1959 - Seven Little Girls / Alone At Eight (Columbia 4363) 1959 - We're Only Young Once / I Keep Dreaming (Columbia 4461) 1960 - Four Little Heels / This Was Meant To Be (Columbia 4522) 1961 - Rubber Ball / Cool And Cosy (Columbia 4569) 1961 - Skin Divin' / Little Bo Peep (Columbia 4700) 1963 - Hey Paula/ I Wanna Do It (Decca 11588) 1963 - Love Should Be True / All about You (Decca 11641) 1964 - I Am The Girl / Once Upon A Summer's Day (Fontana 442)
Biography :
Sisters-in-law Valerie (1936, Willesden, London, England) and Elaine Murtagh (b. 1940, County Cork, Eire) originally performed as the Avon Sisters. After being discovered singing at the 1958 BBC Radio Exhibition, they signed to UK Columbia Records where they recorded with producer Norrie Paramor. Their debut was ‚ Which Witch Doctor‚ with the Mudlarks and their debut solo release was a cover version of ‚ Jerri O‚ - both songs failed to chart.
They added Ray Adams (b. 1938, Jersey, Channel Islands), whom they spotted singing with Nat Gonella‚s Band, and then changed their name to the Avons. Their first single under the new name, a cover version of Paul Evans‚ ‚ Seven Little Girls Sitting In The Back Seat‚ in 1959, gave them their only UK Top 20 chart entry.
The light-pop trio had three minor hits and last charted with a cover version of ‚ Rubber Ball‚ in 1961.In 1962 a song they had written, Dance On‚ became a UK number 1 instrumental hit for the Shadows and it returned to the Top 20 the following year with a powerful vocal version by Kathy Kirby.
They recorded for Decca Records in 1963 and Fontana Records in 1964 but had no other hits. Valerie continued to have success as a writer and is still a well-known behind-the-scenes figure in the UK music business. Their only album is now much sought after, fetching high prices in the collector‚s market.
1957 - L to R : Donald Trotter, Edward Wallace, Donald Burg, Houston Rice & William Keller
The Five Wings (Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX)
Personnel :
Donald Trotter (Lead)
William Keller (First Tenor)
Donald Burg (Second Tenor)
Houston Rice (Baritone)
Edward Wallace (Bass)
Biography :
Dyess AFB Vocal group, In Juin 1956, The boys got together and discovered that all had singing experience, several with professional groups. They began practice shortly after, and have sung many engagements both on and off base since. it is composed of Houston Rice, Edward Wallace, Donald Burgs, Donald Trotter and William Keller. Keller, first tenor of the group sand formally with the recording stars Five Keys, Trotter, lead tenor was with the Five Coins, a group out of Bakersfield, Calif. Burgs, second tenor, sang with the Selectones, when that Air Force group was on the AF show "Top In Blue" In 1955. Wallace, Bass, sang with the university's glee club, while Reece, the Baritone, sang in his high school chorus. Burgs is the Writer of the group, The Wings do his own special arrangement of "Hound Dog" and also sing a tune he wrote called "Paradise Hill" plus other compositions. They sang on the March of Dimes telethon, KRBC-TV and also sung over KRBC radio.
The Coachmen Five (River Edge N.J.) aka Ginny & The Saints (2)
Personnel:
Ray Davis (Lead Singer)
Frank Zillitto (Lead Guitar & Vocal)
Rich Gangi (Rhythm Guitar & Vocal)
Ricky Keith (Bass & Vocal)
Steve Bogue (Drums)
Discography :
The Coachmen Five Featuring Ray Davis 1962 - This I Know / Oh Joan (Janson 100)
Ginny Zee bb The Coachmen Five 1962 - Bobby Baby / You Can't Imagine (Atco 6218)
Ginny (Zee) & The Saints (2) 1962 - Wait, Wait, Wait / Please Be My Boy Friend (Alpene 100)
Biography :
Vocal & Instrumental group composed by Ray Davis, Frank Zillitto, Rich Gangi, Ricky Keith and Steve Bogue. They live in River Edge N.J., except Frank Zillitto, Oradell N.J.. Ginny Zee was actually Ginny Zillitto, who was the sister of Frankie Zillitto, a member of Ray Davis and the Coachmen Five .
Ray Davis wrote both songs for Ginny Zee, "Bobby Baby" and "You Can't Imagine". Ginny also has another record on ALPAN records, "Wait,Wait,Wait" & "Please Be My Boyfriend", with the Coachmen backing her up under a new name : The Saints (Ray Davis wrote again both songs for Ginny). Ray Davis recorded two of his own , "Oh Joan" & "This I Know", before he passed away in 1962.
