Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Cyclones (2) aka The Furys (2)

Posted on January 18 2009 by dion1

The Cyclones (2) aka The Furys (2)

The Furys (2) (Los Angeles)
aka The Cyclones (2)
ref : The Centennials

Personnel :

Jerome Evans (Baritone / Lead)

Robert Washington

Melvin White

Georges Taylor

Jimmy Green

Discography :

The Cyclones (2)
1959 - Big Mary / Good Goodnight (Forward 313)

The Furys (2)
1961 - So Tuff / Over You (Pains In My Heart) (Edsel 786 / Mack IV 05)
1962 - Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart / Never More (Mack IV 112)
1962 - If There's A Next Time / Another Fella (Mack IV 114)
1962 - I Really Feel Good / The Old Days (Mack IV 115)
1964 - Gee Baby / Somebody's Fox (Mack IV 117)
1964 - I Lost My Baby / What Is Soul (Mack IV 118)
1964 - Where My Money Goes / Cover Girl (Aura 396)
1964 - Baby You Can Bet Your Boots / The Man Who Has Everything (Liberty 55692)
1964 - If I Didn't Have A Dime / Dream (Liberty 55719)
1964 - Anything For You / Cat 'N Mouse (World Pacific 386)

The Centennials
1961 - My Dear One / The Wayward Wind (Dot 16180)

Biography :

JJerome Evans started singing when he was a mere 3 years old imitating songs he heard on the radio. Growing up in the West Los Angeles neighborhood of 42nd Street between Broadway and Main, Jerome starting "foolin' around" with his brothers and some other friends singing in amateur shows in 1952. Later, Jerome formed a group called the Cyclones along with Robert Washington, Melvin White and George Taylor. In 1959, the Cyclones recorded "Big Mary" for George Motola's Forward Records (Forward 313). In the same period Jerome Evans had been a member of The Lions & The Centennials.

The Cyclones (2) aka The Furys (2)
Jimmy Green Jimmy McEachin (Mack)

Later, in 1962, the four members of the Cyclones joined Jimmy Green (the brother of Vernon Green of the Medallions) to form a new group. The group was practicing one day when songwriter/producer Jimmy McEachin (who wrote such novelty hits as the Fight and Gravel Gert for the Barons in 1959) heard them and decided to take them into the studio giving them their new name - the Furys. The group recorded a number of records for McEachin including So Tough b/w I've Got a Pain in My Head (Over You) (Edsel 786 -1961).

The Furys (2) aka The Cyclones (2)

"Over You" did pretty well for 6 months and was played a lot on KGFJ and was pushed by Hunter Hancock on his radio show. The Furys later would score on McEachin's own Mark IV label with a rendition of "Zing Went the Strings of My Heart" b/w "Never More" . Of all the groups that recorded Zing, the Furys' version is probably the most recognized. That was the beginning of everything for the Furys, working with the William Morris agency, the group did a lot of big shows.

The Cyclones (2) aka The Furys (2)

The Furys later moved to Liberty records where they recorded "Man Who Has Everything" b/w "Baby, You Can Bet Your Boots" and "If I Didn't Have A Dime" b/w "Dream" and the World Pacific label where they cut "Cat 'N Mouse" b/w "Anything For You .The Furys also recorded under the name of Private Eye and did Charlie Chan and Dances With Charlie Chan (Kris Records). When the British invasion hit, the Furys went overseas doing tours in Japan and in southeast asia (in 1970). The group later disbanded in the early 1970's.

