Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops

Posted on June 29 2011 by dion1

Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Malcolm Dodds (Lead)

Prentiss Polk (First Tenor)

Bill Glover (Baritone)

Danny Simmons (Bass)

Discography :

Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops
1957 - It Took A Long Time / Beauty And The Beast (End 1000/Roulette 90)
1957 - Fools Rush In / Can't See You (End 1004)
1958 - Tonight / Unspoken Love (End 1010/Reo 8211)
1958 - Your Voice / The Swingin' Platoon (Decca 30653)

The Tunedrops
1957 - Rosie Lee / Speak For Yourself (Gone 5003)

Tony Mitchell "Tony Passalaqua" bb Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops
1963 - Candle in the Wind / Million Drums (bb The Angels) (C A R 157)

Biography :

Malcolm Doods was born in Brooklyn, and studied classical music at NYU. He was still living in Brooklyn in the early 50s and was busy working as a musical/vocal instructor and as always was involved with choral groups in Schools, YMCAs and churches, using his real name, Malcolm Williams.

The Normanaires

It was during this period that he was approached by arranger Fred Norman, to sing in a group. Thus the Normanaires were formed, comprised of Malcolm, Dorice Brown, Bill Glover and Sam Dillworth. The group stayed together for two years, working locally, before breaking up.

1957 - The Tunedrops & Friend (Nixon Theather, Philiadelphia)

After one single with the Four Clicks, "You Lied"/"Higher Than High" in 1954, Malcolm , with Prentiss Polk, Bill Glover and Danny Simmons are featured on this first side for George Goldner's End label as Malcolm Dodds & the Tunedrops In 1957. They would have three total released on End, one on Decca and one on Gone.

Malcolm Dodds and the Tunedrops backed up Tony Passalaqua on "Candle In The Wind", when Tony recorded as Tony Mitchell on the Canadian American label at the request of Steve Lawrence's brother Bernie, head of a&r there. The group had faded into obscurityand were sustaining themselves by doing studio work Without any success, the group disgusted broke up soon and Malcolm Dodds continue recording as a solo artist.

Neil Sedaka "The King Of Clowns" background singers The Malcolm Dodds Singers

Malcolm Dodds become a composer, arranger and choir director of The Malcolm Dodds Singers; a backup group for many popular artists.

Songs :
(Updated by Hans-Joachim)

Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops


Can't See You                      Your Voice                       Tonight


It Took A Long Time                Fools Rush In                   Unspoken Love


The Swingin' Platoon        Beauty & The Beast       Rosie Lee / Speak For Yourself

The Tunedrops

Rosie Lee / Speak For Yourself

Tony Mitchell bb Malcolm Dodds & The Tunedrops

Candle in the Wind

...

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The Four Coquettes aka The Four Cal-Quettes

Posted on June 28 2011 by dion1

The Four Cal-Quettes aka The Four Coquettes

The Four Cal-Quettes (Los Angels, CA)
aka The Four Coquettes

Personnel:

Judi Hersh

Carol McConkey

Muffy Cohan

Mary Anne Lucas

Discography:

The Four Coquettes
1961 - Sparkle And Shine / In This World (Capitol 4534)

The Four Cal-Quettes
1961 - Star Bright / Billy My Billy (Capitol 4574)
1961 - I'm Gonna Love Him Anyway / Most Of All (Capitol 4657)
1962 - I'll Never Come Back / Again (Capitol 4725)
1963 - Movie Magazines / I Cried (Liberty 55549)

Biography :

The Four Coquettes formed at Los Angels, CA. Their first recordings were “Sparkle And Shine" "In This World” after they changed their name to the Four Cal-Quettes. The girls had a number of popular songs in 1961 that appeared at the top of the pop charts. They appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.

"I'll Never Come Back (Silly Boy)" is the answer song to The Letterman's hit, 'Come Back Silly Girl' and it's the last of their Capitol singles and probably their best double-sider has Jimmie Haskell's larger than life string arrangement blending perfectly with the girls' beautiful harmonies. Both Jimmie Haskell and Stu Phillips could really assemble a beautiful string arrangement.

"Movie Magazines" / "I Cried" (Liberty 55549), this 1963 release is the last of the group's five singles and the only one issued on the Liberty label. Judi Hersh, Carol McConkey, Muffy Cohan, Mary Anne Lucas cut this single at Hollywood's Gold Star Studio.

