Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Orbits (1) aka The Quails

Posted on August 29 2009 by dion1

The Orbits (1) (Jackson, Mississippi)
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

George Jackson (Lead)

Joe Graham (Tenor)

Sam Jones Jr (Baritone)

Charles Harper (Bass)

Discography :

Bobby Charles bb The Orbits (1)
1957 - One Eyed Jack / Yea Yea Baby (Chess 1670)

The Orbits (1)

Singles :
1957 - Mr. Hard Luck / Who Are You (Argo 5286)

Unreleased :
1957 - Sugar Mama (Argo)
1957 - You Hurt Me So (Argo)

Biography :

R&B vocal group The Orbits launched in Jackson, MS, in 1953. originally dubbed the Quails, the founding lineup was comprised of lead tenor George Jackson; tenors Lee Lance Turner, Joe Graham, and Freddy Beverly; baritone Joe Gray; and bass Augusta Taylor. According to the profile on Marv Goldberg's R&B Notebooks website, the group cut its teeth at local dances, talent shows, and nightclubs like the Wagon Wheel and the Casino. In 1955,Tthe Quails were tapped to host their own weekly radio show on Jackson station WOKJ, but despite the success their lineup changed dramatically in the months to follow, with Turner and then Taylor handing in their resignations; Gray was the next to go, prompting the remaining trio to add baritone Sam Jones, Jr., their occasional pianist.

After one more switch, with bass Charles Harper taking over for Beverly, The Quails installed local record promoter Joe Coronna as their manager, and in mid-1957 Coronna landed a contract with Chess Records. New Orleans legend Cosimo Matassa produced their first session, which yielded their lone single, "Mr. Hard Luck," issued on Chess' Argo imprint and credited to the Orbits, a name suggested by WWEZ radio personality Ken Elliott and instituted to avoid confusion with a rival Quails that previously recorded for Deluxe.

Bobby Charles

By the time "Mr. Hard Luck" hit retail in late 1957, Graham was no longer a member of the Orbits, with tenor Robert McElroy installed in his stead. The record was a local hit but went nowhere on the national charts, and when Jones entered the military the following summer, the group dissolved. In 1995 Jackson, Graham, and Jones reunited The Quails to appear at their old high school, coming together again in 2001 (along with new lead vocalist DeQuincy Johnson) in honor of the school's new athletic complex. A few additional performances soon followed.Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Orbits/orbits.html

Songs:

The Orbits (1)

Who Are You Mr. Hard Luck Sugar Mama (Unreleased)

Bobby Charles bb The Orbits (1)

One Eyed Jack Yea Yea Baby

...

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The Dories (2) aka The Matadors (5) aka The Gents

Posted on August 29 2009 by dion1

The Matadors (5) (Los Angeles)
aka The Gents (1) aka The Dories (2)

Personnel :

Vic Diaz

Manuel Sanchez

Tony Minichiello

Discography :

The Gents (1)
1961 - Why do i love her / Jump in the Line (Liberty 55332)

The Dories (2)
1962 - Stompin' Sh-Boom / Breakup (Dore 629)

The Matadors (5)
1963 - Ace of Heart / Perfidia (Colpix 698)
1964 - La Corrida / I've Gotta Drive (Jan & Dean) (Colpix 718)
1964 - C'mon Let Yourself Go / C'mon Let Yourself Go (Part 2) (Colpix 741)

Biography :

The Matadors — Tony Minichiello, Vic Diaz, and Manuel Sanchez — were a talented trio that sang harmonies on Jan & Dean’s early Screen Gems recordings. They provided the disctinctive harmonies (along with Jan & Dean themselves) on the Surf City and Drag City Lps in 1963, and on part of the Dead Man’s Curve / The New Girl In School LP in 1964 (Liberty Records). The Matadors were a vital part of the Jan & Dean vocal sound, at the peak of the duo’s popularity. Tony and Manny had been schoolmates with Jan Berry at University High School in Los Angeles.

