Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Tempos (2) aka Those Four Eldorados

Posted on July 10 2007 by dion1

The Tempos (2) aka Those Four Eldorados
(Paste up picture) top : Louis Bradley, James Maddox & Jewel Jones - Bottom : Marvin Smith

The Tempos (2) (Chicago)
aka Those Four El Dorados

Personnel :

Marvin Smith (Lead)

Louis Bradley (Second Tenor)

Jewel Jones (First Tenor)

James Maddox (Baritone)

Discography :

Those Four Eldorados
1958 - A Lonely Boy / Go Little Susie (Academy 8138)

The Tempos
Single :
1958 - Promise Me / Never Let Me Go (Rhythm 121)
Unreleased :
1958 - Patricia ( (Rhythm)
1958 - To Love Again ( (Rhythm)

Biography :

When Nickens left the El Dorados they soldiered on as a quartet. A few additional singles performed well in certain U.S. cities, but didn't measure up to their prior hit status. Their next single, "Tears on My Pillow" (a different song from Little Anthony and the Imperials' hit record), was the last by all of the original El Dorados; soon after its release, the group and Pirkle Moses Jr. separated over a disagreement on new management. Moses Jr. soon joined another Vee Jay act, the Kool Gents, who had been left without a singer when their frontman, Dee Clark, departed for a solo career. John McCall (tenor), Douglas Brown (second tenor), Teddy Long (second tenor and baritone), and Johnny Carter (bass) of the Kool Gents joined with Moses Jr., to become the New El Dorados.

The Tempos (2) aka Those Four Eldorados
Jewel Jones, Louis Bradley, James Maddox

During this same time, the remaining El Dorados -- Jones, Bradley, and Maddox -- joined up with new lead singer Marvin Smith. Smith had moved with his family to the west side of Chicago in the late '40s, where he attended Crane High and sang on street corners and in church choirs, before joining the group as their new lead vocalist. To avoid legal problems with Vee Jay, the group's name was changed to Those Four El Dorados for 1958's "A Lonely Boy," Academy Records of Chicago. Jewel Jones' name on the label was spelled J-u-e-l-l (each member's name was listed). Those Four El Dorados' later traveled to the West Coast, and connected with a former NBA basketball star Don Barksdale, who had formed his Rhythm Record Company in Oakland, CA. The group changed monikers again, this time calling themselves the Tempos, but the group faltered again, and returned to Chicago, splitting up in 1961.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Tempos

Promise Me Never Let Me Go

To Love Again Patricia

Those Four Eldorados

A Lonely Boy Go Little Susie

...

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The Kodaks aka The Kodoks aka The Kadak's

Posted on July 10 2007 by dion1

The Kodaks aka The Kodoks aka The Kadak's

The Kodaks (Newark, New Jersey)
aka The Kodoks aka The Kadak's

Personnel :

Pearl McKinnon (Lead)

James Patrick (First Tenor)

William Franklin (Second Tenor)

Larry Davis (Baritone)

William Miller (Bass)

Discography :

The Kodaks
1957 - Teenager's Dream / Little Boy And Girl (Fury 1007)
1957 - Oh Gee, Oh Gosh / Make Believe Worlds (Fury 1015)
1958 - My Baby And Me / Kingless Castle (Fury 1019)
1958 - Guardian Angel / Run Around Baby (Fury 1020)

The Kadak's
1960 - Don't Want No Teasing / Look Up To The Sky (J&S-1683 / 1684)

The Kodoks
1961 - Twista Twistin' / Let's Rock (Wink 1004)
1961 - Mister Magoo / Love Wouldn't Mean A Thing (Wink 1006)

Biography :

An early male R&B group with a female lead, the Kodaks' chief asset was the uncanny similarity of Pearl McKinnon's voice to that of Frankie Lymon. Pearl's first group got together in Newark, New Jersey, at Robert Trent Junior High and consisted of 15-year-old Pearl, Marian Patrick, and Jean Miller. The boys, who grew up in the Baxter Terrace housing project, included Marian's brother James (lead, tenor, and brother of Charles Patrick of The Monotones), William Franklin (second tenor), Larry Davis (baritone), and William Miller (bass). The guys met Pearl in 1957 and felt she would be the unique twist that would differentiate them from the volume of vocal acts singing throughout Newark. The group's influences included The Harptones, The Spaniels, The Heartbeats and Frankie Lymon's Teenagers.