With a nod toward the sound of Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans' 'Zip-A-Dee Doo Dah', the sparse but echo laden arrangement get's a wallop of sound with a drum fill at the end of each bar of music. More than likely the girls split up after this recording to go to college or get married. Unfortunately these sweet vocal harmonies spilling out of the grooves would be the group's 'swan song' to the music biz.
http://www.unihi61.com/FourCalquettes.htm

Songs :


Again                                         I Cried                                Most Of All


                Star Bright               I'll Never Come Back (Silly Boy)

...

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The Windsors (2)

Posted on June 27 2011 by dion1

The Windsors (2) from left to right : Bob Easingwood, Ronnie King, Patsy (Tookie) Andy and Larry Namee

The Windsors (2) (Pennsylvania)

Personnel :

Ronnie King (Lead)

Patsy "Tookie" Andy (Second Tenor)

Bob Easing Wood (First Tenor)

Larry Namee (Baritone)

Discography :

1958 - Carol Ann / Keep Me From Crying (Wig-Wag 203)

Biography :

Ron King, 2nd from left , organized The Windsors doo wop singing group while still a student at Washington high School in Washington, PA. The Windsors headed to New York and cut two sides for Wig Wag Records: "Carol Ann" b/w "Keep Me From Crying." at Regent Sound Studios; the same studio at which Johnie Maestro & The Crests were recording the classic teen age anthem"Sixteen Candles.

The Windsors (2)
from left to right : Larry Namee, Bob Easingwood, Patsy (Tookie) Andy and Ronnie King

Members of the group included Ron, Bob Easingwood, Patsy Andy and Larry Namee. ventually Ron left the Windsors, learned how to play guitar and formed a band called Ronnie King and the Passions.
http://www.myspace.com/ronkingsings

Songs :

Keep Me From Crying Carol Ann

...

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Ronnie & The Relatives (1) aka The Ronnettes

Posted on June 24 2011 by dion1

Ronnie & The Relatives (1) (New York)
aka The Ronnettes

Personnel :

Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett

Estelle Bennett

Nedra Talley

Discography :

1961 - My Guiding Angel / I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead (May 111)
1961 - I Want a Boy / Sweet Sixteen (Colpix 601)

Biography :

Ronnie & The Relatives were formed in the Washington Heights/Spanish Harlem area of New York City. Sisters Veronica (aka Ronnie) and Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley first started harmonizing together as teenagers in 1959, inspired by doo wop groups like Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers and Little Anthony & the Imperials. First calling themselves the Darling Sisters, the trio also worked on their dance moves, and won the famed amateur talent contest at the Apollo Theater; afterward, they began formal vocal training.

In 1961, they were standing in line to get into the Peppermint Lounge -- epicenter of the twist dance craze -- when a manager mistook them for an act he'd booked. They performed to great response, and were quickly hired as regulars. Later that year, they appeared in the film Twist Around the Clock, and danced in shows staged by disc jockey Murray the K. They also got a record deal with the Colpix label, issuing their debut single "I Want a Boy" as Ronnie & the Relatives that year. Follow-up singles credited the group as the Ronettes, including "I'm on the Wagon," "Silhouettes," and "Good Girls," but none were anything more than regionally popular. The Ronettes caught their big break when they met Phil Spector, who saw in them talent he could mold to his specifications; he was already tiring of his association with the Crystals, substituting outside singer Darlene Love on several records credited to them.

Songs :


My Guiding Angel                   I Want a Boy


        Sweet Sixteen              I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead

...

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The Roamers

Posted on June 22 2011 by dion1

The Roamers (Jersey City, New Jersey)

Personnel :

James Ricketts (Lead)

Billy Williams (Tenor)

Sam Walton (Baritone)

Judge Taylor (Bass)

Discography :

The Roamers
1954 - Deep Freeze / I'll Never Get Over You (Savoy 1147)
1955 - Chop Chop Ching A Ling / Never Let Me Go (Savoy 1156)

Wilbert Harrison & The Roamers
1955 - Women And Whiskey / Da Dee Ya Da (Savoy 1149)

Varetta Dillard & The Roamers
1955 - You're The Answer To My Prayer / Promise Mr. Thomas (Varetta Dillard) (Savoy 1160)

Biography :

R&B vocal combo the Roamers formed in Jersey City, NJ, in 1953. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the September 1999 issue of Discoveries, the lineup comprised lead James Ricketts, tenor Billy Williams, baritone Sam Walton, and bass Judge Taylor.

