The Original Casuals (Dallas,Texas) aka The Casuals (2)
Personnel :
Jay Joe Adams
Gary Mears
Paul kearney
Discography :
Singles : The Casuals (2) 1958 - So Tough / I Love My Darling (Back Beat 503)
The Original Casuals 1958 - So Tough / I Love My Darling (Back Beat 503) 1958 - Ju Judy / Don't Pass Me By (Back Beat 510) 1958 - Three Kisses Past Midnight / It's Been A Long Time (Back Beat 514)
Ep : The Original Casuals 1958 - Three Kisses Past Midnight / So Tough / I Love My Darling / Ju Judy (Back Beat EP 40)
Biography :
In August 1957, Don Robey, president of the Houston-based Duke-Peacock labels (One to the few successful Afro-American businessmen in a caucasian dominated industry), announced the formation of a new label, Back Beat, aimed at the burgeoning rock'n'roll market, Duke and Peacock being primarily gospel and R&B outlets. "The artists appearing under our new label are in most instances teenagers in actual age count or at heart". explained Robey punctiliously, "and as such, our new baby Back Beat is dedicated to the teenage market."
Back Beat made a strong start when "Tell Me Why" by Norm Foxx & the Rob Roys (a New York Group) became a regional hit and "So Tough" By the Casuals, a trio from Dallas reached the national top 50. Gary Mears (aka Frederick Gary Mears) formed the Casuals with Jay Joe Adams and Paul Kearney in Dallas in the Summer of 1957. Don Robey's A&R man Joe Scott (the bandleader on most of Bobby Bland's classic side on Duke) flew to Dallas to record "So Tough" / "listen My Darling" at Sellers Studio in October 1957.
The Song became an immediate hit in Houston and Dallas regions where Robey held sway among influential Dee jays but was slow to move elsewhere. In December, Challenge Records of Hollywood recorded a cover version with a black vocal group, the Kuf-Linx, and this too became a territorial hit, mainly o the West Coast. Robey sent the Casuals out on the road to visit disc jockeys and on 19th February 1958, the trio lip-synched "So Tough" on American Bandstand. On 24 February, the song entered the Hot 100, rising to #42. At that point another group staked a prior claim to the Casuals' name and on subsequent pressings of "So Tough" (in fact, the Majority) the trio were listed as the Original Casuals. Mears remained on the fringes of the Dallas Rock'n'roll scene and later penned "Summer's Comin" by Kirby St Romain, A Top 50 US hit in 1963.
The Cubans (2) Single: 1959 - Tell Me / You've Been Gone So Long (Flash 133) Unreleased: 1959 - Oh Miss Dolly (Flash) 1959 - Don't Go Baby (Flash) 1959 - Can't You See (Flash)
The Upfronts (1) 1960 - It took Time / Benny Lou And The Lions (Lumtn 103) 1960 - Too late to turn Around / Married Jive (Lumtn 104)
Caesar & The Romans (3) N/A - Your True Love / Let The Four Winds Blow (Hi-Note 602
Little Caesar & The Romans (3) Singles: 1961 - Those Oldie But Goodies / She Don't Wanna (Dance No More) (Del-Fi 4158) 1961 - Hully Gully Again / Frankie And Johnny (Del-Fi 4164) 1961 - Memories Of Those Oldies But Goodies / Fever (Del-Fi 4166) 1961 - The Ten Commandments Of Love / C.C. Ryder (Del-Fi 4170) 1961 - Popeye Once More / Yoyo Yo Yoyo (Del-Fi 4177) 1977 - We Belong Together / Disco Hully Gully (Essar 7803) Unreleased : 1961 - Betty Jean (Del-Fi) 1961 - Three Weeks Ago Today (Del-Fi) 1961 - Twelve Months Of The Year (Del-Fi) 1961 - Memories (Del-Fi)
Lps : 1961 - Memories of Those Oldies but Goodies, Volume 1 (Del-Fi LP 1218) Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me Of You)/I Need You So/Ten Commandments Of Love/Little Star/Adorable/Memories Of Those Oldies But Goodies//Hully Gully Again/Work With Me Annie-Annie Had A Baby/Searchin'/Fever/C C Rider
Biography :
Little Caesar was actually David "Caesar" Johnson of Chicago. He cut his musical teeth on gospel music and later did doo wop street-corner duty with some high school friends. When he joined the air force the young Windy City resident formed a gospel act called the Northern Crusaders, and upon his discharge he created a secular group in San Diego named the Ivory Tones after member Ivory Wemberly. David headed for Los Angeles and joined up with Johnny Simmons (first tenor), Early Harris (second tenor), Leroy Sanders (bass), and someone named Curtis ( second tenor) to form the Cubans in 1955 (though none of the members were Cuban) .