Discography :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Cyclones (2)


      Good Goodnight                       Big Mary

The Furys (2)


So Tuff                  Over You (Pains In My Heart)            Never More

Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart


If There's A Next Time               Another Fella                      I Really Feel Good


The Old Days                         Gee Baby                           Somebody's Fox


      I Lost My Baby                      What Is Soul                    Where My Money Goes


   Cover Girl           Baby You Can Bet Your Boots    The Man Who Has Everything


If I Didn't Have A Dime                 Dream                   Anything For You

Cat 'N Mouse

The Centennials

My Dear One / The Wayward Wind

…

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Les Ledo & The Consorts (1) aka Nick Marco & The Venetians

Posted on January 18 2009 by dion1

Nick Marco & The Venetians aka Les Ledo & The Consorts (1)
Les Ledo & The Consorts

Les Ledo & The Consorts (1) (Manhattan, New York)
aka Nick Marco & The Venetians

Personnel :

Les Ledo (Lead)

Nick Marco (Lou Bonini)

Joe Walsh

Bobby Fava

Danny Conboy

Discography :

Nick Marco & The Venetians
1960 - Little Boy Lost / Would It Hurt You (Dwain 813)

Les Ledo & The Consorts (1)
1959 - Nina / I Got Me A Sweetheart (Nina 1601)

Biography :

Joe Walsh wound up with four other guys in a group called Les Ledo and his Consorts, a name that particularly vexed the rest of the guys. The group would hang out at local recording studios and get side work as background singers.

Nick Marco & The Venetians aka Les Ledo & The Consorts (1)
Nick Marco & The Venetians

The group even recorded its own 45 rpm on the small Nina studio label. It was at a session for Dion and the Belmonts in 1959 that Walsh had a fleeting brush with fame. One of the Belmonts was unable to attend the scheduled recording session at the famous Brill Building. Walsh was at the studio that day looking for work when he was asked if he could sing second tenor.

Nick Marco & The Venetians

The song, "A Teenager in Love," immediately began to climb the charts, and soon sold over 1 million copies. That same year, Jim Gribble, who managed a number of successful groups, including Jay and the Americans, The Passions, the Fiestas and The Mystics, heard Les Ledo and his Consorts at a studio session. The record companies liked the Consorts but didn't care much for Les Ledo's voice. Gribble offered to manage the Consorts if Ledo wasn't in the group. So at the next rehearsalthe Consorts walked out and went back to Gribble.

Nick Marco & The Venetians aka Les Ledo & The Consorts (1)

Gribble took the boys on, made member Louis Bonini the lead singer, and renamed him Nick Marco. He also changed the name of the group to Nick Marco and the Venetians. Gribble got the group a recording contract in 1959, but unlike some of the other acts he managed, this contract was on Dwain records, a small company with hardly any budget for distribution.

Nick Marco & The Venetians

The 45 rpm recording of "Little Boy Lost," with "Would It Hurt You" on the flip side, got some regional East Coast air play. But when fans went to the record stores to purchase a copy, it was difficult to find. About the same time, disc jockey Alan Freed of WINS-AM, the premier doo-wop and rock station in New York, was indicted for taking bribes in what became known as the "payola" scandal.

Songs :

Nick Marco & The Venetians

Little Boy Lost Would It Hurt You

Les Ledo & The Consorts (1)

Nina I Got Me A Sweetheart

…..

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The Demilles aka The Camerons (2)

Posted on January 18 2009 by dion1

The Camerons (2) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Demilles

Personnel :

Mike DeMartino "Mike Taylor" (Lead)

Bobby Falcone

Al Crisci

Dave Romano

Discography :

The Camerons (2)

Single :
1961 - Guardian Angel / The Girl That I Marry (Cousins 1003)

Unreleaseds:
1960 - Red Red Robin (Cousins)
1960 - Laura (Cousins)
1962 - Barbara's Doin' The Twist (Cousins)
1962 - Swinging On A Star (Cousins)

Mike Taylor "DeMartino" bb The Camerons (2)
1962 - He´s A Lover / Mi-A-Suri Talk (Dream)

Carlo bb The Camerons (2)
1963 - Little Orphan Girl / Mairzy Doats (Laurie 3157)

The Demilles
1964 - Donna Lee / Um-Ba-Pa (Laurie 3230)
1964 - Cry And Be On Your Wy / Lazy Love (Laurie 3247)

Biography :

Formed by Bobby Falcone, Al Crisci and Mike DeMartino (aka Mike Taylor), This Camerons have no relation to the earlier Camerons on Cousins Records. This was a totally different group which simply "borrowed" the name (they had once been know as the Idols) for their Cousin release "Guardian Angel". "Guardian Angel" The song had come to Cichetti's attention via the previous recording by Al Reno & the Selections (Antone 101) and was one which he was anxious to record himself. Once completed and released on Cousins, the masters eventually was acquired and issued by Felsted (a subsidiary of london records). Dave Romano (Of the Tremont) joined the Camerons after their recording. They recorded four songs " Red Red Robin", "Laura", "Barbara's Doin' The Twist" and "Swinging on a star", which remained unreleased.

