The Jokers (3) 1960 - I Do / Pretty Little Hula Girl (Danco 117)
Darlene & The Jokers (3) 1960 - Love Me, Love Me / Frankie (Danco 115)
Biography :
The Jokers were known for their hit singles as Frankie (with Darlene Yoshimoto), Pretty Little Hula Girl, Love Me Love Me, & I Do. Group members included Teddy Chinen (Teddy Tanaka) ,Marcus Nishikawa, Marvin Furusho, Wayne Amioka, Orin Hakoda and Melvin Ishizu.
Darlene “Masako” Yoshimoto performed regularly at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Royal Hawaiian Hotel, & Kuilima Resort (now Turtle Bay). The Roosevelt High School graduate got into the Doo Wop scene with The Jokers when they covered “Frankie” by Connie Francis.
The Marvels (2) (Hollywood, CA.) aka Del Tones (2)
Personnel :
Leo Pegues
Everett Henderson
Jimmy Batten
???
Discography :
The Marvels (2) 1958 - Did She Leave You / Lovely Charms (Magnet 1005) 1959 - You Crack Me Up / Just Another Fool (Munrab 1008)
Del Tones (2) 1959 - Best Wishes / Walkin Out the Back Door (Ro-Ann 1001)
Biography :
The Marvels from Hollywood, CA. are composed by Leo Pegues, Everett Henderson, Jimmy Batten and and another guy. The group recorded Three fine records around 1959/1959. "Did She Leave You" b/w "Lovely Charms" on Magnet 1005 is probably the easiest to find. Their second single "You Crack Me Up" b/w "Just Another Fool" on Munrab records (H.B. Barnum backwards!) is extremely rare, while their last single "Best Wishes" b/w "Walkin Out the Back Door" released as the Del tones is also very rare.
Planets, Rockets, Rocketeers, Magic-Tones :( L to R) Billy Steward, Jimmy Brunsen, Vince House & Woody Johnson
The Planets (1)(Chicago)
akaThe Magic Notes aka The Rockets (3) aka The Rocketeers (2) aka The Rhythm Aces
Personnel :
Billy Steward (First Tenor)
Woody Johnson (Second Tenor)
Jimmy Brunsen (Tenor)
Vince House (Baritone/Bass)
Discography :
The Rhythm Aces Singles : 1954 - I Wonder Why / Get Lost (Vee Jay 124) 1955 - Whisper To Me / Olly, Olly, Atsen Free (Vee Jay 138) 1955 - That's My Sugar / Flippety Flop (Vee Jay 160) Unreleased : 1954- I Realize Now (Vee Jay)
The Rockets (3) 1956 - You Are The First One / Be Lovey Dovey (Modern 992)
Jimmy Beasley & The Rockets (3) 1957 - Johnny's House Party, Part 1 / Part 2 (Modern 1021)
The Rocketeers (2) 1956 - Talk It Over Baby / Hey Rube (Modern 999) 1958 - My Reckless Heart / They Turned The Party Out At Bessie's House (M-J-C 501)
Darla Hood & The Rocketeers (2) 1957 - No Secret Now / Jody (Encino 1007)
The Magic Notes 1957 - The Wrong Door / Never Again (Era 1035)
The Planets (1) 1957 - Stand There Mountain / Never Again (Era 1038) 1957 - Be Sure / Wild Leaves (Era 1049)
Biography :
R&B harmony group the Rhythm Aces formed in 1950 comprising first tenor Billy Steward, second tenor Chuck Rowan, baritone Clyde Rhymes, and bass Vince House; all were members of the U.S. Army's Special Services division stationed in Germany at the time of the quartet's formation, ultimately winning the "All-Army Soldier Singing Contest" and landing an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show as a result. Following their 1954 discharge, the Rhythm Aces returned to the U.S. and mounted a tour of the Midwest -- their performance at Chicago's Crown Propeller Lounge proved such a hit that the club named the group its regular headline act, firing former marquee act the Moonglows in the process.
The Rhythm Aces : Billy Steward, Chuck Rowan, Clyde Rhymes & Vince House
Vee-Jay Records exec Ewart Abner soon caught the Rhythm Aces' act and arranged an audition with label owners Vivian and Jimmy Carter, who immediately extended a contract offer. Their debut single "I Wonder Why" followed in late 1954, but the group's sharp, sophisticated harmonies made few inroads at radio or retail. Vee-Jay issued the Rhythm Aces' luminous sophomore effort "Whisper to Me" in the spring of 1955, but it too failed to attract much attention, and when a similar fate befell their third single, "That's My Sugar," the label terminated the group's contract.
After adding guitarist Sam Alexander and installing Rowan on piano, the Rhythm Aces toured Canada in late 1955, but during a break from the road Rhymes wed while Steward and Alexander spent the holidays in their native Detroit, when only Rowan and House turned up for a scheduled gig in New York City, the group dissolved. After the Vee Jay Rhythm Aces broke up late in 1955, they all returned home. It is not known when or where, but Lloyd McCraw ( Jacks/Cadets) had previously met Vince House.
Jimmy Beasley
In 1956, he communicated with House, asking him to assemble a group and come west to record for his organization. House rounded up Steward and Rowan and picked up Jimmy Brunsen, they were now "the Rockets. McCraw got them a contract and session with Modern Records . When their Modern disc failed, Rowan left for good, rejoining the service. He was replaced in the group by Brunsen's friend Woody Johnson. Modern then changed the group's name to Rocketeers late in 1956 and released a new single.
