Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Minors

Posted on March 16 2014 by dion1

The Minors : (L to R) back: Ernesto Colon, Benny Travies, Frankin Millin. front : Raymond "Rayfall" Diaz, Yvonne Lee and Harry Hillard

The Minors (Manhattan, New York)
aka. The Excels (1)

Personnel :

Yvonne Lee (Lead)

Ernesto Colon

Benny Travies

Frankin Millin

Raymond "Rayfall" Diaz

Harry Hillard

Discography :

The Minors
1957 - Jerry / Where Are You (Celeste 3007/Mello 554)

The Excels (1)
1957 - You're Mine Forever / Baby Doll (Central 2601)
1960 - My Foolish Heart / Just You And I Together (Gone 5094)
1961 - Can't Help Lovin' That Girl Of Mine / 'Til You Were Gone (RSVP 111)

Biography :

Celeste was one of the many short-lived (A little more than one year in duration) record label which specialized in R&b and headquartered in New York City during the middle fifties heyday of Rock'n Roll. The label owned by David Levitt sign a recording contract with the Minors for a single in 1957. The Minors were Yvonne Lee, Ernesto Colon, Benny Travies, Frankin Millin, Raymond "Rayfall" Diaz and Harry Hillard . In 1957 the Minors appeared at the a apollo theater along with the Cadillacs, Crazy Cris Columbo and his "wild" Combo, Linda Hopkins, George Holmes and Spence Twins.

The Excels (1) ref. The Minors

Some months later, Benny Travies, Raymond "Rayfall" Diaz & Harry Hillard join Joe Robles & Fred Orange to form the Excels. The new group cut "You're Mine Forever" b/w "Baby Doll" for Central record with Al Browns & His Orchestra. According to Excels' member Joe Robles and Bobby Diskin, the group continued for a while and recorded several songs "My Foolish Heart", "Just You And I Together", "Can't Help Lovin' That Girl Of Mine" and "'Til You Were Gone". Their songs were released years after the group disbanded, the first two were released on Gone Records in 1960, the next two on RSVP in 1961.
Thanks to Marv Goldberg

Songs :

The Minors

Jerry Where Are You

The Excels (1)

   Baby Doll                                 You're Mine Forever


My Foolish Heart                           Just You And I Together


Can't Help Lovin' That Girl Of Mine             'Til You Were Gone

...

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The Eagle-Aires

Posted on March 15 2014 by dion1

The Eagle-Aires (Chicago)

Personnel :

Clifton Brent

Eddie Clark

Robert Lee Dunbar

Rupert Jones

Discography :

1954 - Cloudy Weather Blues / My Number One Baby (Ebony 1014/JOB 1104))
1954 - Honey-Hush / Money Honey (Ebony 1015)

Biography :

J. Mayo Williams was the most important black record executive of the 1920s and 1930s. From 1945 through 1949, he ran the Harlem label (based in New York City), and the Chicago, Southern, and Ebony label (based in Chicago). After a period of freelance producing, he reopened the Ebony label in 1952 and kept it going through the early 1970s recording the likes of Lil Armstrong, Bonnie Lee, Oscar Brown and Hammie Nixon.

J. Mayo Williams

The two records by The Eagle-Aires are Williams' only known venture into doowop. The group was first-rate, but Williams apparently didn't sustain his interest in the genre. Again, the balance between the singers and the instrumentalists is not what would ensue from an outing at Universal Recording.
http://myweb.clemson.edu/~campber/ebony.html

Songs :

Money Honey / Honey-Hush My Number One Baby / Cloudy Weather Blues

...

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The Jumpin'Tones

Posted on March 13 2014 by dion1

The Jumpin'Tones (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
ref The Raindrops (4)

Personnel :

Joe Nunez (Tenor)

Pat Zito (Bass)

Joe Wren (Baritone)

Tony Carbone (Tenor)

Discography :

1964 - I Had A Dream / I Wonder (Raven 8004)
1964 - Grandma's Heading Aid / That Angel Is You (Raven 8005)
1989 - Jingle Bell Stomp (The Raindrops) / Even Now (Avenue D 16)

Biography :

After a single for imperial, the Raindrops broke up. Joe Nunez then decided to form another group, along with his brother Pat and two other friends, Joe Wren and Tony Carbone. they often frequented a bar called the Highway Lounge, which reputedly was changing its name to the Jumpin' Lounge. The Group thus decided to call themselves the Jumpin Tones.

