1956 - The Closer You Are / Now You Know (Whirlin 100 / Port 70014) 1956 - The Gleam In Your Eye / Stars In The Sky (Whirlin 102/Port 70017) 1957 - I Really Love You / What Do You Do (Whirlin 107/Port 70023) 1957 - Flames In My Heart / My Lovin' Baby (Whirlin 109/Port 70022) 1957 - Stay As You Are / That's My Desire (Gone 5012) 1957 - All Alone / Altar Of Love (Gone 5019) 1957 - Bye, Bye Baby / My Love Will Never Die (Fury 1021/1071) 1959 - The Girl Next Door / My Heart Is Sad (Fire 1001)
Biography :
The Channels formed in 1955 around the singers Larry Hampden, Billy Morris, and Edward Doulphin; they started as a quintet with two additional part-time members, but soon after they permanently added Earl Michael Lewis and Clifton Wright, formerly of The Lotharios. In early 1956 the group somehow got together with Bobby Robinson owner of Red Robin Records. The group signed a two year contract with Robinson's Whirlin Disc label. In their first recording session they were able to record "The Closer You Are" written by Earl Lewis who was only 15 at the time.
Bobby Robinson
"The Closer You Are" was an instant hit on the national airways, but because of poor distribution it never made the national charts. The song did become very popular on the East Coast and a New York street corner doo-wop favorite. The group's next release came in late 1956, the song was "The Gleam In Your Eye", also written bt Lewis. The song showcased Lewis' full range of talent. The Channels recorded for record labels Gone, Fury, Fire.
They enjoyed significant regional success on the East Coast but never charted a major nationwide hit. The group disbanded in late 1959, but in 1961 Jubilee Records started releasing Whirling Disc early releases as if they were new and The Channels became hot again. The lineup changed several times over the course of the band's lifetime.
Songs :
The Closer You Are / Now You Know The Gleam In Your Eye / Stars In The Sky
I Really Love You / What Do You Do Flames In My Heart / My Lovin' Baby
Stay As You Are That's My Desire
All Alone / Altar Of Love Bye, Bye Baby / My Love Will Never Die
This vocal quartet was formed in Brooklyn, New York, USA, in 1957 by Barney Zarzana, Danny Zipfel, Bobby Serrao and George Taylor Jnr. "Joannie", arranged by a young Neil Sedaka, was their debut Coral single in March 1958 and it went on to sell over a quarter of a million copies.
Appearances on Dick Clark's television show and the Dean Martin Telethon, plus tours with the Drifters and Flamingos, helped to make the Bay Bops perhaps the most well-known white doo-wop group of the time.
After their second single, "My Darling, My Sweet"/"To The Party", in May 1958, the group broke up when Zipfel started another vocal group. The three remaining Bay Bops used the Ravens' Lou Frazier as lead for brief time. In the mid-60s Zipfel recorded for MGM Records without a great deal of success.
In 1958 a new version of the Bay Bops was formed by Barney Zarzana and his brothers Michael, Vinnie and Sal, but they did not record.
Singles : 1953 - Just Walkin' In The Rain / Baby Please (Sun 186) 1953 - My God Is Real / Softly And Tenderly (Sun 189) 1953 - I Know / A Prisoner's Prayer (Sun 191) 1954 - There Is Love In You / What'll You Do Next (Sun 207) 1976 - I Wish / All Alone And Lonely (Sun 511) (Bootleg) (1953) 1976 - Don't Say Tomorrow / No More Tears (Sun 512) (Bootleg) (1953) 1976 - If I Were King / That Chick's Too Young To Fry (Sun 513) (Bootleg) (1953) 1976 - What A Fool (Friends Call Me A Fool) / Rockin' Horse (Sun 516) (Bootleg) (1953) 1976 - Two Strangers / Lucille I Want You (Sun 517) (Bootleg) (1953) 1976 - Dreaming Of You / Surleen (Sun 519) (Bootleg) (1953)
Unreleased : 1953 - Friends Call Me A Fool (Sun)
Biography :
The Prisonaires were just that, five African-American male singers who also happened to be inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville.
Despite what normally would be considered circumstances too onerous to start a pop music career, the Prisonaires were celebrities, albeit briefly, after the recording of the one and only hit record, "Just Walkin' in the Rain," which Sam Phillips released on Sun in 1953 -- a song that three years later became a million seller for Johnnie Ray.