Their next release was "Mi-A-Suri Talk", written by Ernie Maresca in honor of Murray the K, a famous New York DJ. The record was produced by group member Mike DeMartino, who had it release under his own stage name of Mike Taylor. Bobby Falcone sang together with Dave Romano (Tremonts), Carlo (Belmont) as the Glen Stuart Chorus, Backing an unknown "Dion" imitator on Abel Records in 1963. The Camerons' next move was to Laurie records, where they became The Demilles. The Demilles had two releases on Laurie records. The first release "Donna Lee" had Carlo of the Belmonts added to the Group.

Songs :

The Camerons (2)


Guardian Angel                             The Girl That I Marry


Laura                                            Red Red Robin

Mike Taylor "Mike DeMartino" bb The Camerons (2)

He´s A Lover Mi-A-Suri Talk

The Demilles

Donna Lee Um-Ba-Pa

Cry And Be On Your Wy

...

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The Travelers (2)

Posted on January 16 2009 by dion1

The Travelers (2) (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Frenchie Concepcion "Frank Lopez" (Lead)

James Baldwin (Baritone)

Freddy (Baritone)

Discography :

Singles :
1957 - Lenora / Betty Jean (Atlas 1086)

Unreleased :
1957 - Love Is All I Crave (Atlas)

Biography :

Frenchie Concepcion met a quartet who sang at local community centers in the East New York section of Brooklyn. The quartet took him in as their new lead singer, under the name "Frank Lopez." They practiced mostly standards as well as songs they'd written themselves.

One day they heard about an audition being held by Tommy Robinson, owner of Atlas records at a studio at 124th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues, in Harlem. In mid-1957, the Travelers recorded "Lenora," a song Frenchie had written and the old Wrens song, "Betty Jean" who were released on Atlas in August. After being together for about two years, a couple of the guys went into the service and that was the end of the Travelers.

Songs :

Lenora Betty Jean

Love Is All I Crave

...

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The Drapers (2) aka The Duvals (2)

Posted on January 16 2009 by dion1

The Drapers (2) (New York)
aka The Duvals (2)

Personnel :

Ike Mason

Charlie

James

Arnold

Discography :

The Duvals (2)
1956 - Ooh Wee Baby / You Came To Me (Rainbow 335)
1956 - Guide Me / Happiness (Gee 1003)

The Drapers (2)
1960 - Best Love / One more time (Vest 831)

Biography :

Ben E. King was made a soloist (releasing "Show Me The Way"/"Brace Yourself" on Atlantic's Atco subsidiary in April 1960) and Lover Patterson remained his manager. On many of his early sides, Ben E. King was backed up by another of Lover Patterson's groups, the Duvals (also known as the Drapers [an attempt to find a name that sounded like "Drifters"]). (Lover Patterson, aside from being the Drifters' road manager, remained the Duvals' manager. Since there was no longer a Crowns group, he initially re-named the Duvals "The Crowns." [The Duvals on Kelit, LaSalle and Boss are different groups.] In 1960, he changed their name again, this time from the Crowns to the Drapers, a name that was supposed to sound a bit like the "Drifters." As the Drapers, they recorded "Best Love"/"One More Time" for Vest. Note that the Drapers on Gee ["(I Know) Your Love Has Gone Away"/"You Got To Look Up"] from 1963 was a different group, containing Dock Green, Tommy Evans, Johnny Moore, and "Carnation" Charlie Hughes - all former members of the Drifters! Presumably Lover Patterson was their manager.)
http://www.uncamarvy.com/5Crowns/5crowns.html

Songs :

The Duvals (2)

Ooh Wee Baby You Came To Me Guide Me

The Drapers (2)

One more time

...