The Kodaks aka The Kodoks aka The Kadak's
The Kodaks (1957) William Franklin, William Miller, James Patrick and Larry Davis

Whether conscious or not, Pearl's amazing ability to sound like Frankie made the group a popular quintet around the Baxter Terrace recreation hall where they rehearsed. They called themselves the Supremes (over four years before the Detroit superstars) and when they felt confident enough headed for Harlem to audition for Fury label owner Bobby Robinson. Since Bobby had reportedly missed out on signing Frankie Lymon because he had been late for an appointment with Richard Barrett (who had then taken Lymon downtown to George Goldner's Gee label), he made up for it by grabbing the Supremes and recording "Teenager's Dream," a ballad Pearl and he collaborated on.

The Kodaks aka The Kodoks aka The Kadak's
Pearl McKinnon

At this time the group decided to change their name to the Kodaks after the camera company. Both "Teenager's Dream" and its flip, the rollicking "Little Boy and Girl," were immediate New York airplay favorites, and the group's smooth yet enthusiastic harmonies gave both the songs and Pearl's lead an aura of quality not found in many of the Lymon-like groups. The group's second single, "Oh Gee Oh Gosh," written by Pearl when she was 12, became their best-known effort; it did well in the Northeast and reached number eight R&B on their hometown chart in June 1958. They performed a number of times at the Apollo, did the chitlin circuit from Philadelphia's Uptown Theatre to the Howard in Washington, and appeared on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand." Around this time Franklin and Davis left to join the Sonics ("This Broken Heart," Harvard, 1959).

The Kodaks aka The Kodoks aka The Kadak's

They were replaced by Harold "Curly" Jenkins and Richard Dixon. The group had two more Fury singles, neither of which reached the level of the previous efforts, and within a year the Kodaks had disbanded. Pearl married and stopped performing; James Patrick joined his brother in the Monotones. Miller, along with his wife Jean, Harold Jenkins, and Renaldo Gamble (the Schoolboys, Okeh), formed a new Kodaks and recorded one single for Zell Sanders' J&S label in 1960 and two for Sol Winkler's Wink label, the best side being "Love Wouldn't Mean A Thing". In 1960 Pearl, along with Carl Williams (first tenor), James Straite (second tenor), Luther Morton (baritone), and Aaron Broadnick (bass), became Pearl and the Del tars and did another version of "Teenager's Dream" for Robinson's Fury label.

Songs :

The Kodaks

Teenager's Dream        Little Boy And Girl                 Oh Gee, Oh Gosh


Make Believe Worlds            My Baby And Me                           Kingless Castle


Guardian Angel                     Run Around Baby

The Kadak's

Don't Want No Teasing Look Up To The Sky

The Kodoks

Twista Twistin' / Let's Rock Mister Magoo

Love Wouldn't Mean A Thing

...

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The Dorells aka The Dorelles

Posted on July 9 2007 by dion1

The Dorells (Washington D.C.)
aka The Dorelles

Personnel :

Zelda

Renee

Beverly

Discography :

The Dorells
1963 - The Beating Of My Heart / Maybe Baby (Atlantic 2244/ G.E.L. 4401)

The Dorelles
1965 - Good Luck To The Lucky Girl / You Are (RSVP 1108)

Biography :

Trio from Washington, The Dorells had one disc on G.E.L., "The Beating Of My Heart", which later came out on Atlantic. In 1965, under the name of the Dorelles, They cut "Good Luck To The Lucky Girl" for RSVP, Flip is "You Are", also recorded by Bobby Reed (Brunswick 55282, 1965).

Songs :
(Update By Hans-Joachim)

The Dorelles

Good Luck To The Lucky Girl You Are

The Dorells

Maybe Baby The Beating Of My Heart

...

