(L to R) Gary Young, Chuck Hatfield & Paul O'Lone.

 The Ly-Dells (Philadelphia)
aka The Len-Dells - Ref : The Four Casts


Personnel :

Gary "Skin" Young (Lead,Falsetto, Baritone & Bass)



Chuck "Casino" Hatfield (First & Second Tenor)



Paul "Two Ply" O'Lone (Baritone & Bass)

Discography :

The Ly-Dells
1961 - Wizard Of Love / Let This Night Last (Master 251/Apex 76760)
1961 - Genie Of The Lamp  /  Teenage Tears (Master 111)
1962 - Book Of Songs / Hear That Train (SCA 18001)
1963 - Karen / Doin’ The Wiggle Wobble (Roulette 4493)
1964 - Three little Monkeys / Playing Hide & Seek (Southern Sound 122)
1978 - Sherry / Little Lover (King Tut 177)
1989 - Get Off Your High Horse / Oh What A Beautiful Thing (Wonder World 351)

Freddy Cannon bb The Ly-Dells
1962 - Broadway / What's Gonna…(Not Them) (Swan 4117/Quality 1436)

Wee Willie Weaver (Boss-Tones) bb The Ly-Dells
1963 - You're Gonna Be So Glad / Automatic Reaction (Tandy 101)

The Len-Dells
Single :
1964 - Don't Be A Litter Bug / Maryann (Reach 2)
Unreleased :
1964 - The Monkey’s Dead (Reach)

The Four Casts
1964 - Stormy Weather / Working at the Factory (Atlantic 2228)

Biography :

Hailing from the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia Pa., The Ly-Dells emerged in 1959, during the tail end of the doo-wop era. like many of their contempories from philly, Dovells, Danny & the Juniors, Billy & the Essentials, the Ly-Dells brought a different approach harking back to the harmony structures of the mid 1950’s. The group’s members, Chuck (Casino) Hatfield, Gary (Skin) Young, Paul (Two Ply) O’lone, Bob Oslar (…and various singers featured on their recordings : Billy Daniels, Jackie Butler, Frank Malett , Rich Wetzel) Came from the 46th and Samson, and 64th and Vine St. Section of West Philadelphia.  Around 1961, the act caught the eye of music impresario Inez Ryan of Ridley Park. Ryan would soon manage and handle direction of the group. The Ly-Dells intial waxing of “Wizard Of Love” and “Let This Night Last” came in the summer of 61’. Released on Master records (Master 101). Both sides were recorded at Philly’s sound plus studios, which were owned by Don & Tony Luis, who in return, received production credits on the 45 label. The record was distributed nationally by Morris Levy’s Roulette records.

“Wizard Of Love”, was an immediate hit locally, with the help of airplay on WIBG and WFIL. Cash Box magazine listed the record on august 5th as their 14 pick out of 50, that could soon enter their top 100, and later that month it was a huge success in New York, reaching 8 two weeks in a row on WABC’S music survey. By september 25th, it peaked nationally at 54 on Billboard’s hot 100. Toward the end of 1961, the writing team of Hatfield & O’lone came up with a song much in the formula of “Wizard”, entitled “Genie Of The Lamp” backed with the great up-tempo “Teenage Tears”. Once again, the 45 was released on the Master label (Master 111 ) with distribution by SCA and Swan records.

During 1962, The Ly-Dells would begin a strong relationship with legendary producer Frank Slay. Known for his extraordinary work in the 50’s/60’s’s with Cameo records, Swan records, and association with Bob Crewe, Slay would lend his production talents and regular studio players to the group’s next side ,“Book Of Songs" b/w “Hear That Train”. Recorded at Bell Sound in NYC. & released on Slay’s SCA Label. It was Frank Slay, who at a recording session of Freddy Cannon recruited “the Ly-Dells” to provide the yells during the roller coaster sequence of "Broadway".

Freddy Cannon                                                                                                                                

The Ly-Dells provided vocal backing for two of Jim Drucker’s compositions on a session held oct.16 1962 at sound plus studios. the songs were “The Day Rock & Roll Dies” and “Now That You’ve Gone”. a later session was conducted march 14, 1963, at Philly’s Reco-Art (later known as Sigma Sound), these sides were cut again, plus two of “the Ly-Dells” songs “Karen" and "Doin The Wiggle Wobble ” (written by Hatfield , O’lone & Drucker) the latter sides were released after resolving some legal issues, by roulette records (roulette 4493) in may 1963.

Jim Drucker worked as a teenager for Jolly Joyce Theatrical Booking Agency (JJA), Philadelphia and ran weekend WIBG Record Hops with Harold B. Childs, for Buzzy Curtis (Promotions) and was in high school at Philly's Edison HS  with members of the Boss-Tones. In 1964 he combined Chuck Hatfield, Paul O' Lone from The Lydells and Babbo and Willie Weaver from the Boss-Tones, and in the dark of night (at Chancellor Records Studios, 9th and Vine Streets), He produced: "Stormy Weather" b/w "Working at the Factory" . Jerry Blavat, Russ Faith (Chancellor Records) and Buzz Curtis sold the master (RCA Tape Recorder deck) tapes to Atlantic Records. The record was released in the spring of 1964, under the name of “the Four Casts” (Atlantic 2228)

1964 - Ly-Dells/Len-Dells - (Top) Gary Young (Bottom) Chuck Hatfield, Billy Shield & Jackie Butler                    

Later in 64’, The Ly-Dells would record under the name of “The Len- Dells” with a single on the Reach label entitled “Don't Be A Litter Bug" backed with "Maryann”. The act also recorded the song “The Monkey’s Dead”, written by Drucker, Hatfield, O’Lone and was cut at a sound plus session, but unreleased in 64’.The year 1965, amidst the height of Beatlemania, and demise of the golden age of doo wop, The group would emerge for what would be their final 45 release.  The a side “Three Little Monkeys”, was written by Inez Ryan & Tony Luis, and backed with “Playing Hide & Seek” composed by Bob Boulanger under the production of Frank Slay and placed on his Southern Sound label.

Songs :(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Ly-Dells

  
Wizard of Love / Let This Night Last
    Genie Of The Lamp / Teenage Tears

     
Book Of Songs                    Hear That Train                        Karen

     
Three Little Monkeys              Sherry                            Little Lover


Oh What A Beautiful Thing


Freddy Cannon bb The Ly-Dells 


Broadway


Wee Willie Weaver (Bosstones) bb The Ly-Dells


Automatic Reaction (Tandy 101)


The Len-Dells


  
Don't Be A Litter Bug                Maryann

The Four Casts

  
   Stormy Weather                     Workin' At The Factory


…