Curtis Walden, Ronald David Smalls & Kenneth Edward Greene
The Blenders (4) (Orange, New Jersey)
Personnel :
Curtis Walden Jr.
Ronald David Smalls
Kenneth Edward Greene
Farrar
Peters Jr.
Discography :
1959 - Angel / Old Mac Donald (Wanger 189)
Biography :
Ronald David Smalls was born on September 27, 1942 in Orange, New Jersey. What a gift he was to be born on his father’s birthday. Ronald attended the public schools of East Orange, graduating from East Orange High School in 1961. He was actively involved in sports and music. Ronald played three instruments in the band. He played on the East Orange All-State Champion Football Team and he was a champion Javelin Thrower. In 1958, with High School friends, Curtis Walden Jr., Kenneth Edward Greene, — Farrar and — Peters Jr. they form a vocal group called The Blenders.
Curtis Walden Ronald David Smalls Kenneth Edward Greene
The five boys compose two songs “I Fell In Love With An Angel” and ”Old Mac Donald”. The Blenders pass an audition with Castino Queen of C&M Records. C&M Records was a small recording company operating out of a storefront at 439 Pennington Street in nearby Elizabeth, NJ..The owners of C&M were Castino Queen and Mary Linkowich, hence the “C” & ”M”. Castino Queen liked the two songs and recorded them in New York. “Angel” and ”Old Mac Donald” came out on the Wanger Label, a C&M subsidiary in Avril 1959. The C&M/Wanger label ran into financial diffiulties and finally closed its doors in the early 1960’s.
Single: 1962 - Betty My Own / Forever Love (Herald 569)
Unreleased : 1958 - And When I'm Near You (Reco-Art) 1958 - In The Still Of The Night (Reco-Art) 1959 - I Promise To Remember (Sound Plus) 1959 - Gee But I'd Give The World (Sound Plus)
Biography :
The street corner music in South Philly in early 1957 was very simple, almost every corner had 4-6 guys harmonizing. On the corner of 20th and Moore, Ernie Funaro, Anthony Perri and John Donato, were no different than the rest. They were raw and had little, if any experience. Anthony Perri - "Perri" to his friends, decided the group needed his 13-year-old cousin Anthony Maresco. Even at this tender age, Tony was a gifted talented singer with a beautiful voice. So was born "Tony & The Teens".
The Dynamics
It was now 1958 and the group's sound was born. They were curious see how they would sound professionally, so they went into a local studio and recorded two sides; "Zoom" and "In The Still Of The Night". By this time the group took the name Tony & The Dynamics. Soon the group would enter the studio. This time a more professional demo was cut using a full band for back up. "I promise to Remember" and "Gee, But I'd Give the World" was the result.
Anthony & The Sophomores
It was at this session that they came to the attention of a songwriter who had written some tunes and his artist backed out of the session. With the tracks already down, the group went to his house to learn the songs. The end result being placed with Herald records in 1959 "Betty My Own" B/W "Forever Love" became the first professional release by the group released under the name Dynamics featuring Tony Maresco. Some internal problems caused Tony Maresco to leave the group. He now formed the Twiliters, and in 1961, Tony & The Twiliters had two releases on Red Top and its subsidiary Jalynne. Tony and the Dynamics also disbands because John had left the group to meet his military responsibilities. John had now come back from the military and Tony put the original Dynamics group back together and became later Anthony & the Sophomores.
Singles: 1963 - I Want To Know / My Need (Success 109)
Lps : 1963 - Only For Teenagers And Swinging Adults (Success LP 1011MX) I Want To Know / My Need
Biography :
The Extensions are two sisters and a brother with another boy.The Extensions were signed with a newly founded record company Success Records. Success Records was formed by Victor Laslow and their office was on 6th ave., in Des Moines, Iowa. In the summer of '63, the Blendtones, The Martinels, The Extensions went on a very successful tour on the West Coast.
Upon completion of the tour, it was suggested that an album be produced featuring all of the artists that were currently signed with the company. Hence, the album Only For Teenagers And Swinging Adults was born.
The Two Sweethearts (Cleveland, Ohio) aka Dottie And Millie
Personnel :
Dottie Haynes
Millie Weaver
Discography :
The Two Sweethearts 1955 - True Love Is Missing / If You Asked Me (Groove 0122)
Dottie And Millie 1966 - Talkin' About My Baby / Nothing In This World (Topper 1014)
Biography :
The gals are Dottie Hayes and Millie Weaver and they've been singing together from 1953, making their name a household word among theatre-goers around the nation. The act really got started when Dottie's father. The well known Cleveland producer Billie Hitt, overheard the girls harmonizing together in their dressing along with swing artist Bea Booze and Ruth Brown. Billie pricked his ears sensed that they really had something there, and organized them into a quartet known as the Coppertones.
