Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Seminoles aka The Embers (6)

Posted on August 22 2008 by dion1

The Seminoles aka The Embers (6)

The Seminoles (Detroit)
aka The Embers (6)

Personnel :

Joey Finazzo (Lead)

Jesse Zenega

Andy Bonaventura

Paul Lecrecio

Discography :

The Seminoles
1961 - True Love / Open Your Eyes (Go-Gee 287)
1962 - I Can't Stand It / It Takes a Lot (Checkmate 1012 / Hi-Lite 80043)
1962 - Forever / You Can Lump It (Mid Town 101)
1963 - Trouble in Mind / Have You Got A Love (Hi-Lite 87578)

The Embers (6)
1962 - Forever / You Can Lump It (Act IV)

Biography :

Early-'50s and -'60s Detroit blue-eyed soul vocal groups usually had great first tenor leads, and the Seminoles were no exception. These smooth harmonizers, led by Joey Finazzo and consisting of members Jesse Zenega, Andy Bonaventura and Paul Lecrecio, debuted with "Open Your Eyes" b/w "True Love" in 1961 on local hopeful Go Gee Records. The record got their name known around town, and local disc jockeys gave it a few spins, but it was nothing special.

The Seminoles aka The Embers (6)

When Roquel "Billy" Davis left Anna Records to form Checkmate Records, he gave the Seminoles a shot. "It Takes a Lot," released May 1962, was starting to do something when Roquel closed Checkmate to take an A&R position with Chess Records (who distributed Anna and Checkmate), leaving the Seminoles in a lurch.Not for long, though -- Hi-Lite Records picked up the song and managed to get an area hit for their troubles. A second Hi Lite release, "Trouble in Mind" b/w "Have You Got Love," bombed. They were The embers for one release on Act IV Records, "Forever" b/w "You Can Lump It"; when Act IV failed to do anything, the Seminoles took the master to Midtown Records who re-released the sides as the Seminoles. It didn't matter, the single still failed to ignite and the Seminoles disbanded.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Open Your Eyes                   It Takes a Lot                   I Can't Stand It


Forever / You Can Lump It                  Trouble in Mind           True Love

...

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The Five Masks aka The Five Stars (3) aka The Five Notes (2)

Posted on August 17 2008 by dion1

The Five Stars (3) (Dallas, Texas)
aka The Five Notes (2) aka The Five Masks

Personnel :

Al Bragg (Lead)

Cal Valentine (Lead)

Robert Lee Valentine

Jesse Floyd

Billie Fred Thomas

Discography :

The Five Notes (2)
1955 - Show Me The Way / Park Your Love (Chess 1614)

The Five Stars (3)
1957 - Hey, Juanita / So Lonely Baby (Blues Boys Kingdom 106)

The Five Masks
1958 - Forever And A Day / Polly Molly (Jan 101)

Biography :

While at school, Cal met up with another youngster who shared his love of music, Al ’TNT’ Bragg who was also to make a name for himself on the R&B scene in the sixties and seventies. Together with several more of their friends they formed The Five Notes.

Al ’TNT’ Bragg The Five Stars

The group entered a local talent contest which they duly won, rapidly becoming one of the hottest groups in the Dallas area. The Five Notes were signed up by agent Mike Coggs and appeared on shows with groups like The Five Keys and The Spaniels, and in 1955 they made their recording debut on the Chess label with the release of the single Park Your Love/Show Me The Way (Chess 1614).

A change of name to The Five Masks and another single on the Jan label, Polly Molly/Forever And A Day (Jan 101) were to follow before the group, now called The Five Stars, signed for B.B. Kings short lived Blues Boy Kingdom label.

Although a single was released, Hey Juanita/So Lonely Baby (Blues Boy Kingdom 106), B.B.s discovery by the white blues market and the subsequent upsurge in his popularity led to the demise of the label and the groups eventual return to Dallas where their popularity guaranteed them regular work and even an outstanding performance in the 1957 movie, Rock Baby, Rock It, along with Roscoe Gordon.

Videos :

The Five Stars (3)

Hey, Juanita (Rock Baby, Rock It)

Your Love Is All I Need (Rock Baby, Rock It)

Songs :

The Five Notes (2)


Show Me The Way                             Park Your Love

The Five Stars (3)

So Lonely Baby & Hey, Juanita

The Five Masks


Polly Molly                                   Forever And A Day

...

