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The Classmates (5)

Posted on by dion1

The Classmates (5)

The Classmates (5) (Duarte, CA.)

 

Personnel :

Chester Hickman

Darrell Smith

Gary Smith


Discography :

The Classmates (5)
1960 - High School / Don't Make My Cry (Marquee 101)
1960 - Until Then / Pretty Little Pet (Marquee 102)

Chester Hickman & The Classmates (5)
1961 - Don't Make Me Cry / Pretty Little Pet (Marquee 102)

 

Biography :

Vocal group from The San Gabriel Valley of Duarte CA. know as The Aladdins. They were an interracial group and have 16 when they formed their singing group with Darrell Smith (Tenor) & Gary Smith (Bass) who were white and Chester Hickman who was black (the usual lead singer in the group). Gary was from Monrovia High '59. Darrell and Chester were from Duarte High '61. They appeared on the Rocket To Stardom and Twilight Time TV Show.

 

They were signed to Marquee Records and recorded in Culver City four songs. Marquee Records put two 45s by The group under the name of the Classmates. The Classmates’ two records were “Don’t Make Me Cry” b/w “High School” (Marquee Records 101) and “Until Then” b/w “Pretty Little Pet” (Marquee Records 102).
http://www.myspace.com/chesterhickman



Songs :

   
Pretty Little Pet                              Until Then

      
High School                                    Don't Make My Cry

 

 

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The Monterays (1) aka The Del Royals (3)

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The Monterays (1) aka The Del Royals (3)
The Monterays (1963) Vic Spina, Anthony "Jr" Vizzari, Jay Ferrara  and Jimmy..?

The Monterays (1)  (Bronx, New York)
aka The Del Royals (3)


Personnel:

Anthony "Jr" Vizzari

Jay Ferrara (Baritone)

Anthony Biletto (Second Tenor)

Al Diaco

Ercote Gaudioso "Echo"

 

Discography :

The Monterays (1) aka The Del Royals (3)
Unreleased :
1961 - It's Much Better
1961 - Romeo & Juliet
1961 - Playing The Game
1961 - Two Lovers
1963 - Lilly

Al Romeo (Al Diaco)
1963 - Moonlight Becomes You / Hot Fudge Sundae (Laurie 3177)

 

Biography :

After the Treble Chords of "Teresa" fame had finally broken up in 1961, Anthony DiBari joined Ninon & The Ebbtides, While two members remained. Another group The Monterays, had also broken up around the same time and the two remaining singers, Jay Ferrara (Baritone) and Anthony Biletto (Second Tenor), united with Al Diaco and Ercote Gaudioso "Echo" of the Treble Chords. They Added Anthony "Jr" Vizzari as their lead singer, and also temporarily Frank Raia, who quit before the group came to the attention of Lou Cicchetti.  In 1961, Lou had them record four demos at Bruno-Dean Studios which consisted  of four songs: "It's Much Better (To Make Her Love Me)", " Romeo & Juliet", "Playing The Game" and "Two Lovers" (One of the acetate of "It's Much Better", they were billed as the Del Royals.)

The Monterays (1) aka The Del Royals (3)    The Monterays (1) aka The Del Royals (3)
                    Lou Cicchetti                                                                                Cousin Records

With some members changed, (Vic Spina and Jimmy..? replaced Anthony Biletto & Al Diaco) the Monterays went back into the studio one more time to record a novelty tune called "Lilly" (never released). In 1963 Vic Spina joined The Jaynells who recorded for Cameo, Diamond and Angela).  Until 1964 they continued performing locally at record hops. During this period Lou Cicchetti used them on several session to back Chuck Harper  and Guy Villari of the Regents plus Frank Lyndon of the Belmonts. In1963 Emil Sachs replaced Ercote Gaudioso who went into the army. Eventually the group broke up and only Al Diaco continued in the music business (As Al Romeo)

 

Songs :

The Monterays (1) aka The Del Royals (3)

  
It's Much Better (To Make Her Love Me)               Romeo & Juliet                 

  
Two Lovers                                     Playing The Game


Lilly


...

