Lou Reed's first group was known as The Shades, later renamed as The Jades - whose members included Reed's fellow high school classmates Alan Walters and Phil Harris. The group was formed when Reed was just 14 - performing at shopping malls and other small public venues. Producer Bob Shad signed the group to his newly established label Time Records in the late 50s, where the group released one single, Leave Her for Me / So Blue (1958).
Lou Reed with an early high school group
There is some discrepancy as to whom wrote each track; "Leave Her for Me" was credited only to Reed - though on the two editions of the release, "So Blue" is either credited to both Reed and Harris, or solely to Harris. Reed notes that he only received seventy-eight cents in royalties for his work with the Jades. http://olivier.landemaine.free.fr/loureed/thejades/jades.html
The Expressions (2) (Dallas,Texas) aka Jay Ramsey & The Contempos
Personnel :
Jay Ramsey (Lead)
Jerry Brown
Frank Cole
Bob Kelly
Discography :
Jay Ramsey & The Contempos 1962 - Look Away Love / Smooth Talkin Woman (Libra 1001)
The Expressions (2) 1963 - Come Back Karen / Thrill (Smash 1848) 1965 - One Plus One / Playboy (Reprise 0360)
Jay Ramsey bb The Expressions (2) Unreleased : 1965 - Lonely Girl 1965 - Gotta Keep Movin
Biography :
Bob Kelly already had his own recording studio and In 1962, three guys came into the studio , Jerry Brown, piano player and singer, Jay Ramsey, guitar player, singer, and songwriter and Frank Cole, sax, guitar, bass and singer. Bob Kelly decided to record them and put out a record locally to see if it would do anything. "Smooth Talkin' Woman" b/w "Look Away Love" on Libra Records as Jay Ramsey & The Contempos.
1962, Jay Ramsey, Jerry brown, Frank Cole and Bob Kelly
Success locally was mediocre he couldn't get a national record release. Then, Bob asked them if they would like to form a group with him. So they recorded some songs Jay singing lead, and Jerry, Frank, and Bob singing background. With slightly more success, Bob got a record leasing deal with Smash Records, a subsidiary of Mercury Records. "Thrill" b/w "Come Back Karen," published by Little Star.
They got a Best Bets in Cashbox as good as you could get at the time for a rating. Lots of airplay and sales locally, but still only moderate success nationally. It was a one-record-lease deal, so back to the drawing board.The Expressions started touring all over the country in Sept 1964 and kept going for the next sixteen years! In 1965, they were signed by Sinatra's Reprise Records and cut "One Plus One" b/w "Playboy".
The Five Trojans (Hollywood, CA) aka The Trojans (5)
Personnel :
Henry Dunson
Ron Ellington
Freddie Flamer
Mitchell Perker
James Thompson
Discography :
The Trojans (5) 1958 - Alone In This World / Don't Ask Me To Be Lonely (Tender 516)
Nicky St. Clair & The Five Trojans 1959 - I Hear Those Bells / Creator Of Love (Edison International 410)
The Five Trojans 1958 - Alone In This World / Don't Ask Me To Be Lonely (Tender 516) 1959 - Little Doll / Lola Lee (Edison International 412)
Biography :
Vocal group from Hollywood, CA composed by Henry Dunson, Ron Ellington, Freddie Flamer, Mitchell Perker and James Thompson. The group the group signs a recording contract with Imogene Fadely owner of Tender Records. "Don't Ask Me To Be Lonely" b/w "Alone In This World " was released in September 1958 on Tender 516 as the five Trojans and a second pressing the same month with label credit to the Trojans.
The Five Trojans had two other releases in 1959, on Edison International owned by Jack Ames. On the first they backed Nicky St. Clair on "I Hear Those Bells" and "Creator Of Love", and a second from the same session with "Little Doll" and "Lola Lee".
1958 - Keep Her By My Side / IKknew (20th Fox 112) 1963 - Wonderland / Baby (Brooks 1A)
Biography :
The Caribbeans grew up on Claremont Parkway in the North Bronx. The group consisted of their lead vocalist Tony H. San Antonio with Joe Amador, Tito Ortiz and Valentine Lopez. They spent their time harmonizing in hallways and street corners. It wasn't until 1958 when they released their first record, "I Knew", which had a Latin beat and "Keep Her by My Side" which had a Doo wop sound.