They recorded as the Gents on Liberty Records in 1961 (with music arranged by Jan). Vic Diaz was a solo artist for Del-Fi Records, who then connected with Tony and Manny for a single on Dore Records, produced by Kim Fowley in 1962. Thanks to his songwriting and producing contracts with Screen Gems, Jan was able to write, arrange, and produce for artists other than Jan & Dean (with oversight from Lou Adler). In addition to singing back-up for Jan & Dean, the Matadors had a record deal with Colpix Records, which fell under the aegis of Screen Gems. So it was only natural that Jan would produce the Matadors for Colpix.

In addition to arranging and producing for the Matadors, Jan also co-wrote several songs for the group, and sang bass on their single “Perfidia,” released in 1963. Jan also sang lead on the trio’s release of “I Gotta Drive” (which was also included on Jan & Dean’s Drag City LP). Jan’s writing credits for the Matadors included “Ace of Hearts” (co-written with Gary Zekley and Vic Diaz), “La Corrida,” and “Come On Let Yourself Go,” Parts 1 & 2 (co-written with Artie Kornfeld) — 1963-1964.

Songs :

The Matadors (5)

Perfidia Ace Of Hearts

I've Gotta Drive

The Dories (2)

Breakup Stompin' Sh-Boom

The Gents (1)

Why Do I Love Her Jump In The Line

...

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Bob & Jerry aka Ezra & The Ivies (2) aka The Kittens (1) aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

Posted on August 6 2009 by dion1

Bob Feldman, Barry Mann & Jerry Goldstein

Bob & Jerry & Their Friends (Brooklyn, New York)
aka Ezra & The Ivies (2)
aka The Kittens (1)
aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

Personnel :

Jerry Goldstein

Bob Feldman

Discography :

Ezra & The Ivies (2)
1959 - Comick Book Crazy / Rockin Shoes (Baca Laca Ling Dong) (UA 165)

The Kittens (1)
1959 - A Letter To Donna / It's All Over Now (Unart 2010)

Bobbi & The Beaus (2)
1959 - Melvin / Losing Game (Unart 2009)

Bob & Jerry
1961 - Dreamy Eyes / We're The Guys (Who Drive Your Baby Wild) (Bob & Jerry & Their Friends) (Columbia 42162)
1962 - Chubby Isn't Chubby Anymore / Nursery Rhyme Folk (Musicor 1018)

Biography :

Born in Brooklyn in 1940, Feldman grew up in an orthodox Jewish home and originally studied to be a cantor. The Feldmans lived across the street from Neil Diamond’s folks, just around the corner from the Sedakas, whose son, Neil, was a promising classical pianist, and a couple of blocks away from members of the Tokens, all Lincoln High School graduates and friends. By the mid-50s, doo wop was all the rage and Feldman soon fell in with various groups practising harmonies on the Brooklyn backstreets. He teamed up with his neighbourhood buddy, Jerry Goldstein, and wrote some songs that brought the pair to the attention of Jack Lewis, an A&R man at United Artists Records. Lewis allowed the enthusiastic 18 year-old to sit in on sessions at weekends and mentored him on various aspects of the music business.

Bob & Jerry aka Ezra & The Ivies (2) aka The Kittens (1) aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

Back then, the quickest route to a potential hit was a novelty recording and Feldman and Goldstein chose this path as the most likely way of securing airplay in a crowded market. Thus "Comic Book Crazy" by Ezra & the Ivies, "Melvin" by Bobbi & The Beaus with singer Barbara Robert and "‘A Tribute To Donna" by the Kittens - both probably recorded at the same session under Lewis’ supervision, appeared in March 1959, the latter being a tribute to Ritchie Valens, issued within weeks of his death in the plane accident that also claimed Buddy Holly’s life. None of these early efforts were particularly distinguished or hitworthy, but they enabled Feldman and Goldstein to establish a toehold in the business as part-timers.