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The Del Vetts aka The Delvets

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The Del Vetts aka The Delvets

The Del Vetts (Yonkers, NY)
aka The Delvets

 

Personnel :

Jessie (Lead)

Florence Holland

Jackie Scott

Jeanie Johnson

 

Discography :

The Del Vetts
1961 - I Want A Boy For Christmas / Repeat After Me (End 1106)

The Delvets
1962 - Will You Love Me In Heaven / Repeat After Me (End 1107)

 

Biography :

The Del Vetts or Delvets won at the Apollo talent show in 1961 and had two singles for George Goldner's End Records. There is another group, a Garage band, with the same name that recorded in the Mid 1960s. Our group's first release was under the name The Del Vetts "I Want A Boy For Christmas" b/w "Repeat After Me"  (End 1106, December 1961). In February 1962 they had "Will You Love Me In Heaven" backed with "Repeat After Me" (End 1107). The Del-Vetts were a quartet of Black Girls from Yonkers, NY.....With Jessie on lead and Florence Holland, Jackie Scott, Jeanie Johnson on background harmonies. In 1999, the fantastic doo wop "I Want A Boy For Christmas" has been featured in the Stanley Kubrick's  Eyes Wide Shut soundtrack .

 

Songs :

  
I Want A Boy For Christmas                     Repeat After Me           


Will You Love Me In Heaven

...

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The Tren-Teens aka The Dew Drops (2)

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The Tren-Teens
L to R - Clara Woodard, Mary Ann Camp, Carlton Sumners, Barbara Ingram and Sandra Mingo

The Tren-Teens (Trenton, NJ)
aka The Dew Drops (2)

 

 Personnel :

Clara Woodard

Mary Ann Camp

Barbara Ingram

Sandra Mingo

Carlton Sumners

 

Discography :

The Tren-Teens
1962 - Your Yah-Yah Is Gone / My Baby's Gone (Carnival 501)

The Dew Drops (2)
1963 - No Other Guy / Johnny Run Run (Jeff 1963/64)

Biography :

Jazz saxophonist Joe Evans set up Carnival Records label, based in New York and then in Newark, New Jersey, in the early 1960s. Releasing a total of 63 singles and two albums, the label's main focus was rhythm and blues/soul music. The label's roster included The Manhattans, The Pretenders, Lee Williams & The Cymbals, Little Royal, The Lovettes... Carnival was launched in 1962 with their first release "My Baby's Gone" and "Your Yah-Yah Is Gone" by The Tren-Teens.

The Tren-Teens aka The Dew Drops (2)     The Tren-Teens aka The Dew Drops (2)
Carlton Sumners                                                                                                           

The Tren-Teens are from Trenton, NJ and were composed by four Girls (Clara Woodard, Mary Ann Camp, Barbara Ingram and Sandra Mingoand) and one Boy (Carlton Sumners). Joe Evans co-arranged the two numbers on them. The A-side was a cute answer to Lee Dorsey's R&B success "Ya Ya", called "Your Yah-Yah Is Gone". In 1964, the group recorded "No Other Guy" b / w "Johnny Run Run". The single will be released by Jeff Records from New Jersey and the Tren-Teens will be renamed The Dew Drops. Cindy Birdsong sang with them for a time, then left to join Patti LaBelle and then onto the Supremes



Songs:

The Tren-Teens 

  
    My Baby's Gone                            Your Yah-Yah Is Gone

The Dew Drops (2)


No Other Guy


...

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The Ducanes

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The Ducanes

The Ducanes (Bergenfield, N.J.)

 

Personnel :

Louis Biscardi (Lead)

Jeff Breny (First Tenor)

Rick Scrofani (Second Tenor)

Eddie Brian (Baritone)

Dennis Buckley (Bass)

 

Discography :

1961 - I'm So Happy (Tra la la) /  Little Did I Know (Goldisc 3024)

 

Biography :

Vocal group the Ducanes formed in New Jersey, USA. After sessions, the quintet - Louis Biscardi (lead), Eddie Brian (baritone), Jeff Breny (first tenor), Rick Scrofan (second tenor) and Dennis Buckley - began to harmonize popular doo-wop songs of the day, taking their main influence from the Flamingos.