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The Raindrops (4)

Posted on July 8 2007 by dion1

The Raindrops (4) (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
ref The Jumpin'Tones

Personnel :

Joe Nunez (Tenor)

Pat Zito (Bass)

Lou Beneveto

Jimmy Beneveto

Discography :

Singles :
1961 - In The Still Of The Night / Sweetheart Song (Imperial 5785)
1989 - Jingle Bell Stomp / Even Now (The Jumpin'Tones)(Avenue D 16)

Unreleased :
1961 - Japanese Sandman (Imperial)
1961 - Come On Home (Imperial)
1961 - I See A Star (Imperial)
1961 - You're My Love (Imperial)

Biography :

Pat Zito, Joe Nunez, Lou and Jimmy Beneveto from Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, formed a vocal group. Night after night, they would harmonize on the street corners with each other or with friends such as Eugene Pitt and his group, the Jive Five. Sam Hawkins (Who had a hit of his own "king Of Fool) introduced the group to Goldie Goldmark, Vice president of Imperial records. They auditioned a song they had written "The Sweetheart Song" and were told that someone from Imperial would get in touch with them soon.


                                                                                                        Pat Zito & Joe Nunez
In the meantime, the group needed a name, At first the name Tear drops appealed to them, but they soon rejected it, believing that it sounded too similar to the name of another group. By chance, Joe quickly suggested they change Tear Drops to Rain Drops. It was not long before they were contacted by bandleader and arranger, Leroy Kirkland , who was then worked for Imperial. Kirkland had refashioned the Five Satins hit "In The Still Of The Night".   The group went into the Beltone studios and cut Four sides. two remain unreleased and the other pair, "In The Still Of The Night" coupled with their own "Sweetheart Song" were issued but the record was a commercial failure, and the dischanted Rain Drops broke up. Joe Nunez & Pat Zito then decided to form another group the Jumpin Tones.
Thanks to Joe Nunez JR.

Songs :


In The Still Of The Night         Jingle Bell Stomp                 Come On Home

...

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The Lincolns (2)

Posted on July 6 2007 by dion1

The Lincolns (2) (East Harlem, NY.)

Personnel :

Harold Anderson (Lead)

Willie Williams (Tenor)

John Anderson (Baritone)

John Miro (Bass/Baritone)

Discography :

1959 - Baby Please Let Me Love You / Can't You Go For Me (Mercury 71553)

Biography :

After their only single and their uncredited backup for Chuck Willis on two singles, the Ospreys broke up. John Miro did some Atlantic backup sessions behind Clyde McPhatter and Ivory Joe Hunter. In 1959, he joined the Lincolns with Harold Anderson (lead), Willie Williams (tenor), John Anderson (baritone), and John Miro (bass and lead baritone). The Lincolns did one record for Mercury with "Baby Please Let Me Love You" and "Can't You Go For Me".
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Ospreys/ospreys.html

Songs :

Baby Please Let Me Love You Can't You Go For Me

...

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The Jewels (1) aka Crows aka The Four Notes (1)

Posted on July 6 2007 by dion1

Top : William"Bill"Davis & Daniel "Sonny'"Norton - Middle : Harold Major - Bottom : Gerald Hamilton

The Crows (Harlem, New York)
aka The Jewels (1) aka The Four Notes (1)

Personnel :

Daniel "Sonny'"Norton（Lead）

Mark Jackson（Tenor）

Harold Major（Tenor）

William"Bill"Davis（Baritone）

Gerald Hamilton（Bass）

Discography

Fat Man Humphries (bb The Four Notes)
1952 - I Can't Get Started With You / Lulubell Blues (Jubilee 5085)

Viola Watkins (bb The Crows)
1952 - Paint A Sky For Me / Really Real (no group) (Jubilee 5095)

The Crows

Singles :
1953 - Seven Lonely Days / No Help Wanted（Rama 3)
1953 - Gee / I Love You So（Rama 5）
1954 - Perfidia / Piano Player Plays A Tune（Gee 1)
1954 - Heartbreaker / Call A Doctor* (The Jewels (1)) （Rama 10）
1954 - Baby / Untrue（Rama 29）
1955 - Mambo Shevitz / Mambo No.5（Tico 1082）
1954 - Miss You / I Really, Really Love You（Rama 30）
1955 - Baby Doll / Sweet Sue（Rama 50）
Unreleased:
N/A - Don't Come Back (Rama)
N/A - What's The Matter With You, Woman (Rama)