The Groups' manager Dorian Burton released the record with 20th Century Fox. Another record, "Wonderland / Baby" was released in 1963 by Brooks record. The Caribbeans performed in numerous small clubs and church dances which were popular during the 50s.
Songs :
Wonderland / Keep Her By My Side / I Knew / Baby (With photos)
The Sultans (1) 1954 - Good Thing Baby / How Deep Is The Ocean (Duke 125) 1954 - I Cried My Heart Out / Baby Don't Put Me Down (Duke 133) 1954 - Boppin' With The Mambo / What Makes Me Feel This Way (Duke 135) 1957 - If I Could Tell / My Love Is So High (Duke 178)
The Admirals 1955 - Oh Yes / Left With A Broken Heart (King 4772) 1955 - Close Your Eyes / Give Me Your Love (King 4782)
Cathy Ryan & The Admirals 1955 - It's A Sad, Sad Feeling / [Lucky Millinder - Ow!] (King 4792)
Bubber Johnson (BB The Admirals) 1955 - Ding Dang Doo / Drop Me A Line (King 4793) 1957 - A Crazy Afternoon / [So Much Tonight (Bubber Johnson solo)] (King 5068)
Biography :
Gene McDaniels was born in Kansas City, Kansas, in February of 1935. He was interested in music from an early age then living in Omaha, Nebraska, where he studied music at the Omaha Conservatory. During the post war forties he was part of a gospel music quartet called The Heavenly Wanderers and later The Echoes Of Joy. As a teenager he formed a vocal group called The Echoes along with lead singer Will Barnes, James Farmer, Jimmy Mimms, and Richard Beasley.
This group never did record, but two years later the same personnel with the exception of Mimms (who was replaced by Wesley Devreaux ) now known as The Sultans, secured a recording contract with Duke Records which had recently relocated to Houston, Texas, from Memphis. The Sultans first recorded effort for Duke Records was the pop music standard "How Deep Is The Ocean" and "Good Thing Baby" on #125 in April of 1954.
The group was backed up on the record by the Johnny Otis orchestra. The Sultans perform at a number of venues in the Midwest including the statewide meeting of the Music Guild of Nebraska in June. In October The Sultans have their second record out for the Duke label. It is comprised of the tunes "I Cried My Heart Out" and "Baby Don't Put Me Down" on #133. At the very end of the year The Sultans give it one more chance with Duke and record the songs "Boppin With The Mambo" and "What Makes Me Feel This Way" on Duke #135. As with the previous two releases for Duke, this one does not sell or gain airplay for the group.
The Sultans in early 1955 decide on a change of name for the group. With the same personnel they are now known as The Admirals. By the end of January they have set up a recording date for one of the giant R & B independents, King Records of Cincinnati, Ohio. late in February King #4772 is released. It features The Admirals on the songs "Oh Yes" and "Left With A Broken Heart". One month later the group has a second recording for King - "Close Your Eyes" and "Give Me Your Love" on #4782. Neither record does anything on the selling front or on airplay for the group. In April the group appears on a record by Lucky Millinder and his Orchestra. The vocal is by Cathy Ryan and The Admirals do the backing vocals on one side of the record - "It's A Sad Sad Feeling".
The flip side is an instrumental called "Ow" released on King #4792. That same month the group also does backing vocals behind singer Bubber Johnson on the songs "Ding Dang Doo" and "Drop Me A Line" on #4793. By the end of 1955 The Admirals are no more and Gene McDaniels decides to try and make it as a solo act. However in July of 1957 another Bubber Johnson vocal with backing by The Admirals is released by King on #5068. The session was actually recorded in 1955 with the tunes "A Crazy Afternoon" and "So Much Tonight". That same year an old recording by The Sultans is released on the Duke label of the songs "My Love Is So High" and "If I Could Tell" on #178.