Bob & Jerry aka Ezra & The Ivies (2) aka The Kittens (1) aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

The two pals would grab a sandwich andhustle music publishers in their lunch breaks. Young, enthusiastic and markedly persuasive, they began to get some bites, mainly as a novelty turn, twice riding on the coat-tails of existing hits with ‘We’re The Guys’ (an answer record to Barry Mann’s ‘Who Put The Bomp’) as Bob & Jerry on Columbia Records and ‘Chubby Isn’t Chubby Anymore’ (a daft nod to the King of The Twist) on the Musicor label. Another of their songs, ‘Charm Bracelet’, was recorded by teenage pop vocalist Bernadette Peters. Though they were making inroads, it wasn’t until Feldman and Goldstein met Richard Gottehrer in a music publisher’s waiting room in the spring of 1962, that they tasted their first chart success.They formed the Strangeloves consisted of Bob, Jerry and Richard Gottehrer. Although they left their mark under the name Strangeloves with only four singles and one album, their fascinating story extends both before and beyond the group’s brief tenure.

Songs:

Ezra & The Ivies (2)

Rockin Shoes (Baca Laca Ling Dong) Comick Book Crazy

The Kittens (1)

A Letter To Donna It's All Over Now

Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

Losing Game Melvin

Bob & Jerry & Their Friends

We're The Guys (Who Drive Your Baby Wild)

Bob & Jerry

Dreamy Eyes Nursery Rhyme Folk

...

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The Royal Drifters aka The Jolly Drifters

Posted on August 6 2009 by dion1

The Royal Drifters aka The Jolly Drifters
The Royal Drifters

The Royal Drifters (Hawaii)
aka The Jolly Drifters

Personnel :

Danny Bobbitt

Moki Cabalse

John Akana

Walter Choi

Rudy Molina

Discography :

The Royal Drifters
1959 - Little Linda / S'Why Hard (Teen 506)
1959 - To Each This Own / Da Kind (Teen 508)

Robin Luke With The Jolly Drifters
1958 - Chicka Chicka Honey / My Girl (Bertram International 208 / Dot 15839)

Biography :

All group members were from Honolulu and attended McKinley High School. The group were composed by Moki Cabalse, John Akana, Walter Choi, Rudy Molina, Larry Akana and Danny Aranio. They sang together in high school and In 1958 they were known as The Jolly Drifters, a group who sang backup vocals for Robin Luke on "Chicka Chicka Honey" and "My Girl".

The Royal Drifters aka The Jolly Drifters
Robin Luke The Jolly Drifters

Robin Luke was discovered by Hawaii entrepreneur Kimo Wilder McVay. Luke was living in Honolulu, Hawaii, attending Punahou School, in 1958 when he wrote and recorded a Billboard #5 hit, "Susie Darlin'" a song named after his then five-year-old sister, Susie. The track also reached #23 in the UK Singles Chart. He continued to record, but was unable to repeat his Top 10 success. His first four singles were recorded for the small International label in Honolulu. After "Susie Darlin'" started getting local airplay, Dot Records bought his recording contract and the International master tapes.

The Jolly Drifters aka The Royal Drifters
The Royal Drifters (L to R) Danny Bobbitt, Moki Cabalse, John Akana, Walter Choi and Rudy Molina.

After their "Chicka Chicka Honey and "My Girl", Larry Akana & Danny Aranio parted ways to join the U.S. Air Force and Danny Bobbitt joined the group. The Five guys changed their name fro the Royal Drifters. The Royal Drifters became a hot group that was the warm up act for all the nation's top singers and groups like Elvis, Everly Brothers, etc. that came to Hawaii in the late 50s and early 60s. The Royal Drifters recorded songs as "S’ Why Hard", "Da Kind", "Little Linda" & "To Each His Own" under the Teen Records label in 1959.

Songs :

The Royal Drifters

Little Linda                               S'Why Hard


To Each This Own                                  Da Kind

Robin Luke With The Jolly Drifters

Chicka Chicka Honey My Girl

....