The Jewels (1)
1954 - Call A Doctor* / Heartbreaker (The Crows)（Rama 10）

Lorraine Ellis (bb The Crows)
1954 - Perfidia / [Piano Player Play A Tune - Lorraine Ellis]
1955 - Mambo Shevitz / [Mambo No. 5 - Melino & His Orchestra]（Tico 1082)

*West Coast pressings had "Call A Doctor" credited to the "Jewels"

Biography :

When The Crows started out in 1951, practicing sidewalk harmonies, the original members were Daniel "Sonny" Norton (lead), William "Bill" Davis (baritone), Harold Major (tenor), Jerry Wittick (tenor), and Gerald Hamilton (bass). In 1952, Wittick left the group and was replaced by Mark Jackson (tenor and guitarist).

Frank "Fat Man" Humphries Viola Watkins

They were discovered at Apollo Theater's Wednesday night talent show by talent agent Cliff Martinez and brought to independent producer George Goldner who had just set up the tiny new Rama Records label. The Crows were the first group signed and the first to record. Their first songs they recorded were as backup Fat Man Humphries as The Four Notes and singer Viola Watkins.

The song "Gee" was the third song recorded during their first recording session, on February 10, 1953. It was put together in a few minutes by group member William Davis, with Watkins also being credited as cowriter. The song was first released as the B-side of a ballad, "I Love You So".

The Crows aka The Jewels (1) aka The Four Notes (1)

However, radio stations began turning it over and playing "Gee," first in Philadelphia and later in New York and Los Angeles. By January 1954 it had sold 100,000 copies, and by April it entered the national R&B and pop charts, rising to #2 R&B and #14 pop.The song was a huge hit a year after it was recorded.

In June 1953, The Crows were back in the studio recording "Heartbreaker" and "Call A Doctor." Issued in July 1953, the disc was released on the West Coast, for unknown reasons, with "Call A Doctor" being credited to the Jewels and "Heartbreaker" to the Crows.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Crows/crows.html

Songs :

Fat Man Humphries (bb The 4 notes)

Lulubell Blue I Can't Get Started With You

The Crows


Seven Lonely Days / No Help Wanted      I Love You So                Gee


Perfidia / Piano Player Plays A Tune       Call A Doctor / Heartbreaker           Baby / Untrue


     Mambo Shevitz                Miss You / I Really, Really Love You        Baby Doll / Sweet Sue

Viola Watkins (bb The Crows)

Paint A Sky For Me / Really Real

...

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The Chessmen (2)

Posted on July 6 2007 by dion1

The Chessmen (2)
Cecil Gentry (Freshman year)

The Chessmen (2) (Washington, DC)

Personnel :

Alan Johnson (Lead)

Willie Hardman (First Tenor)

Robert Brown (Second Tenor)

Cecil Gentry (Bass)

Discography :

1961 - Lola / I believe (Pac 100)

Biography :

Vocal group from Washington DC composed by Alan Johnson (Lead Tenor), Willie Hardman (First Tenor), Robert Brown (Second Tenor) and Cecil Gentry (Bass).

The Chessmen (2)

The Chessmen cut only one single "Lola" b/w "I believe" at a local studio (Rodel) for the local Label Pac. They are not the Chessmen on Mirasonic who was also known as The Prelude 5. Previously Willie Hardman sang with the Dippers Quintet in 1955 and recorded "Look What I Found" b/w "Almost Christmas" on the Flayr Label .

Songs :

lola I believe

…

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The Marvels (3) aka The Marvells aka The Senators (3)

Posted on July 6 2007 by dion1

The Marvels (3) (Washington, DC)
aka The Marvells
aka The Senators (3)

Personnel :

Sam Gilbert (Lead)

James "Junior" Isom (Second Tenor)

Ronald Boyd (Baritone)

James Mitchell (Bass)

Discography :

The Marvels (3)
1958 - I Shed So Many Tears / So Young So Sweet (Laurie 3016)

The Marvells
1961 - For Sentimental Reasons / Come Back (Winn 1916)

The Senators (3)
1962 - Wedding Bells / I Shouldn't Care (Winn 1917)

Biography :

