The Starfires (2)

Harold Webb, Wally Osborne, Bernard Johnson, Bobby Holland & William “Lefty” Wright

The Starfires (2) (Philadelphia, PA)

Personnel :

Wally Osborne

Bobby Holland

William “Lefty” Wright

Bernard Johnson

Harold Webb

Discography :

Singles :
1958 - Yearning For You / Do Ko Icke No (Bernice 201
1961 - These Foolish Things / Let’s Do The Pony (D&H 200)
1961 - You’re The One / So Much (Bargain 5001)
1961 - Love Will Break Your Heart / The Dances (Bargain 5003 / Atomic 1912)

Unreleased :
1959 - Get Myself A Girlie (Cameo-Parkway)

Biography :

Wally Osborne went to Ornstein School of Music in Philly, becoming proficient on guitar, bass and piano. It didn’t take long for him to team up with Bobby Holland again, both of whom would join & leave in and out of different groups until they met William “Lefty” Wright, Bernard Johnson and Harold Webb who had been from another broken up group. The five decided to sing together as the Starfires (from the Oldsmobile 98 Starfire convertible) and it was that group who recorded for Richard Barrett. Osborne only sang lead on their first record  “Yearning For You / Do Ko Icke No” (Bernice 201) a subsidiary of End Records.  After no success with their “End” experience, Osborne left the Starfires as a singer to manage them. He got them to record “Get Myself A Girlie” for Cameo-Parkway Records which was never released.

For the next few years Osborne made many connections and collaborations, wrote songs and managed groups. In 1961 Osborne got D&H records (Dixson & Hodge) to record the Starfires. “These Foolish Things / Let’s Do The PonyY” was the first and only Starfires release for that label. Both songs were written by Wally Osborne. When the D&H label disbanded, partner Steve Hodge continued to produce records on his own Bargain label and released The Starfires’ next record, “You’re The One" / "So Much”. “You’re The One"  got some airplay on the East Coast and in Cleveland. Next was “Love Will Break Your Heart ” (co-written by Osborne and Jimmy Bishop) with flipside “The Dances” (written by Osborne). All four songs were recorded at Tony and Don Luisi’s Sound Plus Studio in Northeast Philadelphia.
http://classicurbanharmony.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Wally-Osborne-Story-The-Starfires.pdf

Songs :

  
Yearning For You                               Do Ko Icke No

  
These Foolish Things                          Let’s Do The Pony

  
You’re The One                                         So Much

  
Love Will Break Your Heart                             The Dances     


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