They signed with Charlie Reynolds' Watts- based record label/record store, Flash Records. The Cubans' only single out of Flash's 623 East Vernon Avenue address was an enjoyable ballad called "Tell Me," with Early on lead, backed by a blues-styled jump tune similar to THE PARAGONS' later "Stick with Me Baby" titled "You've Been Gone so Long," Featuring David. In 1959 the Cubans disbanded (they would not have been too popular under that name anyway during Castro's Cuban revolution), and David hooked up with Lummtone Records, owned by Lummie Fowler. He formed the Upfronts (a name Lummie came up with), who included Harris and Sanders of the Cubans, Bobby Relf of the Laurels (lead and second tenor), and a mystery man remembered only as Theotis (first tenor).
Their first 45, "It Took Time," got a good LA response, but their second, "Too Late to Turn Around," did nothing. When not singing or recording David and company would hang around and drink with the likes of Johnny "Guitar" Watson and Jess Belvin. When they ran out of wine money, Jesse would go to the piano like it was an instant teller machine, knock out a song in 15 or 20 minutes and drive off to Hollywood where he'd unload his rights for a quick 50 to 100 dollars.
One evening in 1961 at Lummie's house David met songwriter Paul Politti, who played him his composition "Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me of You)." When David agreed to record it, the 17-year-old writer went to Art Laboe at Original Sound Records, who had started his own series of "oldies but goodies" LPs in 1959. Laboe passed on the song. Politti then sold the idea to Del Fi's Bob keene, so David had to secure a release for his Upfronts from Lummie. When he did, a new act was formed with Johnson, Early Harris, Leroy Sanders, former Cuban Johnny Simmons, and David's first baritone, Carl Burnett. A new Upfronts was formed by Lummie Fowler that included a young bass singer from the area named Barry White.
Now dubbed Little Caesar and the Romans by Paul Politti, David and company ( complete with togas, which the group despised) recorded and released the ode to oldies in the spring of 1961. By July 3rd it was number nine in the nation, heavily outscoring NINO AND THE EBB TIDES' East Coast version. The Romans began touring the country with artists like Etta James, THE VIBRATIONS, and the amazing Jackie Wilson. They appeared on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand," togas and all. On one show in Philadelphia the group lost their togas to overexuberant fans and finished the show in their shorts. Their follow-up 45, a takeoff on THE OLYMPICS' "Hully Gully Baby" titled "Hully Gully Again," made it to number 54 in August. Their third single on Del Fi was their most nostalgic, combining the most memorable phrases from a whole host of oldies including "A Thousand Miles Away," "In the Still of the Night," "Oh What a Night," "Earth Angel," and the only slow version of "Stranded in the Jungle" ever recorded. The record only " bubbled under" at number 101 in September 1961. Del Fi was losing interest in the group. The Romans recorded an LP that included their fourth single, a nice reworking of the Moonglows classic, "Ten Commandments of Love," along with versions of THE COASTERS' " Searchin ," THE COLTS' "Adorable," and THE ELEGANTS' "Little Star." The group broke up in 1962 and Caesar became a solo act in the '60s and '70s. Jay Warner (American singing groups: a history from 1940s to today)
(L to R) Stan Bracely, Carl Jones, Mickey Stevenson & Joe Miles
The Mello-Dees (Detroit) aka The Love-Tones
Personnel :
Carl Jones (Lead)
Mickey Stevenson (Tenor)
Joe Miles (Baritone)
