Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Four Queens (1) aka The Rockin' Kids aka Ace Adams Singers

Posted on October 13 2009 by dion1

The Rockin' Kids aka The Four Queens (1) aka The Ace Adams Singers

The Rockin' Kids (New York)
aka The Four Queens (1) aka Ace Adams Singers

Personnel :

?

Discography :

The Rockin' Kids
1958 - Yea Yea (I'm in the Mood) / Black Stockings (Dot 15749)

Ace Adams Singers
1958 - Ooh-Ya Ya Ya / Clang Clang - Click Click (Stan 45300)
1961 - Black Stockings / Gooey Over Louie (Abbco 46300)

The Four Queens (1)
1963 - Black Stockings / It's To Late (ABC 10409)

Biography :

The Rockin' Kids aka The Four Queens (1)

Songs :

The Rockin' Kids


Yea Yea (I'm in the Mood)                    Black Stockings

Ace Adams Singers


Ooh-Ya Ya Ya                            Clang Clang - Click Click

Gooey Over Louie

The Four Queens (1)

Black Stockings / It's Too Late

...

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The Four Queens (1) aka The Rockin' Kids

Posted on October 13 2009 by dion1

The Four Queens (1) (New York)
aka The Rockin' Kids

Personnel :

?

Discography :

The Rockin' Kids
1958 - Yea Yea (I'm in the Mood) / Black Stockings (Dot 15749)

The Four Queens (1)
1963 - Black Stockings / It's To Late (ABC 10409)

Biography :

The Four Queens (1) aka The Rockin' Kids

Songs :

The Rockin' Kids

Yea Yea (I'm in the Mood) Black Stockings

The Four Queens (1)

Black Stockings / It's Too Late

...

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The Checkers

Posted on October 11 2009 by dion1

The Checkers (New York)

Personnel :

John Carnegie (Lead)

Charlie White (Lead)

James "Buddy" Brewer (Baritone)

Bill Brown (Bass)

Discography :

The Checkers
1952 - Flame In My Heart / Oh, Oh, Oh Baby (King 4558)
1952 - Night's Curtains / Let Me Come Back (King 4581)
1953 - My Prayer Tonight / Love Wasn't There (King 4596)
1953 - Ghost Of My Baby / I Wanna Know (King 4626)
1953 - I Promise You / You Never Had It So Good (King 4673)
1953 - White Cliffs Of Dover /Without A Song (King 4675)
1954 - House With No Windows / Don't Stop Dan (King 4710)
1954 - You've Been Fooling Around / Over The Rainbow (King 4719)
1954 - Mama's Daughter / I Wasn't Thinking, I Was Drinking (King 4751)
1954 - Can't Find My Sadie / Trying To Hold My Gal (King 4764)
N/A - A Friend In Need (King) (Unreleased)
1959 - Let Me Come Back / White Cliffs Of Dover (Federal 12375)

The Original Checkers
1962 - Love Wasn't There / Over The Rainbow (King 5592)

Biography :

In early 1952 Billy Brown a member of The Dominos cited differences with Billy Ward the group's manager and left the group. He formed a new vocal group which he called The Checkers.Other members of the group at times were Charlie White, Eddie Harris, John Carnegie, and Perry Heyward (this information comes from Marv Goldberg). In September of 1952 King Records of Cincinnati announces the release of #4558 which features The Checkers on the tunes "Flame In My Heart" and "Oh Oh Baby". The next record by the group features the songs "My Prayer Tonight" and "Love Wasn't There" on #4596. In November King releases "Night's Curtain" and "Let Me Come Back" on #4581.In the spring of 1953 King releases a new side by The Checkers. The songs are "Ghost Of My Baby" and "I Wanna Know" on #4626. Late in the year of 1953 the Checkers record "White Cliffs Of Dover" and "Without A Song" released by King on #4675. In January of 1954 King is still at it with a new record by The Checkers. The songs are "You Never Had It So Good" and "I Promise You" on #4673. In March last year's recording of "White Cliffs Of Dover" begins to sell on the West coast. In May King Records pushes the group's "Don't Stop Dan" and "House With No Windows" on #4710.

In late May Billboard picks the record as its "buy of the week" and states that both sides are selling well despite limited air play on radio. The 'A' side seems to be "Don't Stop Dan" and it is selling well especially in the South. It turns out to be the group's biggest hit and top seller. In July the Cincinnati, home base of King Records, reports big sales of the flip side of the record - "House With No Windows" (the tune would be covered by The Midnighters for King in 1958). On the strength of record sales The Checkers hit the road for a tour of one nighters throughout the South during the last three months of the year. Cootie Williams & his Orchestra, Dinah Washington, and Danny Overbea are also part of the package show. The second part of the tour will head out to the Midwest with James Moody and his band replacing the Williams unit. Meanwhile King is out with another side by the group - "Over The Rainbow" and "You've Been Fooling Around" on #4719. In November King follows up The Checkers big seller with a new release featuring the tunes "I Wasn't Thinking I Was Drinking" and "Mama's Daughter" on #4751.

