The Chandeliers (1) (Midtown Kansas City, Missouri)
 aka The Chandeliers Quintet

Personnel :

Luther Rice (Tenor Lead)

William Watson (First & Second Tenor, Second Lead)

Reginald "Sandy" Johnson (First Tenor)

George Chambers (Second Tenor)

Jesse Watson (Bass)

Discography :

The Chandeliers Quintet
1958 - Blueberry Sweet / One More Step (Angle Tone 521)

The Chandeliers (1)
1958 - Blueberry Sweet / One More Step (Angle Tone 521)
1958 - Dolly / Dancin' In The Congo (Angle Tone 529)
1973 - Wild Cherry / Tender Love (Angle Tone 520)
 

Biography :

Doo wop quintet the Chandeliers formed in Kansas City in 1954. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the April 1998 issue of Discoveries, first tenor/second lead William Watson and his bass brother Jesse co-founded the group with tenor/lead Luther Rice, first tenor Reginald "Sandy" Johnson, and second tenor George Chambers. Deriving their name simply by looking up at the ceiling during rehearsal, the Chandeliers honed their harmonies playing one-nighters and cabarets across the Kansas City region.

(L to R) William Watson, George Chambers, Reginald "Sandy" Johnson, Jesse Watson and Luther Rice

In mid-1957, manager Saul Davis arranged an audition with Atlas label exec Bobby Robinson, and weeks later the group recorded the Davis-penned "Blueberry Sweet," issued on Atlas in early 1958. The single emerged as a hit at home and in St. Louis and New York, and the Chandeliers mounted a brief Midwest tour highlighted by a Kansas City date on the same bill with the fledgling James Brown. "Dolly" followed in the summer, but fared poorly and Atlas chose to shelve a proposed third single, "Wild Cherry." In mid-1959 William Watson enlisted in the Navy, effectively spelling the Chandeliers' demise.

Jesse Watson and Luther Rice soon joined him in the service, and together they continued harmonizing on an informal basis, but only Rice returned to music full-time, working for a series of radio stations.
Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide


Songs :

  
Blueberry Sweet                                One More Step

  
           Dolly                                 Dancin' In The Congo 


  
Wild Cherry                                         Tender Love 
 

...

The Embers (9) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Twilights (2) aka The Four Embers
ref : The Juveniles

Personnel :

Robert "Bobby" Perryman (Lead)

Claude "Indio" Chenet (Second Tenor)

Joseph Durant (Baritone)

Cal Washington (First Tenor)

Peter Reyes (Bass)

Discography :

The Twilights (2)
Single :
1959 - My Heart Belongs To Only You / Oh Baby Love (Finesse 1717)
Demo :
1958 - Soda Pop  (acapella)
1958 - My Heart Belongs To Only You (acapella)

Maria Elena & The Twilights (2)
1962 - I Was Too Careful / Temptation (Countess 113)

The Embers (9)
Singles :
1961 - Solitaire / I’m Feeling All Right Again (Empress 101)
1961 - I Won’t Cry Anymore / I Was Too Careful (Empress 104)
1962 - Abigail / I Was Too Careful (Empress 107)
Unreleased :
1961 - What A Surprise  (Empress)
1961 - I Wish I Didn’t Love You So (Empress)

The Four Embers
1963 - But Beautiful / You’ve Been Away Too Long (Smash 1846)

Biography :

In 1957, Marilyn Bishop Marilyn gave birth to a baby girl, Michelle, and left The Juveniles.  Larry Peters will make even some time after.  At this time, the group has only three members. Robert Perryman  stepped up to become the new lead singer and Cal Washington was recruited by Claude  Chenet to become the new first tenor.  Cal had sung with a local street group, had a background in gospel and blues and also hung out with the Chords.  Pete Reyes was recruited by Bobby to replace Larry Peters as the bass singer. The Twilights now consisted of Robert Perryman (lead) Cal Washington (first tenor) Claude “Indio” Chenet (second tenor) Joseph Durant (baritone) and Peter Reyes (bass).

The Juveniles "Bobby" Perryman , Claude "Indio" Chenet, Marilyn Durant, Larry Peters and Joe Durant

The Twilights recorded “My Heart Belongs To Only You” and “Oh Baby Love,” with Bobby Perryman singing both leads, which came out on Finesse Records in November of 1959. The Twilights also backed up Maria Elena on “I Was Too Careful” and “Temptation,” both of which weren’t released until 1962 on Countess Records. They appeared at one of Clay Cole’s shows in Palisades Park, New Jersey also starring the Drifters, Moonglows, Skyliners, Belmonts, Bobby Rydell and Neil Sedaka.