Stan Bracely (Bass)
Discography :
Herman Griffin & The Mello-Dees 1960 - Hurry Up And Marry Me / Do You Want To See My Baby (Anna 1115/Stepp 237)
Tall Tonio (Tony Clark) & The Mello-Dee’s 1960 - Hod Rod Car / Ten Reasons (Stepp 235)
Marvin Gaye & The Love-Tones 1962 - Soldier's Plea / Taking My Time (Tamla 54063)
Gino Parks & The Love-Tones 1962 - For This I Thank You / Fire (Tamla 54066)
Henry Lumpkin & The Love-Tones 1962 - Mo Jo Hanna / Break Down And Sing (Motown 1029
Mary Wells & The Love-Tones 1962 - The One Who Really Loves You / I'm Gonna Stay (Motown 1024) 1962 - You Beat Me To The Punch / Old Love (Let's Try It Again) (Motown 1032) 1963 - Laughing Boy / Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right (Motown 1039)
Biography :
Just as The Andantes were Motown's female backing singers of note, so The Love-Tones were briefly their male equivalents. When the Teardrops dissolved after one single for Sampson in 1952/53, Stan Bracely & Carl Jones stayed together and with baritone Joe Miles and second tenor Mickey Stevenson, they formed the Mello-dees. Initially, they backed Herman Griffin & Tony Clarke’s first single under the name of Tall Tonio for Mickey Stevenson's Stepp Records in 1960, but when Stevenson quit singing to concentrate on producing, they changed their name to the Love Tones and became the in-house male backing group.
Tony Clark (Tall Tonio)
Although their contributions were usually credited, they were seldom if ever allowed to release anything under their own name, with the result their contribution to Motown would be easy to overlook. However, Carl Jones, Mickey Stevenson, Joe Miles and Stan Bracely had recorded under their own name.
Mary Wells Gino Parks Marvin Gaye
Whilst at Motown they appeared on recordings by Marvin Gaye (Soldier Boy), Henry Lumpkin (Mo Jo Hanna), Gino Parks (For This I Thank You), Mary Wells on her big 1962 hits, “The One Who Really Loves You” and “You Beat Me To The Punch” and many other singers, sometimes credited. They exited Motown in 1962 and seemingly broke up thereafter, although they reformed for a series of recordings for Ian Levine's Motorcity label in the 1990s.
1954 - The Five Turbans (L to R) H.Hudson, H.Lewis, B.Bernard, C.Dorsey and T.Goodrich
The Five Turbans(Indianapolis, IN.) aka The Monograms (1)
Personnel :
Hilton Hudson (Baritone/Tenor)
Bobby Bernard (Baritone/Tenor)
Clarence Dorsey (Baritone/Tenor)
Tony Goodrich (Baritone/Bass)
Herman Lewis (Bass)
Discography :
The Five Turbans 1954 - Christmas Prayer / Yuletide Story (Deb 802)
The Monograms (1) 1957 - Please Baby Please / My Baby Dearest Darling (Saga 100)
Biography :
Indianapolis R&B outfit the Monograms formed in 1953 -- vocalists Bobby Bernard, Clarence Dorsey, Tony Goodrich, Hilton Hudson, and Herman Lewis formed the group while attending Arsenal Technical High School, originally dubbing themselves the Five Turbans (and wearing said headgear during their performances at local nightspots). The 5 Turbans played most of the clubs around Indianapolis, including George's Bar and Orchid Room, the Missile Club, the Cotton Club, the Pink Poodle, the Barrington Lounge, the Trianon Ballroom, and the B&B Supper Club.
1954 - The Five Turbans on WFBM-TV.
Their repertoire consisted mostly of the big hits of the day and their own interpretations of standards. In October, Leo Lesser (owner of George's Bar and Orchid Room) announced his new label, Deb Records. The 5 Turbans recorded "Christmas Prayer" and "Yuletide Story" in November 1954. After rejecting a contract offer from Sun Records on the advice of their attorney, the quintet members renamed themselves the Monograms in 1954.
