Richie Giordano

The Crowns (5) (Stamford, CT.)
aka The Barons (6)

Personnel :

Jimmy Ienner (Lead / Bass)

Tommy Fowler (Lead Tenor)

Richie Giordano (Falsetto) 

Joe Mattera (Baritone)

Pete Esposoto (Bass)

Discography :

The Barons (6)

Singles :
1964 - Pledge Of A Fool / Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl) (Epic 9586)
1964 - Lucky Star / Remember Rita (Epic 9747)
1966 - Since You're Gone / My Smile Is Bigger (Than Your Smile) (RCA 9034)
Unreleased :
1966 - When You Dance (Acappella)
1966 - Traveling Stranger (Acappella) (as the Kooltones)
1966 - Pennies From Heaven (Acappella) (as the Pretenders)

The Crowns (5)

1964 - Possibility / Watch Out (Old Town 1171)

Biography :

In 1962, Jimmy Ienner and Richie Giordano formed the the Majestic Lads in  Stamford Ct. area. The group then consisted of Jimmy Ienner (Lead/Bass), Tommy Fowler (Lead Tenor), Richie Giordano (Falsetto), Joe Mattera (Baritone) and Pete Esposoto (Bass). in 1963, Stan Vincent became the manager of The Majestic lads and composed "Pledge Of A Fool" and "Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl)". Stan Vincent changed the original name by The Barons. Stan Vincent began his music industry career as a teenager working as a gofer at the Brooklyn-based offices of Jim Gribble who managed several doo-wop groups including the Mystics and the Passions, sometimes assisting on the recordings on Gribble's clients: by 1959 Vincent was himself recording his output including two singles backed by the Del Satins.

   
Stan Vincent                                                                                                                                      

Vincent's releases were overlooked but a recording he produced for the Del Satins of his composition "Teardrops Follow Me" became a regional success in the summer of 1962 and Vincent was afforded his first major success as the producer of the Earls hit "Remember Then" recorded in 1962 which reached #24 in January 1963. Some of the artists he's worked with include (but are not limited to): The Passions, The Earls, Connie Francis, Lou Christie, The 5 Stairsteps, The Brooklyn Bridge, Cher, Ronnie Dyson, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, The Del Satins, Larry Finnegan.

   
                                                                                                           Jimmy Ienner

Considered by many as one of the most wonderful doo wop, "Pledge of a Fool" was released in March 1963 on Epic and charted locally. The record became popular and the group make many appearances throughout the area. in 1964, Ron D'Angelis replaced Joe Mattera. At the end of 1964, the Barons returned to the studio and record two new songs composed by Stan Vincent : "Lucky Star" and "Remember Rita" released on Epic 9747. Some months later, they recorded "Possibility" b/w "Watch Out" released on Old Town records as the Crowns because they were still under contract with Epic.

Jimmy Ienner (Left) with the Raspberries

The Crowns sounded like Larry Chance & the Earls and "Possibility" was composed again by Stan Vincent and this is where the Larry Chance rumor was started. There is no connection to Larry  Chance with either the Barons or the Crowns. The Larry Chance connection to the Crowns on Old Town was one of several/many BS stories started by Gus Gossert. After this Billy Neilson replaced Richie Giordano. In 1966, Jimmy Ienner composed & produced the last single of the Barons "Since You're Gone" b/w "My Smile Is Bigger" on RCA. They also had 3 accapella sides on Relic 101 (Best of Acappella Vol 1). These came from Slim Rose who found them in the back of Times Square Records on reel to reel. They are: When You Dance, Traveling Stranger (as the Kooltones) and Pennies From Heaven( as the Pretenders). Jimmy Ienner will become an American music producer, best known for producing albums for such artists as Bay City Rollers, The Raspberries and Three Dog Night.
Richard A. Giordano,74, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, October 7, 2016.
 

Songs:
(updated by Hans-Joachim)   

The Barons (6)

  
Pledge Of A Fool                                  Lucky Star       

  
            Remember Rita                   Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl)

  
     Since You're Gone                    When You Dance (Acappella)



The Crowns (5)


Possibility


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