The Two Sweetheart Dottie And Millie
The group only worked together a short while when miss Booze returned to Night-Clubs and theater dates as a single as the See See Rider Girl and Ruth went to New York to appear at a Greenwich Village club. Dottie And Millie stuck together and changed their name to the Copperettes which they have now incorporated as a business partnership. After many appearances the girls recorded "True Love Is Missing" and "If You Asked Me" on the Groove label, the single was released as The Two Sweethearts . 11 years later, the girls recorded again, they were known as Dottie & Millie on Topper.
1958 - Chapel Of Love / Cool School (Original Sound 1)
Biography :
Also in 1958, responding to the need to make extra money, Bobby Adams who have left The calvanes after their last single on Dootone joined a newly formed Group, called the "Hitmakers". The group also consisted of Val Poliuto, 1st tenor, of the "Jaguars," Rodney Gooden, with two other singers. Original Sound Released "Chapel Of Love" b/w "Cool School" by the group in the summer 1958. Original Sound is a Los Angeles, California-based record label. It was founded in the early 1950s by KPOP deejay Art Laboe. It began as a small label that specialized in compiling and re-releasing "oldies" R&B and rock 'n' roll songs.
Art Laboe
"Chapel of Love" was recorded and became a hit song on the west coast, which was led by Rodney Gooden. Bobby Adams sang the non-lyrical chant at the beginning and. ending of "Chapel." Adams was also the bass singer during the middle of the song. The flip side was "Cool School" . After a few "gigs" the racially integrated "Hitmakers" went their separate ways.
(The Tones) L to R : Kenny Cubicotti, Larry D'Angelo, Billy Hebert and Jimmy Avachini.
Little Sammy & The Tones (4) (Philadelphia) aka Little Sammy Rozzi & The Guys (1)
Personnel :
Sammy Rozzi (Lead)
Kenny Cubicotti
Larry D'Angelo
Billy Hebert
Jimmy Avachini
Discography :
Little Sammy & The Tones (4) 1962 - Christine / Over The Rainbow (Jaclyn 1161)
Little Sammy Rozzi & The Guys (1) 1963 - Christine / Over The Rainbow ( (Pelham 722)
Biography :
Vocal group from from 13th and Wharton in Philadelphia consisted by Kenny Cubicotti, Larry D'Angelo, Billy Hebert and Jimmy Avachini. At that time they just caled the "Tones".Larry D'Angelo went to school with Frank Pescatore, stage name (Dean Randolph) for 12 years. it was Frank who suggested to the group to make a new version of "Over The Rainbow". Kenny Cubicotti wrote the song "Christine" and Frank showed them the different parts and harmony to the song.
Dean Randolph
Unfortunately, Larry D'Angelo was drafted into the army before the Tones entered the studio to record the two songs. Sammy Rozzi replaced Larry. The Group recorded the two songs into the A.M.S. Recording Studio at 17th & Jackson in South Philadelphia and the single was released by Jaclyn in 1962. Shortly after the release of the single, the Tones broke up. It was minor hit in the Delaware Valley, getting plenty of action, especially on pop stations like WIBG. In 1963, Pelham Records reissued the single as by Little Sammy Rozzi & The Guys.
Mel Sasso, Rochell Henderson, Johnny Wyatt and T.C. Henderson
Rochell & The Candles (1) (Los Angeles, California) (By Hans-Joachim)
Personnel:
Rochell Henderson (Lead & Tenor)
Johnny Wyatt (Lead & First Tenor)
Mel Sasso (Tenor)
T.C. Henderson (Bass)
Discography
Rochell & The Candles (1) 1960 - Once Upon A Time / When My Baby Is Gone (Swingin' 623) 1961 - Hey, Pretty Baby / So Far Away (Swingin' 634) 1962 - Beg Of My Heart / Squat With Me Baby (Swingin' 640) 1962 - Each Night / Turn Her Down (Challenge 9158) 1963 - Big Boy Pete / A Long Time Ago (Swingin' 652) 1963 - Let's Run Away And Get Married / Annie's Not An Orphan Anymore (Challenge 9191)
Johnny Wyatt (& Group) 1963 - One Night With You / Goodnight (Swingin' 643)
Biography
The curiously named Rochell and the Candles were an all-male black vocal group, formed in 1958 in Los Angeles, by Rochell Henderson (lead and tenor), Johnny Wyatt (lead and first tenor), Mel Sasso (tenor) and T.C. Henderson (bass). The two Hendersons were not related, but both came originally from Louisiana. Wyatt was a Texan and only Sasso was an L.A. kid. The foursome played clubs until they had enough original material to record.