The Ducanes

Phil Spector began to work with the Ducanes on "Yes, I Love You". Spector signed them to a production contract, but later overheard them practising Louis Lymon And The Teenchords' "I'm So Happy".

   

         This became their first and only single after Spector had worked his magic with it, including adding a guitar contribution from Jimi Hendrix. It reached number 109 in the Billboard charts during July 1961. Spector had different priorities by this time, and the Ducanes blew their only chance to return to the studio with him.

The Ducanes   

Given a country song, "Tennessee', to record by Liberty Records, the Ducanes responded by savagely lampooning its sentimental lyrics and adding barnyard noises. When the head of the record company learned of what they were planning, they were ejected from the studio. With Spector concentrating on launching his own label, Philles Records, the Ducanes" recording days were over. They were still just 16 years old. Only Eddie Brian recorded again, with the Connotations and Autumns in the mid-80s.

 

Songs :

   
I'm So Happy (Tra la la)                            Little Did I Know

 ..

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The Echoes (1) aka Vinny and Kenny aka The Lonely Boys aka Vito & Vittorio...

Posted on by dion1

The Echoes (1) aka Vinny and Kenny aka The Lonely Boys aka Vito & Vittorio...
Vincent Catalano

The Echoes (1) (Bronx, New York)
aka Vinny and Kenny aka The Lonely Boys aka Vito & Vittorio aka the Trickles/The Trickels

 

Personnel:

Kenny Kuluga

Vincent Catalano

 

Discography :

The Echoes (1)
1957 - Ding Dong / My Heart Beats For You (Gee 1028)

The Lonely Boys   
1959 - A Spoken Letter / My Girl (Nu-Way 55)

Vinny & Kenny
1959 - School Time / Who (Is The Girl) (Fire 1005)

Vito & Vittorio
1961 - Sleepy Eyes / Twilight (Goldisc 3022)

 ---------------------- ??? -----------------------

The Trickles
1958 - With Each Step "A Tear" / When I Fall In Love (Power 250)

The Trickels
1958 - With Each Step "A Tear" / Outside Chapel Door (Gone 5078)

 

Biography :

Vincent Catalano was born in New London, Connecticut. His first recording effort was as a member of the Echoes who did "Ding Dong" on Gee Records in 1956, a cover of the Packards' original on the Pla-Bac label. Kenny Kuluga was the lead singer of the Echoes. Having recorded for Gee, Catalano was able to develop a relationship with label owner George Goldner and subsequently placed a number of his songs with him. Vincent Catalano & Kenny Kuluga wrote many songs and recorded them under many pseudonyms like Vinny and Kenny, The Lonely Boys, Vito And Vittorio and and it would appear that Vincent and Kenny  are part of The Trickles/The Trickels.

The Echoes (1) aka Vinny and Kenny aka The Lonely Boys aka Vito & Vittorio...   The Echoes (1) aka Vinny and Kenny aka The Lonely Boys aka Vito & Vittorio...

Catalano served as an A&R (Artist & Repertoire) director at 20th Century Fox and its Studio subsidiary where he also placed some of his acts. He co-owned C&A Records with Pete Alonzo. He was the A&R man at Cheer Records. He then started Wilshire Records. Catalano also worked with groups on the Whale and Mermaid labels. Catalano was registered with BMI and SESAC and wrote under a number of different names, including his mothers’. Despite Catalano's extensive experience writing and working with various acts he only had one song that approached being a national hit and that was "Coney Island Baby" recorded by the Excellents. It was issued in April of 1962 on Blast Records and reached No. 51 on "Billboard." The song did much better in regional markets such as New York City where it was played extensively and sold well to the point where there were several pressings issued. His last label would be Hammer Record.

 

Songs:

The Echoes (1)

  
          Ding Dong                             My Heart Beats For You

The Lonely Boys   

  
A Spoken Letter                                         My Girl       

Vinny & Kenny

  
  School Time                                 Who (Is The Girl)

 

 ---------------------- ??? -----------------------

The Trickles / Trickels

    
With Each Step "A Tear"            When I Fall In Love              Outside Chapel Door    

...