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The Minor-Tones aka The Classics (1) ref : The Viceroys (2) - ref : The Penguins

Posted on August 7 2008 by dion1

The Minor-Tones (Los Angeles)
aka The Classics (1)
ref : The Viceroys (2) - ref : The Penguins

Personnel :

James/Jimmy Conwell (Lead)

Oliver Williams

Jack

Steve

Discography :

The Minor-Tones
1956 - Burning Desire / Gonna Tell The World (Cholly 7094)

The Classics (1)
1959 - Je Vous Aime / Burning Desire (Ro-Ann 1002)

------------------------------------------

The Viceroys (2)
1961 - Uncle Sam Needs You / I'm So Sorry (It's Ending With You) (Little Star 107/ Smash 1716)
1961 - Dreamy Eyes / Ball N' Chain (Original Sound 15)

The Penguins
1963 - Memories Of El Monte / Be Mine (Original Sound 27)

Biography :

James/Jimmy Conwell had been doo-wopping since 1953, when with Oliver Williams, Jack and Steve, he formed the Minor Tones at Carver Junior High School in L.A. (Jesse Belvin was an early mentor). The group debuted on the Cholly label with the street corner ballad “Burning Desire,” then recut it in 1959 as the Classics for producer H.B. Barnum and Ro-Ann Records.

The Minor-Tones aka The Classics (1) ref : The Viceroys (2) - ref : The Penguins

The Group broke up some time later, but Jimmy Conwell and Oliver Williams along with three friends, Andrew Jack White, Charles Jones and Herbert White formed a new group, The Viceroys. They cut a Coasters-influenced “Uncle Sam Needs You” for Barnum in ‘61. First out on the Little Star logo, it was picked up by Mercury’s Smash imprint for national consumption.

The Minor-Tones aka The Classics (1) ref : The Viceroys (2) - ref : The Penguins
Cleve Duncan The Exits with James Conwell

The group also waxed “Dreamy Eyes” for local deejay Art Laboe’s Original Sound logo the same year and subbed as the Penguins just long enough to back Cleve Duncan on “Memories Of El Monte” in ’63 for Laboe’s logo. Later, Jimmy Conwell went onto to record throughout the late 1960's as a solo artist and with The Exits, The New Group, The Trips and The Light Drivers.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Minor-Tones

Burning Desire / Gonna Tell The World

The Classics (1)

Je Vous Aime / Burning Desire

------------------------------------------------

The Viceroys (2)

I'm So Sorry / Uncle Sam Needs You

Dreamy Eyes Ball N' Chain

The Penguins

Memories Of El Monte Be Mine

...

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The Debonaires (1) aka The Five Debonaires

Posted on August 7 2008 by dion1

The Debonaires (1) aka The Five Debonaires

The Debonaires (1) (Atlanta, GA)
aka The Five Debonaires

Personnel :

Arthur Simon

Emory Cloud

Milton Boykin

Discography :

The Debonaires (1)
1957 - Darling / Whispering Blues (Herald 509)

The Five Debonaires
1957 - Darling / Whispering Blues (Herald 509)

Biography :

Bill lowery in Atlanta produced the Debonaires, or Five Debonaires as they were called originally on "Whispering Blues" (Herald 509). The group from Atlanta Georgia and included Arthur Simon, Emory Cloud and Milton Boykin, while Wesley J. Jackson arranged and provided guitar backing. Lowery had just a smash with "Young Love", he went on to produce Tommy Roe, Joe South and Ray Stevens, so the Debonaires’ catchy doo-wop was a real anomaly for him. Released in December, 1957, the flip "Darling" became very popular among oldies fans for the tricky bass parts and nice harmonies.

