1958 - Erlene / I Wish (Cee Jay 574) 1958 - Erlene / I Found A Penny (Cee Jay 574)
Biography :
Danny Robinson was the brother of Bobby Robinson, who owned Red Robin and Fury Records. Danny himself owned several Harlem labels like Holiday and Everlast. Clarence Johnson, who assisted Danny Robinson with his amateur vocal groups began his own label, Cee Jay Records, in the Bronx. One of the aspiring groups Johnson had in his stable was Mike & The Utopians. The one-record quintet from the Bedford-Stuyvesant Section of Brooklyn (NY) consisted of : Mike Lasman (Lead ), Jimmy McQueen (Tenor), Earl ? (Baritone) & Stuart Cohen (Bass) and ?.
"I Wish" b/w "Erlene" Cee-Jay 574 was pressed twice in 1958. "Erlene" was the "A" side on both pressings. The flip sides were both the same recording with different titles . The other title of this recording is "I Found A Penny (And I Made A Wish)." Both pressings were from 1958, but exact release dates of each pressing are not known. Mike Lasman later sang with the Dreamers on Guaranteed, the Accents on Sultan, and the Concords on Herald.
(L to R) Duke Draper, Leroy Fullylove, Emerson Bilton and Charles Fullylove
The Tads (Phoenix, Arizona) aka The Dots (4)
Personnel :
Leroy Fullylove
Charles Fullylove
Emerson Bilton
Robie Robinson
Discography :
The Tads
Singles : 1956 - Your Reason / The Pink Panther (Liberty Bell 9010/Dot 15518) 1957 - She's my Dream / Wolf Call (Rev 3513) Unreleased : 1957 - Glowing Moon (Porter) 1957 - Hey Little Girl (Porter) 1957 - Mixed Up Mama (Porter) 1960 - Bumble Bee (Demo) (Atlantic)
The Dots (4) 1957 - Ring Chimes / Wolf Call (Rev 3512)
Biography :
The most prolific Phoenix black vocal group The Tads, Who had already recorded for the liberty Bell label (The Supreme Your Reason and Hazlewood's Pink Panther, later leased to Dot.) produced by air-conditioning salesman and musical entrepreneur Frank Porter in 1957.
They are four songs on a small tape that Porter remembers recording in the laundry room of his house on Stella Lane.In October 1957, Rev released Ring Chimes and Wolf Call as by the Dots for some unknown reason.
Then in January 1958, Rev released Wolf Call Backed with She is my dream. Anchored by leader and songwriter Leroy Fullylove with brother Charles, Emerson Bilton and Robie Robinson who was replaced by Madero White (brother of Carl White of The Sharps and The Rivingtons).
The quartet would feature an ever-changing cast of members, including Duke Draper, through the end of 1961 when they disbanded. The group recorded Three songs for Porter Records, but all were unreleased.
The Tads almost made it big, though, when Loy Clingman sent Fullylove’s demo of his composition “Bumble Bee” to Atlantic in 1960 via Duane Eddy’s manager Al Wilde. Unfortunately, instead of signing The Tads, Atlantic lifted the arrangement, note for note, for LaVern Baker’s very successful recording.
She also claimed half of the writer’s credit on the first pressings, although that mistake was later corrected to give Fullylove his proper due…and royalties. http://www.bobcorritore.com/flyinhigh.html Thanks to Markowee
The Bachelors (4) (Bronx, New York) aka The Montereys (3) ref The Crickets
Personnel :
Dean Barlow (Lead)
Bill Lindsay (Second Tenor)
Billy Baines (Bass)
Ed "Sonny" Jordan (Tenor)
Waldo Champen (Tenor)
Discography :
The Bachelors (4) 1956 - Dolores / I Want To Know About Love (Earl 101)
Dean Barlow & The Bachelors (4) 1956 - Baby / Tell Me Now (Earl 102)
Dean Barlow & The Montereys (3) 1957 - Dearest One / Through The Years (Onyx 513) 1957 - Angel / Tell Me Why (Onyx 517)(Never issued)
Biography :
Dean Barlow, originally named Grover Barlow, was the one constant through several different versions of the Crickets. He also sang in several other groups and attempted a solo career with a series of singles on the Jay Dee label. Label proprietor Joe Davis was a strong supporter of Barlow, hiring recording engineers time and time again to point microphones in the direction of his hauntingly expressive voice. The third Crickets configuration (Dean Barlow, Bill Lindsay, Bobby Spencer and Freddy Barksdale) stayed together for about a year. Grover Barlow was introduced as "Dean Barlow".
