Bobby Davis (bb The Big "3" Trio) 1959 - I Was Wrong / Hype You Into Sellin' (Your Head) (Bandera 2505)
Bobby Davis and The Big "3" Trio 1960 - One Love Have I / She's A Problem (Bandera 2508)
Biography :
Bandera was a small Chicago label launched by Vi Muszynski, and her son Bernie Harville, with money Muszynski made off one of her biggest discoveries, the Impressions. The label released a variety of music in the late '50s and early '60s, from hillbilly and rock, to blues and gospel.
Vi Muszynski
Bobby Davis and The Big "3" Trio recorded the song "One Love Have I" and "She's A Problem" in two different styles: once as a blues and once as a Rhythm'blues / Doo wop, but the blues' version were previously unissued track, and only the Rhythm'blues / Doo wop tracks are released on Bandera 2508. This leave another question : were the Big"3" trio the vocal group? Probably not : Jody "Guitar" Williams played just that, Bob Walton played bass and Loretta Taylor Played Drums.
Davis started his career as bassist with ZuZu Bollin, moving on to tour as one of Rosco Gordon's ensemble, before joining up with Albert Collins in Houston touring with him as either drummer or bassist. At The tail end of the 50s he pitched up in Chicago and formed his band. Bobby Davis and The Big "3" Trio had one earlier release on bandera 2505 which coupled the Chicago blues sides "I Was Wrong" and "Hype You Into Sellin'". Bobby Davis would go on to record for M-pac, Firma and as Bobby Cool for Expo From Bandera Doo Wop
Charlie DiBella, Paul Albano, Tony Basile, Joe Barselona
The Boyfriends (3) (Brooklyn, New-York) aka The Five Discs
Personnel :
Eddie Parducci（Lead）
Paul Albano（First Tenor）
Tony Basile（Second Tenor）
Joe Barselona（Baritone）
Charlie DiBella（Bass）
Discography :
1964 - Let's Fall In Love / Oh Lana (Kapp 569)
Biography :
In 1961, The Five Discs with their new lead singer John Carbone and new bass Charlie DiBella cut two singles for Calo & Cheer records. ‘Never Let You Go’ was the last single to feature Carbone, as Eddie Parducci of the Delvons took his place. Trying for a change of luck, the group became the Boyfriends, releasing a solitary single on Kapp Records titled "Let’s Fall In Love" b/w "Oh Lana"".
Top : Paul Albano,Charlie DiBella - Bottom : Joe Barselona, Tony Basile
By 1965, DiBella, Albano, and Basile had seen enough; with replacements the group became Parducci (lead), Donnie LaRuffa (first tenor), Frank Arnone (second tenor), and the ever-present Barsalona (baritone). In 1968 (two years before Tony Orlando gave up publishing for stardom as Tony Orlando and Dawn) the Five Discs/Boyfriends became Dawn on Rust for a remake of Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me.
The Velvetones (2) (Los Angeles) aka The Velvitones
Personnel :
Eddie Lewis (Tenor/Lead)
Bryant Whitfield
Vernon Garrett
Tommy Williams
Discography :
The Velvitones 1959 - A Prayer at Gettysburg / Little Girl I Love You So (Milmart 113)
The Velvetones (2) 1957 - Glory Of Love / I Love Her So (Aladdin 3372) 1957 - I Found My Love / Melody Of Love (Aladdin 3391) 1960 - My Every Thought / Little Girl I Love You So (Aladdin 3463)
Biography :
Early in 1957, Eddie Mesner of Eddie and Leo Mesner's Aladdin Record Company, decided to cut a vocal group rendition of "The glory of love," a re-worked song dating back to Andy Kirk, made popular in 1949 by Larry Darnell in its original form then entitled "I'll get along somehow." For the session Mesner rounded up Bryant Whitfield and four other L.A. singers creating a kind of "thrown together" crew, a practice common in those days.
