• The Five Chanels aka The Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels aka The Chelmars

    The Chanels aka The Five Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels

    The Five Chanels  (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
    aka The Chanels  aka Virgil & The Four Chanels aka The Chelmars

     

    Personnel :

    Sharon Scott (Lead)

    Gwynn Speller

    Donza Drummond

    Dolores Stringer

    Virgil Hammond

     

    Discography :

    The Chanels
    1958 - The Reason / Skiddily Doo (Deb 500)

    The Five Chanels
    Singles :
    1958 - The Reason / Skiddily Doo (Deb 500)
    Unreleased :
    1958 - You Treat Me Mean (Deb)
    1958 - Wish You Were Near  (Deb)

    Virgil & The Four Chanels
    1959 - Waiting / Don't Keep It To Yourself (Deb 508)

    The Chelmars
    1962 - Jigsaw Puzzle / Confess (Select 45K-712)

    Biography :

    One of the few vocal group to have escaped the scrutiny of record researchers, the Five Chanels were the protégés of Julius Dixon, a veteran songwriter whose successes included (as co-writer) the Chordettes' 1958 smash 'Lollipop' and Bill Halley's 'Dim Dim the Lights'. Dixon dabbled in all aeras of the music business and in 1958, he launched the Deb Label as a vehicle for his protégé, 14 year-Old Beverly Ann Gibson who had won the amateur hour at the Apollo theatre.

        The Chanels aka The Five Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels    The Chanels aka The Five Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels

    She in turn introduced Dixon to the Chanels who hailed from her hometown of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The group were composed by Sharon Scott, Gwynn Speller, Donza Drummond, Dolores Stringer and Virgil Hammond.Early pressings of 'the reason' credited the Chanels but this was changed to the Five Chanels after rival record boss, Georges Goldner, complained that the name was too close to that of the Channels, a group he had recorded for his Gone Label. And not only that, but the Chanels' lead singer, Sharon Scott, sounded similar to Arlene Smith ot the Chantels, another of Goldner's groups.

       The Chanels aka The Five Chanels  aka Virgil & The Four Chanels aka The Chelmars

    'The Reason' benefited from some immediate plugs on American Bandstand, the nation's most influential TV pop show and Dixon set up a distribution deal with ABC Paramount Records in anticipation of the hoped for hit. However, Dick Clark who hosted Bandstand, and had tried to acquire 'The Reason' for Swan Records, a Philadelphia Label with which he was associated, promptly lost interest causing 'The Reason' to stall at #98. A subsequent Release was credited to Virgil & the Four Chanels. In 1962, Julius Dixon will call the group again, without Virgil. The girls renamed "The Chelmars" recorded "Jigsaw Puzzle" b/w "Confess" released by Select Records.


    Songs :

    The Chanels aka The Five Chanels

        
    The Reason                               Skiddily Doo

        

    You Treat Me Mean                    Wish You Were Near

    Virgil & The Four Chanels

        
                 Waiting                        Don't Keep It To Yourself

    The Chelmars

      
    Confess                                          Jigsaw Puzzle

    ...


  • Comments

    1
    57Will
    Tuesday 12nd July 2016 at 04:09

    Did they sing on Beverly Anne Gibson's "Love's Burning Fire?"  Yes, Sharon Scott, come to think of it, did sound a bit like Arlene Smith.

     

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