Gene McDaniels
Gene McDaniels after the breakup of The Admirals, worked on his songwriting skills, and soon landed a recording contract with Liberty Records. Starting with "In Times Like These" and "Once Before" on #55231 recorded late in 1959 which was not a success, he worked hard to make it as a single. Finally in April of 1961, a tune called "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay" on Liberty #55308 broke out as a national hit. Gene McDaniels has become a well rounded musician in all phases of the art form, and it all started those many years ago as part of a blend of voices lifted in song as part of a R & B vocal group.
The Gales (1) (Detroit) aka The Question Marks (1) aka The Violinaires
Personnel :
Isaiah Jones (Lead)
Calvin Fair (Lead)
Bob Gandy
Wilson DeShields (Baritone)
Leo Coney
Discography :
The Violinaires 1954 - Another Soldier Gone / Joy In The Beulah Land (Drummond 4000)
The Gales (1) 1955 - Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying / My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble (J.V.B 34) 1955 - Darling Patricia / All Is Well, All Is Well (J.V.B 35/J.O.B. 3001)
The Question Marks (1) 1954 - Another Soldier Gone / Get Some More (Hollywood Flames) (Swing Time 346)
Biography :
Calvin Fair, along with Isaiah Jones, Wilson DeShields, Leo Coney, and Dempsey were the Violinaires singing "Another Soldier Gone." The Pressing plant personnel at Drummond misspelled the Group's name on the label as Voilinaires. The same group of people recorded the four (4) songs attributed to the Gales. Los Angeles label Swing Time issued 'Another Soldier Gone' with the credited artists as The ? Marks. In fact "Another Soldier Gone" seems to be an alternate take by the Violinaires. The group who sing on the flip of the record featured here is in fact The Hollywood Flames. http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/another.htm
Songs :
The Violinaires
Another Soldier Gone Joy In The Beulah Land
The Gales (1)
My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying Darling Patricia
The Whirlwinds (3) (Phillips, Texas) aka The Five Bops
Personnel :
Bill Baker
Eugene Richmond
Melvin Webb
H.F. Ritchie
Bill Dees
Gerald Hanners (Guitar)
Discography :
The Five Bops 1959 - Unforgotten Love / Jitterbuggin' (Hamilton 50023)
The Whirlwinds (3) 1961 - Angel Love / The Mountain (Guyden 2052)
Biography :
The group, originally from Phillips, Texas, recorded "Unforgotten Love" b/w "Jitterbuggin'" in 1958 at the Norman Petty Studio in Clovis, New Mexico. Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly had already recorded hits there. The single was released on the Hamilton Label under the name of The Five Bops.
The Five Bops
In 1958, the group consisted of Bill Baker, Bill Dees, Eugene Richmond, Melvin Webb and H.F. Ritchie. H.F. Ritchie sang lead on "Jitterbuggin'" and Bill Dees on "Unforgotten Love".In 1960, the group added Gerald Hanners, as lead guitar player, and changed the name to The Whirlwinds. In 1961 they released another Norman Petty produced record on the Guyden label:"Angel Love" featuring H.F. Ritchie b/w "The Mountain," featuring Bill Dees.
The Whirlwinds (3)
Their records were regional hits but were not nationally successful. The group toured briefly with Roy Orbison, Johnny Tillotson and Mark Dinning. Bill Dees eventually moved to Nashville and became a songwriting & singing partner with Roy Orbison and helped create many of the Orbison classics including "Oh, Pretty Woman" and "It's Over. The Five Bops/Whirlwinds were among many groups from the Texas Panhandle who recorded at the Norman Petty Studios in the 50's and 60's.
The Sweet Teens (1) (Pomona, Los Angeles, CA) aka The Ru-Bee-Els aka The Hollywood Chicks aka The Chicks (2)
Personnel :
Elnora Hicks
Betty Hicks
Mary Thomas
Ruth Davis
Discography :
The Sweet Teens (1) 1955 - Don't Worry About A Thing / Forever More (Flip 311)
The Ru-Bee-Els 1961- I'll Try / Evil (Flip 359)
Kell Osborne & The Chicks (2) 1962 - Little Chick-A-Dee / Do You Mind (Class 302)
The Hollywood Chicks 1962 - Tossin' a Ice Cube / Hey, Little Gigolo (Class 303)
Biography :
The Sweet Teens were a female quartet from Pomona area of Los Angeles. The Members were Elnora Hicks, Betty Hicks, Mary Thomas & Ruth Davis. Although their name was similar to the Six Teens, they never enjoyed the string of recordings and popularity of their successful label mates. Their lone single, "Don't Worry About A Thing" / "Forever More" (Flip 311) went unnoticed in April 1955. The Ballad "Forever More" written by Elnora Hicks and Mary Thomas is a very close female take-off of the Los Angeles classic "The Letter" (Dootone 347) by Vernon Green & the Medallions.