Three of the other four singers are Vernon Garrett (the same as had a hit with "Without you" on Ventura in 1969) , Eddie Lewis who sang lead and took care of narration and Tommy Williams. All other Aladdin titles are by a Velvetones group comprised of other singers. However the group released a single on the Milmart label in 1958. The name of the group is spelled differently due to a typo on the Milmart pressing. They are the Velvitones with "Little Girl I Love You So" (from the aladdin 3372) and "A Prayer at Gettysburg" with Eddie Lewis at the narration.
Songs :
The Velvetones (2)
Glory Of Love I Love Her So I Found My Love
Melody Of Love My Every Thought Little Girl I Love You So
The Corvairs (4) (Newport News, Virginia) aka The West Siders
Personnel :
Joe Shepard (Tenor)
Nelson Shields (Second Tenor)
Prince McKnight (Tenor)
Ronald Judge (Baritone)
Billy Faison (Bass)
Discography :
The Corvairs (4) Singles: 1962 - True True Love / Hey, Sally Mae (Comet 2145) 1963 - I Don't Wanna Be Without You Baby / Girl With The Wind In Her Hair (Leopard 5005) 1966 - Swinging Little Government / Love, Love My Friend (Columbia 43603) 1966 - Ain't No Soul (In These Old Shoes) / Get A Job (Columbia 43861) Unreleased: 1966 - The Grass Will Sing For You (Columbia) 1963 - Because I Love You (aka Don’t You Know) (Leopard)
The West Siders 1963 - Don't You Know / No Tears Left For Crying (United Artists 600/Leopard 5004)
Biography :
When The Leaders split ,Burton, Alston, and Simpson continuing on as the Three Voices while Judge and Shields relocated to New York City, forming the Corvairs with tenors Joe Shepard and Prince McKnight along with bass Billy Faison. In 1962 the Corvairs signed to the Comet label to release their Dave "Baby" Cortez-produced debut single, "Hey, Sally Mae".
The record quickly disappeared, and a year later the group resurfaced on Leopard with "No Tears Left for Crying," mistakenly credited to the Westsiders. When the single was subsequently licensed to United Artists, the label further muddied the waters by calling the group the West Siders, and for reasons no less mysterious, their next Leopard release, "I Don't Wanna Be Without You Baby," restored the Corvairs moniker.
(The Corvairs 1961) Top : Faison, Shepard and Shields - Botom : Judge and McKnight
Faison exited the lineup in 1965, with bass Edgar Brown appearing on the Corvairs' next effort, the 1966 Columbia release "Swinging Little Government." When the follow-up, "Ain't No Soul (In These Old Shoes)," flopped, the group split.
Top : Al Douglas - Bottom : Art Iwan & Bill Bigger
The Three Twins (Bloomington, In)
Personnel :
Al Douglas (Tenor & Bass/Piano/vibes)
Art Iwan (Baritone & Violin/Bass)
Bill Bigger (Tenor/Baritone & Guitar/Bass)
Discography :
1955 - Oh Baby Doll / I Want A Shoulder To To Cry On (Kahill 1001) 1955 - You'll Do It Someday / The Willow Weeps (Kahill 1004) 1958 - All My Dreams / His (Banana 512)
Biography :
Vocal & Instrumental group from Bloomington, Al Douglas, Art Iwan and Bill Bigger are the Three Twins. These lads hail from the midwest. Art Who plays the violin, drums and bass attended North western University where he got his Masters Degree in Violin. As for Bill, he's the "twin" who plays guitar and bass Came by his Masters degree in voice and composition at Illinois Wesleyan University. Al is the lad you see at the piano when he is not also playing bass and the He had the same education as Bill.
In 1955, They have recorded their arrangements with Kahill records and released "Oh Baby Doll" b/w "I Want A Shoulder To To Cry On" (Kahill 1001). The record was very popular in the region and The trio make their home in Chicago when they aren't playing the states "live". They appeared on television and radio. In 1957, The Group won an Arthur Godfrey Talent Show.