The Marvels emerged from the fertile Washington, D.C. doo wop scene of the 1950s. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the December 1976 issue of Yesterday's Memories, lead Sam Gilbert, second tenor James "Junior" Isom, baritone Ronald Boyd and bass James Mitchell co-founded the group in 1954 -- after honing their harmonies on local street corners, the Marvels achieved sufficient notoriety to appear on the popular local television show Milt Grant's Record Hop, but did not actively seek a record deal until 1958, traveling to New York City to audition for the Laurie label. Laurie immediately offered a deal, and that July issued the Isom-led "I Shed So Many Tears" -- when the single went nowhere, the label terminated their contract and the Marvels returned to the Washington club circuit, waiting three years for their chance to cut a follow-up.

The Marvels (3) aka The Marvells aka The Senators (3)

The Winn label issued "For Sentimental Reasons" in the fall of 1961, and when it too failed to generate much attention, the Marvels -- now facing competition from hitmakers like the Marvellos and the Marvelettes -- decided a fresh start was in order, renaming themselves the Senators in honor of the local major league baseball franchise. Winn released the Gilbert-led "Wedding Bells" in the spring of 1962, but it too fared poorly and the group soon dissolved -- Isom later resurfaced in the Gales before signing on with the Satisfactions, who in 1970 scored the R&B Top 40 hits "This Bitter Earth" and "One Light, Two Lights."

Songs :

The Marvels (3)


I Shed So Many Tears                            So Young So Sweet

The Marvells


For Sentimental Reasons                               Come Back

The Senators (3)


Wedding Bells                            Shouldn't Care

...

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The Four Evers (2) aka Ernie & The Halos (2) aka The Venairs

Posted on July 6 2007 by dion1

Paul Verdi, Jackie Jacobs, Alex Balbadora, Dominick Andraccho

The Venairs (Philadelphia)
aka Ernie & The Halos (2) aka The Four Evers (2)

Personnel :

Jackie Jacobs (Lead)

Paul Verdi (Tenor)

Alex Barbadoro (Second Tenor)

Dominick Andraccho (Baritone)

Discography :

The Venairs
1962 - Summertime / Poor Boy (AMS demo) (Unreleased)

The Four Evers (2)
1963 - Everybody South Street / One More Time (Jamie 1247)

Ernie & The Halo's (2)
1963 - Angel Marie / Darlin!!! Don't Make Me Cry (Guyden 2085)

Biography :

This group initially formed in 1960. After a great deal of practice and patience and a demo late spring 1962 as the Venairs , the Four-Evers auditioned for the manager of deejay Jerry Blavat, who thought they were great. Fate unfortunately didn't see it that way and they had to wait until March 1963 before a recording of theirs was produced and released on Philadelphia's Jamie label. “Everybody South Street” b/w “One More Time” arranged by Bob Finizio (The Fabulous Four) came out on February 16, 1963.

Bob Finizio

Prior to the release, there was no South Street dance in existence and when the disc began to take off, a dance was invented. The Four Evers did get on television dance shows in Baltimore, where the record took off. They go down there and first appear on [Buddy] Dean’s TV show and then on Bob Kaye’s with the Flamingos.” The Buddy Dean Show was immortalized as the tv dance show satirized in numerous John Waters productions like Hairspray, The Shag and Cry Baby. The Four Evers were signed as singers not dancers, but the nature of their single required them to try their feet at dancing.

Ernie Spano

About six monist elapsed when Bob Finizio contacted the restless quartet for some work. a few days later, they popped up in a studio all set to support neighborhood homeboy, Ernie Spano a member of the Four Dates who also tripped with the Fabulous Four. The Four Evers also backed Ernie Spano in the Bell-Sound –recorded release, “Angel Marie (The Girl from Across the Sea” b/w “Darling!! Don’t Let Me Cry” (Guyden 2085) which was released on March 27, 1963, soon after their own release. All of the doo-wop groups were soon overtaken by the arrival of the Beatles and the British muscial invasion that would come within the year.

Songs :

The Venairs


Poor Boy                                          Summertime

The Four Evers (2)


Everybody South Street                        One More Time

Ernie & The Halo's (2)

The Girl From Across The Sea Darlin!!! Don't Make Me Cry

....