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Farrell & the Flames (5)

Posted on January 15 2009 by dion1

Farrell & the Flames (5)
Clockwise from Top : Bill Newmiller, Bob Hummel, Edward "Farrell" Finn and Fred Baker.

Farrel & The Flames (5) (Upper Darby, PA)

Personnel :

Edward "Farrell" Finn Jr (Lead)

Bill Newmiller (Soprano)

Bob Hummell (Bass/Baritone)

Fred Baker (Tenor)

Discography :

Single :
1961 - Dreams And Memories / You'll Be Sorry (Fransil 14)

Unreleased :
1961 - Vita (Fransil)
1961 - When I'm Near You (Fransil)

Biography :

White group from Upper Darby, PA consisted of Bill Newmiller (Soprano), Bob Hummell (Bass / Baritone), Edward "Farrell" Finn Jr. (Lead) and Fred Baker (Tenor). They practicing on Farrell's house on their high school and by the local streets. In early 1960 signed Steve Kurtz and Steve Todarello of The Vocal-Lords as their managers who send the guys with Dj Ron Joseph to participe in his show, the group have great perfomances in the Philadelphia, Delaware and Upper Darby area.

Farrell & the Flames (5)
From Left : Fred Baker, Bill Newmiller, Bob Hummel and Farrel.

The group moved to Reco Arts where recorded four sides : Dreams and Memories / You'll Be Sorry / Vita / When I'm Near You. presented the masters to Silvio Scerbo and Bob Scale of Fransil Records this label released the two first sides in the spring of 1960.

Farrell & the Flames (5)

The A side was very popular locally and play in many radio stations but the rockin B side on the order of The Rockin Chairs died soon. The group managers want the boys moved to New York but by their ages (13-14) and the school, they refused, never recorded again and finally with their graduation disbanded in late 1961.

Songs :

You'll Be Sorry Dreams And Memories

…

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The Cordials (3) aka The Stompers (2)

Posted on January 15 2009 by dion1

The Cordials (3) aka The Stompers (2)

Bobby (Boris) Pickett

The Stompers (2) (Los Angeles)
aka The Cordials (3)

Personnel :

Bobby (Boris) Pickett

Leonard "Lenny" Capizzi

Bill Capizzi

Ron Deltorto

Lou Toscano

Discography :

The Stompers (2)
1962 - Quarter To Four Stomp / Foolish One (Landa 684)

The Cordials (3)
1962 - Eternal Love / The International Twist (Reveille 106)

Biography :

Bobby (Boris) Pickett was born in Somerville, Massachusetts. After high school, he spent three years in Korea in the US army signal corps. Upon demobilisation, Pickett headed for Hollywood, where he wanted to break into movies and stand-up comedy - his first nightclub act included a horror film routine. His initial success was modest, and in 1961 he joined a vocal group called the Cordials. The Cordials were Leonard "Lenny" Capizzi, Bill Capizzi, Ron Deltorto, Lou Toscano and Bobby Boris Pickett. It specialised in the doo-wop close-harmony style and occasionally Pickett would enliven shows by intoning the spoken section of Little Darlin', a hit by the Diamonds, in his Karloff voice.

The Cordials (3) aka The Stompers (2)

The Cordials soon came to the attention of the record producer and songwriter Gary Paxton. Under his guidance, the Cordials, a white group in a mainly black genre, recorded "Eternal Love" and "The International Twist" both written By the Capizzi brothers . Gary Paxton produced the Next single "Quarter To Four Stomp", a surf-orientated adaptation of Garу US Bonds’ “Quarter To Three” . The single was released under the name of the Stompers.

The Stompers (2) aka The Cordials (3)

Shortly after this release Bobby Boris Pickett left for a solo career and co-wrote "Monster Mash" with Cordials/Stompers member Leonard Capizzi to take advantage of the Mashed Potato dance craze. Pickett's half-spoken, half-sung narration includes a brief snatch of a heavily accented Bela Lugosi impersonation as well as the Karloff voice. The refrain ran, "He did the mash/ He did the monster mash/ The monster mash/ It was a graveyard smash".