Songs :

Darling Whispering Blues

…

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The Laurels (7) aka The Pennants

Posted on August 5 2008 by dion1

The Laurels (7) (McKeesport, Pa.)
aka The Pennants

Personnel :

Bob Gaynor (Lead)

Fred Hulme (First Tenor)

Dick Muse (Second Tenor)

Noel Schwertfeger (Baritone)

Nick Ticich (Bass)

Discography:

The Pennants

Singles :
1961 - Don't Go / Workin' Man (World 102)
Unreleased :
1961 - Darling How Long (Word)

The Laurels (7)

Singles :
1989 - Don't Go / Darling How Long (World 102)
Unreleased :
1960 - Every Minute of the Day / Lips of Fire (Willett)

Discography :

Fred Hulme, Dick Muse, Nick Ticich, Noel Schwertfeger and Bob Gaymor from McKeesport, Pennsylvania dubbed themselves the Laurels, and by 1957 were doing campus gigs, and expanded to local clubs and hops. Their first trip to the Pittsburgh region was a performance at the White Elephant in 1958. During the show, DJ Tom Nee introduced the group to Harry Latanzio, the owner of Harry's Danceland in Latrobe.

The Laurels were signed to open there for national acts like The Coasters and Freddy Cannon. That led to bookings at the Veterans Club of McKeesport, where they got the audience pumped for the likes of Pookie Hudson and The Spaniels. Latanzio then hooked the guys up with Elmer Willett. Willett owned the Vogue Terrace club and ran a local label, Willett Records, out of Carnegie. The Laurels taped "Every Minute of the Day" and "Lips of Fire" for Willett, but he never released them.

But Lennie Martin and Lou Guarino at World Records liked their sound, and issued "Working Man" b/w "Don't Go" in 1960. They credited it to the Pennants for still unexplained reasons. Muse, an English major, received his B.A. in 1960. The Laurels disbanded after graduation to deal with the real world, and he went on to a teaching career.

Songs :

Don't Go Every Minute of the Day

…

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The Four Kings (6) aka The Uniques (4)

Posted on August 5 2008 by dion1

The Four Kings (6) aka The Uniques (4)
The Four Kings

The Four Kings (6) (Linden, New Jersey)
aka The Uniques (4)

Personnel :

Wayne Tevlin (Lead)

Sam Stray (Second Tenor)

Joseph Lipira (First Tenor)

Richard (Luigi) Soldo (Bass)

Discography :

The Uniques (4)
Singles:
1960 - I'm So Unhappy / It's Got To Come From Your Heart (Pride 1018)
1961 - I'm So Unhappy / I’m Confessin (That I Love You) (Gone 5113/ Bliss 1004)
Unreleased :
1960 - How Was I To Know? (Pride)

The Four Kings (6)
1963 - Lonely Lovers / One Night (Canadian American 173)

Biography :

Sam Stray has been writing songs since 1953, his very first song was called "She’s My Baby (Yes She Is)" his first group was formed in Linden Junior High. The members were Sammy, Ronald and Aonald West (Twins)(Baritone,Bass), and their cousin Robert Cunningham (First Tenor, they were the first vocal group to use the name THE CUFF-LINKS. They split up when they got to Linden High.

The Four Kings (6) aka The Uniques (4)

The Uniques - Top : Raymond Creapeau & Richard Soldo - Bottom : Sam Stray & Wayne Tevlin

That is where Sam Stary met Wayne Tevlin, a great singer and fabulous guitarist. They inducted a classmate Richard (Luigi) Soldo (Mr. Bassman) and first tenor Raymond Creapeau (Pitched for the Detroit Tigers) they called themselves The Uniques. Sammy Stray wrote a song called "I’m So Unhappy", a promoter named Dick Pride heard it, liked it, changed the bridge and send the group to New York City where they recorded four songs.

The Four Kings (6) aka The Uniques (4)

"I’m So Unhappy" and "It's Got To Come From Your Heart" was released in 1960 on Pride Records and later re-released on Bliss and Gone Records with a new B side "I'm Confessin (That I Love You)". "I'm Confessin" was a metropolitan hit and was selected CHAMP record on Murray the K's swinging soiree 1010 WINS radio show, New York City.

The Four Kings (6) aka The Uniques (4)
Tom DeCillis Nicky Massi & Tommy Devito

They tried real hard to make a hit record but Lady Luck was not on their side. Joseph Lipira replaced Raymond Creapeau, the Uniques changed their name to The Four Kings and recorded in 1963 for Can American Records the side "One Night" b/w "Lonely Lovers" both written by they manager Tom DeCillis. "One Night" was written originally for the Four Seasons. Tommy Devito & Nicky Massi played on the tracks and helped arrange it. Then a bomb dropped, the British Invasion hit the USA. The Uniques / Four Kings called it quits.

