Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Four Vibes

Posted on September 9 2010 by dion1

The Four Vibes (New York)

Personnel :

Charles Hargro (Bass)

Discography :

1962 - You're All I Live For / You Got Soul (Swa Ray 1001)

Biography :

This is Charles Hargro reprising the sound of his doo wop group the Vibraharps from Buffalo,N.Y. He had moved to New York city when he did this single.

Songs :

You're All I Live For You Got Soul

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Posted on September 5 2010 by dion1

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The Marquees (2)

Posted on September 3 2010 by dion1

The Marquees (2) (Washington, D.C.)

Personnel :

Reese Palmer (First Tenor)

Marvin Gaye (Second Tenor / Baritone)

James Nolan (Second Tenor / Baritone)

Chester Simmons (Bass)

Discography :

The Marquees (2)
1957 - Wyatt Earp / Hey Little School Girl (Okey 7096)

Billy Stewart bb The Marquees (2)
1957 - Billy's Heartaches / Baby You're My Only Love (Okey 7095)

Bo Diddley bb The Marquees (2)
1959 - I'm Sorry / Oh Yeah (no group) (Checker 914)

Biography :

Not to be confused with the Marquees on Grand, the Marquees on Len, the Marquees on Daysel or the Marquees on Warner Brothers, these Marquees recorded for Okeh in 1957. From Washington D.C. they consisted of Reese Palmer (first tenor), Marvin Gaye (second tenor/baritone), James Nolan (second tenor/baritone) and Chester Simmons (bass).

They played local shows, sometimes with the addition of Peasie Adams who introduced them to Bo Diddley who was living in D.C. at this time. They were soon signed by Bo's manager Phil Landwehr who landed them Columbia Records' Okeh subsidiary. They cut Wyatt Earp and Hey Little School Girl at their first session at CBS Building on Broadway on 25th September 1957.

They were backed by Bo and his band and it was beautiful. Hey Little School Girl is an up tempo jiver with a deadly combination of extreme-doowopping and a crack r&b band. Palmer takes the lead vocals and he's so full of life but the star of the show for me is Simmons with his "bbbrrrrmmm's". Jerome Green sparkles on maracas and there's a tasty sax solo in the middle. Okeh weren't impressed by the recording of Wyatt Earp so they sent them back to the studio on November 12 to re-record it with Bo's band.

Bo Diddley Billy Stewart

Simmons is again the star turn and the guitar solo is hot as well - anyone know if that's Mickey Baker? Despite good reviews the song went no-where and the Marquees left both Okeh and Phil Landwehr. Chester Simmons became a driver and valet for Bo Diddley and through this managed to persuade Harvey Fuqua of the Moonglows to come on board and from there the dynamics of the group changed constantly including become the new Moonglows for Fuqua. I think it's fair to say that Marvin Gaye went on to bigger things but he never went to anything better than Okeh 4-7096, a rock 'n' roll gem

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Marquees/marquees.html

Songs :

The Marquees (2)

Wyatt Earp Hey Little School Girl

Billy Stewart bb The Marquees (2)

Baby You're My Only Love

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The Dixie Belles aka The Tonnettes (2)

Posted on September 1 2010 by dion1

The Dixie Belles (Memphis, Tennessee)
aka The Tonnettes (2)

Personnel :

Mary Hunt

Mildred Pratcher

Shirley Thomas

Discography :

Singles :
1963 - Down At Papa Joe's / Rock, Rock, Rock (Sound Stage 7 2507)
1963 - Southtown U. S. A. / Why Don't You Set Me Free (Sound Stage 7 2517)
1964 - New York Town / The Beat Street Dog (Sound Stage 7 2521)

LP :
1963 - Down at Papa Joe's (Sound Stage 7 SSS-15000)
(Down At) Papa Joe's / Bo Weevil / Telling Lies / Why Don't You Set Me Free / Good Night Irene / Way Down Yonder In New Orleans / Bourbon Street Parade / Forever Forever / Swanee River (Where They Rock All Night) / Rock Rock Rock / I Told You So /Southtown U.S.A.

Biography :

The Dixie Belles were an American girl group briefly popular in the early 1960s. The Dixie Belles are The Tonettes who recorded two singles for the Stax Records subsidiary Volt in 1962. Their best-known single, "(Down At) Papa Joe's", hit #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 late in 1963, and the follow-up, "Southtown U.S.A.", hit #15 early in 1964. Both these songs were produced by Bill Justis, and released on Sound Stage 7 Records, a division of Monument Records.

On record (at least for their first single, "(Down At) Papa Joe's"), The Dixie Belles were in fact all members of the all-white Anita Kerr Singers. An all-black touring group was assembled for publicity, promotion and live dates; this touring group may also have sung on some of the later recordings credited to the Dixie Belles.

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, the Dixie Belles touring group had all previously sung backup in various capacities. A full-length Dixie Belles album was released, but a third single ("New York Town") failed to hit the Hot 100, peaking at just #119 on Billboard's "Bubbling Under" chart.

Shortly thereafter, their contract with Sound Stage 7 ended and they never released another single. Several members of the touring group later turned up in The Charmels, a group that recorded four non-hit singles for Stax between 1966 and 1968.

Songs :

Southtown, U.S.A.                   (Down At) Papa Joe's          Rock, Rock, Rock


Why Don't You Set Me Free       New York Town

Cd :

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