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Cordials (3)


Eternal Love                      The International Twist

The Stompers (2)


Quarter To Four Stomp                            Foolish One

Bobby Pickett

Monster Mash

...

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The Swans (4) aka The Idols (1)

Posted on January 15 2009 by dion1

The Swans (4) aka The Idols (1)
Dorothy Berry

The Idols (1) (Los Angeles, CA)
aka The Swans (4)

Personnel :

Dorothy Berry (Lead)

Charlotte Holmes

Barbara Holmes

Discography :

The Idols (1)
1961 - Just A Little Bit More / Why Must I Cry (Reveille 1002/Dot 16210)

Dorothy Berry & The Swans (4)
1961 - You Know You Lied / Hold Me (Vanco 101)

Biography :

Richard and Dorothy Berry married in 1957, raising two children. Their marriage lasted over ten years, ending in 1968. Inspired by her husband’s musical talents, Dorothy pursued her own path in the music business, beginning as a singer for the girl group, The Idols in the early 1960s. the group consisted of Dorothy Berry, Charlotte Holmes and Barbara Holmes. They recorded two songs composed by Richard Berry "Just A Little Bit More" and "Why Must I Cry" released in April 1961 on Reveille Records and also released on Dot 16210. Promo copies have "Why Must I Cry" credited to The Swans instead of the Idols. The Same years, The group recorded "You Know You Lied" and "Hold Me" released On Vanco as Dorothy Berry And The Swans.

The Swans (4) aka The Idols (1)
Richard & Dorothy Berry

As she gained more expertise as a lead singer, Dorothy Berry was soon groomed as a solo artist, recording for such labels as Garpax, Challenge, Little Star, and Tangerine. After working with a variety of different projects with such artists as Solomon Burke, the Righteous Brothers, and David Gates, Dorothy Berry was offered an opportunity to join Ray Charles as a Raelette. With a chance o see the world with one of the most successful recording artists of all time, Dorothy joined up with Ray Charles to sing on-stage and in the studio.

Songs :

The Idols (1)


   Why Must I Cry                                   Just A Little Bit More

Dorothy Berry & The Swans (4)


        Hold Me                                    You Know You Lied

...

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The Starlings (1) aka The Twilighters (2)

Posted on January 14 2009 by dion1

The Starlings (1) aka The Twilighters (2)
Larry Gales

The Starlings (1) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Twilighters (2)

Personnel :

Larry Gales (Lead)

Stan Gilbert (First Tenor)

Jackie Marshall (Second Tenor)

John E. Johnson (Baritone)

Clyde Franklin (Bass)

Discography :

The Starlings (1)
Singles:
1954 - Music Maestro Please / My Plea For Love (Josie 760)
1955 - I’m Just A Crying Fool / Hokey-Smokey Mama (Dawn 212)
1955 - A-Loo, A-Loo / I Gotta Go Now (Dawn 213)
Unreleased :
1954 - Fine Brown Frame (Josie)
1954 - Ebb Tide (Josie)
1954 - The Girl That I Marry (Josie)

The Twilighters (2)
Singles:
1955 - Little Did I Dream / Gotta Get On The Train (MGM 55011)
1956 - Half Angel / Lovely Lady (MGM 55014)

Biography :

The Starlings who hail from the Bronx, NYC., had a fairly ordinary beginning in 1951: five friends who sang on the street. All Morris High School students, they were: Larry Gales (tenor lead), Stan Gilbert (1st tenor), Jackie Marshall (2nd tenor), Johnny Johnson (baritone), and Clyde Franklin (bass). The group called themselves the "Starlings" from the beginning, as a conscious tribute to the other "bird groups" of the time, their repertoire consisted mostly of songs that they had written themselves.