According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the April 2005 issue of Blues & Rhythm, fledgling jazz great Wes Montgomery occasionally sat in on guitar, and as their local fame grew they auditioned unsuccessfully for Chess Records. The Monograms signing to the local Saga imprint to release "Please Baby Please" b/w "My Baby Dearest Darling" in 1957.
1957 - The Monograms (L to R) H.Lewis, T.Goodrich, C.Dorsey, H.Hudson and B.Bernard
Indianapolis radio played "Please Baby Please" regularly but it did not earn notice outside the area, eventually prompting the group to dissolve in early 1959. Later that year Bernard revived the Monograms name, assembling a new lineup featuring lead tenor Charles Anderson, first tenor Robert "Chico" Penick, and second tenor Johnny Hardiman. Although it never recorded, this incarnation of the group continued until 1964, when Anderson resigned due to health issues and was replaced by George Black.
1964 - The Monograms
When Bernard exited the following year, the Monograms' days appeared officially numbered, but despite regular personnel changes the group continued performing until the mid-'70s. http://www.uncamarvy.com/Monograms/monograms.html
The Corvets (1) 1958 - Lenora / My Darling (Way out 101) 1960 - Only Last Night (In A Garden) / Shark In The Park (20th Fox 223) 1960 - So Long / Alligator In The Elevator (Laurel 1012)
Joey Dell & The Corvets (1) 1961 - Let's Find Out Tonight / Only Last Night (On The Garden) (Roulette 4422)
Biography :
This group was organized in the mid-1950s in the bronx, New York. Prior to cutting their first record for Way Out, they called themselves Freddie & the Steadies. When they were scheduled to record, they changed their name to the Corvets.
Hallup, Zeccola, Howell, Shuh
The Way Out Label was one that Zeccola founded, producer for, and distributed. His reason for doing this was that no other company wanted the Corvets on their label. They next cut a demo and took it to Broadway' Brill Building, where they tried again to impress a recording company.
Executives at Laurie apparently liked what they heard and had them record the Laurel Disc. Following the recording, Jules Hahn replaced Richie Howell. If you've ever wondered about similarities in the sound of the Bob Knight Four's "Good Goodbye" disc and the Corvets' disc "So Long", there's good reason.
Their unscrupulous manager had lifted Hallup's voice track from the Corvets recording and put it on the Bob Knight Four Record.
Standing from left, Skip Hadden, Tommy Esian & John Magyar. Seated from left, Jimmy Harris, Ricky Vac & Paul Ticherich.
Ricky Vac & The Rock-A-Ways (Berea, Ohio) aka The Rockaways (3)
Personnel :
Ricky Vaculig (Ricky Vac) (Lead)
Paul Ticherich
Jimmy Harris
John Magar
Jimmy Gillahan
Tommy Esian
Discography :
Ricky Vac & The Rock-A-Ways 1961 - Collen / How Do You Think I Feel (Hilltop 1871)
Colleen Kaye & The Rockaways (3) 1961 - Two Girls / Tell Me Why (Hilltop 1878)
Biography :
Ricky Vaculig, a 16-year-old Berea High student, decided to start a band after hearing Bill Haley’s "Rock Around the Clock" at the drive-in. Gathering a few fellow classmates and others in 1956, Ricky shortened his name and created the band, Ricky Vac and the Rock-A-Ways, a vocal and instrumental group . Members included Paul Ticherich, Jimmy Harris, John Magar, Jimmy Gillahan, Tommy Esian and later, Skip Hadden. They were also a racially integrated band - one of their guitarists, Jimmy Harris, was black.
Tom Esian, Jimmy Harris, Paul Gillahan, Ricky Vac, Paul Techerich and John Magyar
When Ricky was just sixteen he went to Cleveland and recorded a song he wrote titled "My Baby's Gone". Jack Scott picked it up and released it on one of his albums and it became a national hit. The Rock-A-Ways wrote and played their own original music. Jimmy Harris (the bands guitarist) composed three instrumentals, The Band signed a recording contract the first of which, "Rock-A-Way Boogie" became the bands theme song. The second tune was "Dream Theme", and the third was "Doo Flicky Junction".
