The Four Voices (New York)

Personnel :

Allan Chase (Lead Tenor)

Sal Mayo (Tenor)

William McBride (Baritone)

Frank Fosta (Bass) 

Discography :

Singles:
1955 - Honest Darling / Hey Honey (Columbia 40516)
1955 - The Big Eyes / Darling, Thanks To You (Columbia 40582)
1956 - Lovely One / Geronimo (Coronet 010/Columbia 40643)
1956 - Bim Bam Baby / Let's Write Our Own Love Story (Coronet 054 / Columbia 40699)
1956 - I'm Dreaming Of Wedding Bells / The Ties That Bind (Coronet 028/Columbia 40749)
1957 - Sentimental / I Love You Still (Coronet 128/Columbia 40838)
1957 - Such A Shame / Angel Of Love (With Ray Connif) (Columbia 40933)
1957 - Sidewalk Bop / Kingdom Of Love (Coronet 190/Columbia 40983)
1958 - Dancing With My Shadows / Bon Bon (Columbia 41076)
1958 - Ev'ry Hour, Ev'ry Day Of My Life / You Know I Do (Columbia 41167)
1958 - Tight Spot / Tell Me You Love Me (Columbia 41234)
1959 - Each Time You Kiss Me / The Box (Coronet 297/Columbia 41291)
1959 - Who, Who, Who / Who Know Why (Columbia 41405)
1959 - Wang Wang Blues / Little White Cloud That..(Columbia 41524)
1960 - Good Good Thing / Stay with me (Columbia 41643)
1960 - Sealed With A Kiss / You'Re All There Is (Columbia 41699)
1961 - Boobala / This Word We Live In (ABC 10202)
1962 - Lovely One / M-I-N-E Mine (Peacock 106)
1962 - Everybody Loves Saturday Night / The Toast (Peacock 114)

Unreleased :
1956 - Come on Baby, Let me see your smile (Columbia)
1956 - School bells (Columbia)

Biography :

Despite close to 20 singles released by the giant Columbia and all their promotional capacity, The Four Voices (first tenor Allan Chase, second tenor Sal Mayo, baritone Bill McBride and bass Frank Fosta) barely avoided becoming a bona-fide member of the One-Hit Wonder club by virtue of a modest, middle-of-the-road nationally-charting single a full two years after their debut hit.

Signed by Columbia major-domo Mitch Miller in 1955 after he heard them compete on The Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts show, and mostly with the backing of the Ray Conniff orchestra, their first two singles that year went largely unnoticed - Hey! Honey (Kissin' Is Free)/Honest, Darling (Believe Me) as Columbia 4-40516 and The Big Eyes/Darling, Thanks To You as Columbia 4-40582.

Another orchestra with which they recorded was that of Fred Weismantel who also happened to be the composer of their breakthrough hit, Lovely One, but it was again Conniff backing when it peaked at # 20 Billboard Pop Top 100 in March/April 1956 as Columbia 4-40643 b/w Geronimo. They then experienced five straight failures: Let's Write Our Own Love Story/Bim Bam Baby (Columbia 4-40699) and I'm Dreaming Of Wedding Bells/The Ties That Bind (Columbia 4-40749), both in 1956 and, the following year, I Love You Still/Sentimental (Columbia 4-40838), Such A Shame/Angel Of Love (Columbia 4-40933), and Sidewalk Bop/Kingdom Of Love (Columbia 4-40983).

Then, just when it appeared they may indeed be destined for One-Hit Wonder status, Dancing With My Shadow - the 45-rpm covered here - managed to get to # 50 in April 1958 b/w Bon Bon as Columbia 4-41076. But that was to be it, as none among these singles could get them back on the charts: You Know I Do/Ev'ry Hour, Ev'ry Day Of My Life (Columbia 4-41167), The Box/Each Time You Kiss Me (Columbia 4-41291) and Tell Me You Love Me, Tell Me That You're Mine/Tight Spot (Columbia 4-42234), all in 1958, 1959's Who Knows Why?/Who, Who, Who? (Columbia 4-41405) and The Wang Wang Blues/The Little Cloud That Cried (Columbia 4-41524), and 1960's Good, Good Thing/Stay With Me (Columbia 4-41643) and Sealed With A Kiss/You're All There Is (Columbia 41699).

It's worth noting that their rendition of Sealed With A Kiss introduced the song that would become a # 3 in 1962 for Brian Hyland at ABC-Paramount.  They never recorded an album so it would be nice if some distributor was able to put together a proper remastered anthology of their Columbia output, but I'm not holding my breath considering who owns the rights... They Broke up while Alan Chase and Sal Mayo tried a couple of solos with no luck. In 1962 the Four Voices reunited and did a new version of "Lovely One" for Peacock records, but separated again after that one didn't make the grade.

Songs :

     
Sealed with a kiss                         Lovely One                Honest Darling

     
Who Know Why                     Such A Shame                    Tight Spot

     
Geronimo                              Sidewalk Bop                     Hey Honey

  
The Big Eyes                            Bim Bam Baby

 .....