The Carousels (5) (Harlem, New York)



Personnel :

Betty Jackson (Lead)

Robert Mitchell

Curtis Swindell

Mario Krauser


Discography :

1962 - Because I / Pretty Little Thing (Gone 5118)
1962 - You Can Come / Pretty Little Thing (Gone 5118)
1962 - If You Want To / Pretty Little Thing (Gone 5118)
1962 - You Can Come If You Want To / Pretty Little Thing (Gone 5118)
1962 - Dirty Trick / Never Let Him Go (Gone 5131)


Biography :

The Carousels; Betty Jackson, Robert Mitchell, Curtis Swindell & Mario Krauser came from out of Harlem St. Nick Projects. They singing at local proms, dances, school contests. In 1961, Mickey Francis, formerly with Richard Barett’s Valentines discovered Betty Jackson & The Carousels.  Mickey Francis took them to George Goldner at Rama, Gone & End Records. George Goldner liked them and wanted to call them the Serenators. Mickey said no and called them the Carousels. Betty Jackson & The Carousels recorded Because I and "Pretty Little Thing" released on Gone # 5118.

George Goldner did not like "Because I" and changed it to "You Can Come". That was declared a bit risqué so a month later they called it "If You Want To". A month after that is finally settled down as "You Can Come If You Want To". Same song, same master with four different titles . This shuffling around didn’t help the promotion of the record and it quickly disappeared. After one more release for George Goldner’s Gone label, the group was gone.



Songs :

  
  If You Want To                                Pretty Little Thing

  
      Dirty Trick                                   Never Let Him Go

…