Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Distants

Posted on May 3 2010 by dion1

The Distants (Detroit, Michigan)

Personnel :

Richard "Strick" Street (Lead)

Otis Williams

Melvin Franklin

Elbridge "Al" Bryant

James Crawford

Discography :

The Distants
1960 - Come On / Always (Northern 3732 / Warwick 546)
1960 - All Right / Open Your Heart (Northern 3732/Warwick 577)

Richard Street & The Distants (GM Eddie Kendricks)
1962 - Answer Me / Save Me From This Misery (Thelma/Harmon 1002)

Biography :

The Temptations included members of two local Detroit vocal groups: from The Distants, second tenor Otis Williams, first tenor Elbridge "Al" Bryant and bass Melvin Franklin; and from The Primes, first tenor/falsetto Eddie Kendricks and second tenor/baritone Paul Williams (no relation to Otis). Four of the Distants became members of the world-renowned Temptations, the most popular male recording group ever. They began as Otis & the Siberians with a lineup of Otis Williams, Elbridge "Al" Bryant, James Crawford, Arthur Walton, and Vernard Plain. Detroit DJ Bill Williams discovered them singing at a hop and became their manager, and helped get them their first recording opportunity "Pecos Kid" b/w "All of My Life" for another DJ, Senator Bristol Bryant's label. Williams had little time and no managerial skills, and Bryant had no inclination to promote the record outside of Detroit; so they switched to Johnnie Mae Matthews' Northern Records.

The Primes

The single never took off outside the local Detroit market, and the Siberians changed their name to The El Domingoes shortly afterward. At this time, more changes took place. Montgomery, Alabama native Melvin Franklin replaced Arthur Walton as the bass singer and Franklin's cousin, Detroit-born Richard Street, replaced Vernard Plain as lead singer. The group soon signed with Northern Records, run by Johnnie Mae Matthews, who renamed the group The Distants. The Distants recorded two singles for Northern, "Come On" (1959, featuring additional background vocals by the Andantes), and "Alright" (1960).

The original early 1960s Temptations lineup. Clockwise from top right:
Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, and Elbridge "Al" Bryant.

Between these two releases, Albert "Mooch" Harrell replaced Pee-Wee Crawford. "Come On" was a local hit for the Distants, and the Warwick label picked the record up for national distribution. After the release of "Alright", Matthews appointed Williams the group leader, and the group was renamed Otis Williams & the Distants. Though Otis Williams had a pleasant, but unremarkable, lead voice, he organized the group and so became the defacto leader, as he would later with the Temptations.

Songs :

The Distants

Come On Always

All Right Open Your Heart

Richard Street & The Distants

Answer Me Save Me From This Misery

...

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The Four Winds (6) aka The Teamates (3) aka The Brooks Four

Posted on May 1 2010 by dion1

The Four Winds (6) (Bound Brook, New Jersey)
aka The Brooks Four aka The Teamates (3)
(By Robert Paladino)

Personnel :

Bob Dileo (Lead & Second Tenor)

Frank Giaretta (First Tenor)

Frank Delisi (Baritone)

Bob Paladino (Lead, Bass & Baritone)

Discography :

The Brooks Four
1962 - I'm Not Good Enough For You / I'll Be Faithful (Sinclair 1007)

The Four Winds (6)
Single:
1963 - Playgirl / Jennifer (Felsted 8703 /Derby 10022)
Unreleased :
1963 - A chance To Live

The Teamates (3)
Single:
1964 - Calendar Of Love / I Say Goodbye (Lemans 006/006)
Unreleased :
1964 - Darlene (Lemans)
1964 - Sadboy (Lemans)

Biography :

The Brooks Four was formed in Bound Brook Highschool in 1960. All four members were Italian/American friends living within 6 blocks of each other, in Bound Brook, New Jersey, USA. We had 2 Franks (Frank Giaretta 1st Tenor, Frank Delisi, Baritone) and 2 Bob's (Bob Dileo, 2nd Tenor, Lead Singer, Arranger, Songwriter, myself ,Bob Paladino, Bass/Baritone, Lead Singer, Songwirter, ). Hence our name The Brooks Four! We practiced alot, realized that our voices blended well, and sang for school talent shows, private parties, etc. We were attracting adults and musicians who recognized that we could sing 4 part harmony. As teenagers we sang with big bands, (At the Rutgers University Military Ball, we performed alongside the Duke Ellington Band. We performed original songs written by local adult composers, and guest stared with my brothers band in NJ nightclubs. In 1961, we entered the battle of the groups in New York City hosted by renowned disc-jockey, "Murray The K". We placed in the top 20 finalists singing a 4 part harmony song called "It's a blue World", a vocal jazz standard, not a rock'n roll song!