The Starlings (1) aka The Twilighters (2)

They appeared in talent shows, at the Renaissance Casino and in the Apollo amateur show. Their Music teacher, Herb Miller got them a contract with Jubilee's Jerry Blaine, and he had them record for his new label Josie. In April of 1954, "Music Maestro Please" b/w "My Plea For Love" was Josie's first release. The record failed to get any airplay or a push from Blaine. Johnson and Gales reorganized the group in late 1954 or early 1955 with former Crickets' Bill Lindsay & Donald Redd, the brother of the Fi-Tones’.

The Starlings (1) aka The Twilighters (2)
Bill Lindsay

Gene Redd. Miller brought he revamped Starlings to Dawn Records where they recorded two singles, "I'm Just A Crying Fool"/"Hokey-Smokey Mama" and "A-Loo, A-Loo"/"I Gotta Go Now" in the winter of 1955. After rechristening themselves the Twilighters, the group waxed four tunes for M-G-M Records in June of 1955, "Little Did I Dream"/"Gotta Get On The Train" (released that July), and "Lovely Lady"/"Half Angel", which came out in early 1956.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Starlings/starlings.html

Songs :

The Starlings (1)


   My Plea For Love / Music Maestro Please    I’m Just A Crying Fool / Hokey-Smokey Mama


A-Loo, A-Loo / I Gotta Go Now              Fine Brown Frame

The Twilighters (2)


Little Did I Dream / Gotta Get On The Train       Half Angel / Lovely Lady

…

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The Twilighters (5) aka The Twiliters (2)

Posted on January 13 2009 by dion1

The Twiliters (2) (McKesport, Pa.)
aka The Twilighters (5)

Personnel :

Glenn Dorsey (Lead)

Delores Johnson (First Tenor)

Bob manual (Second Tenor)

Richard Covington (Baritone)

Ernie Holt (Bass)

Discography :

The Twiliters (2)

Singles:
1961 - Hey There / Caused By You (Nix 102)
1961 - Back To School / Love Bandit (Nix 103)
1964 - Sweet Lips / You Better Make It (Paloma 100)
1964 - My Beatle Haircut / Sweet Lips (Roulette 4546)
Unreleased :
N/A - One More Love
N/A - Honest I Do
N/A - Please Let The Romance Grow
N/A - Playing With Fire
N/A - Kissing Date
N/A - Unchained Melody

The Twilighters (5)
1961 - Scratchin' / She Needs A Guy (Chess 1803)

Biography :

This group first assembled as a trio in September 1954. Bob Manual soon brought two junior high schoolmates of his into the group. They initially named themselves the Fascinators and began serious practice each day. They hooked up with Talent scout Bill Ramsey, who coached them on vocals as well as stage presence. Many Personnel changes occurred during the next several years. By 1959, they began calling themselves the Twiliters and were composed of the group reflected above. They Met record producer Bob Vogelsberger whose ambition it was to manage a vocal group. Vogelsberger arranged to have them record four sides, but none were ever released. They soon hooked up with record producer Nick Censi, who was the owner of Nix records. Nix 102 & 103 were recorded in 1961.

The Joneses

Jules Krusoir who initially guided the marvels, also a Pittsburgh vocal group, took an interest in the Twiliters and had them record for his Paloma label. The Paloma Discs failed and bass Ernie Holt left to be replaced by Sylvester Brooks, who in 1956 became the lead of the Smoothtones, following Alfred Gaitwood's departure. When Delores Johnson Left, Ernie Holt rejoined the Twiliters. Hoping to capitalize on the British invasion and the Beatles phenomenon, the group recorded "My Beatle Haircut", which was released on Roulette in 1963. This fared well locally and got the Twiliters many Bookings in their area. In 1964, Dorsey developed a Thyroid condition that necessitated surgery. The operation affected his vocal chords and left Dorsey unable to sing. This ended the singing career of the Twiliters. In two years Dorsey recovered and in 1966 Dorsey and Manual formed another vocal group they called the Persians. After many personnel changes, they eventually became the Joneses.

Songs :
(Updated By Hans-Joachim

The Twiliters (2)

Hey There Caused By You Love Bandit

You Better Make It               My Beatle Haircut               Back To School

The Twilighters (5)


She Needs A Guy                        Scratchin'

...

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