The third Crickets group : Barlow, Spencer, Lindsay and Barksdale Waldo Champen
He announced and sang his new solo recording ("I'll String Along With You"), which the group didn't even know existed. In spite of this, they did a few more shows together before breaking up definitely.In 1956, Bill Lindsay eventually re-joined Dean Barlow in a new group : The Bachelors, the other members were Billy Baines, Ed "Sonny" Jordan, and Waldo Champen . The new group released two records on the tiny Earl label (owned by Tommy "Dr. Jive" Smalls and Sammy Lowe). The first was "I Want To Know About Love" (led by Dean) c/w "Dolores". The second was "Baby" c/w "Tell Me Now" (both led by Dean). The Bachelors eventually changed their name to the Montereys, recording four songs for Jerry Winston's Onyx label in early 1957.
Dean Barlow & Bill Lindsay
Their only Onyx release was "Dearest One" (a duet lead by Dean Barlow and Bill Lindsay), backed with "Through The Years" (fronted by Sonny Jordan) in August 1957 (Onyx 513). "Dearest One" became a regional hit in New York. There was supposed to be a second Montereys record: "Angel" (led by Bill Lindsay), backed with "Tell Me Why" (led by Dean). It was slated to be released as Onyx 517, but for some reason was never issued. These were Dean's last group records. http://www.uncamarvy.com/Crickets/crickets.html
The Trojans (2) 1955 - As Long As I Have You / I Wanna Make Love To You (RPM 446)
The Rockers (2) 1956 - What Am I To Do / I’ll Die In Love With You (Federal 12267) 1956 - Down In The Bottom / Why Don’t You Believe (Federal 12273) 1957 - Tell Me Why / Count Every Star (Carter 3029)
Biography :
Lassiter was born in 1928 in North Carolina. His parents were cotton sharecroppers, and Lassiter began singing after joining his uncles' gospel group. At the age of 14, he moved to Newark, New Jersey to live with his mother who had moved there for work. While in Newark, Lassiter performed with the Jubilaires. Lassiter later joined the United States Army and served during the Korean War. After leaving active service, Lassiter returned to the United States. During a cross-country drive, he broke down in St. Louis. While there he sang at an amateur club night, and was given a permanent booking. He often sang covers of Ray Charles songs, and formed The Bel-Airs with brothers George and Murrey Green and Douglas Martin. By late 1955, the band renamed themselves The Trojans and recorded with RCA Records, backing Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm. The group backed Turner again the following February, this time on Federal Records under the name of The Rockers.
Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm
Turner offered Lassiter a place in his Rhythm Revue, where he subsequently met and worked with Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, and Albert Cook. In March 1960, Turner chose Lassiter to front the Kings of Rhythm. Lassiter's trio of backup singers — Robbie Montgomery, Frances Hodges, and Sandra Harding were called The Artettes, and eventually formed the foundation of The Ikettes. Ike Turner wrote "A Fool in Love" specifically for Lassiter, but Lassiter failed to turn up to the song's recording session at the expensive Technosonic Studios in St Louis. Tina Turner—then going by the stage name Little Ann—knew the song from rehearsal sessions, and recorded a guide track to act as a demo. Lassiter's failure to appear for the session was around the time he had disagreements with Ike Turner over financial matters; he was soon no longer a member of the Rhythm Revue.
The Angelos (Leesville, South Carolina) aka Linda Martell & The Anglos (1)
Personnel :
Thelma Bynem "Linda Martell"
L. Bynem
Discography :
Linda Martell & The Anglos (1) 1962 - A Little Tear (Was Falling From My Eyes) / The Things I Do For You (Fire 512)
The Angelos 1963 - Lonely Hours / Just Like Taking Candy From A Baby (Vee Jay 531) 1964 - Bad Motorcycle (Wooden Wooden) / Backfield In Motion (Tollie 9003)
Discography :
Linda Martell (born Thelma Bynem) was born in Leesville, South Carolina the daughter of pastor Clarence Bynem. Singing began for Linda in Leesville's (S. C.) St. Mark's Baptist Church, where Linda, her sister and three brothers sang in the choir. When Linda turned 16, her voice seemed a natural for rhythm and blues and she began singing around her home state with her sister, a cousin and her brothers who formed a band.