Ricky teamed up with Paul Ticherich (the piano player) to write a song about a native gal from Berea. Ricky named the song "Colleen" after classmate Colleen Kaye Siodla, who sometimes sang with the band. The tune was recorded on Hilltop Records, a subsidiary of DOT Records. Ricky Vac and the Rock-A- Ways performed that tune on the Danny Thomas "National Heart Fund" television show. The same year, they backed Colleen Kaye Siodla on Hilltop Records.
The band played at the old Sahara Motel in Cleveland. It was the anchor band for the KYW radio station’s road show. They also played at Paramount Theater on the same bill as The Flamingos and a new singer, Frankie Avalon. The band gained fame along the way. The band music stopped in the early 1960s when Ricky was drafted. He wanted to return to it in 1964, but discovered the British had invaded the nation.
The Moroccos (Chicago) aka The Four Chimes aka The Moroccans
Personnel :
Norman Bradford (Lead)
Melvin Morrow (Tenor)
Lawrence Johnson (Tenor)
Prayer "George" Kemp (Baritone)
Fred Martin (Bass)
Discography :
The Four Chimes 1954 - My Easy Bab (United) (Unreleased) 1954 - When Was My Baby Born (United) (Unreleased) 1954 - Before i met you (United) (Unreleased)
The Moroccos 1955 - Morocco chant (United) (Unreleased) 1955 - Pardon my tears / Chicken (United 188) 1955 - Somewhere over the rainbow / Red hot & chili mac (United 193/B&F 193) 1956 - My love (United) (Unreleased) 1956 - What is a teen-ager's prayer? / Bang goes my heart! (United 204/B&F 1347) 1957 - Sad sad hours / The Hex (United 207)
Lillian Brooks & The Moroccos 1956 - For only you / She Boodle dee, Boodle dee (King 4934) 1956 - Sweet sweet william / No parking (King 4956)
The Moroccans 1957 - Believe in tomorrow / You fascinate me (The Philipairs) (Salem 1014)
Sammy Fitzhugh & The Moroccans 1958 - Sadie Mae / Linda Baby (Poplar 115)
Biography :
The Moroccos came out of the Englewood community, on the south side of Chicago, the same region that produced both the El Dorados and Dukays. They scored a national hit and regional smash with their rendition of Harold Arlen's "Over the Rainbow." The core group -- Norman Bradford (lead), Prayer "George" Kemp (baritone), Fred Martin (bass), Melvin Morrow (tenor), and Lawrence Johnson (tenor) -- formed around 1952. Kemp, whose birth surname was actually Prayer (but who used his father's name George as his stage name), generally acted as the group's spokesperson and leader and met with Leo Allen about a recording contract with United Records. Shortly before this, however, Johnson dropped out, and Bradford -- who reportedly had to make himself scarce in the Chicago area for some unknown reason -- joined the Army. At the last minute, Kemp recruited Ralph Vernon as his replacement. (Years later Johnson would become a member of an obscure '70s group, the Majestic Arrows.)
The first session, in the fall of 1954, did not prove satisfactory. The group -- who were by then calling themselves the Four Chimes -- recorded "Easy Baby" and "When Was My Baby Born," the latter of which was a reworking of an old Negro religious folk song called "The Last Month of the Year." United decided to shelve the recordings and Allen and the group agreed that what they needed was -- not only a fifth member -- but also an additional lead. The group recruited Sollie McElroy, formerly of the Flamingos (from nearby Douglas, a suburb of Chicago). McElroy had been the Flamingo's lead singer since 1952, but he was having problems in the group and wanted out. He was already in his twenties, while the remaining Four Chimes were still in their teens. Nevertheless, he fit in much better, and with McElroy as a member, the group went into session again in January 1955. One of the musicians in the studio had a set of maracas, which inspired the group to adopt the name, becoming the Moroccos. The first session yielded a dance tune, "Chicken," which became the Moroccos' first 45 release, which actually received some airplay, but failed to chart.