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The Swallows (2), aka The Guides, aka The Senders, aka The Uptones

Posted on August 6 2009 by dion1

The Swallows (2), aka The Guides, aka The Senders, aka The Uptones

The Swallows (2) (Los Angeles)
aka The Guides, aka The Senders, aka The Uptones

Personnel :

Carlton Beck (Lead Tenor)

Harry Binns (Tenor)

Richard Betts (Baritone)

Jackie Eugene Ware

Raymond Washington

Discography :

The Swallows (2)
1959 - You Must Try / How Long Must A Fool Go On (Guyden 2023)

The Guides
1959 - You Must Try / How Long Must A Fool Go On (Guyden 2023)

The Senders
1959 - I Dream Of You / The Ballad Of Stagger Lee (Kent 320)
1959 - One More Kiss / Everybody Needs To Know (Kent 324)
1961 - Pretty Little Pretty / Spinning (Entra 711)

The Uptones (1)
1962 - No More/ I'll Be There (Lute 6225)
1962 - Be Mine / Dreamin' (Lute 6229)
1963 - Wear My Ring / Dreaming (Magnum 714)

Carlton Beck bb The Hollywood Saxons
1962 - The Girl I Left Behind / You'll Be Coming Home Soon (Penney 1306 /Troy 100)

Biography :

In 1959, Lead singer, Carlton Beck, backed by Richard Botts, Jackie Eugene Ware and Raymond Washington recorded "You Must Try" b/w "How Long Must A Fool Go On" as The Swallows on Guyden #32023. There was a legal issue challenging Guyden's use of the name "The Swallows," so Guyden changed the group's name to "The Guides" and pressed new copies with the change. The same year, they changed their name to The Senders.

The Swallows (2), aka The Guides, aka The Senders, aka The Uptones
Produced by George Motola, he Brought to the Kent label who at that time was working for the Bihari Brothers. The Senders epitomised the southern California vocal group sound of the later 1950s and early 1960s with the ethereal "I Dream Of You Night After Night" (Kent 320) from 1959. It was their first of two singles on Kent that year — they also had 1961 releases on Entra. Probably with some personnel changes (Richard Betts), the group later recorded as the Uptones on Lute and Magnum in 1962-63.

The Swallows (2), aka The Guides, aka The Senders, aka The Uptones
The Hollywood Saxons

The group's lead singer, Carlton Beck, also had a rare vocal group record on Motola’s Troy label under his own name in 1962 backed by Stan Beverly, Charles Taggart, and Maudice Giles of the Hollywood Saxons. Carlton Beck was a member of the Hollywood Saxons (who recorded on Elf, Entra, Swingin’ and Twentieth Century in the 1960s) and its evolving groups in the 1970s — the Professionals on Action Pac and Speed Limit on Watts.

Songs :

The Guides / The Swallows (2)

You Must Try How Long Must A Fool Go On

The Senders


       I Dream Of You                        The Ballad Of Stagger Lee

     One More Kiss                          Everybody Needs To Know


Pretty Little Pretty                                       Spinning

The Uptones (1)


No More                                     I'll Be There


Be Mine                                        Dreamin'


Wear My Ring                             Dreaming

Carlton Beck bb The Hollywood Saxons

The Girl I Left Behind

...