The band was formed by lead singer Johnny Bragg, who had been a penitentiary inmate since the age of 17 after being convicted of six charges of rape. A singer since childhood, Bragg had joined a prison gospel quintet soon after his incarceration, but after a falling out, Bragg took two of its singers, Ed Thurman and William Stewart, each of whom were doing 99 years for murder, and hooked up with recent penitentiary arrivals John Drue (three years for larceny) and Marcell Sanders (one-to-five for involuntary manslaughter), and the Prisonaires were born.
They were discovered by radio producer Joe Calloway, who heard them singing while preparing a news broadcast from the prison. Calloway suggested to warden James Edwards that the group be allowed out to perform on the radio. Edwards, a liberal reform-minded warden who saw this as part of his strategy of rehabilitation, agreed. In the meantime, Bragg was busy selling songs to music publisher Red Wortham, who sent a tape of the Prisonaires' radio performance to Jim Bulliet, a minority shareholder in Sun Records.
Bulliet sent the tape to Phillips, and despite his initial reservations (Phillips was not a huge fan of the group's Ink Spots-style close harmony crooning), arranged to have the groups transported under armed guard to Memphis to record. A few weeks later, "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was released and quickly sold 50,000 copies, a small success that was not without long-term ramifications.
Peter Guralnick notes that "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was likely the record that captured the attention of a young Elvis Presley as he read about the studio, the label, and more importantly, Phillips.
The attendant publicity was more than had been predicted, and soon warden Edwards was allowing the group out on day passes to tour throughout the state of Tennessee. The band became favorites of the state's governor, Frank Clement, and frequently performed for assembled guests at the governor's mansion.
The group never had another hit, and within a year they were finished, the result of the rise of rock & roll and Phillips' preoccupation with a young singer from Tupelo, MS, named Presley. Most of the Prisonaires had no careers outside of the prison with the notable exception of Bragg, who, despite remaining in jail off and on until 1969, recorded some marginal R&B and country for small labels in Nashville. John Dougan, All Music Guide http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/The-Prisonaires.html http://www.rocky-52.net/chanteursp/prisonaires.htm
Songs :
Just Walkin' in the Rain Baby Please There Is Love In You
Surleen Friends Call Me A Fool There Is Love In You
That Chick's Too Young To Fry What'll You Do Next A Prisoner's Prayer
Singles : 1959 - I’ve Had It / Be Mine (Time 1004) 1959 - Old Spanish Town / She Went That-A-Way (Time 1010) 1959 - That’s Right / Betty Dear (Time 1013) 1959 - You’re A Big Girl Now / Don’t Ask Me Why (Time 1015) 1959 - White Buckskin Sneakers And Checkerboard Socks / No Dice (Time 1017) 1960 - Shortnin’ Bread / To Each His Own (Madison 136) 1960 - Friendly Star / Wild Child (Madison 141)
Eps : 1959 - The Bell Notes - I’ve Had It (Time EP 100) I’ve Had It / Be Mine / Dream Street / A Sad Guitar
Biography :
The Bell Notes may not know it but they inspired Ray Tabano and Steven Tyler, who rocked with Aerosmith. At 14, the two frequented Tabano's father's bar in the Bronx and commanded the stage when the regular band took a break.
The Bell Notes "I've Had It" was a staple of their impromptu act. The Long Island band consisted of Carl Bonura (lead, vocals, sax), John Casey (drums), Ray Ceroni (lead, vocals, guitar), Lenny Giambalvo (bass), and Peter Kane (piano).
They signed with Time Records and hit with "I've Had It," which soared to number six in March of 1959. Four subsequent singles in 1959: "Old Spanish Town" (number 76), "That's Right" "You're a Big Girl Now," and "White Buckskin Sneakers & Checkerboard Socks," did little to advance their careers. Time also released an EP which met with the same dismal results as the barrage of singles.
They started 1960 with two releases on Madison Records: "Shortin' Bread" (number 96) and "Friendly Star." In two years, they charted three times but only entered the Top 40 once. After a promising start, the Bell Notes disbanded in less than three years.
In 1964, the Bell Notes were one of 64 rock artists honored with a Nu-Trading Rock n' Roll Trading Card, but unlike baseball cards the fad didn't catch on. Please note: The Bellnotes (sic!) on the Autograph label are a different group from Texas.
Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
Songs :
I’ve Had It Be Mine Shortnin’ Bread
Old Spanish Town No Dice Wild Child
She Went That-A-Way You’re A Big Girl Now White Buckskin Sneakers...