Linda Martell
In 1961, the girls, Linda, her sister and her cousin formed a vocal trio called the Anglos. The Anglos cut "A Little Tear" b/w "The Things I Do For You" on Bobby Robinson's Fire Records (1962, as Linda Martell & the Anglos). The group also recorded two singles for Vee-Jay records and Vee-Jay’s subsidiary Tollie Records as The Angelos with "Lonely Hours" written by Linda and "Backfield In Motion" by her brother Elzie - both produced by Ray Stevens
The family group enjoyed a modest success for eight years. They sang behind the Drifters and recorded behind Jimmy Hughes. They really divided when her cousin got married. In 1969, she joined Shelby Singleton's Plantation Records. Linda Martell was a chocolate-brown beauty from South Carolina who had a hit song, "Color Him Father," on the country radio.
Songs :
Linda Martell & The Anglos (1)
A Little Tear The Things I Do For You
The Angelos
Lonely Hours Just Like Taking Candy From A Baby
Bad Motorcycle (Wooden Wooden) Backfield In Motion
The Continentals (4) (Muncie, Indiana) & The Counts Of Rhythm
Personnel :
Theotis Barnes
Phil Butts
Ralph Kersey
Ray Jimmerson
Elsworth William
Discography :
1958 - Hey Senorita / Don't Leave Me (ZTSC-10475/76)
Biography :
In 1958, Five students from the Muncie Central High School in Indiana (Theotis Barnes, Phil Butts, Ralph Kersey, Ray Jimmerson and Elsworth Williams) decided to form a vocal group under the name The Continentals, after several weeks of rehearsals they brought together a band of school musicians (The Counts Of Rhythm; Jim Cox, Roy Alexander, and Bud Cole) and moved to Cincinnati to record a 45 rpm paid for themselves. They recorded the Penguin's song "Hey Senorita" and on the flip side "Don't Leave Me" the boys only had money to make 100 copies that were finally distributed locally in Indiana and its surroundings. Thanks to Sir Hats (https://www.youtube.com/@sirhats1954)
The Fabulous Denos (Atlanta, Georgia) aka The Fabulous Dinos
Personnel :
Bobby Dixon (aka Bobby Lee Fears & Bobby Brown)
Rickey Andrews
Alan Pace
James Henry Walker
Hezekiah Sheffield
Discography :
The Fabulous Dino’s 1962 - Instant Love / Retreat (Saber 105/109)
The Fabulous Dinos Singles: 1963 - That Same Old Song / Where Have You Been (Musicor 1025) Unreleased : 1963 - Diamond Ring (Musicor)
The Fabulous Denos 1964 - Once I Had A Love / Bad Girl (King 5908) 1964 - I've Enjoyed Being Loved By You / Hard To Hold Back Tears (King 5971)
Biography :
Their story begins at Atlanta's Booker T. Washington High School in 1959. James Henry Walker, Bobby Dixon, Allan Pace, Hezekiah Sheffield and Rickey Andrews were all into the sounds of Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, The "5" Royales and James Brown & His Famous Flames. Like many teenagers at the time, they decided to form a vocal group themselves, which they called The Fabulous Dinos. After performing at parties , the group moved into the local club circuit and started to gain a local following.
The Fabulous Denos in 1965
By 1961 the members had graduated from Washington High, began taking their craft more seriously and found their way into Bill Lowery's Master Sound Studios to record their first single for the NRC custom label Saber which was "Instant Love" b/w "Retreat" (Saber 105). In 1963, the group cut one single for Musicor "That Same Old Song" b/w "Where Have You Been". After an unsuccessful release on New York's Musicor Records in 1962, the group was drawn to Macon, Georgia were more opportunities for an R&B group at the time. After a number of shows around Macon, the Fabulous Denos were noticed in 1964 by Oscar Mack, who was already running with Otis Redding. Mack introduced the young men to Phil Walden who recommended they try King Records, which had an office on Mulberry Street.
Bobby Dixon
Over at King they met Bobby Smith who signed the group and quickly got them into the recording studio. The first King 45 was "Bad Girl" b/w "Once I Had A Love" (King 5908), and was followed by "I Enjoy Being Loved By You" b/w "Hard To Hold Back Tears" (King 5971). "Bad Girl" became a hit, which led to the group touring the United States and Canada for the next four years. By 1969, the Fabulous Denos had disbanded, but Rickey Andrews was back out in the Atlanta night clubs performing with various bands, and in time was ready to give recording another shot. The Denos had received no money from the sales of their King 45s, and been living off of what they made on the road.