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Baby Jane & The Rockabyes aka The De Vaurs aka Henrietta & The Hairdooz aka The Elektras aka The Lullabyes (1)

Posted on August 5 2009 by dion1

Baby Jane & The Rockabyes
aka The De Vaurs aka Henrietta & The Hairdooz
aka The Elektras aka The Lullabyes (1) (Bronx, New-York)

Personnel :

Madelyn 'Baby Jane' Moore

Yvonne DeMunn

Estelle McEwan

Yolanda Robinson

Discography :

Baby Jane & The Rockabyes
1962 - How Much Is That Doggie In The Window / My Boy John (UA 560)
1963 - Hickory Dickery Dock / Half Deserted Street (Spokane 4001)
1963 - Get Me To The Church On Time / Half Deserted Street (Spokane 4004)
1966 - Heartbreak Shop / Dance Till My Feet Get Tired (Port 3013)

The De Vaurs
1958 - Baby Doll / Teenager (D-Tone A-3/A-4)
1959 - Where Are You / Boy In Mexico (Moon 105)

The Elektras
1963 - All I Want To Do Is Run / It Ain't Easy (UA 594)

Henrietta & The Hairdooz
1963 - Slow Motion / You Got A Lot To Learn (Liberty 55545)
1963 - It Might As Well Be Me / Penn Station (Liberty 55572)
1963 - I Love Him / We'll Work It Out (Liberty 55600)

The Lullabyes (1)
1964 - My Heart Cries For You / You Touch Me (Dimension 1039)

Baby Washington Backed by The De Vaurs
1959 - The Bells / Why Did My Baby Put Me Down (Neptune 104)
1959 - Work Out / Let's Love In The Moonlight (Neptune 107)
1960 - Medicine Man / Tears Fall (Neptune 120)
1961 - Nobody Cares / Money's Funny (Neptune 122)

Biography :

Girl group Baby Jane & the Rockabyes formed in the Bronx, New York in 1958 -- according to John Clemente's exhaustive article on the Spectropop web site. The original lineup comprised vocalists Estelle McEwan, Yvonne DeMunn, Paula Hutchinson and Brenda Carrow, schoolmates united in their common affection for the Chantels.

The DeVaurs

Originally dubbed the DeVaurs, a moniker inspired in part by DeMunn's surname, the fledgling group soon won a local talent show, earning the chance to cut a record with the small Brooklyn label D-Tone; Hutchinson assumed lead vocal duties on the finished single, "Baby Doll," a McEwan-penned original that failed to catch on with local radio. The DeVaurs relocated to the Moon label for the 1959 follow-up, "Where Are You," which hit the Top 20 on local station WNJR; Moon owner Al Browne also recruited the group to handle backing vocals behind a then-unknown Baby Washington, appearing on four of her Neptune label singles, among them "The Bells" and "Nobody Cares." But despite the regional success of "Where Are You," the DeVaurs began to splinter as its members married and took on day jobs -- Carrow's 1961 exit prompted the addition of five-octave dynamo Madelyn Moore, and following Hutchinson's departure, the remaining group forged ahead as a trio.

While recording demos for songwriter Arthur Crier, the DeVaurs worked with fellow session vocalist Yolanda Robinson, who soon signed on as a full-time member -- the reconstituted quartet would soon become one of the busiest session groups in New York City, regularly recording demos for writers including Bert Berns and the team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller.

When Phil Spector protégés Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans scored a Top Ten pop smash in 1962 with their update of the Disney chestnut "Zip-a-Dee Doo-Da," Lieber and Stoller borrowed the formula to remake the Patti Page smash "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?" with the DeVaurs on lead -- the group was shocked when the record appeared on United Artists credited to "Baby Jane & the Rockabyes," but when it reached number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100, the new moniker was seemingly etched in stone.

Except that the follow-up, the 1963 ballad "All I Want to Do Is Run," was instead credited to the Elektras, for reasons unknown.

For their next single, an update of the nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Dock," the group was again dubbed Baby Jane & the Rockabyes, but the single was unable to recapture the success of "Doggie," failing to chart. "Get Me to the Church on Time," plucked from the musical smash My Fair Lady, soon followed, but despite tours alongside Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the Shirelles and the Supremes, the quartet never quite caught fire and Lieber and Stoller terminated their contract. Unbeknownst to her partners, DeMunn then signed with composer and producer Ed Silvers, who renamed the group Henrietta & the Hairdooz -- despite (or, more likely, because of) yet another name change, none of their three singles for the Liberty label ("Slow Motion," "It Might as Well Be Me" and "I Love Him," all issued in 1963) charted.