(L to R) Al Douglas, Bill Bigger and Art Iwan
A few months later, armed with their success kahill released a new single: "You'll Do It Someday" b/w "The Willow Weeps" on Kahill 1004. For nearly four years the trio toured throughout the country and cut another singles in 1958 "All My Dreams" b/w "His" on the Banana Label.
Singles : 1955 - Cha Jezebel / Don't Leave Me Now (Capitol 3332) 1956 - Trust In Me / Round And Round (MGM 12338)
Unreleased : 1955 - That's All There Is To That (Capitol) 1955 - Times Two I Love You (Capitol) 1956 - Clock Of Love (Capitol) 1956 - Let Me Shake The Hand (Capitol) 1956 - I Adore You (Capitol) 1956 - I Never Cared Before (Capitol) 1956 - Louise Louise Louise (MGM) 1956 - That's Why I Love You (MGM)
Discography :
The Notes as being from Philadelphia and consisting of Ray McElwain (first tenor), Boyd Beks (second tenor), Dave Wilson (baritone) and Clarence Beks (bass). The group members all grew up in Philadelphia and went to school together. They got together in 1953 and were all 23 years old (with the exception of Clarence Beks) in 1955.
The Group recorded in 1955 under the name the Four Notes. They recorded twelve songs, four were recorded independently and sold to Capitol in December 1955. Four more were recorded for Capitol on March 2, 1956. Four more were recorded for MGM on August 17, 1956. Of the twelve songs recorded by The Notes, six were written by Clyde Otis! http://www.classicurbanharmony.net/
Rick & The Masters (5) 1962 - Flame Of Love / Here Comes Nancy (Taba 101/Cameo 226) 1962 - Bewitched Bothered And Bewildered / A Kissin Friend (Haral 778) 1962 - Let It Please Be You / I Don't Want Your Love (Cameo 247)
Billy Lane (bb Rick & the Masters) 1961 - Space Ship Blues / Beginner In Love (Rick & the Masters) (Taba 201)
Billy Lynn (bb Rick & the Masters) 1961 - Only One For Me / Little Pony Tail (Amy 820) 1962 - Barbara / Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (Cr 1001)
Bobby Young (bb Rick & the Masters) 1963 - Only Girl For Me / To Each His Own (Guyden 2087)
Bobby Rydell (bb Rick & the Masters) 1962 - Remember Then / Up On The Roof (not them) (Cameo 104) 1962 - Butterfly Baby / Love Is Blind (not them) (Cameo 242) 1962 - That's My Desire (Cameo LP-1006)
Lee Andrews (bb Rick & the Masters/The Hearts/The Dreamlovers) 1963 - I'm Sorry Pillow / Gee But I'm Lonesome (Parkway 860)
Johnny Greco (bb Rick & the Masters) 1963 - Rocket Ride / Why Don't You Love Me (Pageant 602)
Johnny Maestro (bb Rick & the Masters) 1963 - Over The Weekend / I'll Be True (not them) (Cameo 256)
Don Covay (bb Rick & the Masters) 1963 - Popeye Waddle / One Little Boy Had Money (not them) (Cameo 239)
Biography :
In the early '60s, Mike "Teardrops" Silenzio needed a lead singer for the doo-wop group he was putting together. Mike attended South Philadelphia High School and he was chums with Fabian Forte, Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and other kids who would go on to stellar singing careers, and he knew what he was looking for. His group, the Masters, consisted of Mike himself as second tenor, baritone Richie Finizio (Richie was a cousin to South Philly Legend Bob Finizio of the 4 J's.), his cousin Frank "Tweetie" Condo as first tenor, and a clutch of others who were semi-members and hangers-on. But he didn't have a true lead singer. It wasn't until after a stint in the Navy that Mike found who he was looking for - Tony "Rick" Trombetta.
Rick originally had a solo act where he used his mother's maiden name "Rigiano", so he called himself Rick Rigiano and decided to stick with Rick. And the Masters became Rick & the Masters. The group had to make a record to further its career, and it was Billy DiMuro who gave it the opportunity when he started Taba Records. Jim Cunningham and Billy DiMuro wrote "Flame Of Love". Billy also recorded with the group doing back-up vocals on several releases under the name Billy Lynn and Billy Lane.
