The Vibranaires (1954) Clockwise from top : Bobby Thomas, Herb Cole, Roosevelt McDuffie, Mike Robinson & Jimmy Roache

The Vibes (1) (Asbury Park, New Jersey)
aka The Vibranaires






Personnel :

Bobby Thomas (Lead Tenor)

Roosevelt McDuffie (First Tenor)

Lenny Welch (Second Tenor)

William Penha (Baritone)

Joe Major (Bass)

Discography :

The Vibes (1)
1954 - Stop Torturing Me / Stop Jiving Baby ( Chariot 105)

The Vibranaires
1954 - Doll Face / Ooh, I Feel So Good (After Hours 103)

Biography :

Asbury Park, NJ-based R&B vocal group the Vibranaires formed in 1948. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the September 1975 issue of Yesterday's Memories, the group was founded by lead tenor Bobby Thomas, a devout Orioles fan who modeled his vocals after the group's leader, Sonny Til. Baritone Herbie Cole (the nephew of drummer Cozy Cole), first tenor Ulysses Jackson, second tenor Albert Smith, and bass Willie Busby completed the original lineup, which at first operated as the Crooners. By 1950, only Thomas and Cole remained, with first tenor Roosevelt McDuffie, second tenor Mike Robinson, and bass Jimmy Roache filling the holes; Roache's amplified voice was reportedly so powerful it shook the walls, prompting a name change to the Vibranaires. 

The Vibes (1956)  L to R :  Bobby Thomas, Lenny Welch, Joe Major & William Penha

 For a short time in 1953 the group worked with manager and songwriter Esther Navarro, who insisted on another name change, this time to the Cadillacs -- a demo was recorded but when an official release failed to materialize, the Vibranaires terminated their partnership.  In the meantime, the Vibranaires continued performing in New Jersey clubs, befriending Newark station WNJR DJ Joel Turnero, who in turn introduced the group to After Hours label owner Lexy "Flap" Hanford. On the eve of their first session for the label, Cole was arrested for stealing a bass guitar from a local club. He remained in jail while the remaining Vibranaires entered the studio, forcing them to create impromptu arrangements to work around his absence.

The Vibes (1956) Top L to R : Roosevelt McDuffie, Bobby Thomas, Lenny Welch  Bottom L to R : William Penha & Joe Major


 "Doll Face" appeared on After Hours in the summer of 1954, selling close to 40,000 copies in the face of minimal promotion. For the follow-up, "Stop Torturing Me," issued on Hanford's Chariot imprint, the group changed its name to the Vibes -- the shift may have resulted in the disc's disappointing sales, which prompted Hanford to cut them loose soon after. The Vibes rebounded by signing with promoter Bobby McNeil and touring the so-called "chitlin circuit" of black-owned nightclubs and theaters.

The Vibranaires (1964) - Top : Harry Accoo, Roosevelt McDuffie, Bobby Young - Bottom : Bobby Thomas

Roache was drafted in 1955, setting off a series of personnel changes that included the brief inclusion of Lenny Welch, who notched the solo hit "Since I Fell for You" in 1963. When Thomas was also drafted for military duty in 1958, the Vibes finally called it quits, although he and McDuffie later reunited in the V-Eights. In 1966, Thomas' wish was granted -- he finally joined his beloved Orioles, touring with latter-day incarnations of the group for over three decades.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Vibranaires/vibranaires.html

Songs :

The Vibes (1)

   
Stop Torturing Me                         Stop Jiving Baby

The Vibranaires

   
Doll Face                                Ooh, I Feel So Good

...