The Lamplighters 1953 - Turn Me Loose / Part Of Me (Federal 12149) 1953 - BeBop Wino / Give Me (Federal 12152) 1954 - I Can't Stand It / Smoochie (Federal 12166) 1954 - Tell Me You Care / I Used To Cry Mercy, Mercy (Federal 12176) 1954 - Salty Dog / Ride, Jockey, Ride (Federal 12182) 1954 - Five Minutes Longer / You Hear (Federal 12192) 1954 - Yum! Yum! / Goody Good Times (Federal 12197) 1955 - I Wanna Know / Believe In Me (Federal 12206) 1955 - Roll On / Love, Rock And Thrill (Federal 12212) 1955 - Don't Make It So Good / Hug A Little, Kiss A Little (Federal 12242) 1955 - No Other One (Federal) (Unreleased) 1956 - You Were Sent Down From Heaven / Bo-Peep (Federal 12255) 1956 - It Ain't Right / Everything's All Right (Federal 12261) 1955 - Sad & Lonely (Federal) (Unreleased) 1955 - Crazy Times (Federal) (Unreleased) 1955 - Tell It to Me (Federal) (Unreleased)
Jimmy Witherspoon & The Lamplighters 1953 - Sad Life / Move Me Baby (Federal 12156) 1953 - Just For You / 24 Sad Hours (Federal 12173)
Lil Greenwood (bb The Lamplighters) 1953 - I'll Go / I'm Crying (Federal 12158) 1954 - All Is Forgiven / Mercy Me (Federal 12165)
The Tenderfoots 1955 - Kissing Bug / Watussi Wussi Wo (Federal 12214) 1955 - Save Me Some Kisses / My Confession (Federal 12219) 1955 - Those Golden Bells / I'm Yours Anyhow (Federal 12225) 1955 - Sindy / Sugar Ways (Federal 12228) 1955 - Lavern (Federal) (Unreleased) 1955 - No Other One (Federal) (Unreleased)
Biography :
"The L.A.-based Lamplighters are best known as the group who later evolved into the Sharps, the backup group for Thurston Harris ("Little Bitty Pretty One," number two R&B and number six pop in 1957 for Aladdin). Former Hollywood Flame second tenor Willie Ray Rockwell, Matt Nelson, Al Frazier, and Harris formed the Lamplighters in the spring of 1952 and began appearing in a number of neighborhood nightspots, including Club Alabam on Central Ave., and the Barrelhouse Club in Watts, a nightclub owned by musician Johnny Otis and his partner Bardu Ali.
Thurston Harris Jimmy Witherspoon Lil Greenwood
Otis introduced the group to Ralph Bass at Federal-King Records, which was actually headquartered in Cincinnati at the time. Bass signed the group to Federal, and in the late summer of 1953, began issuing the group's first singles, of which "BeBop Wino" b/w "Give Me" scored some much-needed airplay on the West Coast. They also backed up blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon and appeared with Linda Hayes and the Flairs, and performed at the Tenth Anniversary Cavalcade of R&B at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles with headliners Ruth Brown, Count Basie, and Louis Jordan.
Subsequent Federal singles failed to score much airplay for the group, who were virtually unknown outside of their home base in South Central Los Angeles. In mid-August 1954, the Lamplighters were on the bill for another huge R&B extravaganza at the Savoy Ballroom, hosted by DJ Hunter Hancock. During the fall months, because of the lack of support from Federal, the group's personnel was changing often. By year's end, they were an entirely different group: Eddie Jones, Harold Lewis, Carl White, and Sonny Harris.
In early 1955, Federal released a few more singles which failed to sell and soon ended their association with the group. Later in the year, the Lamplighters signed with Decca for only one single, then returned to Federal, who tried something new: they decided to re-name them "The Tenderfoots," hoping to start anew and get off on the good (tender) foot. Four recordings were released by the group under this name, but were quickly forgotten.
Three more Federal singles were during the next sixth months; these came from the band's first recording sessions and so they were credited to the original Lamplighters name. The Lamplighters/Tenderfoots then evolved into a group called the Sharps, who were known most for being the backup group for Thurston Harris, who by 1954 was on a off-and-on relationship with the Lamplighters, occasionally appearing with them as a fill-in as needed.
Harris' cover version of Bobby Day's "Little Bitty Pretty One," a classic novelty number featuring the Sharps doing backgrounds, provided him with his one and only Top Ten R&B and pop hit, which made it to number two R&B and number six pop in 1957 for Aladdin. He also had another Top 20 R&B hit, "Do What You Did," in 1958.