Originally dubbed the Four Flames, they soon adopted the Roamers in an obvious nod to the Drifters; after unsuccessfully auditioning for Atlantic in 1954, the group signed to Savoy, making its recorded debut late that same year with the Taylor original "Deep Freeze." At the same session, the Roamers backed Wilbert Harrison on his single "Women and Whiskey," issued in early 1955; when "Deep Freeze" reached the Philadelphia area Top 20, the group went on tour, additionally hitting the road with Harrison and Latin bandleader Joe Loco.

Wilbert Harrison Varetta Dillard

In the spring the Roamers released their sophomore effort, "Chop Chop Ching a Ling," soon after backing Varetta Dillard on her "You're the Answer to My Prayer." The session proved to be their last, despite a Savoy contract that kept them tied to the label until 1958. The group continued touring with Harrison until dissolving in 1959.

Williams and Ricketts then signed to Sue as Billy & Ricky, issuing a pair of singles, "Mama Papa Please" and "How You Sound," to little notice. In 1962 the duo reunited with Walton as the Astronauts, but generated nothing beyond an unreleased demo before splitting two years later. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Roamers/roamers.html
http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/illnever.htm
http://www.answers.com/topic/roamers

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The Lovettes (2) aka The Gems (5)

Posted on June 20 2011 by dion1

The Lovettes (2) (Chicago)
aka The Gems (5)

Personnel :

Jessica Collins (Lead)

Verdine Harrison

Theresa Washburn

Dorothy Hucklebee

Bertha Watts

Raynard Miner (Pianist)

Discography :

Singles :
1962 - One More Year / The Crush (Checker 1033)
1962 - Hands Off / A Love of Mine (Checker 1053)

Unreleased :
1962 - Two Lovers (Checker)

Biography :

The Gems' career began for Leonard and Phil Chess' Chess/Checker/Cadet setup as the Lovettes (no connection to the Lovettes on Carnival Records). Marshall High School students cut two unsuccessful singles on Checker Records. Blind pianist/writer Raynard Miner was the secret Gem, and he and Billy "Roquel" Davis, either together or in other combinations, supplied nearly all their material.

1964 - The Gems

Roquel was Chess' A&R director, but despite his clout, the Gems never charted high or established a significant career. Miner accompanied them on piano, but not at all of their performances. These five beautiful girls couldn't help but wow the audience with their singing and looks; their most successful record was "I Can't Help Myself."Roquel renamed the Lovettes the Gems and switched them to Chess Records.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Crush / One More Year A Love Of Mine

...

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Kathy Young & The Innocents

Posted on June 19 2011 by dion1

Kathy Young & The Innocents (Los Angeles)

Personnel :

Kathy Young (Lead)

Al Candelaria

Darron Stankey

Jim West

Discography :

Singles :

Kathy Young & The Innocents
1960 - A Thousand Stars / Eddie My Darling (Indigo 108) 
1961 - Happy Birthday Blues / Someone to Love (Indigo 115)

1961 - Our Parents Talked It Over / Just As (Indigo 121) 
1961 - Magic Is the Night / Du Du'nt Du (Indigo 125) 
1961 - Baby Oh Baby / Great Pretender (Indigo 137)
1962 - Lonely Blue Nights / I'll Hang My Letters Out to Dry (Indigo 146) 
1962 - Dream Awhile / Send Her Away (Indigo 147)

Kathy Young
1962 - Dream Boy / I'll Love That Man (Monogram 506)

Chris & Kathy (duet with Chris Montez)
1964 - All You Had to Do (Was Tell Me) / Love Me (Monogram 517)

LPs:

1961 -The Sound of Kathy Young (Indigo 504)
A Thousand Stars / Angel On My Shoulder / Please Love Me Forever / Lonely Blue Nights / Baby Oh Baby / Eddie My Darling / Happy Birthday Blues / Sparkle And Shine / Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes) / Will You Love Me Tomorrow / Angel Baby / Someone To Love /

Biography :

Kathy Young was born in Santa Ana, California, on October 21, 1945. When she was fifteen years old, she and her mother happened to be attending The Wink Martindale Show, a daily dance program in Los Angeles.

As luck would have it, a local trio called The Innocents was performing their current hit, "Honest I Do," on the show. Afterward, when Kathy approached the group to congratulate them, she mentioned that she was a singer. Jim Lee, the Innocents' manager, as well as the owner of their record label, took one look at the photogenic teenager and invited her to come to his studio the following week for an audition.