For their lone effort on Dimension Records, 1964's "My Heart Cries for You," the quartet was billed as the Lullabyes, and amazingly, their swan song, 1966's "Heartbreak Shop," was credited to Baby Jane & the Rockabyes, but the record flopped and early the following year, Robinson left the group.

The remaining trio opted to replace her with a male vocalist, Billy Guy, but the group nevertheless dissolved for good in 1968. DeMunn and Guy later wed, in addition to performing as the Starr-Blair Affair.
Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

http://www.spectropop.com/BabyJane/index.htm

Songs :

Baby Jane & The Rockabyes

Half Deserted Street Hickory Dickery Dock

The Elektras

All I Want To Do Is Run It Ain't Easy

The Lullabyes (1)

My Heart Cries For You

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The Relatives (3) aka The Cashmeres (4) aka The Veneers

Posted on August 5 2009 by dion1

The Veneers Aka The Chantels (Clockwise from Top) : Annette Swinson Smith, Valerie Swinson, Barbara Joyner & Lorraine Joyner

Eddie Jones & The Cashmeres (4) (Bronx, New York)

aka The Veneers
aka The Relatives (3)

Ref: The Chantels
Ref: The Swensons

Personnel :

Annette Swinson Smith

Valerie Swinson

Barbara Joyner

Lorraine Joyner

Discography :

The Swensons
1956 - Remember Me To My Darling / Golly Boo (X-Tra 100 )

Eddie Jones & The Cashmeres (4)
1959 - Daddy Can I Go To The Hop (Red Lightnin' 0059)

The Veneers
1960 - Believe Me (My angel) / I (Princeton 102)
1963 - With All My Love / Recipe Of Love (Treyco 402)

The Chantels
1961 - Believe Me (My angel) / I (End 1103)

The Relatives (3)
Singles :
1963 - (My Heart Goes) Zigga Zagga Zoom / I'm Just Looking For Love (Almont 303)
1964 - Never Will I Love You Again / I'm Just Looking For Love (Almont 306)
1965 - Hadn't Been For Baby / Eternally (Musicor 1063)
Unreleased :
1965 - A Change Of Heart (Musicor)

Biography :

The Veneers came from Manhattan and from Brooklyn, in New York City. Sisters, Lorraine and Barbara Joyner joined their cousins, Valerie and Annette Swinson, to sing in the park, for fun, and at family functions. The young teens did began getting the attention of the local songwriters who were looking for artists to record their material. As The Swensons (sic), Annette and her mother recorded one single for X-Tra Records in 1956, entitled, “Remember Me To My Darling”. In 1959, the quartet, now known as The Cashmeres, went into the studio with Eddie Jones ( former lead singer of The Demens & the Emersons) to record a novelty tune called, “Daddy Can I Go To The Hop”. Herb Abramson, founder of Jubilee and Atlantic Records, produced the single. Unfortunately, the single was not released.

The Veneers Aka The Chantels

Richard Barrett

In 1960, The Cashmeres had signed on to be produced and managed by Richard Barrett. He had written two songs for the group, “Believe Me (My Angel)” and “I”. At this time, the young ladies decided to change their name because they found that too many groups had already recorded under the name “Cashmeres”. They Choose the name "Veneers". Two songs were recorded and released on Barrett's short-lived Princeton Records. The record achieved a level of success in New York, but failed to chart nationally. Their release went unnoticed but it helped Barrett solve his Chantels problem by matching Veneers lead singer Annette Swinson with the three remaining Chantels, Sonia, Jackie, and Rene. In April 1960, still trying to capitalize on the group’s name, End released “Whoever You Are,” formerly the B side of “Every Night”; it had all the original Chantels magic but still lacked the driving commitment of the label.