In January of 1955 "Try Holding My hand" and "Can't Find My Sadie" are released by King Records on #4764.The Checkers suddenly drop off the radar screen so to speak and they are not heard from on record for three years. Just as suddenly The Checkers reappear in late 1958 with "Heaven Only Knows" and "Nine More Miles" on King #5166. The next year there are two records by the group - "So Fine" and "Sentimental Heart" is released on Federal #12355 which is followed by "Teardrops Are Falling" on one side of King #5199. There has been much speculation over the years that these three late 50s releases are not by the original version of The Checkers at all. The final record release by the group is on Federal #12375 in 1960 which features re-issues of "White Cliffs Of Dover" and "Let Me Come Back". The Checkers - another fondly remembered group by those who are anchored in the sound of the R & B vocal groups all those years ago. For all others, try and find the work of this group if for no other reason than they were part of that magical scene "back in the day".
back to title page . . . . . .
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Checkers/checkers.html

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The Question Marks (1) aka The Gales (1) aka The Violinaires

Posted on October 11 2009 by dion1

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

All Is Well, All Is Well

The Question Marks (1)

Another Soldier Gone

...

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Thomas Wayne & The DeLons

Posted on October 9 2009 by dion1

Thomas Wayne & The DeLons

Thomas Wayne & The DeLons (Memphis, TN.)

Personnel :

Thomas Wayne (Lead)

Sandra Brown

Nancy Reed

Carol Moss

Discography :

1958 - Tragedy / Saturday Date (Fernwood 109 )
1959 - Eternally / Scandalizing My Name (Fernwood 111)
1959 - Gonna Be Waitin' / Just Beyond (Fernwood 113)

Biography :

When elvis was conscripted into the US Army in early 1958, his backing trio, Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana, were made redundant. Retourning to Memphis, Black and Moore found themselves at a lose end. Black took a day job (pending the subsequent formation of Bill Black' Combo) while moore fell in with owners of Fernwood Records, a local label run on a shoestring by a memphis truck driver named Slim Wallace.

Thomas Wayne with Scotty Moore

Neither Moore nor Black harboured any lingering thoughs about a Fernwood session they were invited to play on in September 1958. The whole deal, from the singer to the song, seemed so low key as to be barely memorable. Or so they thought.

The Vocalist, Thomas Wayne, was the younger brother of Johnny Cash's guitarist, Luther Perkins while the only other personnel present, aside from Moore & Black, were The DeLons, (Sandra Brown, Nancy Reed, Carol Moss), Three school friends of wayne's who had come in as background vocalists. Out-takes feature a drummer using brushes but he was ommited from the final arrangement.

Billboard's review offered room for optimism : "Fine warble by Wayne on a haunting ballad with a beat that is nicely backed by a fem chorus. It can attract." This prescience proved well founded. Something of a 'sleeper', "Tragedy" did not reach Billboards's chart until February 1959 eventually peaking at #5.

The Fleetwoods took the song back into the top 10 in 1961. Wayne, who was born in Bathsville, Mississippi in 1940, was killed in a motoring accident in 1971.

Songs :

Saturday Date Just Beyond Gonna Be Waitin'

Tragedy Eternally

...

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The Ultimates (1) aka The Excellents (2)

Posted on October 7 2009 by dion1

The Ultimates (1) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Excellents (2)

Personnel :

Gary Allen (Lead)

Carlos Miranda (First Tenor)

Neil Bernstein (Second Tenor)

Donald Scheer (Baritone)

Dave Strum (Bass)

Discography :

The Ultimates (1)
1961 - I Can Tell You Love Me Too / Lonely Nights (Envoy 2302)  

The Excellents (2)
1962 - I Hear Rhapshody / Why Did You Laugh (Blast 207)

Biography :

The Excellents (1) looked set for a promising career with "Coney Island Baby" until record business skulduggery intervened. Booked for an appearance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand television programme, their record company refused to pay their travelling fees.

The Excellents (1)

When they learned that the group simply could not afford to travel to Philadelphia, the label instead sent a Brooklyn group, The Ultimates. This Group composed by Gary Allen, Carlos Miranda, Neil Bernstein, Donald Scheer and Dave Strum, was from Brooklyn and had previously record for the Envoy record Label the sides "I Can Tell You Love Me Too" / "Lonely Nights".

The Excellents (2)

This substitute Excellents group did record for Blast records "I Hear Rhapshody" b/w Why "Did You Laugh" as The Excellents.

Songs :

The Ultimates (1)

I Can Tell You Love Me Too Lonely Nights

The Excellents (2)

I Hear Rhapsody Why Did You Laugh

...