When Kathy showed up with her mother at Lee's Indigo Records office at 3330 Barham Boulevard in Hollywood (near Burbank), she sang one of her favorite songs, "A Thousand Stars," which had originally been written and recorded six years earlier by The Rivileers, a black vocal group from Queens, New York. Kathy gave a rousing performance, but Jim Lee thought something was missing. She needed a background group to fill out her sound. And he had one: The Innocents.

The Innocents, who would eventually sing under their own name or behind someone else on almost a third of the 50 Indigo singles that Jim Lee released from 1960 to late 1962, were Al Candelaria, guitarist Darron Stankey and Jim West, three young guys from the San Fernando Valley.

They had an unusual blend of three voices harmonizing slightly off-key, backed by a reverb-heavy guitar. They had begun as a quartet, The Echoes, for the Andex label, but after the company folded in 1960, one of the members quit and the remaining trio renamed themselves after their car club, The Innocents. They recorded "Honest I Do" for producers Gary Paxton and Kim Fowley, who then sold the masters to Jim Lee at Indigo.

"Honest I Do" and its follow-up, "Gee Whiz," became national sellers (both creeping into the Top 40), but these singles were mere blips compared to the huge success of "A Thousand Stars," with Kathy Young. The song rocketed to #3, followed by two more chart records, "Happy Birthday Blues" and "Magic Is The Night."

But the demands of heavy record sales had a way of sinking tiny, undercapitalized labels, and by 1962 Indigo folded. Kathy eventually went to Monogram Records, where her voice was overdubbed onto a Chris Montez tape from three years earlier. It turned out to be a minor hit, "All You Had To Do (Was Tell Me)."

She later married John Maus of the singing Walker Brothers ("Make It Easy on Yourself") and left show business. The Innocents continued to record, first with Warner Bros./Reprise and then with Decca, but they disbanded in 1964.

http://theinnocentsmusic.com/?page_id=113
http://www.electricearl.com/dws/innocents.html
http://www.history-of-rock.com/kathy_young_and_the_innocents.htm

Songs :


Sparkle And Shine                 A Thousand Stars


Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow           Angel Baby


The Great Pretender                 Du Du'nt Du


Just As Though You Were Here        Angel On My Shoulder

CDs :

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The Guytones

Posted on June 18 2011 by dion1

The Guytones (Philadelphia, PA)

Personnel :

James Brown Robinson (Lead)

Stanley Evans (Lead)

Floyd Richards

Joe Tiggle

Arthur Hunter

Eddie Beasley

Discography :

The Guytones
Singles :
1957 - Ooh Bop Sh Ba (Give All Your Love To Me) / You Wont Let Me Go (Deluxe 6144/Delta 3003)
1957 - She's Mine / Not Wanted (Deluxe 6152)
1958 - Hunky Dory / This Is Love (Deluxe 6159)
1958 - Baby I Don't Care / Young Dreamer (Deluxe 6163)
1958 - Tell Me How Was I To Know / Your Heart's Bigger Than Mine (Deluxe 6169)
Unreleased:
1957 - Lovers And Losers (Deluxe)

Donnie Elbert bb The Guytones
1958 - Peek-A-Boo / My Confession Of Love (Donnie Elbert) (Deluxe 6161)

Biography :

In 1957, James Brown Robinson and a group of other young crooners got together in the Queen Village neighborhood and harmonized wherever they could get a location. They were heard by local DJs Cannonball and Irv Timbers, "who both loved the sonic beam of young ensemble's united voices". The DJs arranged an audition with Cincinnati's De Luxe Records. Along with co-lead singer Stanley Evans, Floyd Richards, Joe Tiggle, Arthur Hunter and Eddie Beasley, the Guytones went to New York City, where they recorded 12 sides for De Luxe.

The Guytones were greatly influenced by a popular R&B band, the 5 Royales, out of Winston-Salem, N.C. When the boys got to New York, they were given some songs to sing, besides those that they had brought with them. So they repaired to a bathroom to rehearse. But out of the session with De Luxe came such doo-wop classics as "Ooh Bop Sha Boo," "Young Dreamer," "Hunky Dory," "She's Mine," "This Is Love," and others.

The Guytones

Donnie Elbert The Guytones

In one of those nasty twists of fate, the group got a contract from Decca Records, which was looking for a Guytones-type group in 1959. But the unsigned contract accidentally was put in a closet and not discovered by the boys until it was too late. Decca hired another group. Meanwhile, James went to work for the resistor company, then at Broad and Callowhill streets, in 1957 to support his wife and seven children.

