1962 - Mama's Boy / Yours Truly (Gone 5134) 1963 - No Lies / Open House Party (Josie 906)
Biography :
The Four Seasons released their first single in 1961 ("Bermuda"/"Spanish Lace" on Gone Records). The single did not chart. The group began working with producer Bob Crewe as background vocalists, and sometimes leads under different group names like the Kokomos. Both singles by the Kokomos on Gone and Josie records are the 4 Seasons with a different lead singer added in there. Frankie Valli is also in there, as he can be clearly heard on all 4 songs.
Possible lead singers are: Bob Crewe / Matthew Reid / Kevin McQuinn or John Corey (aka: Johnny Saber) or yet another anonymous voice - no one seems to know. But positively it is the 4 Seasons with a Bob Crewe production.
Singles : 1960 - Everything's Gonna Be Alright / Four Lonely Nights (Lake 703) 1960 - Satisfied - Part I / Satisfied - Part II (Lake 705) 1960 - A Very Special Birthday / I Believe In St. Nick (Laurie 3078) 1961 - I Gotta Go / Singing Waters (Laurie 3088) 1961 - Baby Come On Home / Poppa Said (Laurie 3105) 1962 - Life Line / Where Have You Been (Josie 45 894)
This group was of mixed gender and all were neighbors living in or near St. John’s Place in Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn in 1959. The quartet consisted of Jean Reeves, Arnita Arnold, William Jordon and Bobby Bowers. They practiced their combination of street-corner harmony and church gospel anywhere they could.
Word spread of the foursome until a young bartender at Queenie’s Bar in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn got wind of them. The barkeep, Windsor King, had been a first tenor with the ‘40s gospel group the Royal Sons of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who came to New York in 1948 and became The 5 Royales R&B group in the ‘50s. King emerged as both their writer and their new lead singer. With their smooth sound, they agreed on the name The Cashmeres. To Lake Records, the group recorded their first disc. This did nothing. Their second Lake disc, "Satisfied," did so well that it had to be leased out for better distribution. The Cashmeres were eventually brought to Laurie by Lake management. This turned out to be a poor decision, as none of their Laurie discs did anything. They were next brought to Josie. Again nothing doing. Lake management took them all over but realized no success anywhere.
Songs :
Everything's Gonna Be Alright Four Lonely Nights Satisfied - Part 1 & 2
A Very Special Birthday I Believe In St. Nick Singing Waters
Single: 1955 - Cha Cha Baby / Gloria My Darling (Danice 801) Unreleased: 1955 - To Be (Danice)
Biography :
After The third Crickets group broke up, Freddy Barksdale and J.R. Bailey formed the The New Yorker's Five with lead Rocky Smith, baritone Shelly Dupont and second tenor Johnny Darren.
Later 1955, their lone single, "Cha Cha Baby'/"Gloria My Darling", was issued on Danice Records based; Flap's Record Shop on 125th Street. Bobby Spencer, also sang with The New Yorker's Five .
(Clockwise from top) Joan Paulin, Betty Lloyd, Gail Houston, Jean Marie Johnson.
The Percells (Long Island, NY)
Personnel:
Gail Jones (Lead)
Jean Marie Johnson
Joan Paulin
Betty Lloyd
Discography :
1963 - What Are Boys Made Of / Cheek To Cheek (ABC 10401) 1963 - Look At That Guy / Hully Gully Guitar (ABC 10449) 1963 - My Guy / Boyfriends (ABC 10476) 1964 - The Greatest / I Stand Alone (ABC 10516)
Biography :
The Percells formed in Long Island, NY by singer Gail Jones (while still in high school) and Jean Marie Johnson, then added Joan Paulin and Betty Lloyd to the group. When Pete Antell and his songwriting partner John Linde heard the Percells at Ultra-Sonic Studios in Long Island, they sensed they had found an act they could mould into the new Crystals or Shirelles.