Songs :

The Uniques (4)


I’m Confessin (That I Love You)                I'm So Unhappy


It's Got To Come From Your Heart            How Was I To Know?

The Four Kings (6)


Lonely Lovers                                              One Night

…

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The Dynels aka The Darlings (2) aka ...

Posted on August 3 2008 by dion1

The Sweethearts (2) aka The Darlings (2) aka......
Oma Heard

The Darlings (2) (Los Angeles, CA)
aka The Sweethearts (2)
aka The Sa-Shays
aka The Utmosts
aka The Dynels
aka The Postalettes
aka The Delicates (2)

Personnel :

Oma Heard (Lead)

Carlotta "Cookie" Robertson (Lead)

Maxine Waters

Julia Waters

Discography :

The Sweethearts (2)
1961 - They Talk Too Much / Puppy Love (Hi-III 116)
1961 - Summer Days / What Is Love (Hi-III 117)

The Sa-Shays
1961 - You Got Love / Boo Hoo Hoo (Zen 101 / Alfi 1)
1963 - Here Comes The Love / I’ll Make You Love Me (Zen 109)

The Utmosts
1962 - I Need You / Big Man (Pan Or 1123)

The Dynels
1962 - Boy Friend / Let's Do It Again (Dot 16382)
1964 - Just A Face In The Crowd / C'mon Little Darlin’ (Natural 7001)

The Postalettes
1963 - He Played One, Two, Three, Four / Like Chalypso (Instrumental) (Dore 662)

The Darlings (2)
1963 - To Know Him Is To Love Him / Train Out Of Memphis (Instrumental) (Dore 663)
1963 - He Played One, Two, Three, Four / My Pillow (Dore 677)
1966 - The Horn Goes Beep Beep Beep / Floatin' On Cotton Candy (Instrumental) (Dore 775)

The Delicates (2)
1963 - My Pillow / He Played One, Two, Three, Four (Dee Dee 677 / Celeste 676)

Biography :

The Darlings, a female quartet comprising Oma Heard, Carlotta "Cookie" Robertson (Gaynell Hodge’s niece who In 1960 with Joyce Chapel & Marie Love recorded as The Chiffons and The Unforgettables) and the sisters Maxine and Julia Waters, were managed and produced by a former artist named Bobby Sanders - real name: Jerome Lenoir. In 1963, Dore issued two consecutive singles by the group under different names, the first as the Postalettes singing 'He Played 1, 2, 3, 4' (a variation of 'The Paddiwack Song'), the second as the Darlings with their punchy revival of 'To Know Him Is To Love Him', heard here. Sanders produced all four at the same (with Grayson arranging) and assigned the masters over Dore on 23 January 1963.

The Sweethearts (2) aka The Darlings (2) aka......

Three of the four girls had previously sung in a Fremont High School group named the Sweethearts, who recorded for producer H.B. Barnum in 1961 and moonlighted on obscure one-off 45s as the Utmosts and the Sa-Shays. Although amateur, they were already establishing career paths as versatile session vocalists and barely knew their identity from one release to the next - immediately prior to signing for Dore, they had recorded a one-off 45 for producer Steve Venet (himself a former Dore artist) as the Dynels on Dot.

The Sweethearts (2) aka The Darlings (2) aka......

Oma Heard

Something about 'He Played 1, 2, 3, 4' piqued Lew Bedell interest because a few months later, he re-issued it with a new B-side ('My Pillow') on Dore 677 crediting the Darlings. Then again, in October 1963 on Dee Dee 677 as by the Delicates!. And he wasn't finished yet. Possibly frustrated by his inability to break the record, Bedell sold the master to a couple who ran a tiny R&B label, Celeste, out of their LA home, prompting a further re-issue with the revised title 'This Old Man' on Celeste 676. Oma Heard later sang with Ike Turner's Ikettes, did session work and recorded under her own name for Motown in the late 1960s, while the Water sisters worked as background singers on countless sessions by such diverse artists as Paul Simon, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Paul and Rod Stewart.

Songs :

The Sweethearts (2)


   They Talk Too Much                          Puppy Love


Summer Days                                  What Is Love

The Sa-Shays


You Got Love                          Boo Hoo Hoo


Here Comes The Love                I’ll Make You Love Me

The Utmosts

I Need You Big Man

The Dynels


     Boy Friend                               Let's Do It Again


Just A Face In The Crowd                   C'mon Little Darlin’

The Darlings (2)

To Know Him Is To Love Him My Pillow

The Delicates (2)

My Pillow

...

