Larry Hovis, Jerry Lloyd, Joe Toland and bottom Harry Bell

The Mascots (2) (Houston, Texas)

Personnel :

Harry Bell (Lead Tenor)

Larry Hovis (Tenor)

Joe Toland (Baritone)

Jerry Lloyd (Bass)

Discography :

The Mascots (1)

1955 - Please Have Mercy / Dreamboat (MGM 11959)
1955 - Relax-A-Voo / The Others I Like (MGM 12027)
1955 - Nobody's Arms / Little Mustard Seed (MGM 12107)
1956 - Java Jive / Who Put The Devil In Evelyn's Eyes (MGM 12107)

Larry Hovis

Singles :
1958 - Do I Love You / We Could Have Lots Of Fun (Capitol 3873)
1958 - Silly Tears / Helplessly Hopelessly (Capitol 3961)
1959 - A Rose To Remember You By / I Love You More (Capitol 4130)
1959 - My Heart Belongs To Only You / I Want To Fall In Love (Capitol 4281)

Ep :
1959 - Introducing Larry Hovis (Capitol Pro 1162/63)
My Heart Belongs To Only You / 'Deed I Do / Nice To Be In Love / Exactly Like You

Lp :
1959 - My Heart Belongs To Only You
My Heart Belongs To Only You / 'Deed I Do / But Beautiful / Love-Wise / Just In Time / Nice To Be In Love / Then I'll Be Tired Of You / I Want To Fall In Love / S'posin'    / Polka Dots And Moonbeams / Exactly Like You

Biography :

Not really a Doo Wop or Rhythm & blues and not to be confused with the Mascots that will become the famous O'Jays, this is an early pop vocal group from Houston, Texas. The Mascots were composed by Jerry Lloyd, Harry Bell, Larry Hovis and Joe Toland. the group formed 1952/53 in Reagan High School in Houston and called itself the Four Spades. They won a talent contest which guaranteed the group a trip to New York City and an appearance on the television show Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts.

    

The Four Spades were convinced by Arthur Godfrey to change their name in order for radio stations to play their music in the 1950's. A contest was held on a Texas radio station for fans to pick out a new name for the group and Mascots was chosen (The O'Jays were once called The Mascots as well). The Mascots, appeared on “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” in 1956.  The Mascots became the house band for The Continental Club in 1955. This was the year that Morin Scott open The Continental Club as a private supper club.

Joe Toland,  Larry Hovis, Harry Bell & Jerry Lloyd

Rusty Weir's mother, Iona, was the one who hired The Mascots to provide entertainment for the supper & dance crowd.  Tenor Larry Hovis was signed to Capitol Records in November, 1957, after having penned a song recorded by Joel Grey, "Everytime I Ask My Heart". He recorded a few singles and released his only album, My Heart Belongs to Only You. His biggest song was "We Could Have Lots of Fun".

  
During his time at Capitol, in March 1959, CARLTON Records released an lp by The Bill Gannon Trio, of which Larry was also a member. On there, he sang and also played drums. Larry Hovis became much more famous after The Four Spades and the Mascots, thanks to a singing, dancing, comedy & acting career that took him to Hollywood and Hogan's Heroes!

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Mascots (1)

  
Please Have Mercy                               Java Jive            

  
Little Mustard Seed                            Dreamboat          

  
The Others I Like / Relax-Ay-Voo                     Nobody's Arms             


(Who-Who-Who) Who Put The Devil In Evelyn's Eyes

Larry Hovis

  
 We Could Have Lots Of Fun           My Heart Belongs To Only You


I Want To Fall In Love

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