The Group soon found themselves a manager, WNJR disc jockey Ted Kakuk, who took them to meet Don Davis, President Of Raven Records. "I Had A Dream", the Jumpin Tones first release on Raven, followed shortly. The record was not exactly a success , but nor was it a complete commercial failure either. It did well in a few scattered areas and actually reached the N°1 slot on the Dick Baldwin show in New Jersey, where it remained on the charts for over a month.

Before the group's second Raven release, manager Ted Kakuk came up with a gimmick that, although standard today, was nothing short of outrageous at the time. He had the boys go out and purchase theatrical costumes. So that they would appear to be travelers from another world, the planet Tarnarium and adopted strange, other world, name.

Along this bizarre lines the group worked out an entire routine for their live performances, which included spots on TV with Clay Cole in 1963, in one of Cousin Bruce's popular shows at New Jersey's Palisades Amusement Park, and in numerous other shows throughout New Jersey with Danny "Cat Man" Styles. The Same year, Raven released "Grandma's Heading Aid" b/w "That Angel Is You ". Without success, the group inevitably disbanded.
Thanks to Joe Nunez JR.

Songs :


I Wonder                             I Had A Dream                    That Angel Is You


Grandma's Heading Aid             Even Now

....

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Little Man & The Victors (2)

Posted on March 12 2014 by dion1

Little Man & The Victors (2) (Canonsburg, PA.)

Personnel :

Chuck "Little Man" Marshall (Lead)

Ed Sartorie (Guitar & Vocal)

Vic Bell (Guitar & Vocal)

Mike Starek (Drums & Vocal)

Discography :

1963 - I Need An Angel / King Of The Mountain (Tarheel 064)
1964 - Smile / My Funny Way Of Loving You (Roulette 4576)

Biography :

Vocal and Instrumental group from Canonsburg formed by Chuck Marshall, Ed Sartorie, Vic Bell and Mike Starek. The boys are managed by the nationally known local singing group, "the four Coins".

The Four Coins

In 1963, they cut their first record "I Need An Angel" b/w "King Of The Mountain" for the London subsidiary label Tarheel. The group appeared on Pittsburgh TV dance party and many show around the country. The next year, they signed a recording contract with Roulette Records and cut "Smile" b/w "My Funny Way Of Loving You".

Songs :


King Of The Mountain                      I Need An Angel

Smile                                       My Funny Way Of Loving You

...

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The Ebon-Knights

Posted on March 11 2014 by dion1

The Ebon-Knights

The Ebon-Knights (St. Louis, Missouri)

Personnel :

Mack Jay Jorden

Discography :

Singles :
1957 - Poor Butterfly / The Way The Ball Bounces (Stepheny 1817)
1958 - First Date / Only Only You (Stepheny 1822)

Lps :
1958 - First Date with the Ebon-Knights (Stepheny MF-4001)
First Date/Stop The World/Only Only You/Poor Butterfly/I'm Confessin'/Do You Know/Georgia//Lonesome Road/Lover Come Back To Me/Why Don't You Happen To Me/Falling In Love/Blues In The Night/That's The Way The Ball Bounces/Numma Numma

Biography :

The Stepheny label was started in 1956 in Evanston, Illinois. The founder and president of the company was Norman Forgue. The company recorded popular, rhythm and blues and jazz. Most of the album releases were jazz and Dixieland, but a great R&B vocal group appeared on MF-4001, "First Date with the Ebon-Knights".

The Ebon-Knights

The Ebon-Knights came from St. Louis, Missouri. They only had the two singles (from 11/57 and 2/58) and the LP from sometime in 58. The Group make appearance at the Apollo Theater with Mickey & Sylvia, Billie & Lillie, the Shepherd sisters....
Thanks to Marv Goldberg

Songs :
updated by Hans-Joachim

First Date / Only Only You         Only Only You                  Poor Butterfly


Stop The World                  The Way The Ball Bounces     Numma Numma

Lonesome Road Why Don't You Happen To Me Lover Come Back To Me

I'm Confessin' Georgia Falling In Love

Do You Know Blues In The Night

...