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The Mellow Drops aka The Monitors (1) aka The Senors

Posted on July 5 2007 by dion1

The Monitors (1) aka The Senors aka The Mellow Drops

The Monitors

The Monitors (1) (New Orleans, LA)
aka The Senors aka The Mellow Drops

Personnel :

Robert Kidd (Lead Tenor)

Vontell Lane (Tenor)

Adolph Smith (Tenor)

Clarence Phoenix (Contralto)

Billy Tircuit (Bass / Baritone)

Discography :

The Mellow Drops
Singles :
1954 - The Crazy Song / When I Grow Too Old To Dream (Imperial 5324)
Unreleased :
1954 - I Want Your Love (Imperial)
1954 - Mother Will Stand Up For You (Imperial)

The Monitors (1)
Singles :
1956 - Candy Coated Kisses / Tonight's The Night (Aladdin 3309)
1956 - A Little Word / That's What I'll Do (Aladdin 3313)
1957 - Our School Days / I've Got A Dream (Speciality 595)
1957 - Closer To Heaven / Rock 'N' Roll Fever (Speciality 622)
1958 - Mama Linda / Hop Scotch (Speciality 636)
Unreleased :
1956 - Guiding Light (Aladdin)
1956 - O, O, Daddy, O (Aladdin)
1957/58 - Crazy Green Lizard
1957/58 - Groovy Ruby
1957/58 - If I Could See You Again
1957/58 - My Baby's Rockin'
1957/58 - My Greatest Mistake
1957/58 - Red Sails In The Sunset
1957/58 - Too Young
1957/58 - Wobble When She Walks

The Senors
1962 - May I Have This Dance / Searching For Olive Oil (Sue 756)

Biography :

This New Orleans vocal group First got together in New Orleans in 1952, They were friends in their early twenties and calling themselves the Mellow-Drops, playing bars and clubs in the New Orleans vicinity. Finally they were discovered by Imperial's Dave Bartholomew. Bartholomew got them a session on November 15, 1954. "The Crazy Song" and "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" by the Mellow Drops later that year. For some forgotten reason, the group decided to change their name to the Monitors. They met and backed up Shirley and Lee one day. The producer that day was Eddie Mesner of Aladdin Records. That session eventually led to a session for the Monitors with Aladdin. Kidd was the usual lead, but he was unable to make the Monitors session with Aladdin and Vontell Lane filled in. Four tunes were recorded at the one session they had with Aladdin — only two were used.

The Mellow Drops aka The Monitors (1) aka The Senors

Eddie Mesner Billy Tircuit

The Aladdin disc did well locally but received little support from the label, and they next called on Specialty Records in 1956. While this group had been the Mellow Drops on Imperial and was renamed the Monitors and the Senors, it's curious that despite their Louisiana origin, they recorded for the Sue label in New York and for California's Imperial, Aladdin, and Speciality labels. The Monitors' first session for Specialty was held in December 1956 and their first release on that label occurred in January 1957. It did well locally in New Orleans, but Speciality’s Art Rupe failed to support it. Similarly, their two other Specialty releases had good local support but no push. Differences between group members began to surface and they split up in 1958. Later that year,Vontell Lane and Billy Tircuit got together with Johnny Meyers, Simon Washington, and Elaine Edwards to form the Moonbeems .

The Mellow Drops aka The Monitors (1) aka The Senors
Art Rupe

In 1961, many of the Monitors original members got together and renamed themselves again to the Senors. The group members were Billy Tircuit, Adolph Smith, Vontell Lane, and Clarence Phoenix. Their new lead singer was Adolph's brother, Milton Smith. They recorded a couple of sides at Cosimo's: "May I Have This Dance" and "Searching For Olive Oil". By 1964, the Monitors / Señors had disbanded for good.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Monitors/monitors.html

Songs :

The Mellow Drops


The Crazy Song                      I Want Your Love

The Monitors (1)


Candy Coated Kisses / Tonight's The Night      Our School Days / I’ve Got A Dream


Closer To Heaven / Rock 'N' Roll Fever      Mama Linda / Hop Scotch

The Senors


May I Have This Dance                Searching For Olive Oil

….

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