The next session, in May 1955, produced a McElroy-led version of the Harold Arlen tune "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow." Released in October, this record was a double-sided hit in the Chicago area, but "Over the Rainbow" would land the group their first national attention. The Moroccos might have been able to exploit the single's popularity with live appearances; however -- after auditioning as "The Harlem Blackbirds" -- they had already signed a contract for an eight-week promotional tour of Australia with Larry Steele's Smart Affairs road show (the preeminent black entertainment organization presenting a variety of black acts in one package tour). Each member of the group made 150 dollars per week as a per diem on the Australian tour. The Moroccos returned to Chicago in mid-February 1956 and high schooler Vernon (who was underage and unable to travel with them) rejoined the group for a Midwest tour, sharing bills along the way with the Coasters, the Flamingos, the Danderliers, and the Dells. They also backed Lilian Brooks on a session for King Records.
In late July, the Moroccos had one more lined up session with United, but shortly before the group was to go into the studio, Prayer Kemp joined the Marines. His replacement was Calvin Baron. The session ended up producing two releases for the Moroccos, including "What Is a Teenager's Prayer," later a hit for Joe Simon. Unfortunately, United was incapable of promoting and pushing the Moroccos as the company was about to fold. The Moroccos did one more session, this one for Salem Records, but it too failed to attract an audience, and the group decided to split. Vernon and Martin followed Kemp's lead and joined the Marines, while Morrow later joined the Army. Only McElroy and Baron immediately continued intermittently in the music business. In 1961, McElroy joined the Chaunteurs. Near the end of the 1950s, Calvin Baron joined the Cosmic Rays, a vocal group created and recorded by the avant-garde jazz artist Sun Ra. In the late 1960s, Kemp and Morrow joined with the former El Dorados lead Pirkle Lee Moses to form the Major-Minors and put out an obscure record on the Scat label in Detroit. In 1970, when they recorded some tunes for Al Smith's Torrid label, Smith insisted on having their name changed to the recognizable El Dorados name. Shortly afterward the group broke up. Moses and Kemp were part of yet another El Dorados revival group during the '80s.
Singles : 1958 - To Know him to Love him / Don't you worry my little Pet (Dore 503) 1959 - Wonderful Lovable You / Till You'll Be Mine (Dore 520) 1959 - Oh why / I don't need you anymore (Imperial 5562) 1959 - If You only Knew / You Said Goodbye (Imperial 5581) 1959 - Seven Lonely Days / Don't Go Away (Imperial 5594)
Lps : 1959 - The Teddy Bears Sing - (LP-9067/LP-12010) Oh Why / Unchained Melody / My Foolish Heart / You Said Goodbye / True Love / Little Things Mean A Lot / I Don't Need You Anymore / Tammy / Long Ago And Far Away / Don't Go Away / If I Give My Heart To You / Seven Lonely Days
Biography :
After graduating in the Spring of 1958, Phil Spector booked his first session at the Gold Star. Studio time cost 15 dollars an hour, plus an additional six bucks for a reel of blank tape, and Spector figured that 40 dollars out to cover the expenses. He borrowed the money from his mother, Bertha, an ardent supporter of her son's endeavors. Next, Spector turned to Marshall Leib, then a 19-year-old student at Los Angeles City College, majoring in business and law. Leib had some experience in the music business, having previously formed the Moondogs with some of his classmates.
Another student at LACC, Harvey Goldstein, contributed ten dollars after being promised he could sing bass. Annette Kleinbard, who was then a 16-year-old student at Fairfax High, donated the final ten dollars. A native of new Brunswick, NJ, Kleinbard had a strong emotive soprano voice (she had sang in the glee club). She quickly agreed to help pay for the session if she too could be included in the group. Spector agreed and he finally had his 40 dollars.
The first two-hour session at Gold Star was devoted to the recording of Spector's "Don't You Worry My Little Pet." Spector played all the instruments on the single and acted as his own producer. After the mix-down, with his group's demo in hand, Spector approached his neighbor Lew Bedell, co-owner of Era Records (with Herb Newsome). The two had just started Dore Records, with the intention of recording rock & roll. They liked what they heard and offered Spector a four-record deal with royalties of a cent and one-half per sold copy. In the office they came up with the name the Teddy Bears, after the hit song by Elvis Presley.