Four tracks were recorded in the backyard studio of Ted Brinson (a professional bass player who can be heard on most of Larry Williams's early Specialty recordings) in Watts, where at least two major 1950s hits had been recorded, "Earth Angel" by the Penguins and "Western Movies" by the Olympics. The group took their demos to Hunter Hancock of KGFJ, then one of the hottest R&B deejays in L.A. Hancock had started his own label, Swingin' Records in 1959 and scored a hit with "There Is Something On Your Mind" by Big Jay McNeely.
Hancock tested out their song "Once Upon A Time" on his show by playing their acetate and the studio phones started ringing immediately. Released in October 1960 on Swingin' 623, "Once Upon A Time" slipped into Billboard's Hot 100 in February 1961, eventually reaching # 26. The feminine sounding lead on this doowop number was by Johnny Wyatt. The record was not in keeping with the group's image : not only was Rochell not the lead, "Rochell" wasn't even a girl. The group got plenty of work out of their hit, but when both follow-ups flopped, the group switched to the Challenge label in 1962.
Rochell Henderson Johnny Wyatt
On "Every Night" they were backed by the Champs, but this ballad didn't sell either, in spite of a good Billboard review. Their best record came in 1963, but it never stood a chance, as it was not even the A-side. "Annie's Not An Orphan Anymore" (Challenge 9191, written by Dave Burgess of the Champs) was a mid-tempo rocker that confounded its 1963 release date by harking back to an earlier era, with a "fat" sax sound. It was co-produced by Gary Usher and Mike Borchetta.
T.C. Henderson, Rochell Henderson, Johnny Wyatt, Johnny Wyatt
The A-side was what you could call a proto-funk recording, "Let's Run Away And Get Married", that crashed on takeoff. Four older cuts were released in 1963 on two singles, including an odd arrangement of "Big Boy Pete", before the Candles were snuffed out. Johnny Wyatt went on to record as a solo vocalist and had releases on Challenge, Magnum and Bronco. Jay Warner writes in his otherwise excellent Billboard book of American singing groups (1992) that he was the leader of the soul group Johnny and the Expresions, but that was Johnny Matthews. Johnny Wyatt died in December 1983 at the age of 45. Rochell and the Candles were a typical one-hit wonder group with an atypical image. Dik (Black Cat Rockabilly Europe) http://www.doowopy.de/old/02page/C/eCandles.html - http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/jwyatt.htm http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/rochell_and_the_candles.htm
Songs :
Rochell & The Candles (1)
Once Upon A Time Beg Of My Heart When My Baby Is Gone
A Long Time Ago So Far Away Hey, Pretty Baby
One Night With You Each Night Big Boy Pete
Lets Run Away And Get Married Annie's Not An Orphan Anymore Squat With Me Baby
Single : 1960 - ??? (Variety Records) 1960 - ??? (Liberty Records) 1979 - I Could Never Love Another / Good Old Acappella (Rogue 1001)
Lp : 1979 - The Enchantments Present Acappella (Rogue 1000)
Biography :
Tom DeSantis was born and raised on Doowop in Queens, N.Y. Tommy started singing in the subways and hallways in 1958 with a group of local kids called The Velveteens composed by Tommy DeSantis (Baritone), John Colwell (First Tenor), Ray Sharpe (Lead) and Jerry Garramone (Second Tenor). In late 1959 Tommy left the group to start a new group called The Enchantments recording for Variety, and Liberty records in the early 60's. Unfortunately, impossible to find these singles, maybe that they have never been released. After a short breakup of the original Enchantments they reformed in 1970. The group performed, and toured throughout the 1970's until Tommy moved to S.W. Fla in 1979.
The Velveteens (1959) The Enchantments (1969)
With Sal Cangialosi (Lead), John Mannino (First Tenor), Moe Ferrari (Second Tenor), Tom de Santis (Baritone) and Frank Amico (Bass), The New Enchatments recorded two songs on the Rogue record label "I Could Never Love Another" b/w "Good Old Acappella" and a LP "The Enchantments Present Acappella". In 1984 the birth of a group known as 'City Streets' occurred after two years and a few member changes the group name became 'The Uptown Express'.
