The Dootones (1) (Los Angeles)

Personnel :

Charles Gardner (Tenor)

Ronald Barret (Second Tenor)

H.B. Barnum (Baritone)

Marvin Wilkins (Bass)





Discography :

Singles :
1955 - Teller of Fortune / Ay Si Si (Dootone 366)
1962 - Down The Road / Sailor Boy (The Dootones 2) (Dooto 471)

Unreleased :
1955 - Please Don't Stop Me (Dootone) (Unreleased)

Biography :

Ron Barrett was an aspiring musician from L.A.'s Fremont High School and knew of the success that many of the students of that school had met under the tutelage of record producer and entrepreneur, Dootsie Williams. Soon with his friend H.B. Barnum, they joined Charles Garner and Marvin Wilkins and formed a vocal quartet.

In early May of 1955, Dootsie announced the signing of this new group which he christened The Dootones after his newly successful record label. In June Dootone #366 was released - "Teller Of Fortune" and "Ay Si Si". Soon because of the breakup of The Medallions, The Dootones took their place behind Vernon Green and became the new version of The Medallions for the rest of the year.

Courtesy of Ron Barrett/The Star Revue Photo Archives

The group soon called it quits and went their separate ways. The Dootones never recorded as the Medallions. Surprisingly, Dootsie revived a new Dootones in the early '60s and released two singles.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Dootones/dootones.html 
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/teller.html

Songs :

  
 Down The Road                            Teller of Fortune

  
Ay Si Si                                          Please Don't Stop Me

 ...

The Crescents (4) (Sidney, Australia)

Personnel :

Col Loughnan (Lead Tenor)

Mike Downes (Baritone)

Kel Palace (Second Tenor)

Discography :

Singles :
1959 - Everlovin' / You Broke My Heart (Leedon LS565)
1959 - Mr. Blue / You Mean Everything Yo Me (Teen TC-008)
1959 - Mr. Blue / How Important Can It Be? (Leedon LS581)
1960 - The Hand Of God / When You Wish Upon A Star (Lee Gordon LS598)
1960 - One More Kiss / Picture Of Love (Lee Gordon LS602)
1961 - Way Of The Cross / Story Of The Cross (Chris Christensen) (Leedon LK12)
1961 - Get A job / Silhouette (Leedon LK101)
1961 - The Stars Will Remember / Love, Llove, Love (Leedon LS6056) 

EP :

1960 - Rock Time
Down By The Riverside / Why Do Fools Fall In Love / Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home) / Dreaming (Leedon LEP314)

1960 - Hit It For Six
Everlovin' / You Broke My Heart / Mr. Blue / How Important Can It Be? (Leedon EP316)

Biography :

The Crescents were a vocal harmony group which formed in Sydney, Australia in late 1958 under the name The 4 Tops (not associated with American quartet, the Four Tops). The Crescents were best known for their Top 10 hit "Mr. Blue" and for their tours with Lee Gordon's "Big Shows" supporting Johnnie Ray, Fabian, and Ricky Nelson.

Dennis O'Keefe, Kel Palace, Mike Downes, and Col Loughnan formed The 4 Tops, however a few months later O'Keefe left, and the remaining trio changed their name to The Crescents. Johnny O'Keefe became their manager, and promoted his young vocalists with live performances, appearances on his television program, "Six O'Clock Rock", in print media, and by signing them to Leedon Records. O'Keefe used his connection with Gordon to secure inclusion in the Big Shows. This move paid dividends when the audiences showed strong appreciation, in particular teenage girls.

The Crescents released seven singles, and two EPs, with "Mr. Blue" reaching the Top 10 in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, their only hit record. In 1962, Downes left the group, followed later the same year by Loughnan, who joined the Delltones. Shortly thereafter, the group disbanded.


Songs :

   
The Hand Of God                            Mr. Blue

   
Dreaming                                      Everlovin


Picture Of Love

...