The Chuckles (3) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Consorts (2) aka The Four Clefs aka The Darts

Personnel :

Bruce Laurent

Sal Donnarumma

Billy Abbate

Eddie Jacobucci 

Discography :

The Darts
1961 - Barbara Ann (Demo)
1961 - A Fool in love (Demo)
1961 - Runaround (Demo)
1961 - A mother's Love (Demo)

The Consorts (2)
Singles :
1961 - Please be mine / Time after time (Cousins 104/ Apt 25066)
1978 - Star Above / Carrie (Crystal Ball 111)
Unreleased:
1961 - No One Knows

The Chuckles (3)
1964 - On the Street where you live / I'll Wait (West Side 1019)

The Four Clefs
1966 - Please Be Mine (acapella) / Time After Time (acapella) (B-J 1000)

Biography :

Most stories about vocal groups are usually very similar. Only names, places and how they got their lucky break change. It was no different for four guys from the Bronx - Sal Donnarumma, Billy Abbate, Eddie Jacobucci and Bruce Laurent. They were seniors at Theodore Roosevelt High School and in 1960 they formed their first group, The Majestics. They Cut two demo's at Associated Studios in Manhattan. Johnny Falbo played Guitar and over dubbed the drums. He is bet known as Dion's guitar player who traveled with him on the road and played on some Columbia recordings. The Majestics brought the songs, both covers, to Lou Chiccetti, owner of Cousins Record Shop and the now famous Cousins Record Label.

Lou Like the group but was interested in only original material. At this point which is still not very clear, two things happened. The Majestics were friends with Ernie Maresca who would give them 4 songs which they would record as the Darts. Also Eddie Jacobucci was the young brother Of Dan Jacobucci, an original member of the Regents. In 1958, The Regents recorded 3 songs at associated Studios, the last being an original they use to warm up with "Barbara Ann".

The group had broken up and eddie saw no problem in taking the song for the Majestics/Darts. This was the song Lou Chiccetti decided he would record. Only problem was the song writer, Fred Fasscett, whose brother Chuck was also an original Regent, only wanted The Regents to record it. The Regents regrouped and the rest is History. To compensate the Majestics he would change their name to the Consorts and record two originals written by group members Sal & Billy.

Just before releasing the 45 on his cousins label, Lou placed the discs with Apt Records.
Sal would eventually work for Lou at Cousins Record shop where he met many song writers and artists. He lent his vocal talent on many Eenie Maresca demo's (ex-Unbelievable) and sang on a Few Frankie Lyndon 45's before Frank became a member of the Belmonts.  During this time song writer Tommy Bogdany had the group record 3 songs including the original version of "Carrie".  The tunes would eventually be released in the 80s on Crystal Ball records. The Consorts had changed personnel and their new lead singer, Dennis Mesciano was the former lead singer of the Visuals.

The Consorts had gone into the Studio and recorded a version of "On the Street Where You Live" they also did a fast version of "No one Knows" which seems to be lost and "I'll Wait" which was "Now That Summer's Thru" with different words. Once again they brought the material to Lou Chiccetti and once again he changed their name, This Time to The Chuckles and released the songs on his newly formed West Side Record Label.Sal would sell the Acappella masters to the Apt sessions and they would soon surface under the name The Four Clefs.
Ed Engel

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Consorts (2)

   
Please Be Mine                                 Time after time

   
Star Above                             Carrie

    
          No One Knows           Time After Time (unrel. alt. take)
 

The Chuckles (3)

     
On The Street Where You Live                          I'll Wait

The Darts

   
Barbara Ann                        A Fool In Love

  
A Mother's Love                  Runaround

  The Four Clefs

   
Please Be Mine (acapella)           Time After Time (acapella)

...

The Saphires (4) (London, England)



Personnel :


Roger Cook

Gill Stevens

Grant Heywood

Vernon Merrick

Brian Holly



Discography :

1958 - The Book Of Love / Why Don't They Understand / Let The Wind Blow / Down By The Riverside (Stan's Record)



Biography :

Roger Cook forms a vocal group, The Sapphires consisting of Gill Stevens, Grant Heywood, Vernon Merrick and Brian Holly.
The Sapphires win a national talent competition called the "Carrol Levis Discoveries" and on the strength of it, they tour the UK playing cabaret and U.S. Air Bases.

The Sapphires visit Stan's Record Centre at 5, Denmark Street, Bristol to cut their one and only disc consisting of The Book Of Love, Why Don't They Understand, Let The Wind Blow and Down By The Riverside.
Roger Cook's meets fellow Bristolian Harry Barter while performing with The Sapphires in Bedminster, Bristol, England. Harry becomes a close friend and Roger's manager.