The Sharps
The Sharps recorded for Vogue Records: "Lock My Heart" and "Shufflin'," which is an extremely rare and valuable single. They also provided backing vocals on many of Duane Eddy's hit songs. Some of the Lamplighters/Tenderfoots/Sharps eventually joined up with Kim Fowley and Gary Paxton and appeared as the Rivingtons in the early '60s, scoring with "The Bird's the Word" and the immortal "Papa Ooh Mow Mow" hit (both songs provided the cornerstone for the Trashmen's wacky hit "Surfin' Bird")." Bryan Thomas, All Music Guide
1958 - Do I Have The Right / You Won't Like It (Cool 108)
Biography :
"Do I Have The Right" b/w "You Won't Like It" by The Ideals was recorded on the Cool Records label in 1958. The lead vocalist of the group was Richard Kelly .
The Ovations
The group decided on a name change and by 1961 were being called The Ovations, when they recorded the classic "Oh What A Day" aka "The Day We Fell In Love"
Singles : The Shells (1) 1957 - Baby oh Baby / Angel Eyes ((Johnson 104) 1958 - Slippin Soda / Pretty Little girl (End 1022/Gone 5103) 1958 - Pleading No More / Don't Say Goodbye (Johnson 106) 1959 - Whispering Wings / Shooma Dom Dom (End 1050) 1959 - The Thief / She Wasn't Meant For Me (Roulette 4156) 1960 - Baby Oh Baby / What's In An Angel's Eyes (Johnson 104) 1961 - Explain It To Me / An Island Unknown (Johnson 107/332) 1961 - Better Forget Him / Can't Take It (Johnson 109) 1961 - O-Mi Yum-Mi Yum-Mi / In The Dim Light Of The Dark (Johnson 110) 1961 - Baby Walk On In / Sweetest One (Johnson 112) 1962 - Deep In My Heart / (It's A) Happy Holiday (Johnson 119) 1962 - A Toast To Your Birthday / The Drive (Johnson 120) 1963 - On My Honor / My Royal Love (Johnson 127) 1963 - Our wedding day / Deep in my heart (Josie 912) 1970 - Oh What a night / Where or when (Boardwalk 17) 1975 - Will you miss me / I'm in the doghouse (Monogram 108) 1976 - If you were gone for me / Misty (Clifton 00) 1977 - On my honor / In the light of the dark (Clifton 22)
The Shells (1) (With Gene Holiday) 1963 - My heart runneth over / Scratch my name off the mail box (Johnson 125)
Little Nate & The Shells (1) 1977- Someone up there / Will you miss me(the Shells) (Clifton 21)
Roy jones & the Shells (1) 1960 - Satisfied / made for lovers (Swirl 101)
Unreleased : N/A - My Cherie / Explain to me (Johnson 099) N/A - When i'm blue / Whiplash (Conlo 879)
Lps : 1963 - The Dubs meet The Shells (Josie LP 4001) Baby oh baby / Our wedding day / What's In An Angel's Eyes / Baby Walk On In / Sweetest One / Deep In My Heart
1966 - Acappela Session with the Shells (Candlelite LP 1000) Baby oh baby / Baby walk on in / Happy holiday / The way you do the things you do / The closer you are / Bad girl / I'm a happy man / Be sure my love / So fine / Outside looking in / Dream / If you were gone from me / Oh what a dream / Fine little girl / Life is but a dream / Oooo baby baby
Biography :
This US, Brooklyn-based R&B vocal group was formed in 1957. The Shells were noted for their typical New York doo-wop stylings, in which the use of a prominent bass, piercing falsetto, and strong vocal riffing in support of a romantic lead, made for one of the great folk acts of the 50s. The group cut their first record, "Baby Oh Baby", in 1957, which did little upon its release on the local Johnson label.
The Shells broke up, but the following year, lead Nathaniel "Little Nate" Bouknight formed a new ensemble, bringing in Bobby Nurse (first tenor), Shade Randy Alston (second tenor), Gus Geter (baritone), and Danny Small (bass). Subsequent records did nothing, but as a result of the resurgence of doo-wop on the charts in the early 60s owing to the promotion efforts of record collectors Wayne Stierle and Donn Fileti, the career of the Shells was far from dead.
Stierle and Fileti began promoting "Baby Oh Baby' in 1960 and were able to make it a Top 20 hit on the national pop charts (it went to number 11 on Cash Box"s R&B chart). The group re-formed and Stierle started acting as producer, coming out with some great sides, notably two excellent ones with new lead Ray Jones, "Happy Holiday" (1962) and "Deep In My Heart" (1962).