The Veneers Aka The Chantels
The Chantels on Carlton with Annette Swinson Smith

Although The Veneers were not entirely happy about this change of plans, they knew that they could not stop Annette, who needed to be out on the stage. In 1961, she officially joined The Chantels. End 1103* was a reissue of a 1959 recording by The Veneers, with Annette Smith on lead, on Princeton 102. The Veneers, without Annette, recorded as The Relatives for the Canadian- American related Almont Records, with Lorraine taking the lead for “(My Heart Goes) Ziga Ziga Zoom” in 1963 and “Never Will I Love You Again”, released in 1964. In 1965 Barbara, Lorraine and Valerie recorded three songs for the Musicor label before they went their separate ways.

Songs :

The Swensons

Remember Me To My Darling Golly Boo

Eddie Jones & The Cashmeres (4)

Daddy Can I Go To The Hop

The Veneers

Believe Me (My angel) I Recipe Of Love

The Relatives (3)

Never Will I Love You Again (My Heart Goes) Zigga Zigga Zoom I'm Just Looking For Love


Hadn't Been For Baby / Eternally          A Change Of Heart

….

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The Shadows (6) ka The Five Shadows

Posted on August 5 2009 by dion1

The Shadows (6) ka The Five Shadows
The Shadows in 1958

The Shadows (6) (Medford, Oregon)
aka The Five Shadows

Personnel :

Paul Smith (Lead & guitar)

Bill Smith (Guitar)

Tom Newcomb

Dave Mansfield

Mike Feiss

Rick Carrara

Discography :

The Five Shadows
1960 - My Love Bug / Blue Moon (Frosty 1)

The Shadows (6)
1960 - Tell This Lonely Heart Goodbye / Wonder Why (Dottie 1006)

Biography :

The Shadows were a vocal group with some personal changes throughout their short career between 1958 and 1961. The group formed in 1958 by six Medford boys. Members of the group, all students at St. Mary's high school, are Paul Smith (Lead), Tom Newcomb, Dave Mansfield, Bill Smith, Mike Feiss and Rick Carrara. In the beginning the group performs regularly in Medford and its surroundings. In 1958, they winning the first place in the finals of the Oregon Jaycees' talent contest. The contest was one of the closing day attractions at the Oregon State fair. Their victory opened the doors to a professional audition with Northwest Recorders in Portland and to make a guest appearance on a Portland television station. This will be the start of their professional career.

The Shadows (6) ka The Five Shadows

In 1960, as a quintet, they recorded "Blue Moon" and "My Love Bug" written by Lead Singer Paul Smith. The disc will be released by Frosty Records in 1960 as the 5 Shadows. That same year as a quartet, they recorded "Tell This Lonely Heart Goodbye" and "Wonder Why" Released by Dottie as The Shadows. The group perform sometimes as a sextet, quintet, quartet and even in trio when Tom Newcomb is down with a broken leg. Appearance credit include Park Hotel, Great Falls Montana, Ho-Ti Club and Hotel Benson at Portland, and at San francisco "Hungry I", "Club Sinaloa", "Facks" and the Forest Lake resort. Paul Smith, Bill Smith & Tom Newcomb will be the three members always present among all the combinations ot The Shadows over the years.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Five Shadows

Blue Moon / My Love Bug

The Shadows (6)

Wonder Why Tell This Lonely Heart Goodbye

...

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The Drakes (1) aka The Dream Kings (1)

Posted on August 3 2009 by dion1

The Drakes (1) (Chicago, Indiana)
aka The Dream Kings (1)

Personnel :

Tom "Little Bud" Daniel (Lead)

Robert Anderson (Tenor)

William "Sonny" Anderson (Tenor/Baritone/Bass)

Lincoln Mabins (Baritone)

Ira Anderson (Bass)

Discography :

The Drakes (1)
Unreleased:
1955 - Mellow Daddy (United)
1955 - Just A Dream (United) 
1955 - Take A Giant Step (United) 
1955 - Let Them Talk (United)

The Dream Kings (1)
1957 - M.T.Y.L.T.T. / Oh What A Baby (Checker 858)

Biography :

The Drakes were neighborhood friends and mostly high school students when they formed around 1953. From East Chicago, Indiana. Tom Daniel was the group's tenor lead, and the composer of the songs they recorded for United. The other members were Lincoln Mabins (baritone) and three brothers, William Anderson (baritone), Robert Anderson (tenor), and Ira Anderson (bass).

