The Youngtones (2) (Coney Island, New York)

Personnel:

Johnny Marsi (Lead singer)

Gilbert Rivera (First Tenor)

Joe Crespo (Second Tenor)

Willie Rivera (Baritone)

Louis Figueroa (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1958 - You I Adore / It's Over Now  (X-tra 104)
1958 - By The Candleglow (accompanied by The Dolls) / Patricia (X-tra 110)
1958 - Come On Baby / Oh Tell Me (Brunswick 55089)
1959 - Can I Come Over / Gonna Get Together Again (X-tra 120/121)
1964 - I Do / Day Train (by the Blasters) (Time Square 31)

Unreleased :
1961 - Memories Linger On
1961 - Mary
1961 - Moondust
1961 - What Am I Gonna Do

Biography :

Ben Smith had been, with Big Al Sears, a sax player in Andy Kirk's Clouds Of Joy and then lead of the Ben Smith Quartet. Aside from Teenage Records (co-owned with Bill Gordon), he owned the X-Tra label at 1650 Broadway in New York in 1956.

"You I Adore" b/w "It's Over Now" was the first release by the Coney Island based Youngtones for the new label. The Youngtones were a Hispanic group whose group members included Johnny Marsi (lead), Gilbert Rivera (first tenor), Joe Crespo (second tenor), Willy Rivera (baritone) and Louis Lugo (aka Louis Figueroa) (bass).

The Group biggest records was "Patricia" released as X-tra 110 In February 1958. The Group also recorded two sides for Brunswick in the late of the Summer 1958, and their last effort for X-tra, the haunting ballad called "Can I Come Over", appeared in 1959.

 Ronald Jackson, the brother of Adam jackson who sung lead for the Jesters on Winley, did the lead honors on  "Can I Come Over". Unreleased song was issued in the early sixties on Time Square Records by Irv "Slim" Rose when he bought the X-tra catalog from Ben Smith in 1962.

Two of the members of the Youngtones, Johnny Marsi and Gil Rivera later joined with Bobby "Ziggy" Andriani to record as Marci and the Mates for two releases on the Big Top record label, and would later record under other names (Johnny, Gil and Bobby; Hans, Chris & Anderson, etc).

Songs :

     
You I Adore                                It's Over Now

  
By The Candleglow                                     Patricia          

  
Come On Baby                                       Oh Tell Me

  
      Can I Come Over                      Gonna Get Together Again


I Do

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