The Embers : Pete Reyes, Joe Durant, Claude "Indio" Chenet, Robert Perryman and Cal Washington

The Twilights sang “My Heart Belongs To Only You” as well as “Oh Baby Love” and this performance was broadcast live on television. The Twilights also appeared at the RKO Franklin Theatre on Prospect Avenue in the Bronx where they also backed up Maria Elena. The Twilights changed their name to the Embers and signed with Empress Records, owned by Gene and Jody Malis, which was a subsidiary label (as was Valmor) under Countess International.

The Twilights Pete Reyes, Joe Durant, Claude "Indio" Chenet, Cal Washington and Robert Perryman

The Embers had been rehearsing an old standard ballad that Tony Bennett recorded named “Solitaire,” a song that Jody wanted them to record because she felt it had hit potential. The Embers recorded “Solitaire”  with Bobby Perryman singing lead. On the week of August 22, 1961, “Solitaire” reached number 9 on WABC’s radio survey. It was also doing extremely well on Billboard’s charts.  By mid 1963, the Embers were down to four members as Pete Reyes had left the group. The Embers were still under contract with Empress, which wasn’t doing well at the time so Gene and Jody Malis sent them to writer and record producer Wally Zober in order to see what he could do for them.

Wally took them down to Odo Recording Studios on West 54th Street in Manhattan on August 1, 1963 where they recorded “But Beautiful” and “You’ve Been Away Too Long.” A bass player, George Butcher, arranged the orchestra and the group arranged the vocals. “But Beautiful” was recorded first, with Robert Perryman singing lead. “You’ve Been Away Too Long” was a fast number that Jody had given to them but they did not care for. They recorded it with Cal singing lead. The session lasted for most of the day and the songs were released on Smash Records, a subsidiary of Mercury Records, in December of 1963 as by the “Four Embers.” By 1964, with the British Invasion underway, the Embers (without a hit record since 1961) broke up and decided to get on with their personal lives.

Songs :

The Twilights (2)

  
My Heart Belongs To Only You                     Oh Baby Love

Maria Elena & The Twilights (2)

  
Temptation                                      I Was Too Careful  

The Embers (9)

     
Solitaire                      I’m Feeling All Right Again           I Won’t Cry Anymore

     
I Was Too Careful                    Abigail                 What A Surprise  


I Wish I Didn't Love You So 

The Four Embers


But Beautiful / You’ve Been Away Too Long

...

The Arrogants (1) (Kansas City)

Personnel :

Ray Charles Morrow (Lead)

Sharon Cecilia Morrow

Minnie Lee Morrow

Annetta Walker

Discography :

1960 - Make Up Your Mind / Tom Boy (Big A 12184/85)
1961 - Life Easy / Stone Broke (Vanessa 200)

Biography :

According to a press magazine, this vocal group is from Kansas City and consists of Ray Charles Morrow, Wife's Sharon Cecilia Morrow, Sister's Minnie Lee Morrow and Annetta Walker. They recorded "Make Up Your Mind" and "Tom Boy" released in March 1960 on the "Big A label" from Los Angeles. The Arrogants will have another single with "Life Easy" b/w "Stone Broke" on the Vanessa label, also from Los Angeles.

Songs :

  
  Tom Boy                                          Take Life Easy

...

The Spades (2) (Texas)

Personnel :

?

Discography :

1958 - Close To You / I'm On Fire (Major 1007)

Biography :

Other than the fact that this East Texas group had a regional hit with their release “Close to You” and that the record was released on the Major label in 1958 owned by Bennie Wess, it is difficult to find more information.

Songs :

  
Close To You                                           I'm On Fire

...

L to R : The Debs with Ralph Green (center) Monique Forbes, Charlottia Gilbert, Johnnie Lee Manning and Lynn Fields

The Debs (6) (Atlantic City)

Personnel :

Charlottia Gilbert (Lead)

Monique Forbes

Johnnie Lee Manning

Lynn Fields

Discography :

The Debs (6)
1963 - Danger Ahead / Just Another Fool (Double L 727)

Charlottia Gilbert
1967 - Chances Go Round / Falling In Love With Him (VEEP 1267)

Biography :

The Debs were a Vocal group from Atlantic City who attended Atlantic City High school. Charlottia Gilbert was lead singer of This girl group (Charlottia Gilbert, Monique Forbes, Johnnie Lee Manning and Lynn Fields) who cut this excellent girl group sound "Danger Ahead" b/w "Just Another Fool" for Double L in 1963. The group would only stay together for a short time, in 1967, Charlottia Gilbert would record a single in her name with "Chances Go Round " and "Falling In Love With Him".

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Debs (6)

  
Danger Ahead                                      Just Another Fool

Charlottia Gilbert

  
Chances Go Round                          Falling In Love With Him