  
(paste-up picture) Left to right : Davis, Miller, Jones, Collins 

The Peppers (3) (Los Angeles)
aka The Flares

Personnel :

Willie Davis（Tenor）

Aaron Collins（Tenor）

Thomas Miller (Baritone)

Randy Jones（Bass）

Discography :

Singles :
1961 - One More Chance / A Place In My Heart (Ensign 1706)
1963 - It Wouldn't Be The Same / Little Pieces Of Paper (Press 2809)

Unreleased :
1961 - All I Ask Of You (Ensign)

Biography :

After their last single on Modern Records, Willie Davis and Aaron Collins formed a new Cadets after Dub Jones left to become the bass of Coasters in 1958, at that time at the peak of their success. The new Cadets were Thomas Miller, baritone, and George Hollis, bass, both of the Flairs (ABC). After two singles in 1960 the Cadets (actually half Cadets, half Flairs) were ready to call it a career, but in name only; with Randolph Jones subbing for Hollis on bass, the quartet became the Peppers in 1961 singing "One More Chance" on Ensign.  In 1961, with Hollis back on bass, the group became the Flares.

Jay Warner "American singing groups: a history from 1940s to today"
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Flairs/flairs.html

Songs :

   
All I Ask Of You                           A Place In My Heart


One More Chance

 ...

The Embers (10) (Hartford, Connecticut)

Personnel :

Larry Lee (Larry Harper) (Lead)

Richard Wright (Second Tenor)

Bob Fitzgibbon (First/Second Tenor)

Andrew "Diamond" Guimond (Bass)

Discography :

Larry Lee & The Embers (10)
N/A - That Little Girl Was Mine (Relic LP 5085)
N/A - Tremble (acapella) (Relic LP 5085)
N/A - Winter's Romance (Relic LP 5085)
N/A - Wella Wella (Candy) (Unreleased)
N/A - Queen for a lifetime  (Candy) (Unreleased)
N/A - Lover's Night (20th Century Fox) (Unreleased)

Gene Pitney BB & The Embers (10)
1959 - Darkness (Demo)
1959 - Victory (Demo)
1959 - So Tired (Demo)
1959 - Runaway Love (Demo)



Biography :

"Almost made it" surely describes the Embers, another talented group just out of high school from the Frog Hollow section of Hartford. They started singing in '58 and according to Dick Wright, their first real performance was on a channel 18 telethon. The Embers were prominently featured on an amateur show at the state set up by Rys in early 1959, along with the Flamingos and Bill Haley & the Comets on the regular bill.

They Rehearsed in the bathroom of Rys' John Paul Agency on Main Street downtown, perfecting "Wella Wella" and "Queen for a lifetime" for Candy records in Hartford. Unfortunately, they were never issued by Candy, nor was the subsequent "Lover's Night," recorded in new York city for 20th Century Fox Records. The Embers sang their share of benefits and promotions, including Rys' short-lived "Shangri-La," billed as a "Teenage Paradise" at 26 1/2 High Street in Hartford on December 18-19, 1959.

   
Gene Pitney

They waxed demos at Soyka's studio in Somers and, according to Wright, were ready to back Larry Lee on his Mz session but the group broke up two weeks before the date was held in October, 1959. Andrew "Diamond" Guimond  left the Embers after the aborted "Lover's Night", and, at some point, was replaced by jesse Cavallaro, bass & Baritone (From the Laurels) and John Pattavina. After Larry Harper exited the Embers,he led a new group manageed also by John Rys called the Serenaders. The Embers backing Gene Pitney on four demos.

Songs :

Larry Lee & The Embers (10)


 Tremble


Gene Pitney BB & The Embers (10)

      
So Tired                                        Victory                        Darkness

Runaway Lover

 ...

The Four Chimes  (Chicago) 
aka The Moroccos aka the Moroccans

Personnel :

Ralph Vernon (Lead)

Prayer "George" Kemp (Baritone)

Fred Martin (Bass)

Melvin Morrow (Tenor)



Discography :

1954 - My Easy Baby (United) (Unreleased)
1954 - When Was My Baby Born (United) (Unreleased)



Biography :

Norman Bradford (lead), Prayer "George" Kemp (baritone), Fred Martin (bass), Melvin Morrow (tenor), and Lawrence Johnson (tenor) formed around 1952. 
Johnson dropped out, and Bradford joined the Army. At the last minute, Kemp recruited Ralph Vernon as his replacement.

The first session, in the fall of 1954, did not prove satisfactory. The group who were by then calling themselves the Four Chimes recorded "Easy Baby" and "When Was My Baby Born." United decided to shelve the recordings. The group recruited Sollie McElroy (formerly of the Flamingos) and became the Moroccos.


Songs :

    
My Easy Baby                                 When Was My Baby Born

Cds :