In 1963, the Josie label paired the group together with the Dubs for half an LP, The Dubs Meet the Shells, a battle of the bands album in the tradition of The Paragons Meet the Jesters).However, the Shells failed to reach the charts and broke up. In 1966, Stierle reassembled the group for one last a cappella session using the four remaining members, without a lead.
Songs :
Baby Oh Baby Slippin Soda A Toast To Your Birthday
Angel Eyes Deep in my heart My Royal Love
(It's A) Happy Holiday What's In An Angels Eyes Our Wedding Day
The Blenders (5) 1962 - Everybody's Got A Right / What have you got (Cortland 103) 1963 - Daughter / Everybody's Got A Right (Witch 114)
 1963 - Boys think (Every girl's the same) / Squat And Squim (Witch 117) 1963 - One time / One time (Witch 122) 1966 - Love Is A Good Thing Going / Your Love Has Got Me Down (Mar-V-Lous 6010)
Baby Jane & The Blenders (5) 1963 - You Trimmed My Christmas Tree (Witch 112)
Goldie Coates & The Blenders (5) 1962 - Love Is A Treasure / Fisherman (Cortland 102)
The Candles (2) 1964 - Junior / Down Of My Knees (Starr brothers) (Nike 1016)
Biography :
Harold Jones and Albert Hunter had been members of an ad hoc group, the Maples on blue Lake. Harold Jones had also been with the Five Chances and Albert Hunter with the Clouds (1). They made the national charts, the pop charts no less, scoring with "Daughter".
A song penned by jones and led by Coates, which had the flavor of both soul and Doo wop. It lasted eight weeks on Billboard's pop chart in the summer of 1963, peaking at position sixty-one. Curiously, the record did not make the R&B charts. The Song also took the group to the Apollo Theatre. The group also recorded as the candles on the Nike Label.
The Four Esquires (Boston, Massachusetts) aka The Esquires (1)
Personnel :
Bill Courtney
Frank Mahoney
Wally Gold
Bob Golden
Discography :
The Esquires (1) 1954 - If You Only Knew What A Three Cent Stamp Could Do / Now, Now, Now (Epic 9024)
The Four Esquires 1955 - Three Things / The Sphinx Won't Tell (Cadence 1260) 1955 - Adorable / Thunderbolt (Cadence 1277) 1956 - Follow Me / Summer Vacation (Pilgrim 717) 1956 - Look Homeward Angel / Santo Domingo (London 1652) 1957 - Song Of April / Everyone's Sweet On My Sugar (Paris 501) 1957 - The Chopstick Rock / Never Look For Love (Paris 505) 1957 - Love Me Forever/ I Ain't Been Right (Paris 509) 1958 - Always And Forever / I Walk Down The Street (Paris 512) 1958 - All Around The Clock / The Big Dance (Paris 515) 1958 - Hideaway / Repeat After Me (Paris 520) 1958 - Follow me / Land of you and me (Paris 526) 1959 - Lucky Old Sun / Non E Cosi (Paris 531) 1959 - Act Your Age / So Ends The Night (Paris 535) 1959 - Wonderful One / Wouldn't It Be Wonderful (Paris 539) 1960 - Make Them Mine / Peg O' My Heart (Paris 544) 1960 - Sweet Sixteen She'll Never Be / The Chopstick Rock (Paris 549) 1962 - Can't help falling in love / Merry-go-round of home (Terrace 7502) 1969 - My Heart Belongs To Only You / Momma Look Sharp (Columbia 44996)
Jack Gold & The Four Esquires 1954 - Ev'rything / A Kiss Should Mean We're Sweethearts (Cadence 1242)
Susan Capone & The Four Esquires 1956 - Click-I-Dee, Click-I-Dee / Maybe Someday (Pilgrim 718)
Eps :
1956 - The Pajama game (Epic Ep 7056) Steam Heat
Biography :
Bill Courtney (lead singer) and backing vocalists Walter Gold, Robert Golden and Frank Mahoney were students at the University of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, in the early 50s who harmonized for their own amusement to whatever instrumental accompaniment they could muster. They first performed locally under the name of The Esquires. It is under this name that they record their first singles "If You Only Knew What A Three Cent Stamp Could Do" b/w "Now, Now, Now "for Epic Records. They will add "four" in front of Esquires and will continue with this title throughout their career.