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The Infatuations

Posted on by dion1

The Infatuations

The Infatuations

Have they recorded? If anyone know this group .... jcpiazza26@gmail.com

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The Timetones

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The Timetones (New York)

 

Personnel :

Roger LaRue (Lead)

Glenn Williams

Claude "Sonny" Smith

Tom DeGeorge

Tom Glozek 


 

Discography :

1961 - (Here) In My Heart / My Love (Time Square 421/Relic 538)

1961 - Pretty, Pretty Girl / I've Got A Feeling (Atco 6201/Relic 539)
1963 - Sunday Kind Of Love  / Angel In The Sky (Time Square 26/Relic 543)

1963 - House Where Lovers Dream / Get A Hold Of Yourself (Time Square 34/Relic 526)

 

Biography :

The Timetones - sometimes shown as The Time-Tones - was a racially mixed early 1960s New York City Doo-Wop quintet that, originating in Glen Cove, Long Island, consisted of lead Rodgers LaRue along with Tom Glozek, Glenn Williams, Tom DeGeorge and Claude "Sonny" Smith. Their sole national charter came in May 1961 for Times Square Records, an offshoot of the famed record store of the same name at Broadway and 42nd Street, owned by Irving "Slim" Rose, when (Here) In My Heart - which featured the same opening bars used a few months later by The Dovells for their introductory smash The Bristol Stomp for Parkway Records.

And with the limited promotional capabilities of the label (compared to the giants like Columbia, RCA, Mercury, Decca, etc.) it did pretty good, hitting # 51 Billboard Pop Hot 100 b/w My Love on Time Square 421 billed as The Time-Tones (in 1963 it would be re-issued on Relic 538, a label that launched that year devoting itself to Doo-Wop - although that term to describe the style would not emerge for another 8 or so years).

    The Timetones

                                                                                              The (Black) Timetones when DeGeorge and Glozek 
 left the group.

The group's follow up release, Pretty Pretty Girl, was leased to Atlantic's Atco subsidiary and in late July it made it to # 106 Hot 100 Bubble Under on Atco 6201 b/w I've Got a Feeling billed as The Timetones (in 1963 it too was re-issued on Relic 539). Four a capella offerings, previously unreleased by Time Square - The House Where Lovers Dream b/w Get A Hold Of Yourself and A Sunday Kind Of Love b/w Angels In The Sky - also came out in 1963 on Relic 526 and Relic 543 respectively. In 1963 Tom DeGeorge and Tom Glozek 
 (The white members) left the group, two new members are add and the Timetones was a complety black group.

 

Songs :

         
In My Heart                             My Love                        Pretty, Pretty Girl

       
I've Got A Feeling                 Sunday Kind Of Love          Angels In The Sky


House Where Lovers Dream / Get A Hold Of Yourself

…

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The Original Casuals aka The Casuals (2)

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The Original Casuals aka The Casuals (2)

The Original Casuals (Dallas,Texas)
aka The Casuals (2)

 

Personnel :

Jay Joe Adams

Gary Mears

Paul kearney

 

Discography :

Singles :
The Casuals (2)
1958 - So Tough / I Love My Darling (Back Beat 503)

The Original Casuals
1958 - So Tough / I Love My Darling (Back Beat 503)
1958 - Ju Judy / Don't Pass Me By (Back Beat 510)
1958 - Three Kisses Past Midnight / It's Been A Long Time Girl (Back Beat 514)

Ep :
The Original Casuals
1958 - Three Kisses Past Midnight / So Tough / I Love My Darling / Ju Judy (Back Beat EP 40)

 

 

Biography :

In August 1957, Don Robey, president of the Houston-based Duke-Peacock labels (One to the few successful Afro-American businessmen in a caucasian dominated industry), announced the formation of a new label, Back Beat, aimed at the burgeoning rock'n'roll market, Duke and Peacock being primarily gospel and R&B outlets. "The artists appearing under our new label are in most instances teenagers in actual age count or at heart". explained Robey punctiliously, "and as such, our new baby Back Beat is dedicated to the teenage market."