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The New Yorkers (1) aka The Five Satins aka The Wildwoods (1) ref : The Scarlets

Posted on October 6 2009 by dion1

The New Yorkers (1) (New haven, CT.)

aka The Wildwoods (1)
aka The Five Satins
ref : The Scarlets
(Thanks to Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Fred Parris (Lead)

Wes Forbes (Tenor!

Richie Freeman (Second Tenor)

Lou Peebles (Baritone)

Sylvester Hopkins (Bass)

Discography :

The New Yorkers (1)
1961 - Miss Fine / Dream A Little Dream (Wall 547)
1961 - Tears In My Eyes / A little Bit (Wall 548)

The Wildwoods (1)
1961 - When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano / Heart Of Mine (Caprice 101/102)

Biography :

Led by Fred Parris, the Five Satins were among the preeminent doo wop groups of the era, yet their pop succes was essentially limited to just two hits, the immortal "In The Still Of The Night" (1956) and "To The Aisle" (1957). In 1960, after three years with Ember Record, The Five Satins were signed by Cub, a pop subsidiary of the mighty M-G-M label which was enjoying a hot spell on the charts. Though expectations were high, M-G-M were unable to break the Group, and when the Five Satins heard they were to be dropped by the label in 1961, Parris and his cohorts went undercover, fetching up on Wall records, an obscure New York label, as the New Yorkers.

"Miss Fine" appeared on the market at the same time as the Five Satins final Cub release, "Golden Earrings". A somewhat sisillusioned Parris reasoned that a name change might lend the group a fresh lease of life - They also moonlighted as the Wildwoods on other Label, Caprice, during this periode before reverting to their original name on some later records. A little raged around the edges, "Miss Fine" sounded like a demo released as a master. While the vocals and especially the song are top notch, "Miss Fine" would have benefited commercialy from better production values.

Songs :

The New Yorkers (1)

A Little Bit                               Tears In My Eyes


Miss Fine                            Dream A Little Dream

The Wildwoods (1)

Heart Of Mine When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano

...

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The Jewels (5) aka The Four Jewels aka The Impalas (3)

Posted on October 2 2009 by dion1

The Four Jewels (Washington, D.C)
aka The Impalas (3) aka The Jewels (5)

Personnel:

Sandra Peoples

Margie Clarke

Carrie Mingo

Grace Ruffin

Discography :

The Impalas (3)
1961 - For The Love Of Mike / I Need You So Much (Checker 999)

The Four Jewels
1962 - Loaded With Goodies / Fire (Start 638)
1963 - Johnny Jealousy / Someone Special (Start 638)
1963 - All That's Good / I Love Me Some You (Start 641)
1963 - Dapper Dan / Loaded With Goodies (Checker 1039)
1964 - Time For Love / That's What They Put Erasers On Pencils For (Checker 1069)
1964 - Baby It's You / She's Wrong For You Baby (Tec 3007)

The Jewels (5)
1964 - Opportunity / Gotta Find A Way (Dimension 1034)
1964 - This Is My Story / My Song (Federal 12541)
1965 - Smokey Joe / But I Do (Dimension 1048)
1966 - Papas Left Mama Holdin' The Bag / This Is My Story (Dynamite 2000)

Biography :

The Four Jewels formed at Roosevelt High School in Washington, DC. The group was first known as the Impalas. They changed their name to the Four Jewels. The Four Jewels consisted of Sandra Bears, Grace Ruffin, Margie Clarke and Carrie Mingo.

Along with other talented young singers out of Washington, DC, such as The Marquees (the first vocal group that Marvin Gaye sang with) and Billy Stewart, The Four Jewels would gather at the home recording studio of the legendary R&B singer, Bo Diddley, who then lived in Northeast Washington. In the early 1960s, Carrie Mingo left the group, and she was replaced by Martha Harvin (now known as Martha High). In 1964 the group released their first national hit "Opportunity" on the Dimensions label.

The Dimensions label was owned by rock and roll promoter, Don Kirshner. The song “Opportunity” stayed on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks.The Jewels have over 20 recordings, which have made an impact on the national and local R&B charts. Jewel’s member, Grace Ruffin, is the cousin of the legendary DC singer, Billy Stewart.

The Jewels The Jewels

The Jewels sing back up on the Billy Stewart song “Reap What You Sow”. They recently appear on the CD, The Velons & Their Divas (October 2007), where they sing new music written by Reese Palmer of The Marquees (which featured a young Marvin Gaye) (“Sugar Wooga Baby”), as well as a song penned by The Jewels (“Someone to Love”) In 1965, now The Jewels Impressed with The Jewels talents, Brown recruited the ladies to join him as part of the legendary “James Brown Revue”. The Jewels went on the road for one year with James Brown as his background singers. They appear on the song “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud”. On the James Brown song “Don’t Be A Dropout”, James Brown calls out “The Jewels” during the song, and the Jewels recorded several songs produced by Brown, including “This Is My Story.”

http://www.myspace.com/thefabulousjewels

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