The Teen Tones (1) (Columbus, GA.)
aka The Meloaires


Personnel :

Gerald Powers (Lead)

Larry Kent

Gordon Barksdale

Bob Burnett


Discography :

The Teen Tones (1)
1958 - Faded Love / Gypsy Boogie (Nu-Clear 1/Wynne 107))

The Meloaires
Single:
1958 - Indebted To You / You Know Baby (Nasco 6019)
Unreleased :
1958 - I'm So Glad (Nasco/Excello)
1958 - Don't Ever Get Married (Nasco/Excello)


Biography :

The Teen Tones were a Vocal group included Gerald Powers, Larry Kent, Gordon Barksdale and Bob Burnett. All were students at Baker High School in Columbus, Ga.  In early 1958, The teen Tones signing a recording contract with Sam Persons owner of Nu-Clear Records in Columbus.

They cut "Faded Love" b/w "Gypsy Boogie". The Teen-Tones' record will be the first edited by the company in February 1958.  A few months later in the same year, they change their name to the Meloaires and recorded four songs for Ernie Young (founder of Nashboro, Nasco and Excello labels).

"Till The End Of The Dance" b/w "My Pretty Baby" appeared on Nashboro's, subsidiary label Nasco in September 1958. The Nasco label had success with the Crescendos in 1958 with a song called "Oh, Julie," which made the pop music Top 10. The company was a part of Excello rec Music who produced a great many doowop groups of the 50's.



Songs :

The Teen Tones (1)

  
Faded Love                                     Gypsy Boogie


The Meloaires

  
Indebted To You                        You Know Baby

  
   I'm So Glad                                  Don't Ever Get Married 


...

The Individuals (1) (Los Angeles)


Personnel :

Johnny Staton (Lead)

Roy Allen (Tenor)

Joe "J.W." Cummings (Baritone)

Art Ward (Bass)


Discography :

1959 - Jungle Superman / I Met Her At A Dance (Show Time 595)  

1959 - Jungle Superman / Dear One (Show Time 598/Red Fox 105)

Biography :

By 1959, Johnny Staton had given up on the name "Feathers," having formed a group called the "Individuals." They consisted of: Roy Allen (tenor), Joe "J.W." Cummings (baritone), and Art Ward (bass). They recorded a novelty tune called "Jungle Superman" for Peter Morgan (yes, Show Time was still around). This was in a Coasters/Olympics "playlet" vein. The flip was "I Met Her At A Dance," although when Morgan re-released "Jungle Superman" a few months later, the flip had changed to a nicely-done remake of the Feathers' "Dear One." 

publicity shot of the Individuals

There's a wonderful publicity shot of the Individuals in their "Jungle Superman" costumes. They actually wore them once onstage, for a show at Los Angeles' Orpheum Theater (which also featured Jackie Wilson, Brook Benton, and Don & Dewey). The Individuals worked quite a bit, even doing some background work behind Jan and Dean. Johnny himself provided some backing vocals behind Ricky Nelson.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Feathers/feathers.html

 

 
 Songs :

   
 Dear One                               Jungle Superman



I Met Her At A Dance

 ...

The Five Chanels  (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
aka The Chanels  aka Virgil & The Four Chanels aka The Chelmars

Personnel :

Sharon Scott (Lead)

Gwynn Speller

Donza Drummond

Dolores Stringer

Virgil Hammond

Discography :

The Chanels
1958 - The Reason / Skiddily Doo (Deb 500)

The Five Chanels
Singles :
1958 - The Reason / Skiddily Doo (Deb 500)
Unreleased :
1958 - You Treat Me Mean (Deb)
1958 - Wish You Were Near  (Deb)

Virgil & The Four Chanels
1959 - Waiting / Don't Keep It To Yourself (Deb 508)

The Chelmars
1962 - Jigsaw Puzzle / Confess (Select 45K-712)

Biography :

One of the few vocal group to have escaped the scrutiny of record researchers, the Five Chanels were the protégés of Julius Dixon, a veteran songwriter whose successes included (as co-writer) the Chordettes' 1958 smash 'Lollipop' and Bill Halley's 'Dim Dim the Lights'. Dixon dabbled in all aeras of the music business and in 1958, he launched the Deb Label as a vehicle for his protégé, 14 year-Old Beverly Ann Gibson who had won the amateur hour at the Apollo theatre.

She in turn introduced Dixon to the Chanels who hailed from her hometown of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The group were composed by Sharon Scott, Gwynn Speller, Donza Drummond, Dolores Stringer and Virgil Hammond.Early pressings of 'the reason' credited the Chanels but this was changed to the Five Chanels after rival record boss, Georges Goldner, complained that the name was too close to that of the Channels, a group he had recorded for his Gone Label. And not only that, but the Chanels' lead singer, Sharon Scott, sounded similar to Arlene Smith ot the Chantels, another of Goldner's groups.