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The Unforgettables (1) aka The Chiffons (1)

Posted on March 9 2014 by dion1

Unforgettables with Chubby Checker - L to R : M.Robinson, J. Chase, Chubby Checker, M. Gaddness and C. Robinson

The Chiffons (1) (Los Angeles)
aka The Unforgettables (1)

Personnel :

Marie Robinson

Joyce Chase

Marie Gaddness

Carlotta "Cookie" Robinson

Discography :

The Unforgettables (1)
1961 - It Hurts / Was It Alright (Colpix 192)

The Chiffons (1)
1960 - Tonight's The Night / Do You Know (Big Deal 6003/Zircon 1012)
1961 - No More Tomorrows / Never Never (Wildcat 601)
1962 - After Last Night / Doctor Of Hearts (Reprise 20103)

Biography

The Chiffons, three young ladies from Los Angeles adopted their group name two years before the Celebrated Chiffons from the Bronx, NY scored big with "She's So Fine»". The group, Marie Love, Joyce Chapel and Carlotta Robertson, had assembled while still in high school, taking the name Chiffons from a hat brand. Securing a recording session with Big Deal Records from Chatsworth, CA, the trio recorded two tracks,"Tonight's The Night", which was a cover of a present minor hit by the Shirelles and "Do You Know" (Big Deal 6003). The record charted on the KFXM chart in San Bernardino, CA. September 1960. The same month a lease deal was made with Zircon (#1012) label in Canada who wanted a piece of the action. "Tonight's The Night" caught action in Chicago, Philadelphia, Portland, Phoenix and Fort Wayne and had climbed to #76 on Billboard before the year had ended. (In July 1962, a single was released by Ginger & The Chiffons on Groove (0003), but they are a totally different group.

The Chiffons (1) aka The Unforgettables (1)

Come September of 1962, we see the release of "Doctor of Hearts" on Frank Sinatra's Reprise label backed with "After Last Night" (#20,103). The session seems to have taken place at the United Recording Studio, 6050 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, CA. Billboard gave both tracks three stars and did not comment on the music. Finally we have The Chiffons on the New York based Wildcat (#601) in October 1962. Less than two months later, "He's So Fine" was released on Laurie Records, becoming a huge hit for the New York group, so no competing Chiffons groups remained. After "Tonight's The Night">, Marie, Joyce and Carlotta recorded as The Unforgettables, having one minor chart item, " It Hurts" "Was It Alright" on Colpix 192 in 1961. With the addition of Singer Oma Head, other recordings under pseudonyms were also released.

Songs :
updated by Hans-Joachim

The Unforgettables (1)


Was It Alright                              It Hurts

The Chiffons (1)


Tonight's The Night                Do You Know                  After Last Night


           Doctor Of Hearts        Never Never / No More Tomorrows

….

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Penny & The Overtones (1)

Posted on March 8 2014 by dion1

L to R :Penny Hardison, James Boston, Dorothy Kelly - Front : Daniel Footman

Penny & The Overtones (1) (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Penny Hardison (Lead)

James Boston

Dorothy Kelly

Daniel Footman

Discography :

1958 - Walking My Baby Back Home / What Made You Forget (Rim 2021)

Biography :

Teenage singing group from the Russ Red Hook Community Center in Brooklyn. The group are formed by Penny Hardison, James Boston, Dorothy Kelly and Daniel Footman. The Group, coached by Edward Wallace cut one "Walking My Baby Back Home" b/w "What Made You Forget" for the Rim label in New York.

Songs :

Walking My Baby Back Home What Made You Forget

….

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Bobby Knotts & (the)

Posted on March 7 2014 by dion1

Bobby Knotts & (the) "Squeak's" (New York)

Personnel :

Bobby Knotts (Lead vocal)

Tom "Squeaks" Shroeder (Guitar & Vocal)

Discography :

1961 - Too Young / Oh Love (Gee Clef 077)

Biography :

Two fine boys from New York City Bobby Knotts & Tom "Squeaks" Shroder cut a single on the Gee Clef label in 1961. The First side is "Too Young" and the other "Oh Love" is an original by Bobby Knotts. Bobby is the singer and "Squeaks"play guitar, sings the vocal accompaniment and makes arrangements.