The Legends (1) (Manhattan, New York) Ref : The Kartunes
Personnel :
Marshall Samples (Tenor vocals)
Ron Warwell (Baritone vocals)
Bobby Weinstein (Tenor vocals)
Dominick Fleres (Piano)
Richard "Chico" Brunson (Tenor)
Sampson Reese (Bass)
Discography :
The Legends (1) 1956 - The Eyes Of An Angel / I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Melba 109) 1957 - The Legend Of Love / Now I'm Telling You (Hull 727)
The Kartunes Singles : 1957 - Raindrops / Will You Marry Me? (When We Graduate) (M-G-M 12598) 1958 - Willie The Weeper / Dedicated To Love (M-G-M 12680) Unreleased : 1958 - Ringalivo (M-G-M) 1958 - Victim (M-G-M)
Biography :
Bobby Weinstein grew up in New York City, and attended the School of Industrial Art in Manhattan. While there, he formed a vocal group, The Legends, with fellow students Marshall Samples, Ron Warwell, Richard "Chico" Brunson, Sampson Reese and Dominick Fleres. The group won a talent contest at the Apollo Theater in 1955.
Morty Craft
Around June of 1956, the guys decided the time was right for getting the Legends sound down on wax, They just walked in to Morty Craft's Melba label (at 1674 Broadway) and auditioned for him, Craft was impressed and set up a session. Melba released "The Eyes Of An Angel" b/w "I'll Never Fall In Love" around September 1956.
Bobby Weinstein Dominick Fleres Ron Warwell Richard "Chico" Brunson
In late 1957, they had another go at recording. This time, they went down the block from Melba, to Hull Records, at 1595 Broadway. Again they walked in cold, and auditioned for Bea Caslon (owner of Hull, along with Billy Dawn Smith and William Henry Miller). Bea signed them on the spot. At Hull, the Legends recorded two songs: "The Legend Of Love" and "Now I'm Telling You" . The record sold moderately well but some internal problems triggered the separation of the group. Bobby Weinstein and Dominick Fleres joined the Kartunes with Vincent Cassaro , Paul Rubenstein and Bill Barbaris. The Kartunes recorded two singles released by MGM.
Bill Barbaris (The Kartunes), Don Costa & Bob Weinstein (The Legends & The Kartunes)
In 1957, Bobby Weinstein began writing songs with Teddy Randazzo, who had sung in another vocal group, The Three Chuckles. Their first major hit as co-writers was "Pretty Blue Eyes," recorded by Steve Lawrence and produced by Don Costa, which reached no. 9 on the pop charts at the start of 1960.
The Mellokings (Mount Vernon, New York) aka The Mellotones (2) aka The Mello-Kings
Personnel :
Jerry Scholl (Lead)
Bob Scholl (Tenor)
Eddie Quinn (Second Tenor)
Neil Arena (Baritone)
Larry Esposito (Bass)
Discography :
Singles : The Mellotones 1957 - Tonite, Tonite / Do Baby Do (Herald 502)
The Mellokings 1957 - Tonite, Tonite / Do Baby Do (Herald 502) 1957 - Chapel On The Hill / Sassafras (Herald 507) 
 1957 - Baby Tell Me (Why, Why, Why) / The Only Girl (Herald 511)
 1958 - Valerie / She's Real Cool (Herald 518) 1959 - Chip Chip / Running To You (Herald 536)
 1960 - Our Love Is Beautiful / Dear Mr. Jock (Herald 548)
 1960 - Kid Stuff / I Promise (Herald 554)
 1961 - Penny /' Till There Was None (Herald 1961)
 1961 - Love At First Sight / She's Real Cool (Herald 567) 1965 - Tonight, Tonight / Thrill Me (Flashback 2) 1977 - Tonight, Tonight / Chapel On The Hill (Janus 722)
The Mello-Kings 1962 - But You Lied / Walk Softly (Lescay 3009) 1966 - Tonite Tonite / Chip Chip (Lana 124)
___________________
Eps : 1958 -The Fabulous Mello.Kings (Herald EP 451) Tonite Tonite / She's Real Cool / The Only Girl (I'll Ever Love) / Do Baby Do
____________________________________
Lps : 1960 - The Mellokings Sing (Herald LP-1013) Tonight Tonight / I Promise, Our Love Is Beautiful / Sassafras / The Only Girl / Once On A Windy Day / Kid Stuff / Chapel On The Hill /Starbright / Valarie / Chip Chip / Baby Tell Me (Why, Why, Why)
1981 - The Mellokings "Greatest Hits" (Relic 5035/Herald LP-1013) Tonite Tonite / She's Real Cool / The Only Girl (I'll Ever Love) / Do Baby Do / Chapel On The Hill / Dear Mr. Jock / Kid Stuff / Thrill Me / Valerie / Love At First Sight / Running To You / Baby Tell Me / Til There Were None / Sassafras / Our Love Is Beautiful / I Promise / Chip Chip / Penny
Biography :
The group formed in 1956 in Mount Vernon, New York . By the fall of 1956, they were calling themselves the Mellotones, gaining attention in the local area and catching the ear of a black pianist named Dick Levister, who offered to become the group's manager and accompany them during live performances. It was Levister who brought them to the attention of Al Silver, who owned both the Herald and Ember labels.
