whose song, “Let’s Get Ready for Summer”, sold well in the New England area, but nowhere else.

Jerry’s tales of his family’s careers led Sonny, Eddie and Jan to form the Del-Royals. The name reflected not only our hometown but was fashioned after a successful group called the Del-Vikings. Six months later, Richard (Dick Lory,) was able to get them a contract with Warwick Records so they  went to a recording studio in Cleveland to record “Barbara”, written by Fern Britton. On the B side was one of Richard’s songs, “I’d Wait Forever.” The summer of 1959, they did numerous record hops with disc jockeys at KYC in Cleveland, the top rock station in the country, at least for breaking new Rock ‘n Roll songs.  One of the disc jockeys played “Barbara” on his late show one night after a performance in the Cleveland area. The station, and several others in northeast Ohio where they hand-delivered records, started playing “Barbara.” That night and the next three weeks would be the acme of their career.
https://theccmonline.com/news/and-now-there-is-one/

Songs :

  
Barbara                                            I'd Wait Forever

...

The Vanguards (6) (Dearborn, Mi)

Personnel :

Barry Kinder

Joe Gallo

Bob Nadorozny

Discography :

1958 - Last Night / Only Your Love (Ruth 439/440)

Biography :

Barry Kinder started singing at age eight. In the late 1940s, he sang on weekly radio broadcasts in Detroit, where he was born. In 1957, he formed a popular singing group, a male vocal trio called "The Vanguards" composed by Barry, Joe Gallo and Bob Nadorozny, all from Fordson Highschool in Dearborn.

From 1957 through 1961. they performed for months at The Gay Haven, opening  for Johnny Ginger, then Thomas' Edgewater Inn in Windsor for almost a year, Gino's Falcon Lounge, and others...  before they traveled all over the U.S. their last gig together was The Playboy Club in Chicago. In 1958 the Vanguards recorded "Last Night" and "Only Your Love" released by Ruth Records owned by Ollie Anderson McLaughlin. Barry Kinder started a group in the 1960s called the Scene Stealers with Bill Mott and Paul Cushmano. They toured the U.S., appearing on the same bills with artists like Louie Armstrong and Sally Rand.


Songs :


Last Night / Only Your Love

...

1962 - Seated : DJ's Lonnie Rochon, Tommy Smalls, Willie Bryant, & KDAY's Operations & Program Director Kelley Daniels.
Standing in the back row : The Valaquons : Rufus Moorehead, Andrew Winsletta, Jesse Kirkland & Bobby Johnson                              (Joe Thomas & Eyzell Taylor are not on the photo)

The Vala-Quons (Los Angeles, Ca.)
aka The Valaquans
aka The Hep Cats

Personnel :

Joe Thomas (Lead Tenor)

Willie Gant (Bass)

John Wesley "Wes" Hayes (Second Tenor / Baritone / Guitarist)

Bobby Johnson (First Tenor)

Jesse Kirkland (Second Tenor / Baritone)

Discography :

The Hep Cats
1961 - The Dilly Up / What In The World Can I Do (Del-Fi 4159)

The Vala-Quons
1962- Madelaine / Teardrops (Laguna 102)
1965 - Window Shopping On Girl's Avenue / I Wanna Woman (Tangerine 951)

The Valaquans
1965 - Diddybop  / Jolly Green Giant (Rayco 516)

Biography :

The Vala-Quons hailed from Los Angeles, California and were composed by Joe Thomas (Lead Tenor), Willie Gant (Bass), John Wesley "Wes" Hayes (2nd Tenor; Baritone; Guitarist), Bobby Johnson (1st Tenor) and Jesse Kirkland (2nd Tenor; Baritone). Before being known as the "Vala-Quons", the group had released a single one year earlier, in 1961 under the name "Hep-Cats", possibly with a few different group members. They recorded "The Dilly Up" b/w "What In The World Can I Do" released by Del-Fi Records, based in Hollywood, California and owned by Bob Keane. The label was most famous for signing Ritchie Valens.  It was therefore one year later, in 1962, that the group recorded their second single  "Madelaine" b/w "Teardrops". Laguna Records released the single under their new name, The Vala Quons. Laguna records was owned by  Delmar White, Joe Thomas' stepfather. The Vala Quons signs for Tangerine Records, label founded by musician Ray Charles in 1962. They cut "Window Shopping On Girl's Avenue" b/w "I Wanna Woman". The group had one other release as the Valaquans (in 1964 on Rayco.)

Songs :

The Hep Cats

  
What In The World Can I Do                       The Dilly Up            

The Vala-Quons

  
Madelaine                               Teardrops

  
Window Shopping On Girl's Avenue              I Wanna Woman                

The Valaquans

  
     Diddybop                                   Jolly Green Giant

The Webchords (Dover, New Jersey)

Personnel :

Nino Cosentino

Dominic Pandiscia

Tommy Champion

Joey Connors

Discography :

Barry Mann (bb The Webchords)
1961 - Happy Birthday, Broken Heart / The Millionaire (not them) (ABC 10180)

Biography :

Vocal group formed in 1958. Joey Connors  was from Staten Island and Dominic Pandiscia from the Bronx both of them moving to River Styx in Hopatcong where they met Nino Cosentino and  Tommy Champion. Joey Connors sang with the Elegants when they very first started.

In 1961, the Webchords were signed by Don Kirshner and recorded with Barry Mann.  They are on the excellent "Happy Birthday, Broken Heart" and  on others, but which ones?

Songs :

Barry Mann (bb The Webchords)

Happy Birthday, Broken Heart

...