The Veltones (2) (Ossining, New York) aka The Vel-Tones (3)
Personnel :
Joyce Edmundson
Kathy Miller
Martha Smith
Melvin Smith
Florence Artis
Jimmy Paesin
Discography :
The Veltones (2) 1961 - Now / I Need You So (Lost Nite 103)
The Vel-Tones (3) 1961 - Now / I Need You So (Zara 901)
Biography :
This Veltones have no connection to other Veltones group. This is a mixed male/female group of young kids, from Ossining, New York. The sextet include Joyce Edmundson, Kathy Miller, Martha Smith, Melvin Smith, Florence Artis and Jimmy Paesin.
There is very little information about the band except their names and where they are from. But one source claims that this is the band that recorded "Now" and "I Need You So" composed by Al Brown and accompanied by Al Brown And His Band. The record was released by Lost Nite Records in 1961 and by Zara Records some time later.
The Big Five (Cleveland, Ohio) aka The Fabulous Five Flames aka The Fabulous Five aka The Fabulous Flames (1)
Personnel :
Otis Carter
Harvey Hall
David McPhatter
Richard Fisher
Ernest Smith
Discography:
The Big Five 1958 - Wob-Ding-A-Ling / Baby, I Need You So (Junior 5000) 1960 - Blue Eyes / Stardust In Her Eyes (Shad 5019)
The Fabulous Flames (1) 1958 - Josephine / My Joan (Rex 3000)
The Fabulous Five 1960 - Janie Made A Monster / Gettin' Old (King 45-5220)
The Fabulous Five Flames 1960 - Lonely Lover / No More Tears (Time 1023)
Biography :
This Vocal group from Cleveland was known locally as The Fabulous Flames. The group included J. C. Tatum, Otis Carter, David McFadden, Ernest Smith, and Harvey Hall. The group started while some of the members were students at East Technical High School. The group performed at local clubs, and in Detroit. Their first single "Wop Ding A Ling" (also Known as "Wab Ding A Ling") plus the flip "Baby, I Need You So" was issued on the Shad predecessor Junior label (Junior 5000) on 29 October 1958. Bobby Shad renamed The Fabulous Flames by The Big Five. Their second single "Josephine" b/w "My Joan " released as their original name (The Fabulous Flames) was a local production, done for the short lived Rex label. Bill Jacocks, a local entrepreneur, wrote the songs and helped get the record released. Jacocks later became known as Cleveland's first African-American TV news anchor, along with producting some records in the mid 1970s.
Bobby Shad
The group was known as the Fabulous Flames, but changed for The Fabulous Five for their third record for the King label to prevent confusion with other groups with that name. The song "Janie Made A Monster" is a classic R&B Halloween record. Richard Fisher replaced J. C. Tatum. Four sides were recorded at Capitol Studios in New York on 4 December 1959, "Lonely Lover", "No More Tears", "Blue Eyes" and "Stardust In Her Eyes". The first two will be released on the Time (/Shad) Label on April 1960 as The Fabulous Five Flames, and the next two were released on 10 June 1960 on Shad 5019 as The Big Five. Richard Fisher was the brother of Jesse Fisher. He wasn't with the group for long as he left for New York where he ended up joining the Jive Five. Art Blakey replaced him, not long before the group disbanded. Harvey Hall - later known as Harvey Nickerson-Hall - went on to lead Harvey and the Phenomenals. https://www.buckeyebeat.com/
The Griffins (1) (Washington, D.C) aka The Warblers (By Hans-Joachim)
Personnel :
William Ross (Lead)
Bill Alford (First Tenor)
Lewis "Flip" Thompson (Second Tenor)
Lawrence Tate (Bariton)
Joshua Bright (Bass)
Discography :
The Griffins (1)
1955 - Sing To Me / I Swear By All The Stars Above (Mercury 70558) 1955 - Bad Little Girl / Scheming (Mercury 70650) 1956 - Forever More / Leave It To Me (Wing 90067) 1956 - Why Must You Go / My Baby's Gone (Mercury 70913) The Warblers
1973 - Is This The Real Thing / It’s Wrong (The Ontarios) (Baron 101) 1973 - Love Me Baby (The Ontarios) / Scheming (Baron 106) 1974 - She's Too Tall For Love / Lonesome Again (The Serenaders) (Outhouse 102)
Marie Knight (bb The Griffins (1)) (not credited) 1956 - As Long As I Love / Tell Me Why (Wing 90069)
Biography :
Lawrence Tate and William Ross joined the Griffins in 1953 from the RCA Heartbreakers, who had disbanded in 1953.The Griffins were previously known as the Warblers. The tunes shown below as by the Griffins on Mercury, Entitled "Scheming", was earlier cut by the Warblers.In February of 1955 Mercury Records signs The Griffins to their label.