The Original Casuals aka The Casuals (2)   The Original Casuals aka The Casuals (2)

Back Beat made a strong start when "Tell Me Why" by Norm Foxx & the Rob Roys (a New York Group) became a regional hit and "So Tough" By the Casuals, a trio from Dallas reached the national top 50. Gary Mears (aka Frederick Gary Mears) formed the Casuals with Jay Joe Adams and Paul Kearney in Dallas in the Summer of 1957. Don Robey's A&R man Joe Scott (the bandleader on most of Bobby Bland's classic side on Duke) flew to Dallas to record "So Tough" / "listen My Darling" at Sellers Studio in October 1957.

The Original Casuals aka The Casuals (2)   The Original Casuals aka The Casuals (2)

The Song became an immediate hit in Houston and Dallas regions where Robey held sway among influential Dee jays but was slow to move elsewhere. In December, Challenge Records of Hollywood recorded a cover version with a black vocal group, the Kuf-Linx, and this too became a territorial hit, mainly o the West Coast. Robey sent the Casuals out on the road to visit disc jockeys and on 19th February 1958, the trio lip-synched "So Tough" on American Bandstand. On 24 February, the song entered the Hot 100, rising to #42.  At that point another group staked a prior claim to the Casuals' name and  on subsequent pressings of "So Tough" (in fact, the Majority) the trio were listed as the Original Casuals. Mears remained on the fringes of the Dallas Rock'n'roll scene and later penned "Summer's Comin" by Kirby St Romain, A Top 50 US hit in 1963.

 

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 


  
   So Tough                                      I Love My Darling

  
     Ju Judy                                    Don't Pass Me By

  
Three Kisses Past Midnight               It's Been A Long Time Girl

 

 

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The Sweet Teens (1) aka The Ru-Bee-Els aka The Hollywood Chicks aka The Chicks (2)

Posted on by dion1

The Sweet Teens (1) aka The Ru-Bee-Els aka The Hollywood Chicks aka The Chicks (2)

The Sweet Teens (1) (Pomona, Los Angeles, CA)
aka The Ru-Bee-Els aka The Hollywood Chicks aka The Chicks (2)

 

Personnel :

Elnora Hicks

Betty Hicks

Mary Thomas

Ruth Davis

 

Discography :

The Sweet Teens (1)
1955 - Don't Worry About A Thing / Forever More    (Flip 311)

The Ru-Bee-Els
1961- I'll Try / Evil (Flip 359)

Kell Osborne & The Chicks (2)
1962 - Little Chick-A-Dee / Do You Mind (Class 302)

The Hollywood Chicks
1962 - Tossin' a Ice Cube / Hey, Little Gigolo (Class 303)

 

Biography :

The Sweet Teens were a female quartet from Pomona area of Los Angeles. The Members were Elnora Hicks, Betty Hicks, Mary Thomas & Ruth Davis. Although their name was similar to the Six Teens, they never enjoyed the string of recordings and popularity of their successful label mates. Their lone single, "Don't Worry About A Thing" / "Forever More" (Flip 311) went unnoticed in April 1955. The Ballad "Forever More" written by Elnora Hicks and Mary Thomas is a very close female take-off of the Los Angeles classic "The Letter" (Dootone 347) by Vernon Green & the Medallions.

The Sweet Teens (1) aka The Ru-Bee-Els aka The Hollywood Chicks aka The Chicks (2)     The Sweet Teens (1) aka The Ru-Bee-Els aka The Hollywood Chicks aka The Chicks (2)

Ruth Davis and The Hicks Sisters reappeared seven years later as a trio with one of Flip's last releases, "I'll Try" / "Evil" issued on Flip 359. The Trio comprised Ruth Davis, Elnora Hicks and Betty Hicks, and their name derived from the first two letters of each of their names. The Ru-Bee-Els also backed Kell Osborne as the Chicks and recorded "Tossin' a Ice Cube" b/w "Hey, Little Gigolo" as The Hollywood Chicks, Both singles released by Class records. Barry White once said that this record was his first professional job in the recording industry - he did the handclaps on "Tossin' A Ice Cube".

 

Songs:
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 


The Sweet Teens (1)

  
Don't Worry About A Thing                           Forever More         

The Ru-Bee-Els

  
I'll Try                                                  Evil

The Hollywood Chicks

  
Tossin' a Ice Cube                                  Hey, Little Gigolo   

Kell Osborne & The Chicks (2)


Little Chick-A-Dee / Do You Mind

...

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