The Percells seated Joan Paulin, Jean Marie Johnson, Gail Jones and Betty Lloyd. Standing : John Lindle, Stoney Jackson and Pete Antell
After months of practise they began to make a name for themselves singing at local venues, opening for Lenny Welch on one notable occasion. Sorties into Manhattan to record demos resulted in them taping a radio promo for DJ the Magnificent Montague. On seeing the group's first release 'What Are Boys Made Of' sitting pretty near the Top 50 in the spring of 1963, they must have felt that their instincts had been right
The success of their debut 45 earned the Percells a spot on American Bandstand, plus bookings at Shea Stadium and the Apollo in Harlem, where they shared the bill with Ruby & the Romantics, the Chiffons, the Chantels and Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans... None of the Percells four records made any inroads commercially. Gail Jones has been active as a gospel singer since the 1980's, and while the others have fond memories of their time as Percells, their professional singing days ended in 1964.
The Camelots (2) (Coney Island, New-York) aka The Harps (2)
Personnel :
David Nichols (Lead/First Tenor)
Joe Mercede (First Tenor)
Milton Pratt (Lead/Second Tenor/Baritone)
Elijah Summers (Baritone)
Julius Williams (Bass)
Discography:
The Camelots (2)
Singles: 1963 - Your Way / Don’t Leave Me Baby (AAnko 1001) 1963 - Sunday Kind Of Love / My Imagination (AAnko 1004) 1963 - Don’t Leave Me Baby / [The Letter]* (Crimson 1001) 1963 - Pocahontas / Searchin’ For My Baby (Ember 1108) 1964 - Don’t Leave Me Baby / Love call (The Ebonaires) (Cameo 334) 1964 - Dance girl / That's my baby (By the Suns) (Time Square 32/Relic 541) 1965 - Chain of Broken Hearts / Rat race (The Bootleggers) (Relic 530) 1967 - Your Way / I Wonder (Dream 1001) *Credited to The Camelots, but the group is actually The Blue Notes (Lost Records)
Unreleased: n/a - Music To My n/a - Strange Love n/a - Love Sickness n/a - Moments Of Love n/a - No One Can Take Your Place n/a - Time n/a - Farewell My Love n/a - Peace Of Mind n/a - Darling, How Long
The Harps (2) 1964 - Marie / Daddy's Going Away Again (Laurie 3239)
Biography :
The five teens began harmonizing at a local YMCA in the late ’50s and by 1962 had attracted the attention of producers/managers Bill and Steve Jerome, who arranged a deal with the local Aanko record label. The boys’ role models included The Heartbeats and The Miracles. They were looking for a name as they traveled to Manhattan for their first recording session. The question was solved when they stepped out of the subway station onto 42nd Street and saw a billboard right in their path advertising the new hit musical Camelot. Presto! The Camelots sounded just right to them.
Their first single (1963) was a reworking of the Heartbeats’ “Your Way” and received a degree of airplay in the New York area but was treated more like an instant oldie because of its 1950s type sound.The first real success of The Camelots was “Pocahontas” on the Ember label in 1964, telling the story of the Indian maiden in a doo wop/R&B setting and taking it to several cities’ charts. The Camelots then played Harlem’s Apollo Theatre with The Temptations and The Contours. Curiously, “Pocahontas” became their only single for Ember, though that same year they did record an excellent neo-gospel-flavored a cappella rocker called “Don’t Leave Me Baby” for Cameo. In 1964, the group recorded an original a cappella ballad, “Dance Girl,” for the Times Square label, and when Relic Records bought that company out “Dance Girl” and “Chain of Broken Hearts” were issued as singles. Both were popular with oldies and a cappella lovers in the tri-state area. In 1964, they signed a contract with Laurie records and Recorded as the Harps the two sides "Marie" and "Daddy's Going Away Again" . By the mid-’60s the group had separated, giving in to the “British invasion.”
The Cupids (6)
The Cupids: Lenny Colton (Lead), Henry Jensen, Nicky Hughes and Danny Hughes enjoyed a big Hit with "Brenda" (First Issued on Aanko and leased to KC) but their career came to a sudden halt with the death of Lenny Colton, their lead singer. This caused hardly a bother to their record company. Typical of the times, they simply took one of their other groups and gave them the name.