Marie Knight The Griffins (1)
In less than a month Mercury # 70558 is released featuring the group's versions of the songs "I Swear By All The Stars Above" and "Swing To Me".In July "Bad Little Girl" and "Scheming" on # 70650. In March of 1956 The Griffins are moved to the Wing label from Mercury . In April "Forevermore" and "Leave It To Me" are released on Wing # 90067. In August The Griffins are back on Mercury with "Why Must You Go" and "My baby's Gone" on # 70913.
Billy Ford & The Thunderbirds (4) 1957 - La Dee Dah (Billy & Lillie) / The Monster (Swan 4002) 1957 - How Can I Be Sure / Billy Boy Blow (Vik 0263)
Billy & Lillie & The Thunderbirds (4) 1963 - Whip It To Me Baby / Love Me Sincerely (ABC-Paramount 10421)
Billy & Lilly & The Thunderbirds (4) 1965 - Baby You Don't Know / I'm In Love (Crossroad 101)
EPs: 1962 - Toddle Town Twist And Swing / My Little Girl (Ebony EP 105) (yellow label) 1962 - Twist And Swing / The Monkey & The Baboon / Shake And Swing (Ebony EP 105) (blue label)
Biography :
A single recording, the now Famous "La Dee Dah" has placed Billy Ford's Thunderbirds featuring Billy and Lillie among America's most popular music stars. It's release set off a chain reaction among music fans which was relayed through the nation's disc jockeys in a demand for more of the Ford magic, and considering Billy Ford's reputation for giving his audiences what they ask for, a future parade of hits is no idle speculation.
Billy Ford & The Thunderbirds (without Lillie Bryant) Alma L. Johnson (aka Alma Fortez) and Lillie Bryant
An indefinable quality of showmanship coupled with an uncanny eye for spotting talent have enabled Billy Ford to create the seemingly impossible, the presentation of seven versatile performers in a show with a scope ordinarily required the talents of twenty.
Though Billy is undeniably gifted with wealth of innate talent, he credits much of his present success to two valuable years spent with Cootie Williams singing in vocal groups, collaborating with other writers, and most important of all, learning deft staging and the maximum use of talent.Ambition making him restless and confidence urging him on, Billy left Williams to form the Thunderbirds, and from the beginning the combination has clicked. The show's flexible format features comedy, choreography, instrumentals and vocals skillfully handled by the happy seven in the Ford fold.
With a show that is particularly suited to the intimate night club stage and is yet adaptable to a large theatre audience, success has followed success for billy and the group in such renowned spots as Hollywood's Brown Derby and New York's Paramount Theatre. (Alan Freed's Publicity)
The Castawaws (2) (Queens, New York) aka The Iridescents (1)
Personnel :
Frankie Sisco (Lead)
Vinnie Pizzo (First Tenor)
Bobby Sanders (Second Tenor)
Johnny Obidienzo (Baritone)
Kathy Ferrara
Discography :
The Castaways (2) 1962 - Hey There / I Found You (Assault 1869/70/Astra 1002)
The Iridescents (1) Singles : 1963 - Three Coins In The Fountain / Strong Love (Hudson 8102) 1964 - Hey There / I Found You (Hudson 8107) Unreleased : 1963 - In The Still Of The Night (demo) 1963 - Warm (acapella)
Biography :
It Started around 1962 in Corona, Queens New York. These fellas would sing for hours at their hangout, a place called Spaghetti Park. Because they sang in the park, they decided to call themselves the Parkays. The youngsters would sing on Weekends at a place called Club 21 in Corona. They were approached by Joe Partenza. Joe & his friend, Al Cattabiani, put up the money for their first record. By this time the group took on a new member, Kathy Ferrara. "Hey There" and "I Found You" was released in late 1962 under the name of the Castaways and sold fairly well.
They had to change the name because another group was already using that name. A few month later,they used the Iridescents when they recorded the classic "Three Coins In The Fountain" b/w "Strong Love". The Iridescents worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, they performed with Dion & the Belmonts, the Del satins… 1964 came in and so did the Bristish Invasion. two other sides were recorded but are unreleased : "Dreamland" and "Now Is The Hour". "Hey There" and "I Found You " was released with two "R's" and a different record number.