Silver, one of the pioneering R&B label owners, had by this point already recorded and released numerous hit singles by acts , including the Nutmegs , the Five Satins (whose "In the Still of the Night," a smash in 1956, had been leased to Ember; they later scored a hit for the label with "To the Aisle," a Top Ten R&B hit -- number 25 pop -- in the summer of 1957), and the Turbans (whose "When You Dance" was the group's best charter for Herald").
Silver liked what he heard and the group -- with their trademark white jackets (at Levister's insistence, supposedly) - helped them forge an identity with the teenage public. For the Mellotones' first release, Silver chose a tune called "Tonite, Tonite" (Herald number 502), written by Billy Myles (who also penned "All My Love You Were Made For" with Jackie Wilson). It was released during the summer of 1957 and became an immediate regional smash hit.
Unfortunately, Silver discovered too late that there was already a record out that summer on George Goldner's Gee label by a group called the Mello-Tones, (their "Rosie Lee" later climbed into the Top 24 on the pop charts). A quick name change was in order and using Levister's nickname "King," "Tonite, Tonite" (Herald number 502) was quickly re-released as by the Mello-Kings.
The single was a big seller in the Northeast, again having regional ties. They made more than one TV appearance with Dick Clark on both the daily American Bandstand and his weekly Saturday Night show for ABC network. The follow-up single in September 1957, Chapel On The Hill was another lovely ballad while the flip, Sassafras was more of a novelty teen rock ‘n’ roller. Before the year was out Herald released a third single, the uptempo Baby Tell Me Why, Why, Why and the ballad The Only Girl. Despite promotional appearances and national exposure on the likes of American Bandstand and working an Irvin Feld 17 day tour featuring the Everly Brothers, the Crickets, the Rays, the Hollywood Flames, Eddie Cochran, and Jimmy Rodgers, they still couldn’t crack the charts.
In the spring of 1958, the Mellokings became a four-piece when Neil Arena left. Mot long after, Larry Esposito also left, and the Mellokings replaced them with Louis Jannacone and Tony Pinto. This was the line-up that recorded Chip Chip in November 1958. Released in January 1959, Chip Chip is a great novelty that had hit record written all over it. The flip Running To You was a nice slowie that had more than a hint of Dion about it. It was over a year before the next release, another lovely ballad, Our Love Is Beautiful backed by the neat Dear Mr. Jock. By the end of 1960 the group was back to being a quartet with Jerry Scholl, Bobby Scholl, Lou Jannacone, and Tony Pinto. Kid Stuff and I Promise from September ’60 both have their moments but if Valerie and Chip Chip weren’t going to hit, these certainly wouldn’t.
With doo-wop enjoying a second coming as early as 1961, the Mellokings could have been forgiven for thinking that they were finally in the right place as the right time. Penny is heavily stringed but the vocals are nice enough but it was their final Herald release in October where they hit their highest artistic heights since Tonite Tonite. Love At First Sight has everything a classic doo-wop record should have, relentless ooh-ah’s behind a lifting lead vocal. It’s a beauty and with Bobby Scholl sublime. Among the autographs he was signing at the time, the biggest was for a certain Uncle Sam, as he was drafted.
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In the spring of 1958, the Mellokings became a four-piece when Neil Arena left. Mot long after, Larry Esposito also left, and the Mellokings replaced them with Louis Jannacone and Tony Pinto. This was the line-up that recorded Chip Chip in November 1958. Released in January 1959, Chip Chip is a great novelty that had hit record written all over it. The flip Running To You was a nice slowie that had more than a hint of Dion about it. It was over a year before the next release, another lovely ballad, Our Love Is Beautiful backed by the neat Dear Mr. Jock. By the end of 1960 the group was back to being a quartet with Jerry Scholl, Bobby Scholl, Lou Jannacone, and Tony Pinto. Kid Stuff and I Promise from September ’60 both have their moments but if Valerie and Chip Chip weren’t going to hit, these certainly wouldn’t. 
