Mello-Moods
The New York-based Mello-Moods are significant in the history of teen vocal groups, coming together almost four years before Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, who were acclaimed as the one of the first black "kiddie" groups to capture the public's attention in the early '50s. 13 and 14-year-old eighth graders Ray "Buddy" Wooten (lead), Bobby "Schubie" Williams (second lead, tenor, and piano), Bobby Baylor (second tenor and baritone), Monteith "Monte" Owens (tenor and guitar), and Jimmy "Bip" Bethea (bass) were so young that they were all still attending Resurrection Grammar School on West 151st Street in Manhattan when they began to attract attention. By late 1950/early 1951, the unnamed group of teenie vocalists could be found practicing at Macombs Dam Park across the bridge in the Bronx, right behind Yankee Stadium. Bobby Robinson, who owned the Red Robins record store and was looking to start the Red Robins record label, caught the group and decided that he'd invest his time and money to record them. By December 1951, the group -- now calling themselves the Mello-Moods -- had recorded their first single, a soft ballad called "Where Are You," which soon found its way on to Billboard's national R&B charts on February 23, 1952, where it reached number seven in the nation. Jimmy Keyes, a friend of the group (later a member of the Chords -- "Sh-Boom" -- on Cat) became their manager and managed to get them on the bill at the Apollo Theater, as well as nightclubs usually reserved for adults. The Mello-Moods also made an appearance on the Spotlight on Harlem TV show. The group's next single, a ballad called "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night" earned them some airplay, but failed to chart and the group was soon signing up with new manager Joel Turnero. Turnero took them to Prestige Records, who released a set of singles, "I'm Lost" and its follow-up, "Call on Me," but both failed to chart. By 1952, the group became restless and started drifting off to form other groups. Soon enough, the Mello-Moods had merely vanished. Schubie Williams, Bobby Baylor, and Monte Owens later formed the legendary Solitaires, whose biggest hit was "Embraceable You" on Old Town. In 1963, this same group began backing Ray Brewster as the Cadillacs ("Fool," Artic) and even toured for a while as both the Cadillacs and one of the bazillion acts calling themselves the Drifters, with Bobby Baylor doing his best Clyde McPhatter impression. Monty Owens later left the music biz and went to work for the U.S. Postal Service and Baylor became a transit conductor in the New York City subway system. Ray Wooten was the unfortunate victim of a theft in the '70s that soured him on the music business for more than 30 years. The story is that two men convinced him that they were members of popular R&B radio show who wanted to do a magazine article and radio show about his career. Wooten turned over invaluable personal items, including photos and documents, which were to be used and returned to him, but as it turned out, the two were thieves and the personal items were never returned. Wooten was so hurt by this that he vowed never to have anything to do with the music business again and it wasn't until October of 1998, on the stage of the UGHA, that Wooten -- a guest of UGHA member/former Mello-Mood bassman Jimmy Bethea -- was welcomed with tremendous applause which made him feel like he had turned his back on a musical community that had not forgotten him. ~ Bryan Thomas, All Music Guide 0ver four years before FRANKIE LYMON AND THE TEENAGERS brought teen groups to prominence, the Mello-Moods formed and became the first of the true teen groups. The quintet was so young that they were all still attending Resurrection Grammar School on West 151st Street in Manhattan when the 13 and 14year-olds began practicing at Macombs Dam Park across the bridge in the Bronx, right behind Yankee Stadium. The eighth graders included Ray "Buddy' Wooten (lead), Bobby Williams (second lead, tenor, and piano), Bobby Baylor (second tenor and baritone), Monteith "Monte" Owens (tenor and guitar), and Jimmy Bethea (bass). The group's main influence was SONNY TIL AND THE ORIOLES, so it was no surprise that they included songs like "I Miss You So," "So Much," and "It's Too Soon to Know" in their rehearsals. The teen quintet started singing in early 1951 (or late 1950 depending on the information source) and soon heard that a local record store owner, Bobby Robinson, was starting a record company. Buddy's mother knew Robinson and arranged an audition, which led to a session and their being named the Robins after Bobby's new Robin label. By December 1951 the group had become the Mello-Moods and their single "Where Are You" was receiving a significant amount of radio response, enough so that the fledgling label and group found themselves debuting on Billboard's national R&B charts on February 23, 1952, reaching number seven. The soft ballad, with Buddy's mellow tenor lead, became the first teen group national R&B charter, but unlike later teen groups' singles it offered nary a hint of the group's age thanks to their mature sound. Since there was not yet a marketable teen audience, the kids were singing mature love lyrics convincingly to older audiences, though ifs doubtful Buddy knew what he was singing. Jimmy Keyes, a friend of the group (later with THE CHORDS on Cat) became their manager and wangled some appearances at the Apollo Theatre as well as clubs usually reserved for adults. They also did an early "Spotlight on Harlem" TV show. The group next issued "I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night," another ballad (as were all their A side recordings) that received some airplay but didn't chart. New manager Joel Turnero, writer of the single's B side, took the group down to the Prestige Records office at 446 West 50th Street where they put together "I'm Lost," probably their best vocal effort. When "I'm Lose' and its follow-up "Call on Me" both failed to chart in 1952, the youngsters began drifting toward other goals. Baylor, Williams, and Owens became the nucleus of the legendary SOLITAIRES, and the Mello-Moods disappeared into history. Ray Wooten was the victim of a despicable act of treachery in the 1970's. Two men convinced Ray into believing that they were members of a prominent R&B radio show and that they wanted to do a magazine article and radio show about his career . Ray turned over personal pictures and documents that were to be used and returned to him. The men were impostors and the material was stolen. Ray vowed never to have anything to do with the music business and he didn't for almost the next 30 years. In 1997, Jim "Bip" Bethea , also one of the original Mello-Moods, began attending UGHA meetings. He finally convinced Ray Wooten to attend one of the shows and in October of 1998 Ray Wooten was greeted with a tremendous welcome at UGHA. The Mello-Moods were inducted into the UGHA Hall of Fame (1999). One of the highlights of the evening was Ray and Jim performing some of their classic songs onstage. Bill E. Rocker