The Londons

The Sapphires break up and Roger teams up with Avril Woolcot and June Stevens to form a new vocal group, The Londons .June's sister, Gill, joins later this year.

http://www.rogercook.com/chronology/chronology1.asp

The Chargers (2) (Los Angeles)

Personnel :

Benny Louis Easley (Tenor Lead)

Dunbar John White (Tenor)

Johnny "Junior" White (Baritone)

Jimmy Norman Scott (Second Tenor)

Mitchell Alexander (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1958 - Old MacDonald  / Dandylion (RCA Victor 47-7301)
1958 - The Counterfeiter / Here In My Heart (RCA Victor 47-7417)

Unreleased :
 N/A - Rock And Roll Cowboy
 N/A - I Need Your Love
 N/A - The Counterfeiter (first attempt)
 N/A - Shotgun Wedding
 N/A - Wondering
 N/A - Country Boy
 N/A - Who Baby Who

Biography :

Los Angeles R&B group the Chargers formed in 1958. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the July 1987 issue of Goldmine, tenor lead Benny Louis Easley, second tenor Jimmy Norman, tenor Dunbar John White, his baritone brother Junior, and bass Mitchell Alexander were all friends of R&B legend Jesse Belvin, and founded the group after harmonizing at his L.A. home.

   
                                                                                                                                   Jesse Belvin

Belvin also rehearsed with the group, brought them to his label RCA, and contributed uncredited vocals to their debut single "Old MacDonald." Issued in the summer of 1958, it proved a major hit in the East Coast market and squeaked into the national Hot 100. The Chargers resurfaced during the holiday season with "The Counterfeiter," but internal squabbles prompted the group to split in early 1959. Norman later enjoyed a successful career as a songwriter, teaming with Jerry Ragovoy (under the alias "Norman Meade") to pen the Irma Thomas classic "Time Is on My Side," later covered by the Rolling Stones; he also scored a solo hit with the deep soul cult classic "I Don't Love You No More (I Don't Care About You)." Jason Ankeny, Rovi

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Chargers/chargers.html

Songs :

   
Here In My Heart                            Old MacDonald



The Counterfeiter

...

The Curls (New York)

Personnel :

Sue Singleton

Susan Terry

Discography :


The Curls
1959 - Imaginez Vous / Why Dindn't I Go (Everest 19319)
1960 - Like A Waterfall / He's My Hero (Everest 19350)

Paul Evans & The Curls
1959 - Seven Little Girls / Worshipping An Idol (Guaranteed 200)




Biography :

Sue Singleton, born Mary Louise Dollinger, had her own radio program in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska at the age of nine. She headed to New York in the 1950's to pursue her singing career. One of her early gigs was with, 'The Curls.'  Duo comprised Sue Singleton and Susan Terry.  Their only foray into the Hot-100 chart was as backing vocalists for Paul Evans on "Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat."  For that song, they were hired (along with Paul) by songwriters Bob Hilliard & Lee Pockriss to record a demo,which wound up being released "as is," peaking at #9. 

The duo then released a pair of singles on Everest (neither of which charted), of which this was the first.  "Why Didn't I Go" is clearly intended as a followup to "Seven Little Girls ...," with very similar arrangements.  This song and the B-side, "Imaginez Vous,"were both Hilliard/Pockriss compositions.  Their second Everest single was "He's My Hero" b/w "Like a Waterfall." 

After, 'The Curls,' Sue landed on the Perry Como Show. She was the lead soprano in Perry's backup group, 'The Ray Charles Singers.' She was often-tapped to perform duets with Perry on this 'live' variety show. Her stint on television lasted six-years.

Sue Singleton

She became a voice teacher in the late sixties. She moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she taught voice and performed as a church soloist until her passing in 2009
By David Craver

Songs :

The Curls

  
Like a Waterfall                                 Why Dindn't I Go


Paul Evans & The Curls

  
Seven Little Girls                    Worshipping An Idol

Movie :

Paul Evans & The Curls

 
Seven Little Girls

...