Ruth Davis and The Hicks Sisters reappeared seven years later as a trio with one of Flip's last releases, "I'll Try" / "Evil" issued on Flip 359. The Trio comprised Ruth Davis, Elnora Hicks and Betty Hicks, and their name derived from the first two letters of each of their names. The Ru-Bee-Els also backed Kell Osborne as the Chicks and recorded "Tossin' a Ice Cube" b/w "Hey, Little Gigolo" as The Hollywood Chicks, Both singles released by Class records. Barry White once said that this record was his first professional job in the recording industry - he did the handclaps on "Tossin' A Ice Cube".
The Sweet Teens (1) (Pomona, Los Angeles, CA) aka The Ru-Bee-Els aka The Hollywood Chicks aka The Chicks (2)
Personnel :
Elnora Hicks
Betty Hicks
Mary Thomas
Ruth Davis
Discography :
The Sweet Teens (1) 1955 - Don't Worry About A Thing / Forever More (Flip 311)
The Ru-Bee-Els 1961- I'll Try / Evil (Flip 359)
Kell Osborne & The Chicks (2) 1962 - Little Chick-A-Dee / Do You Mind (Class 302)
The Hollywood Chicks 1962 - Tossin' a Ice Cube / Hey, Little Gigolo (Class 303)
Biography :
The Sweet Teens were a female quartet from Pomona area of Los Angeles. The Members were Elnora Hicks, Betty Hicks, Mary Thomas & Ruth Davis. Although their name was similar to the Six Teens, they never enjoyed the string of recordings and popularity of their successful label mates. Their lone single, "Don't Worry About A Thing" / "Forever More" (Flip 311) went unnoticed in April 1955. The Ballad "Forever More" written by Elnora Hicks and Mary Thomas is a very close female take-off of the Los Angeles classic "The Letter" (Dootone 347) by Vernon Green & the Medallions.
Ruth Davis and The Hicks Sisters reappeared seven years later as a trio with one of Flip's last releases, "I'll Try" / "Evil" issued on Flip 359. The Trio comprised Ruth Davis, Elnora Hicks and Betty Hicks, and their name derived from the first two letters of each of their names. The Ru-Bee-Els also backed Kell Osborne as the Chicks and recorded "Tossin' a Ice Cube" b/w "Hey, Little Gigolo" as The Hollywood Chicks, Both singles released by Class records. Barry White once said that this record was his first professional job in the recording industry - he did the handclaps on "Tossin' A Ice Cube".
The Tabs (3) (Los Angeles, CA) aka The Marquis (3)
Personnel :
William Gardner (Lead)
Teddy Forbes
Johnny Johnson
James Tomlin
Herbert Northern
Discography :
The Marquis (3) 1959 - Never Forget / Rock And Roll Holiday (Noble 719)
The Tabs (3) 1959 - Never Forget / Rock And Roll Holiday (Noble 719 / Gardena 110) 1959 - My Girl Is Gone / Oops (Noble 720)
Biography :
Formed at LA Trade Tech College in Downtown LA as the Illustrators in 1959, The Tabs were William Gardner, who have sung with the Cardells in 1956, James Tomlin, Herbert Norther, Teddy Forbes and Johnny Johnson. They recorded "Never Forget" b/w "Rock And Roll Holiday", which had two Billings, once as the Marquis and also as the Tabs on Noble (it was later issued on Gardena as the Tabs.) "Never Forget" charted on KFXM radio in Sept 1960. Despite performing at Hunter Hancock's record hops, their sound got little traction amongst the teen set. A group named the Fascinations cut a demo version of "Never Forget" for Gary S Paxton wich was never released.
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