The Camelots, David Nicholas , Milton Pratt , Joe Mercede , Elijah Summers and Julius Williams from Coney Island got a free ride as the Cupids on the strength of "Brenda" but they were already quite popular as the Camelots and later did well as the Harps.
Songs :
The Camelots (2)
Your Way / Don’t Leave Me Baby Sunday Kind Of Love My Imagination
Pocahontas Dance girl Chain Of Broken Hearts
I Wonder Music To My Ears Strange Love
Love Sickness Moments Of Love No One Can Take Your Place
The Newport (3) (Queens, New York) aka The Exzels aka The Essentials (2)
Personnel :
Dennis Grey (Lead)
Jimmy Pace
Artie Ross
Ronnie Pomerantz
Stan Novack
Discography:
The Essentials (2) Unreleased : 1959 - Teenage Sweetheart 1959 - Me And My Gal
The Newports (3) Singles : 1962 - If I Could Tonight / A Fellow Needs A Girl (Kane 007/ Guyden 2067)
 1964 - Tears / Disillusioned Love (Guyden 2116) Unreleased : 1961 - Go To Sleep My Little Girl 1963 - Love Me With All Your Heart 1963 - Hands 1963 - Faith 1963 - I'll Never Stop Loving You
The Exzels Single : 1962 - Canadian Sunset / Hit Talk (other group) (Cross Fire 101)
Biography :
Like so many other groups, The Newports, from Queen New York, were fortunate to have a few record releases. The Original group started back in 1958-59 and was know as the Essentials. From this group Ray Russel would eventually join both Shelly Buchansky and Frankie Fox, both Essentials/Newports for a Short While, and become members of Vito & The Salutations after the groups release "Gloria". Jimmy Pace having the opportunity to leave as well, chose to stay with the Newports and try for that elusive hit record, Along with jimmy is Artie Ross, who grew up in Manhattan.
There he sang in neighborhood with Tony Orlando's 5 Gents, Dennis & the Explorers and Nickie North & the Citations. They added Stan Novack Ronnie Pomerantz and Lead Dennis Grey. The Group recorded some tunes for Dave McRae ,Kane records' owner.
"If I Could Tonight" and "A Fellow Needs A Girl" was released on Kane 007. The songs were re-released on Guyden 2067 but went nowhere. In 1962, Bobby King, a record store owner who had the Cross Fire label release "Canadian Sunset" under the name of The Exzels.
In 1962, there were some more personnel changes with Joe Reinlieb on Lead and Mike Perricone. The Newports and his new singers were brought into the studio to do some recording. "Tears" & "Disillusioned" Love were released in 1964 on Guyden 2116.
Songs :
The Essentials (2)
Teenage Sweetheart
The Newports (3)
If I Could Tonight A Fellow Needs A Girl Disillusioned Love
Tears Love Me With All Your Heart Faith
Hands I'll Never Stop Loving You Go To Sleep My Little Girl
The Cognacs 1960 - Charlena / Heaven Only Knows (Roulette 4340)
The Twisters (1) 1960 - Turn The Page / Dancing Little Clown (Capitol 4451)
Little Guy & the Giants (1) 1960 - So Young / It's You (Lawn 103)
Biography :
In 1960, Arthur Crier and Harold Johnson formerly of the Mellows added Buddy McRae (of the Chords) and Bobby Spencer (of the Crickets) and surfaced under the Cognacs. With Carl Spencer instead of Bobby, they are the Twisters on Capitol. Arthur Crier, Harold Johnson, Carl Spencer, and Al Cleveland are Little Guy & the Giants (1). Shortly after, Arthur Crier and Harold Johnson formed another group with J. R. Bailey (1st tenor) and Al Cleveland (baritone) called the Halos. http://www.uncamarvy.com/ArthurCrier/arthurcrier.html
In 1960, Bobby & the Bengals, a group of young men from Massillon have made a record on a national Label. Feb. 6. the Black and white recording firm has issued "Double Rock" and "No Parking" by the local singers. "Double Rock" is a rock 'n roll number and "No Parking" comes under the calypso category. The Lead singer is Bobby Herring, 17, a junior at Washington High School and a member of the choir and football and basketball teams.