Songs :

Too Young Oh Love

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Connie McGill & The Visions (4)

Posted on March 5 2014 by dion1

Connie McGill & The Visions (1)

Connie McGill & The Visions (4) (Harlem, New York)
(The Early Years)

Personnel :

Connie Mcgill (Lead)

Raymond L. Hayes (Bass/Baritone/Piano)

Milton Turner (Second Tenor)

Henry "Slick" Hill

Richard Graves

Discography :

1962 - Take It Like A Man / My Love Will Never Change (Edge 502)
1962 - For That Great Day / I Could Never Love Another (Super 102)
1962 - I Can't Live Without You / Peace Of Mind (Super 103)
1963 - I Wanna Be Yours / Peace Of Mind (Triode 115)

Biography :

According to Marv Goldberg, at the tail end of the Packards' existence, Milton Turner, Ray Hayes and his wife Barbara were approached by Connie McGill, who was interested in forming a group. The result was a quartet called the Visions. They practiced a lot, but finally, in early 1961, Barbara Hayes left. She was replaced by Henry "Slick" Hill and Richard Graves. The first record by Connie McGIll & The Visions was "Take It Like A Man" b/w "My Love Will Never Change" for Edge in 1962. The Edge label was owned by Rim records. Milton Turner didn't last too much longer and was gone by the time of the Edge recordings . The group next cut two records for the label Super.

In 1963 Connie McGill, Raymond Hayes, Henry Hill & Roland Parker, accompanied by Roland Parker & The Strollers cut one single for the small New York independent label Triode. Connie McGill and the Visions (now a trio of Connie, Henry, and Ray) went on to record many Soul sides for many labels throughout the 60s (Toy, Camille, Edge, Goldisc, Watch, Dynamic and United International).
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Packards/packards.html
http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/cmcgill.htm

Songs :

My Love Will Never Change Take It Like A Man I Could Never Love Another

I Wanna Be Yours

...

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The Premiers (4)

Posted on March 1 2014 by dion1

Bottom (L to R) : John DePalma, Al Waldman and Lou Gaudioso - Top (L to R) : Joe Mozeff and Barry Pouls

The Premiers (4) (Philadelphia)

Personnel:

Joe Mozeff (Lead)

John DePalma (Baritone)

Al Waldman (First Tenor)

Lou Gaudioso (Second Tenor)

Barry Pouls (Bass)

Discography :

1959 - Tonight / I Think I Love You (Mink 021/Parkway 807)
1959 - Angel Love / False Love (Best 1004)

Biography :

In 1958, Barry Pouls, Al Waldman, Lou Gaudioso, John DePalma and Joe Mozeff started a group in the 8th & Ritner ward of south Philadelphia. They were three Jews and two Italians, so they called the group "the Jew-Wops". A little later they recruited Lenny Rocco to sing lead, but a short time later, he departed to launch his own tribe, Lenny & The Rocks. Joe Mozeff was shanghaied for lead chores, along with John DePalma who neatly filled the Baritone slot. Barry Pouls & Joe Mozeff quit to hook up with Lenny & The Rocks as support singers, then they come back. They Changed their name to the Premiers.

Clockwise from noon : Joe Mozeff, Lou Gaudioso, John DePalma, Al Waldman

Their new manager, Joe (Chappy) Casalnova arranging an audition with local honchos Johnny Maderra and David White, who liked what they heard and herded them into Reco Arts studio pronto. Two melodies "Tonight" and "I Think I Love You" penned by Maderra and White were etched in the early spring of 1959. The single is released on the Mink label but Cameo showed some interest in the Mink record and released the single on the Parkway subsidiary.

Top : Barry Pouls - Bottom (L to R) : Al Waldman, Lou Gaudioso and John Francesco

Six months elapsed and the Premiers lumbered into the studio once again, but this time there was a new wrinkle- two females were hired to pump up the supporting vocal, to add some excitement.This aggregation warbled "Angel Love" and "False Love" into the microphones. A couple of months later it leaked out on the Best Label. DePalma and Joe Mozeff left the the group and with a new singer named Johnny Francesco the Premiers make some appearance around the country.

Songs :


Tonight                                    I Think I Love You


Angel Love                                                    False Love

...

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