In actuality, Billy's real name was Trombetta, one of the Tony's Brothers. "Flame of Love' emerged from Taba's portals in 1962, and was immediately scooped up by Cameo Records when it showed sales potential. Another release by the group under the name Bobby young, was actually Tony's younger Brother Bobby Tombetta. On " To Each His Own", Bobby shared the lead with older brother Tony. Jack "Rocky" McKnight of the Four Epics arranged this. The group's next effort as Rick and the Masters came out on the Haral Label. Jack "Rocky" McKnight again arranged "Bewitched Bothered And Bewildered ".
The Group's final release under their name came on the Cameo Label. Cameo really liked the Guys using them several times to do back-up for such artists as : Bobby Rydell, Johnny Greco, don covey, Johnny Maestro and Lee Andrews.
Songs :
Rick & The Masters (5)
Flame Of Love Bewitched Bothered And Bewildered A Kissin Friend
Let It Please Be You I Don't Want Your Love Here Comes Nancy
Billy Lane (bb Rick & the Masters)
Beginner In Love
Billy Lynn (bb Rick & the Masters)
Only One For Me Little Pony Tail Barbara
Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
Bobby Young (bb Rick & the Masters)
Only Girl For Me To Each His Own
Bobby Rydell (bb Rick & the Masters)
Remember Then Butterfly Baby That's My Desire
Lee Andrews (bb Rick & the Masters/The Hearts/The Dreamlovers)
Rudy Greene & The Four Buddies (2) 1955 - You Mean Everything To Me / [Rudy Greene - Highway No. 1] (Club 51 103)
Bobbie James The Four Buddies (2) 1955 - I Need You So / [Bobbie James - Baby I'm Tired] (Club 51 104)
The Four Buddies (2) 1955 - Delores / Look Out (Club 51 105)
Biography :
This group was formed in 1952, most of the members attending the same two high schools (Tilden or Phillips High School). They rehearsed and practiced for two years and played many local clubs and church functions during that prerecording period. Jimmy and Sam Hawkins were cousins and despite the name Four Buddies, the group appeared as a quintet.
Only when they started to record was the name Four Buddies used more frequently. It is believed that Club 51 did this to capitalize on the name Four Buddies (Savoy). It also explains why their photo shows five members and calls them the Four Buddies
They had tenor Donald Ventors replacing Sam Hawkins. Soon after this, Ventors was replaced by Irving Hunter. In 1956, they finally recorded their total output for Club 51 ; however, most of their work was as backup for single artists Rudy Greene ("You Mean So Much to Me") and Bobbie James ("I Need You So"). Lack of success led to disillusionment, disinterest, and eventual breakup. http://www.uncamarvy.com/Buddies/buddies.html http://myweb.clemson.edu/~campber/club51.html
Chase Canfil (& Gene Paul) 1959 - Woke Up This Morning / I Had A Dream Last Night (Dart 110) 1959 - Show Me The Way / When Are You Coming Home (Dart 130)
Chase & Gene 1960 - Good Loving / Bye Bye (Dart 146) 1963 - I Ran / I'm Through Foolin' (Hall-Way 1911) 1964 - I Need Love / You're Everything To Me (Sugar 1001)
Biography:
(By Gene Paul) Chase Canfil and Gene Paul met up in a honky-tonk on the highway out of Port Arthur Texas (also home of Janis Joplin, who became an intimate friend of Gene Paul when she was still in high school). Gene Paul was really a jazz pianist, recently discharged from the USAF, who wound up in the area when an $8 bus ticket got him to Texas. Chase Canfil and Gene Paul started talking At Stewart’s Club, they started hanging out, visiting all the joints in the area, picked out 4 black musicians from other bands, and started our own group: Chase & Gene.
photo of the group, 1958
Chase (Charles, Chas. Chase) was a barber, always ‘calculating’ – later, they cut our first record in an empty store front, and it was really sloppy. The main side was a song Chase had written, “I Had a Dream” and they got it on tape, amd then realized every record had two sides, so they made up one on the spot. Gene started with a piano riff that he ‘borrowed’ from a Stan Kenton album, and Chase made up words, and this is the side most people like, “Woke Up This Morning”.