Other members of the group are Sonny Herring the brother, Julius & Al Myricks, Richard Kirkland and Jerry Allen. Allen also is a student at Washington High, He is a former football player and member of the rack team, Sonny Herring and Julius Myricks are employed at the Massillon city hospital. Kirkland works the George Waikem Ford Co. and Al Myricks is employed by the Republic Steel Corp. The Group organized in September of 1959. Bobby & The Bengals appeared at the Wadsworth recreation center and the following night at Heidelberg college. Other engagements including a March of Dimes show in Wooster, an appearance on WAKR-TV, Akron. and on the Dick Clark American Bandstand the February 12, 1960.
Singles: 1957 - You're The Girl For Me / Born To Be Lonely (Starfire 107) (1981) 1957 - Potential So And So / Who Do You Love (Starfire 111) (1981)
Lp : 1957 - Dedicated To You (Starfire 1001) (1981) Potential So And So / Hey Little School Girl / Born To Be Lonely / Why Do You Love / You Send Me / You're The Girl For Me / God Bless You / Potential So And So (acapella) / You're The Girl For Me (acapella) / Othela / Born To Be Lonely (acapella)
Biography :
This group formed in 1957 while stationed with the US Army in Hawaii. They recorded with producer Bob Bertram (of 'Susie Darlin’' by Robin Luke fame) for his Hawaii-based International label in the late 1950s. Unfortunately, The Lucky Charms recordings were never released. Shame Bertram pushed Robin and left the Lucky Charms on the shelf.
Master tapes of the sessions were sold and subsequently released on a Starfire LP in 1981. Ira Johnson - lead, Larry Richardson - 1st Tenor, George Richardson - 2d Tenor, Harold Wells - Baritone & Edwin Cyrus - Bass; These five GI's from Schofield Barracks hit some fine notes. The Lucky Charms opened for Elvis Presley in Honolulu who loved the Lead singer Ira Johnson.
Songs :
You're The Girl For Me / Born To Be Lonely God Bless You
Hey little School Girl Potential So And So Who Do You Love
1953 - My True Love / No More (Rainbow 233) 1956 - Believe In Me / In The Morning (Steamboat 101)
Biography :
The group formed around 1951 and was from Greenburg, New York, which is, located about one mile from White Plains. The members at various times included James Brabham, Charlie Drew, Donald Sledge, Charlie Sharrock, Clifford James and Ray Roberts. Sledge was in the service when the record was made. They were just kids hanging around her neighborhood in Greenburg, NY listening to groups like the Orioles, Cardinals and Clovers. They tried to sound like them and after awhile , they needed a name so we came up with a ‘bird name’, the Swans.
Clifford James
By 1953, they were playing some clubs in New York City and met Lover Patterson. Patterson was a “jack-of-all-trades” in the New York music scene. He was connected to Eddie Heller’s Rainbow Record Company where he helped the Swans obtain a contract. Brabham stated that he wrote “My True Love” along with Ray Roberts and also collaborated on the flip side “(Ain’t Like That) No More”. He also divulged that Ray Roberts was the lead singer on “My True Love” and that there was some unfinished material at Rainbow Records.
Lover Patterson Doc Robinson (The Master-Tones)
“My True Love” was released on Rainbow number 233 in Dec. 1953. The record went nowhere evidenced by no information about the group or the record in Billboard Magazine’s 1953 or 1954 clippings. Doc Robinson from the Master-Tones , Charlie Drew, and James Bradham joined a resurrected Swans group, along with Charlie Sherock and Ray Roberts. They spent their time rehearsing a couple of songs ("Believe In Me" and "In The Morning"). http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/~mirror/WPHS/LostLegendsOfRythymAndBlues.htm http://www.uncamarvy.com/MasterTones/mastertones.html
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