Johnny Otis Show
Nothing happened with the name change or the Modern release, and the group moved to Era, where House's name was changed to Vince Howard. The Group cut three singles, as the Planets & The Magic Tones. One disc that the Planets released on Era, "Stand There Mountain," became their biggest hit. At this point they hooked up with Johnny Otis and became part of his touring "Johnny Otis Show" (once again as the Rockets). In early 1958, they became the "Rocketeers" again, for a single recording as backup for Willie Davis. http://www.uncamarvy.com/RhythmAces/rhythmaces.html
1958 - My Friend / How Can I Win (Decca 30576) 1958 - Dorothy / Just A Shoulder To Cry On (Decca 30657) 1958 - Lonely / What's New, What's New (Decca 30744)
Biography :
In 1957, while in Garfield High School, Rich Jezercak formed the vocal group the Bel Airs, then changed to the Shal-Vans with the original members, and named the Hi-Fives in 1958. As the Shal-Vans they sang at school affairs, dances and amateur shows some of these in the Apollo Theatre. In 1958 their manager, Junie Dee send the group to Decca Records for an audition,the label liked the group but not their name and change to The Hi-Fives.
The group recorded a number of songs on the Decca label. One of those recordings, "Dorothy", became a regional hit in the New York City/Philadelphia region. While with the Hi-Fives, Dave Brigati began collaborating with Joseph DiNicola (known professionally as Joey Dee) of nearby Passaic, New Jersey, who sang back-up on a few of the Hi-Fives recordings.
In late 1958, Dee recruited Brigati (after a gig at Garfield High School) to join his group the Starliters. Brigati became a lead singer with the group and his lead vocals can be heard on their first single release entitled "Face of An Angel".
Songs :
The Hi-Fives (2)
My Friend How Can I Win Dorothy
Just A Shoulder To Cry On Lonely What's New, What's New
The Tammys 1963 - Take Back Your Ring / Part Of Growing Up (UA 632) 1963 - Egyptian Shumba / What's So Sweet About Sweet Sixteen (UA 678) 1965 - Hold Back The Light Of Dawn / Gypsy (Veep 1210) 1965 - Blue Sixteen / His Actions Speak Louder Than Words (Veep 1220)
Ritchie & The Runarounds (3) 1963 - Lost In The Crowd / Don'tcha Backtrack (Ascot 2136)
Biography :
The Tammys were an American girl group made up of sisters Gretchen and Cathy Owens and their friend Linda Jones. They are best known for their song "Egyptian Shumba" with its faux Middle-Eastern instrumentals and sweet girlish vocals backed up by wild shrieks.
In high school Cathy and Gretchen participated in a group called The Impressions. Billed as The Charnelles, Cathy, Gretchen and Linda first publicly performed on March 31, 1962 at a school talent show. Early on, they were thrown out of a local restaurant for singing along to the jukebox. "We'll be on that jukebox someday", they vowed.
The Tammys with Lou Christie
The girls first met Lou Christie in 1961 at a concert where he was performing in the band "Lugee and The Lions". He took them for a ride in his Cadillac. He sang while they did back-up harmony. He told them "If I ever get discovered, I'll call you", and they said the same to him. A year later Lou hit it big with his single "The Gypsy Cried" and he brought the girls in to sing backup for him. He also signed them to a contract with United Artists. Despite local airplay, "Take Back Your Ring", "Gypsy" and "Egyptian Shumba" all failed to chart nationally throughout 1963-1964.
Kripp Johnson The Tammys
In 1963 Ritchie & the Runarounds cut "Lost In The Crowd" / "Don'tcha Backtrack" on Ascot 2136. Ritchie & the Runarounds consisted of Kripp Johnson, Lou Christie, and the girl group the Tammys. Johnson, formerly in the Del Vikings, takes the lead on both sides, which were written by Christie and Christie's songwriting partner Twyla Herbert.
By 1965, Lou Christie was using another tough sounding girl group to back him, Jessica James and the Outlaws, which consisted of Bernadette Carroll, Denise Ferri and Peggy Santiglia. Meanwhile, The Tammys continued to play local shows and sing background tracks until later in the decade; but with three no-hit singles to their credit, their waxings became impossibly rare and the group became a footnote in music history. http://egyptianshumba.com/
Songs :
Take Back Your Ring Part Of Growing Up Egyptian Shumba
(L to R) Alvin H. Brandon, Billy Lee, Joseph Raguso, Richie Pettagano and Paul Fernandez
The Bell-Tones (Yonkers, New York) aka Belltones (2)
Personnel :
Alvin H. Brandon (lead)
Paul Fernandez
Billy Lee
Richie Pettagano
Joseph Raguso
Discography :
The Bell-Tones 1958 - The Merrengue / I Love You (Scatt 1609/1610)
The Belltones (2) 1958 - The Merrengue / I Love You (J&S 1609/1610)
Biography :
Zelma "Zell" Sanders is a Bronx-based songwriter and producer who owned and operated J&S, Dice, Scatt, Zell's and other record labels. A powerful matriarch, she controlled her recording artists, sometimes firing them on the spot if they broke her rules. Before entering the record business she was employed as a security guard, while writing songs on the side. She was working for the Police Athletic League in Harlem's 23rd Precinct. She saw the talent; it was there on the street. They all got to know Zell as the lady who went around grabbing groups. "Do you sing?", she'd ask them. "Come on up to my house." Zelma Sanders also had a particular fondness for female singers.
Zelma "Zell" Sanders
In 1958, Zelma Sanders managed The Bell-Tones and wrote two songs for them, "The Merrengue" and "I Love You". The vocal group from Yonkers High School consists of Alvin H. Brandon, Paul Fernandez, Billy Lee, Richie Pettagano and Joseph Raguso. Before the release of their record, The boys have appeared at local dance spots, on television in Washington. D.C. and have made an Army show at Fort Belvoir, Va. Zell Sanders’ Scatt label released the single in April 1958, before one of her other labels, J&S, did the same shortly after, but under the name Belltones.
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