The Four Winds (6) aka The Teamates (3) aka The Brooks Four

Bob DiLeo and I composed "I'll Be Faithful" in 1962 and sang it for Vinny Catalano, producer for Sinclair Records. We recorded for V. Catalano, and that same night he produced "Your my Coney Island Baby", by the Excellents. They got the hit record, and we did not. However, Bob DiLeo and I arranged "I'll be faithful" with a great falsetto and harmony introduction, that was cut from the record by V. Catalano, I felt it was a major mistake on his part. In 1963 we recorded under the name "The Four Winds" for Felsted Records, Jennifer , and Playgirl (written by Mike Paladino, my brother). Playgirl received a red bulllet sure hit potential) by Billboard Magazine in early November, in about 2 weeks Pres.

The Four Winds (6) aka The Teamates (3) aka The Brooks Four
Vinny Catalano

John F. Kennedy was assasinated, and "the music stopped", and when it resumed, our record was shelved! In 1964 we recorded for LeMans Records under the name The Teamates. We recorded "Calendar of Love" (on youtube) written by my brother Mike, and "I say Goodbye", written by me. We did the first live color TV broadcast from the NY Worlds Fair with the Shangrilas, Joe Williams, Ronnie Dove, etc. We then did The Clay Cole TV Show from NYC with Jimmy Clanton, Gary U.S. Bonds, etc. Shortly thereafter, we started to play instruments, and get bookings in seaside resorts. In 1965 we had an audition set up for the Lawrence Welk TV show, and despite this prospect, Bob Dileo decided to try and make it as a solo performer.

The Four Winds (6) aka The Teamates (3) aka The Brooks Four

He had Bob Marcucci, Frankie Avalon & Fabians manager representing him. He had many opportunities, but to this day, he still performs in local nightclubs. 1n 1968 I wrote, produced and performed on 2 Motown type songs entitled "You don't love Me"and "Where were You" (both on youtube). The Studio owners were Tony Bongiovi (Jon Bonjovi) uncle, and Tony Camillo. Tony Camillo arranged the strings/horns for both sides, took my record to Motown, as part of his portfolio of arrangements, and became a " Grammy winner arranger/conductor" for Gladys Knight. I always hoped that The Brooks Four would reunite! In 2006, Frank Giaretta passed away!

Upper left is Bob DiLeo, Upper right is Bob Paladino
lower left is Frank Giarett and lower right is Frank Delisi

Notes :

Here are a few notes about Darlene and Sadboy unreleased demos by The Teamates, in 1964. Both songs were written by Robert Paladino and vocally arrranged by Bob DiLeo of the Teamates. The demo's were recorded in the same timeline with the released record (Calendar of Love, I Say Goodbye), using the same studio (Stea Phillips, NYC), same music arranger (Charles Calello), same Engineer (Gordon Clark). It should be noted that the exact same staff and studio were utilized by Frankie Vallie/Four Seasons for most of their long list of hit records in the 1960's. Listeners may be able to hear a similarity between the style of the Seasons and that of The Teamates on these two selections. The Teamates on many occasions would perform at Record Hops, or on Television, and would sing Calendar of Love (A Side), and encore with Darlene, instead of I Say Goodbye, which was the released B side of the record. These songs are made available through an old demo that Robert Paladino kept for the last 46 years.

A Chance To Live (Unreleased)
Song written by Tom DeCillis (US Disc Jockey) called "a chance to live". We recorded this as the Four Winds in 1964 for Nick Massi and Tom DeVito of The Four Seasons. It was for the Leukemia Foundation and was never released.

Robert Paladino
The Brooks Four

Songs :

The Brooks Four

I'll Be Faithful (My favorite Doo Wop) I'm Not Good Enough For You

The Four Winds (6)

Jennifer Playgirl A Chance To Live

The Teamates (3)

Calendar Of Love I Say Goodbye

Darlene Sad Boy

...

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