Jennell Hawkins

The Combo-Netts (Los Angeles, CA)
aka The Combonets aka The Combo-Nets

Personnel:

Jennell Hawkins

Mary Ann Miles

Dora Lee Pickett

Darlene Powell

Discography :

Singles :

Jake Porter & The Combo-Netts
1955 – If I Had My Wish / Hi-Diddle Diddle  (Combo 74)

Clemons Penix & The Combonets
1956 - No Evil  / I’ve Been Searching  (no backing group) /(Combo 117)

Jake Porter & The Combo-Nets
1956 – I Ain’t Got Time / What Kinda Man Is This (Combo 118)

Unreleased :
1956 – Got To Have You Baby (Combo)

Discography :

A student at Jefferson and Freemont High Schools, Jennell gained her first singing experience with Ray Brewster, Bill Piper and Marc Gordon in the Fidelitones. (The group never recorded, but Gordon eventually became a successful producer of acts like the Fifth Dimension.) While at school, Jennell met Richard Berry (of 'Louie, Louie' fame). One day early in 1954 Berry told Jennell he was going to the studio and asked her if she wanted to accompany him. They met [arranger] Maxwell Davis and ended up recording that same afternoon. The result was 'Each Step', which was released by Flair Records under the monicker Ricky & Jennell.

Jake Porter

The experience of making a record helped Jennell establish herself in local music circles. A reluctant vocalist, she preferred playing the piano and organ, so when Berry asked her to join Fanita Barrett, Gloria Jones and Annette Williams in the Dreamers, the group with which he regularly recorded, she initially declined. Her piano, however, was heard on 'My Aching Heart', a 1955 release on Flip Records by the Flippers. Jennell subsequently joined the Dreamers on the same label for 'Since You've Been Gone', on which she sang lead. Also during 1955-56, she teamed with Mary Ann Miles, Dora Lee Pickett and Darlene Powell in the Combo-Netts, who recorded three singles for Jake Porter's Combo label, including their best-known side, 'Hi Diddle Diddle'.

     
Jennell Hawkins

As a solo vocalist, Jennell enjoyed her biggest success late in 1961 with the Richard Berry-written tune 'Moments To Remember' on Titanic, which was reissued as 'Moments' on Amazon, a label owned by the DJ Rudy Harvey.Around the same time, Flip re-released 'Since You've Been Gone' as Jennell Hawkins and the Dreamers. Another single, her version of Barrett Strong's 'Money (That's What I Want)', reached the R&B chart in 1962. Jennell also released 'In The Groove' on Harvey's Azuza label, but his shady business practices (which may well have ultimately led to his unsolved murder) left her disillusioned with the recording industry and she quit the business, dedicating herself to her marriage and the church.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Jake Porter & The Combo-Netts


 Hi-Diddle Diddle / If I Had My Wish

Jake Porter & The Combo-Nets

  
I Ain’t Got Time               What Kinda Man Is This

Got To Have You Baby

Clemons Penix & The Combonets

No Evil

…