The Diadems (Pittsburgh, Pa) aka The Torches aka The Rhythm Rascals
Personnel :
Cleveland "Butch" Martin (Lead)
Earl Thompson (First Tenor)
Robert Thompson (Second Tenor)
Jerry Hill (Baritone)
Jimmy Mitchell (Bass)
Discography :
The Diadems 1961 - What More Is There To Say / Ala Vevo (LaVere 187) 1963 - Why Don't You Believe Me? / Yes I Love You Baby (Star 514) 1964 - I'll Do Anything / Goodnight Irene (Goldie 715)
Jerry Hilton & The Diadems 1964 - Dancing On Moonbeams / My Little Darling (Goodie 207)
The Torches 1965 - Darn Your Love / No I Won't (Ring-O 302)
The Rhythm Rascals 1965 - Why Do You Have To Go / Girl By My Side (Sonic 117)
Biography :
The Diadems got together as a gang of ten Homewood pre-teens in 1953, organized by Cleveland "Butch" Martin (who was blind, though it never hindered his ability to sing or write a song) and Earl Thompson. They called themselves the E l Moroccos.In 1956, the core of the act formed up. Martin was the lead, and was backed by Earl Thompson (first tenor), Jerry Hill (baritone), Alvin Allsberry, Gerald Johnson and Arlene Gore. Allsberry and Johnson left in 1958, and Gore in 1959. They were replaced in the lineup by bass Jimmy Mitchell and Earl's brother Robert, a second tenor that was singing with the LaRells. The revamped group renamed themselves the Countdowns.
They didn't find any angel to back them in Pittsburgh as far as a recording deal went, so they motored to the Big Apple in 1960 and met up with Teacho Wiltshire, of the Tin Pan Alley label. They did a demo of a Top Notes song called "Shake It Up Baby," and Wiltshire wanted them to stay in NYC to record it. But the boys were grown up now, and headed back to Pittsburgh, where their girls were.
Can't beat that home cookin'! They became the Diadems, and recorded "What More Is There To Say" b/w "Ala Vevo" in 1961 on LaVerve #187. Wiltshire didn't forget about them. He called and asked them to come back to New York to cover "Shake It Up Baby," but they were under contract to LaVerve and passed. The Isley Brothers didn't; they recorded the tune as "Twist And Shout." They were that close.
The following year, they signed on with Joe Averbach's Fee Bee label, and released some wax for his affiliates. "Why Don't You Believe Me?" b/w "Yes I Love You Baby," (Star #514), written by the group, was released in 1963, and "Dancing On Moonbeams" b/w "My Little Darling," was issued on Goodie #207 in 1964, with Jerry Hilton on lead.The Diadems quickly followed with the doo-wop Martin-Thompson song "I'll Do Anything" b/w "Goodnight Irene" (Goldie #715) the same year. Buddy Sharpe and the Shakers, local rockabilly legends, provided the musical track behind them. That was the last hurrah for the Diadems. Jimmy Mitchell took ill, and the group disbanded for a bit. They came back as the Torches in 1965, and became the Rhythm Rascals in 1966, http://oldmonmusic.blogspot.fr/search/label/diadems
Songs :
The Diadems
What More Is There To Say Why Don't You Believe Me
Lou Mac bb The Palms 1955 - Slow Down / Baby (Lou Mac) (Blue Lake 114)
The Palms Single : 1957 - Edna / Tear Drops (United 208) Unreleased : 1957 - One More Time (United) 1957 - Love Is No Thing to Play With (United) 1957 - I Knew I Had a Chance (United) 1957 - Dianne (United)
Artie Wilkins and The Palms 1957 - Darling Patricia / Please Come Back (Artie Wilkins) ((States 157)
Five Palms 1957 - Little Girl of Mine / Tear Drops (States 163)
Biography :
The Palms were one of those bands who, despite a lot of talent, never really had the opportunity to shine. Based on the West Coast of Chicago, they all attended Creiger and Crane High Schools. The Palms were Wilbur Williams (lead) Willie Young (tenor) M.C. Ward (bass) O.C. Perkins (second tenor) Murrie Eskridge (first tenor and sometimes lead). They recorded two sessions, in February and April 1957, from which the company drew two sides for a lone single release on United U-208 "Edna." a Latin-beat ballad, and "Teardrops." The second single "Little Girl Of Mine" coupled with "Teardrops", which they recorded as The Five Palms on State Records.
The Sheppards (2)
The two singles were released in early 1957, and despite a certain local audience, none became a hit. The Palms were a prolific band at United, but with two poorly distributed recordings, the opportunity for success was not there. Only two members (O. C. Perkins and Murrie Eskridge) eventually became members of the excellent group The Sheppards, formed by members of The Ballads and The Bel Aires, led by producer Bill Sheppard, hence the name of the group. At both sessions, the Palms were accompanied by the Lefty Bates band, Williams "Lefty" Bates (guitar) Red Halloway (tenor sax) Horace Palm (piano) Quinn Wilson (bass) Paul Gusman (drums).
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