At the third recording session, with Goldstein absent, a drummer was added to help with the instrumental backing. The replacement drummer was Sandy Nelson, who would go on to have his own successful career. Near the end of the session, Spector coaxed Kleinbard and Leib to try another song he'd written, called "To Know Him Is to Love Him," a plaintive, repetitive ballad song ("to know, know, know him, is to love, love, love him") which Spector had written after he'd taken a trip back to the Bronx and visited his father's graveside. The title came from an epitaph on his father's gravestone, in fact.
Dore mailed 500 copies of the single to radio stations in early August 1958. With no initial reaction forthcoming, Goldstein and Leib returned to college. In September, a DJ in Fargo, ND, flipped the single over and played "To Know Him Is to Love Him" and soon an order came into Dore offices from a distributor in Minneapolis requesting 18,000 copies. Within a week, the song was on the national music charts. The Teddy Bears were invited to appear on American Bandstand on October 29.
There was a slight problem as there was no invitation for Harvey Goldstein, who had been dropped from the group at Spector's insistence because he couldn't sing the song's bass part. (Goldstein later sued Dore and the Teddy Bears, eventually settling out-of-court for a share of the royalties the group would earn over the next ten years).
"To Know Him Is to Love Him" went on to become the number one pop song in the nation, selling more than a million copies before Christmas of 1958. They appeared on The Perry Como Show on January 3, 1959. By mid-January, the group was leaving Dore after a dispute about royalties and signed to Lew Chudd's Imperial Records, who released the group's next single that month.
However, Spector soon discovered that Chudd would no longer let him be in charge of record production, nor was he allowed to use Gold Star Studios or allowed to "stack" vocals. The Teddy Bears recorded only two more singles and the remaining filler for one album, The Teddy Bears Sing, before they left Imperial.
Phil Spector
After the split of the Teddy Bears in 1959, Spector's career quickly moved from performing and songwriting to production. While recording the Teddy Bears's album, he had met Lester Sill, a former promotion man who was a mentor to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. His next project, the Spectors Three, was undertaken under the aegis of Sill and his partner, Lee Hazlewood. The singers were a young musician friend called Russ Titelman, a female session singer named Ricky Page, and Spector himself; the backing track was minimal. Unable to use the Teddy Bears’name, he put out under the name of the Spectors Three. http://www.answers.com/topic/teddy-bear-song http://www.allmusic.com/artist/teddy-bears-mn0000024413 http://www.history-of-rock.com/spector.htm
Videos :
To Know Him Is To Love Him
Songs :
Oh why Don't you worry my little Pet Unchained Melody
You Said Goodbye Long Ago And Far Away I Don't Need You Anymore
1957 - Dearest Doryce / Rockin' Jimmy (Vesta 501/502)
Biography
Early band from Syracuse was the Scarlet Tones. Otis Smith, Mart Irons, Howard Scott and Jack Oden were all students at Madison Junior High in 1956. Shortly thereafter George "Bebo" Singleton and Leroy Mackle were added top form the nucleus of what was to become the Rhyhm Cadets. This a- capella group started singing together while at the Syracuse Boys Club and managed by Tom Coulter. The Rhythm Cadets emulated the earlier Quintones and their style would help from the vocal direction lead singer : Bebo" Singleton would follow when they recoded "Dearest Doryce" released by Vesta Records in 1957.
George “Bebo” Singleton The Rhythm Cadets
This was the first rock n' roll record ever released by a Syracuse group and is the rarest, most sought after recording ever to come out of Central New York. The Rhythm Cadet performed their hit as well as the flip side "Rockin Jimmy" in capturing first prize at the Upstate New York Arthur Godfrey Talent Show hosted by television star Polly Bergan. Other local acts that performed were the Bigtree Sisters, The Eldaros and the Emeralds. http://ronwray.blogspot.fr/2011_12_01_archive.html
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