After three records on Cadence Records that go unnoticed, the group signs with Pilgrim. "Follow Me" b/w "Summer Vacation" on Pilgrim Charted at #43 on Cash Box Top Singles chart in January 1957. Released in July 1956 so it took quite awhile to get to the Cash Box chart. Though popular locally, they waited until they were sufficiently schooled before becoming professional entertainers.
After London Records signed them in March 1956, "Look Homeward Angel" was a turntable hit, but it was eclipsed by Johnnie Ray's version. The group signs with Paris Records which will release a dozen singles. Their workmanlike "Love Me Forever' (augmented with a female session vocalist's obligato), was overshadowed by a US cover version by Eydie Gorme and one in Britain by Marion Ryan."Love Me Forever" Charted at #25 on Billboard Hot 100 in November 1957 and #23 on UK Singles chart. The Four Esquires had two other Billboard chart records, "Look Homeward Angel" (#55 in May 1956) and "Hideaway" (#21 in September 1958).
While able to fill moderate-sized auditoriums and becoming a reliable support act in bigger venues, the Esquires clocked up no further chart entries and had disbanded by the early 60s. In the 1960's Wally Gold co-wrote Elvis Presley's "Good Luck Charm" and "It's Now Or Never", Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" and Gene Pitney's "Half-Heaven, Half-Heartache." Later in the decade, he produced albums for Barbra Streisand, Jerry Vale, and Tony Bennett.
Singles : 1958 - You / She's the one for me (Fargo 1001) 1958 - Say you'll be mine / So fine (Fargo 1002) 1958 - Our first kiss / The drive-in (Fargo 1003) 1959 - My one desire / my Treasure (Fargo 1005) 1959 - My darling / For you, for you (Fargo 1111) 1959 - Every time / There's a long long trail (Fargo 1015) 1960 - Crazy for you / Wanted (A solid gold cadillac) (Fargo 1016) 1962 - My treasure / Say you'll be mine (Fargo 1022)
Lps : 1959 - The Aquatones Sing (Fargo LP 3001) You / She's the One for Me / My Darling / So Fine / Say You'll Be Mine / Everytime / My Treasure / My One Desire / Light Up the Sky / Wanted (A Solid Gold Cadillac) / Our First Kiss / For You, For You
Biography :
The Aquatones were formed as "The Rhythm Kings" in September 1956. The original members were Dave Goddard, Larry Vannata, and Gene McCarthy. They got together to record a song written by Dave for their junior class play at Valley Stream Central High School on Long Island.
All of them played instruments as well as sang – Gene on clarinet and tenor sax, Larry on alto and tenor sax, Dave on piano. They added a drummer – their friend Bob Boden – to perform their music live. They were never a dance band – all of their songs were original, and they hoped to be "discovered" and become recording stars.
They played some of their home recordings for a classmate's father, a record distributor, and he suggested that they needed a high voice in the group. Shortly thereafter, Larry met Lynne Nixon at a dance, found out that she sang, and asked Gene and Dave to give her an audition. They agreed and were happy to hear Lynne's beautiful voice. At first, she sang only backgrounds, until Larry wrote the song "You" for her to sing.
After changing their name to the Aquatones – so the guys could wear a "cool" shirt from the 1950s (aqua with a black velvet "V" down the front) as a uniform – the group continued their efforts to land a recording contract. In November 1957 they appeared in a talent show in the neighboring town of Malverne, NY. At that show, they were heard by Lou Fargo, a local realtor who wanted to get into the music business – and Fargo asked them the question they'd been waiting to hear:

"How'd you like to make a record?"
Fargo was interested in working with a vocal group, so Bob, the non-singing drummer, left. The group's very first release, in January of 1958, was the ballad "You", with the rocker "She's The One For Me" on the flip side. Helped by airplay on American Bandstand, "You" soon hit the Top 40 charts all over the country.
It reached #7 in New York, #1 in Boston, and #21 on the Billboard national pop charts. After "You", the Aquatones released 6 more singles, but none of them made the charts. Their last single, "Crazy For You" b/w "Wanted (A Solid Gold Cadillac)" was released in July 1961.
After that, the Aquatones went their separate ways. Lynne stayed on Long Island, Larry moved to New Hampshire, Gene moved to the midwest and then to Atlanta, and Dave moved to California, Ohio, and finally Kentucky. Most important, Lynne stopped singing. Though the group members remained friends and stayed in touch, it was difficult to get together to perform – and without Lynne, they were missing the "sound" for which they were known.
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