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Charles Walker & The Daffodils (2) aka The Kinglets

Posted on August 3 2008 by dion1

Charles Walker & The Daffodils (2) aka The Kinglets
Charles Walker

Charles Walker & The Daffodils (2) (Nashville, TN)
aka The Kinglets

Personnel :

Charles Walker (Lead)

Larry Birdsong

The Kinglets :

Don “Sonny” Taylor

Ricky Roland

Frank Talley

Discography :

Charles Walker & The Daffodils (2)
1959 - No Fool No More / Slave to Love (Champion 1014)

The Kinglets
1956 - Six Days a Week (And Sundays Too) / You Gotta Go (Calvert 101)

The Kinglets with Leroy Thomas
1959 - Pretty Please / My Baby Don't Need Changing (Bobbin 13338)

Biography :

Charles Walker was born in Nashville, Tennessee on July 12, 1940. Charles or “Wigg,” as he is known by his friends (his mother nicknamed him when he was born with a full head of hair), began singing at an early age in church and school. He cut his first record in 1959 for Ted Jarrett’s legendary Champion label. One cut, “Slave To Love,” was credited to Charles Walker and the Daffodils. In fact, there was no such group as the Daffodils. The backup singers on the record were label mates the Kinglets and Larry Birdsong.

Charles Walker & The Daffodils (2) aka The Kinglets
Larry Birdsong

Jarrett ran or worked for a number of Nashville soul, blues, and gospel labels, including Champion, Calvert, Cherokee, Poncello, and T-Jaye. He produced for artists such as Christine Kittrell, The Fairfield Four, Larry Birdsong, Roscoe Shelton, The Avons and the Kinglets. Like many groups before and after them, the Kinglets were primarily a backup vocal group for single artists on their labels. The group consisted of Don “Sonny” Taylor, Ricky Roland & Frank Talley. They cut “Six Days a Week“ and “You Gotta Go“ in early 1956, both songs composed by Ted Jarrett. Another single will be released in 1959 credited to The Kinglets with Leroy Thomas with ”Pretty Please” again composed by Ted Jarrett.

Charles Walker & The Daffodils (2) aka The Kinglets
Ted Jarrett

In 1960, Charles Walker moved to New York City where studios and nightclub work were plentiful. 1962 found Charles recording with Chess Records out of Chicago, and soon he signed on as lead singer with the J.C. Davis Band. This band began touring the country opening for the greats of the era including James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Little Willie John, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke. The J.C. Davis Band recorded some real barnstormers for Chess like “Sweet Sweet Love” and “The Chicken Scratch.” In 1964, Charles formed his own group, Little Charles and the Sidewinders. They became one of the most in demand soul bands in New York City’s nightclub scene, performing at the Apollo Theater, Small’s Paradise and venturing out to Las Vegas and Atlantic City. They subsequently recorded for Chess and Decca labels.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Charles Walker & The Daffodils (2)

Slave to Love Be No Fool No More

The Kinglets

Six Days a Week (And Sundays Too) / You Gotta Go

The Kinglets with Leroy Thomas

Pretty Please / My Baby Don't Need Changing

….

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The Mystics (2) aka The Champs (2)

Posted on August 1 2008 by dion1

The Mystics (2) (New York)
aka The Champs (2)

Personnel :

?

Discography :

The Mystics (2) 
1959 - Teenage Sweetheart / Rockin' Yodel (Chatam 350/351)

The Champs (2)
1958 - Teenage Sweetheart / Rockin' Yodel (Chatam 350/351)

Biography :

Vocal group from New York, the Mystics cut "Teenage Sweetheart" b/w "Rockin' Yodel" for Chatam records, 164 East 56th Street in New York.

Perhaps because there’s the Mystics from Brooklyn, their "Hushabye" was released in May of 1959 and spent nine weeks of that spring and summer on the charts, rising to number 20, "Teenage Sweetheart" b/w "Rockin' Yodel" was Reissued using same label name and number, but credited to the Champs.

Songs

Teenage Sweetheart Rockin' Yodel

…

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