The Dream Kings

May 12, 1955 they have a session with United records. Unfortunately, both of The Drakes' sides were left in the can; they did not see release until they were included in a Delmark compilation of vocal group sides done for United. In October 19, again, the group recorded two sides; again they would not see release until many years later. The Drakes changed their name to The Dream Kings and recorded a single for Checker in 1957; "M. Y. T. L. T. T." was a local hit.

http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/unitedstates2.html
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Drakes/drakes.html
Pictures & Songs By Hans-Joachim

Songs :

The Dream Kings (1)

M.T.Y.L.T.T. Oh What A Baby

The Drakes (1)

Mellow Daddy                             Let Them Talk


Just A Dream                             Take A Giant Step

.....

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The Rivieras (1)

Posted on August 2 2009 by dion1

The Rivieras (1) (Englewood, New Jersey)

Personnel :

Homer Dunn（Lead)

Ronald Cook（Tenor）

Andrew Jones（Baritone）

Charles Allen（Bass）

Discography :

Singles :
1958 - Count every star / True love is hard to find（Coed 503）
1958 - Moonlight serenade / Neither rain nor snow（Coed 508）
1959 - Our love / Midnight flyer（Coed 513）
1959 - Our love / True love is hard to find（Coed 513）
1959 - 11th hour melody / Since I made you cry（Coed 522）
1960 - Moonlight cocktails / A blessing of love（Coed 529）
1960 - Great big eyes / My friend（Coed 538）
1960 - Easy to remember / Stay in my heart（Coed 542）
1961 - Eldorado / Refrigerator（Coed 561）
1964 - Moonlight cocktails / Midnight flyer（Coed 592）

Unreleased :
N/A - My silent love (Coed)

Lps :
196? - The Rivieras Sing (Post 2000)
Moonlight Cocktails / Eleventh Hour Melody / Count Every Star / Easy To Remember / Midnight Rider / Moonlight Serenade / Our Love / Stay In My Heart / Blessing Of Love / True Love Is Hard to Find / Neither Rain Nor Snow / Serenade In Blue.

Biography :

The careers of Englewood, NJ, natives Homer Dunn, Andy Jones, Ronald Allen, and Charles Cook hadn't reached first base when they met manager of a group named the Avons, who christened them the Four Arts because they favored pop songs. After Warren Lanier rediscovered the quartet, he renamed them the El Rivieras, though they remained unrecorded until Jones met William Fix, the manager of the Ames Brothers.

Fix arranged an audition with Marvin Cane and George Paxton, the owners of Coed Records, and the El Rivieras were off and running. They dropped the "El," and debuted as the Rivieras with "I Count Every Star," which entered the pop charts at n° 73 in 1958. Good management kept them working, taking them as far west as Chicago. Their biggest hit, "Moonlight Serenade," reached number 47 in 1959. "Our Love" generated no action, but their fourth release, "Since I Made You Cry," dented the pop charts at number 93 in 1960.

Four subsequent releases -"Moonlight Cocktails," "My Friend," "Stay in My Heart," and "El Dorado" -- went unnoticed. However, "Moonlight Cocktails" along with "Moonlight Serenade" became popular selections on beach-music compilation albums. After the label folded in 1961, the Rivieras soon faded into the moonlight. ~ Andrew Hamilton, Rovi

Songs :

My friend Easy to remember My silent love

Moonlight Cocktails          Count every star         11th hour melody


Stay in my heart                Moonlight Serenade       Serenade In Blue

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