Songs :
The Castaways (2)
I Found You Hey There
The Iridescents (1)
Three Coins In The Fountain / Strong Love Warm (acapella)
Karen Topinka (Low Harmony)* *replaced with Patti McCabe before the group switched to ABC-Paramount
Discography :
The Poni Tails 1957 - Your Wild Heart / Que La Bozena (Point 8) 1957 - Can I Be Sure / Still In Your Teens (Marc 1001)
The Poni-Tails 1957 - It's Just My Luck To Be Fifteen / Wild Eyes And Tender Lips (ABC-Paramount 9846) 1958 - Born Too Late / Come On Joey Dance With Me (ABC-Paramount 9934) 1958 - Seven Minutes In Heaven / Close Friends (ABC-Paramount 9969) 1959 - Early To Bed / Father Time (ABC-Paramount 9995) 1959 - Moody / Oom Pah Polka (ABC-Paramount 10027) 1959 - I'll Be Seeing You / I'll Keep Tryin'(ABC-Paramount 10047) 1960 - Before We Say Goodnight / Come Be My Love (ABC-Paramount 10077) 1960 - Who, When, And Why / Oh, My, You (ABC-Paramount 10114)
Biography :
Toni Cistone (lead), LaVerne Novak, and Karen Topinka were the original Poni-Tails. Unlike some other acts who scored big in rock, the trio of ladies didn't come from meager beginnings; they all were from Lyndhurst, OH (an upper-middle-class suburb of Cleveland where they expected children to graduate from high school, go to college, earn a degree, and become a professional; involvement in popular music was considered frivolous).
The trio began singing at Brush High School; attorney John Jewitt introduced them to music publisher Tom Illius who got the ball rolling. Illius liked a self-penned song the high schoolers wrote, "Que la Bozena," and offered to shop it around town. A deal was secured with a local label, Point Records, with Illius acting as their manager. Point released "Your Wild Heart" with the Poni-Tails tune as the B-side.
They almost charted with their first release, but Joy Layne, a Chicago singer, covered the song on Mercury Records. Layne's version zoomed to number 20 on Billboard's pop charts; her version deserved to hit, she had range and vocal dynamics that the Poni-Tails didn't possess, and she was only 15 years old. Layne was a Sandy Duncan look- and soundalike.
Tom Illius secured a deal for the Poni-Tails with Marc Records; one release resulted, "Can I Be Sure," which didn't do as well as their debut recording. Around this time, Karen Topinka's father had enough of the music business, its promises, the broken dreams, and elusive royalties, and persuaded Topinka to quit.
The Poni-Tails held auditions and chose Patti McCabe, a Regina High School student, as Karen Topinka's replacement. Through Illius, a deal got consummated with ABC-Paramount and the revamped Poni-Tails waxed "Just My Luck to Be Fifteen," which vanished from sight upon release.
Then came their claim to fame, a record that many radio stations still play today -- "Born Too Late." It was the flip side of "Come on Joey, Dance With Me," but some Cleveland DJs (Bill Randall being the most prominent) thought otherwise and played "Born Too Late," and the gamble paid off.
Subsequent ABC-Paramount recordings, "Seven Minutes to Heaven" and "I'll Be Seeing You," stiffed at numbers 85 and 89, respectively. The Poni-Tails' final recording, "Who, When, and Why," came out in 1960 and failed to chart. ABC-Paramount was not dismayed, they wanted to sign the group for five years more, but their interest in the music business waned.
The business is not for everybody, and certainly not for suburbanites with other options at their disposal. For their recording efforts, all the Poni-Tails ever received was fan mail and spending money. The lack of royalties, which undoubtablely was devored by the cost of the recording sessions, outfits, traveling expenses, and promotional costs, probably related to their decision to exit. Patti (McCabe) Barnes died of cancer in January 1989.
Toni (Cistone) Costabile worked at a high school in Shaker Heights, OH, and Laverne (Novak) Glivic works as a real estate agent in Mentor, OH, and lives by Cleveland Hopkins Airport. "The three years were fun, but I just wanted to get out of the record business and get back to normal living," stated Toni Cistone.
The girls did, however, regroup to sing their hit at the Moon Dog Coronation Ball held in Cleveland, OH, in 1997, with Herb Reed & the Platters, the Skyliners, the Drifters, and others. Andrew Hamilton
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