Songs :

The Guytones

Ooh Bop Sh Ba                     You Wont Let Me Go                  Hunky Dory


She's Mine                           Not Wanted                           This Is Love


     Baby I Don't Care / Young Dreamer    Tell Me How Was I To Know     Your Heart's Bigger Than Mine

Donnie Elbert bb The Guytones

Peek-A-Boo

....

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The Ebbtides (5) Ref : The Everglades (1) aka The Go-Togethers

Posted on June 17 2011 by dion1

Charles Henderson, Johnny Johnson & Dave Bell - Top : Johnny Banks

The Everglades (1) (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
aka The Go-Togethers ref The Ebbtides (5)

Personnel :

Johnny Banks

Charles Henderson

Dave Bell

Johnny Johnson

Discography :

The Ebbtides (5)
1956 - Only Be Mine / What's Your Name Dear (Teen 121)

Johnny Banks & The Everglades (1)
1961 - While Sitting In The Chapel / Do You Miss Me (BPV 112277)

The Everglades (1)
1962 - I Went To The S&S / Tell Me Pretty Baby (Brenne 502)

The Go-Togethers
1963 - Train / Time After Time (Coast 100)

Biography :

Charles Henderson began singing with fellow Ben Framklin High Scool. In 1955, Charles Henderson with Johnny Banks, Horace Adams, Robert Lee and Betty McCann formed a group, Following a year of tedious practice, Johnny Banks made the connection with Teen/Sound Records in 1956. At The Reco-Arts Studio , they cut " What's Your Name Dear" with "Only Be Mine". Appearances ensued, most arranged by manage rRobinson. The Baby Grang in Harlem, another in Reading, Pensylvania, the O.V Catto hall at 16th & Fitzwater near Center City, the Ice House in South Jersey, a sleek show at the uptown theater accompanying the Blue Notes the Channels & The Continentals..…

WDAS concert - Uptown Thheater (ca 1960)

Some years later, Dave Bell and Johnny Johnson replaced Horace Adams and and McCann. This reformed aggregation was christened the Everglades by Johnny Banks. Six years or so following their dustup with teen records, they found themselves on the doorstep of BVP Records. The Everglades cut "While Sitting In The Chapel" /" Do You Miss Me". But the BVP platter wended its way to nowhere and the group cut another record for Brenne "I Went To The S&S" and "Tell Me Pretty Baby". The group have two other songs: "Train" and "Time After Time" released one year later on the Coast Label under the strange name "The Go-Togethers".

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Ebbtides (5)


Only Be Mine                              What's Your Name Dear

Johnny Banks & The Everglades (1)


While Sitting In The Chapel                      Do You Miss Me

The Everglades (1)

I Went To The S & S / Tell Me Pretty Baby

The Go-Togethers

Train / Time After Time

...

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Johnny Aladdin aka The Pageants (3)

Posted on June 15 2011 by dion1

Johnny Aladdin aka The Pageants (3)
Johnny Aladdin

Johnny Aladdin (bb unknown group) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Pageants (3)

Personnel :

Johnny "Aladdin" Amplo

Unknown Girls Group

Discography :

Johnny Aladdin
1960 - Why Did You Go / Happy Together (Chip 1001)

The Pageants (3)
1960 - Why Did You Go / Happy Together (Goldisc 3013)

Biography :

From 1959, The Mystics and The Passions were invited to do many show . Manager Jim Gribble would use the popularity of his two group to get his other acts in show. Al Contrera from The Mystics had introduced Johnny Amplo to Jim Gribble. Johnny Amplo was sixteen years old and lived down the block from Al on 84th Street in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn and although a few years younger, would hang out with the group at Frankie and Johnny’s. One day Al suggested that he meet their manager, Jim Gribble, and audition for a recording contract. Johnny was extremely handsome, and he thought he was just what Jim was looking for. Jim Gribble became his manager and arranged a recording for him in 1960 with the songs "Happy Together" and "Why Did You Go" written by Stan Vincent and released bu Chip Records as Johnny Aladdin. Johnny in that recording was backed by an unknown group of girls. In November 1960, the single was re-released by Goldisc records under the name of The Pageants. although he didn't have any major success, he was bitten by the show business bug. Years later, Johnny Amplo changed his name to John Roper and went on to have a successful acting career in Hollywood with roles in several Alfred Hitchcock movies.

Songs :

Why Did You Go Happy Together

...

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