'The Reason' benefited from some immediate plugs on American Bandstand, the nation's most influential TV pop show and Dixon set up a distribution deal with ABC Paramount Records in anticipation of the hoped for hit. However, Dick Clark who hosted Bandstand, and had tried to acquire 'The Reason' for Swan Records, a Philadelphia Label with which he was associated, promptly lost interest causing 'The Reason' to stall at #98. A subsequent Release was credited to Virgil & the Four Chanels. In 1962, Julius Dixon will call the group again, without Virgil. The girls renamed "The Chelmars" recorded "Jigsaw Puzzle" b/w "Confess" released by Select Records.


Songs :

The Chanels aka The Five Chanels

    
The Reason                               Skiddily Doo

You Treat Me Mean                    Wish You Were Near

Virgil & The Four Chanels

    
             Waiting                        Don't Keep It To Yourself

The Chelmars

  
Confess                                          Jigsaw Puzzle

...

The Storey Sisters (Philadelphia, Pa)
aka The Twinkles (1)

Personnel :

Ann Storey

Lillian Storey

Discography :

The Twinkles (1)
1957 - Bad Motorcycle / Sweet Daddy (Peak 5001)

The Storey Sisters
1958 - Cha Cha Boum / Wich Way Did My Heart Go(Baton 25)
1958 - Bad Motorcycle / Sweet Daddy  (Cameo 126)
1959 - Lost Love / Lover How I Miss You (Mercury 71457)

Biography :

"Bad Motorcycle" From out of Philadelphia, Ann & Lillian Storey recorded this ode to one cool cat, using one of Jocko Henderson's famous catch phrases - That's one bad motorcycle! That meant something (that guy or this record, for that matter) was good.

They recorded it for Al Browne's Peak label under the name The Twinkles. It was picked up by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann's Cameo powerhouse for national distribution after they had changed their name to the Storey Sisters.  The 1958 re-release hit #45 on Billboard’s pop charts.

Songs :

    
     Bad Motorcycle                          Cha Cha Boum              Wich Way Did My Heart Go

    
Lover How I Miss You               Sweet Daddy                                 Lost Love            

...

Larry Lee & The Four Bel-aires (2) (Hartford, CT.)
aka The Five Bell Aires

Personnel :

Larry Lee  (Lead)

John  Hall (First Tenor)

Elijah "Prez" McKinney (Baritone)

James "Rock" Jenkins (Second Tenor)

Lewis Clayton (Bass )

Discography :

Larry Lee & The Four Bel-aires (2)
1959 - Can I Be In Love /  Stolen Love (M-Z 006)

Henry Hall & The Five Bell Aires
1959 - House Of Love (Unreleased)
1959 - My Friends (Unreleased)
1959 - I'm So Happy (Unreleased)
1959 - Come On to My Love House (Unreleased)

John Hall & The Five Bell Aires
1959 - Wedding Bells (Unreleased)
1959 - Come On Home (Unreleased)

Biography :

Henry "Hawk" Hall, usual lead singer, his cousin John (First Tenor), Elijah "Prez" McKinney (Baritone), James "Rock" Jenkins (Second Tenor), and Lewis Clayton (Bass ) called their group The Five Marvel Tones when they started  in 1954. They Changed  their name to the 5 Bell Aires (Inspired by the plethora of Car-named groups) .  They even won amateur night at the Apollo in Harlem two weeks in a row. Their loyal fans and members of other vocal groups who caught their act wondered why they didn't have a record out.

The 5 Bell Aires recorded 6 songs, they were first sung as rough demos in 1957, then recorded as finished masters probably in 1960 in Soyka's Somers, Ct studio.  Their Manager, John Rys almost consummated a deal with Hy Weiss at Old Town Records, but nothing finally happened… The Bell Aires did back Larry Lee (Larry Harper) Lead singer of The Embers,  on "Can I Be In Love"/ "Stolen Love" on the Local MZ label in the Fall of '59 (Henry Hall had been drafted, so they became the Four Bel-aires for MZ)

      
                                                                                                                           The Embers (Larry Lee, Second from Left) 

The Bell Aire's  Elijah "Prez" McKinney with George Cruz (from the Fluorescents), Richard Reedy and Billy Surmolian Backed Larry Lee as The Serenaders, they cut demos in Hartford and in N.Y.C

Songs :
(Update By Hans-Joachim) 

Larry Lee & The Four Bel-aires (2)

   
Can I Be In Love                    Stolen Love

Henry Hall & The Five Bell Aires

       
House Of Love                          My Friends                     

   
Come On to My Love House         I'm So Happy

John Hall & The Five Bell Aires

    
Come On Home                      Wedding Bells

 ...