They then got a manager, Bill Hall, who also managed The Big Bopper, and later Johnny Preston, both friends of Gene and Chase. They cut their Dart's record in Memphis, they were supposed to do it at Jerry Lee Lewis’ brand new studio, but they couldn’t get the sound and they went across town late at night and made the record at The Hole In The Wall studio, which was owed by Cowboy Jack Clement, who later produced “Ring of Fire” with Johnny Cash.
Chase & Gene Chase and Gene had to drop the black mixed band after a year… got too difficult, with a mixed race band… cops gave us a bad time… they could not work across the state line in Lousiana, where one of the biggest and best-paying honky-tonks was – it was against state law for mixed races to appear on the same stage at the same time. They went through maybe 5 or 7 bands, eventually cooling down to a quartet playing a private dinner club up until the end in ’64.
The Hollywood Argyles 1960 - Alley Oop / Sho' Know A Lot About Love (Lute 5905) 1960 - Gun Totin' Critter Named Jack / Bug-Eye (Lute 5908) 1960 - Hully Gully / So Fine (Lute 6002) 1960 - Unemployment / same (Paxton 200) 1961 - See You In The Morning / The Morning After (Finer Arts 1002) 1963 - (My Real Boss) Bossy-Nover / Find Another Way (Felsted 8674) 1965 - Long Hair, Unsquare Dude Called Jack / Ole' (Chatahoochie 691)
The New Hollywood Argyles 1966 - Alley Oop í66 / Do the Funky-Foot (Kammy 105)
Gary Paxton (Hollywood Argyles Inst.) 1961 - You've Been Torturing Me / The Grubble (Paxley 752)
Lp:
1961 - The Hollywood Argyles (Lute 101) Alley Oop / Hully Gully / Honky Tonk / Yakety Yak / Sho' Know A Lot About Love / The Bug Eyed Man / So Fine / You're Ruinin' My Gladness / The Way I See It / You'll Always Be My Darling / Gun Totiní Critter Named Jack / The Lost Ranger
Biography :
The Hollywood Argyles was a group assembled after a record, ‘Alley-Oop’, had already been released under that name. The song was written by Dallas Frazier and recorded by vocalist Gary S. Paxton and producer Bobby Rey while Paxton was a member of the Arizona-based duo Skip And Flip.
Skip And Flip
Because that duo was contracted to Brent Records, and ‘Alley-Oop’ was issued on Lute Records, the name Hollywood Argyles was created for the occasion, named after the intersection where the recording studio was located, Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Street.
The recording was made with Gaynel Hodge -piano,Ronnie Caleco-Drums,Harper Crosby on bass. Sandy Nelson was also in the studio and as they already had a drummer he bashed garbage cans and screamed a lot. Background vocals were Dallas Frazier,Buddy Mize,Scotty Turner and some girl called Diane.
When this became a hit, Paxton put together a Hollywood Argyles group. They were a six man group of Hollywood writer, producers and studio musicians comprising Gary Paxton, Bobby Rey, Ted Marsh, Gary Webb, Dear Weaver and Ted Winters. This ended up being their only hit.
(1965-The touring group ) Ted Marsh, Deary Weaver, Marshall Leib, Gary “Spider” Webb, Bobby Rey and/or Ted Winters
Further singles by the Hollywood Argyles, on such labels as Paxley (co-owned by Paxton and producer Kim Fowley), Chattahoochie, Felsted and Kammy failed to reach the charts. Paxton later started the Garpax label, which released the number 1 ‘Monster Mash’ by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett. http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/hollywood_argyles.htm http://garyspaxton.net
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