The Four Graduates (2) (Paterson, N.J.)



Personnel :



Bob Miranda (Lead)



Tom Gullano (First tenor)



Ralph DeVito (Baritone)



Dave Libert (Bass)

Discography:



1963 - A Lovely Way To Spend And Evening / Picture An Angel (Rust 5062)
1964 - Candy Queen / A Boy In love (Rust 5084)
1978 - May I Have The Dance / Caught In A Lie (Crystal ball 116)
1978 - Your Initials / Every Year About This Time (Crystal ball 119)

Biography :

The group formed in 1961 in Patterson, New Jersey, and called themselves the Four Graduates. Bob Miranda (lead), Tom Giuliano (first tenor), Ralph DiVito ( baritone), and Dave Libert (bass) began singing together in the army at Fort Dix New Jersey. Developing a versatility that enabled them to sing barbershop as well as jazz and doo wop, they became proficient enough to work in local clubs and begin doing background work on recording sessions.

In late 1962 they met Bob Crewe, who had just produced the huge hit "Sherry" for the Four Seasons. He used the Four Grads on a variety of sessions, including some by the Seasons. They signed with Rust (distributed by Laurie) in 1963 and, produced by Lor Crane  , cut a rhythm version of THE INK SPOTS' 1944 ballad hit (#16) "A lovely way to spend an evening". At Rust the Tokens met the quartet and were impressed with their sound, especially the stylistic possibilities they heard in the group's recording of " Lovely Way." (The Tokens were fond of reworking oldies in a new tempo).

The group was producing THE CHIFFONS (as the Four Pennies) and RANDY AND THE RAINBOWS for Rust in 1963 but kept the Four Grads on mental "hold."  In the early summer of 1964 the Tokens formed BT Puppy Records.A little over a year later, after recording such obscurities as the Cinnamons, the Three Pennies, and the English Muffins, the Tokens signed the Four Graduates . At that time Miranda and company opted for a name change to the Happenings.
Jay Warner "American singing groups: a history from 1940s to today"


Songs :

  
A Lovely Way To Spend And Evening               Picture An Angel                 

  
Candy Queen                             A Boy In Love

  
May I Have The Dance                          Caught In A Lie       

  
Every Year About This Time                            Your Initials        




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