Little Jan & The Radiants (2) aka The Teen-Tones (1)

Top :Tommy Nelli, Billy Shelly & Dominick Scretti - Bottom : Jan Perolla

Little Jan & The Radiants (2) (Syracuse, NY)
aka The Teen-Tones (1)


Personnel :

Jan Perolla (Lead)

Billy Shelly (First Tenor)

Dominick Scretti (Baritone)

Tommy Nelli (Bass)

Discography :

The Teen-Tones (1)
1958 - Miss Sweet / Darling I Love You (Dandy Dan 2)

Little Jan & The Radiants (2)
1960 - If You Love Me / Heart And Soul (VIM 507)

Jan & The Radiants (2)
1960 - Is It True (I Still Believe In You) / Now Is The Hour (Clock 1028)
1961 - If You Love Me / Is It True (I Still Believe In You) (Queen 247)



Biography :

Syracuse vocal group Little Jan and the Radiants were formed in 1958, when three male members of the Teen-Tones : Billy Shelly (1st tenor), Dominick Scretti (baritone) and Tommy Nelli (bass) replaced Billy Sanders, who went into the service, with Carl Irvine (2nd tenor), and added none other than the departed Billy’s girlfriend, 17 year old Jan Perolla. Originally christened Little Jan & the Orients, their infectious sound crossed cultural lines and the group quickly became a local favorite. Sports-o-ramas, sock-hops, house parties and high school dances gave way to the big time.

The Teen-Tones (Sam Furco, Tommy Nelli, Billy Sanders, Billy Shelly and Dominick Scretti)

When a producer representing Syracuse University graduate and SAMMYS Lifetime Achievement Award winner Dick Clark came to Syracuse to audition Jeff & the Notes, their friends Little Jan and the Radiants were also there and invited to “sing a few bars of Earth Angel”.  Shortly thereafter, the group got a call from the producer, met at The Orange at Syracuse University, signed a contract with CLOCK Records, and the renamed Little Jan and the Radiants were on their way.

  
                                                                                                                                        Jan Perolla

“Heart And Soul” b/w “If You Love Me” was recorded in Buffalo NY in 1959, and “Is It True” b/w “Now Is The Hour”, recorded in Rochester, was released the following year, both garnering significant radio airplay across the United States, rumored to have hit the top 10 in some major markets. The discs were so popular that they were later re-released nationally on Queen Records in 1961. In their heyday, the group shared stages with such notables as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Gene Pitney and an early lineup of the not yet famous Four Seasons.


Songs :

The Teen-Tones (1)

  
Darling I Love You                                   Miss Sweet       

Little Jan & The Radiants (2)

  
If You Love Me                                  Heart And Soul

Jan & The Radiants (2)

  
Is It True (I Still Believe In You)                      Now Is The Hour    


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