Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

he Carousels (4)

Posted on March 26 2023 by dion1

The Carousels (4) (Cleveland)

Personnel :

Joyce Jenkins

Carl Turner

Ronald Johnson

John Hill

Discography :

1960 - Fading Away / Solitude (G.C. 601)

Biography :

The Carousels were formed by teenagers from Cleveland's Cedar YMCA. The original lineup included 4 teenagers, Don Baker, Carl Turner, Ronald Johnson, and John Hill. Hill attended Glenville HS and the other three were from East Tech. The group performed at many local functions and teen dances. In 1957 they finished second in a WHK sponsored 'city-wide' talent contest in which 44 groups participated (the Mello-Dee's were the winners). In late 1958 Don Baker left to try his luck in Los Angeles. He got a deal with the small Jay-Tone label and released one 45. His place in the group was taken by a young woman, whose name is not known, possibly Joyce Jenkins. The group recorded one 45 in 1959 for the G.C. label. It has a nice uptempo side "Fading Away", with the flip side a recording of the Duke Ellington song "Solitude". "Fading Away" seems to be an original, based on the the use of the label's Jamigo publishing and credited to Joyce Jenkins, who is possibly the young woman singing.
https://buckeyebeat.com/

Songs :

Fading Away Solitude

...

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The Ambassadors (2)

Posted on March 25 2023 by dion1

The Ambassadors (2)
The Ambassadors : Herb Johnson, Lonnie, Charlie, Stan and Weldon

The Ambassadors (2) (Philadelphia, PA.)

Personnel

Herb Johnson (Lead)

Lonnie ...

Charlie ...

Stan ...

Weldon ...

Discography :

Unreleased :
1957 - Help (Demo)
1957 - Janice (Demo)
1957 - Shang A Lang (Demo)
1957 - Bacon Time (Demo)
1957 - 8My Story Of Love (Acetate)

Biography :

Herb Johnson was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina on December 26, 1935 and moved to Philly with his family when he was nine in 1945. That same year he recorded his first record for a quarter on one ofthose recording machines they had downtown. The song was "I Want To Be Loved By You" — a birthday present for his mom. As a teenager attending Overbrook HighSchool in 1953, Herb auditioned at the Royal Theater at 15th & South for a radiospot on WPEN| singing The Orioles "You Belong To Me". Later that same year, Herb enlisted in the U.S. Air Force - joining a vocal group that evolved into The Lyrics. The Lyrics performed on USO tours, singing hits of the day like "Stormy Weather", “Sunday Kind Of Love” and The Moonglows "Sincerely". Herb wrote "Guilty" around this time while stationed in Puerto Rico.

The Ambassadors (2)
The Lyrics

Herb explains: “I was homesick for my girl back home — I hadn't written to anyone in a while and felt guilty about it — that’s how the song came about". Herb was discharged a few years later, joining a West Philly group The Ambassadors who participated in a talent contest at the Leader Theater at 41st & Lancaster Ave. Luckily, someone recorded their material at Herb’s house on 55th & Vine Streets that includes an early version of "Help". The Ambassadors also recorded some demos for Irv Balin’s Gotham label, which have yet to see the light of day. In late 1959 or early 1960, Herb was singing at a local hangout called The Media AA Club at 60th & Media Street in West Philly when he was approached by Larry Kerrin, an a&r/ promo man for V-Tone Records.

Songs :


    Help                                        My Story Of Love


Janice                                          Shang A Lang

Bacon Time

...

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The Gee-Tones aka The Cadillacs

Posted on March 25 2023 by dion1

The Gee-Tones aka Gregory Howard bb the Cadillacs Ray & The Cadillacs

The Gee-Tones
aka Gregory Howard bb The Cadillacs

Personnel :

Gregory Howard (Lead Tenor)

Ray Brewster (Baritone)

Bobby Spencer (Baritone)

J.R. Bailey (Tenor)

Roland Martinez (Baritone)

Ronnie Bright (Bass)

Discography:

Gregory Howard bb The Cadillacs
1963 - When In Love (Do As Lovers Do) / Sweet Pea (Kapp 536)

The Cadillacs
1962 - White Gardenia / Groovy Groovy Love (Capitol 4825)

Bobby Ray & The Cadillacs
1963 - I Saw You / La Bomba (Capitol 4935)

The Gee-Tones
1975 - When In Love (Do As Lovers Do) / Sweet Pea (Gee 1013)

Biography :

Gregory Howard… The Gee-Tones…??? "When In Love (Do As Lovers Do)" b/w "Sweet Pea" was released on Kapp in '63. It was under the name Gregory Howard, 12 years old , a Friend of Irwin Levine (writer & producer). There were no Gee-Tones credited. In fact, thats pretty much the Cadillacs singing backup with Ronnie Bright former Bass of the Valentines singing the bass (same guy who sang the bass part on Mr. Bass Man). Originally released on Kapp 536 but only as a demo/DJ/promo, no regular issue. When the record was heard and its scarcity realised by the doo-wop fraternity the record was soon, in the 70s, bootlegged.

Ronnie Bright

This release credits the artist as "The Gee-Tones featuring 15-year-old Gregory Howard", and with tongue firmly in cheek was issued on the label most famous for Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Gee 1013. This has caused some confusion -- due to the age of the bootleg many authoritive guides list this record as a legitimate release with a price to match - The Cadillacs. In 1963 Ray Brewster joined the Cadillacs after Earl Carroll left to sing with the Coasters. Ray Brewster and Roland Martinez brought in former members Bobby Spencer and J.R. Bailey and recorded on Capitol Records through 1964. about the same time they were supplying backing vocals for Gregory Howard, they were doing the same for Bobby Ray on Capitol, "La Bomba" / "I Saw You".

Songs :
Updated by Hans-Joachim

Gregory Howard bb the Cadillacs

When In Love (Do As Lovers Do) Sweet Pea

Bobby Ray & The Cadillacs

I Saw You La Bomba

The Cadillacs

White Gardenia Groovy Groovy Love

...

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The Shades (4) & The Knott Sisters

Posted on March 25 2023 by dion1

The Shades (4) & The Knott Siste

The Shades (4) (New York)
& The Knott Sisters

Personnel :

Mort Shuman

Willi Burke

Linda Laurie

Susan Yellin

Discography :

1958 - Sun Glasses / Undivided Attention ((Big Top 3003)

Biography :

The Shades was a fictitious label credit masking the lead singing of co-writer Mort Shuman with Willi Burke (aka Mrs Doc Pomus) and a couple of friends who may or may not have been Linda Laurie and Susan Yellin. "Sun Glasses’ was one of the earliest releases on New York's Big Top label, owned by publishers Hill & Range, for whom Pomus and Shuman were signed as staff writers. The flipside, written by Linda Laurie and Susan Yellin from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, NY. was credited solely to the Knott Sisters, who were called that because they were not sisters.

The Shades (4) & The Knott Siste

They did get their picture on the sheet music of ‘Sun Glasses’, though, posing with two male models as the Shades. Another attempt to ride the coattails of the smash pop hit ‘Short Shorts’, this one did not do a lot of business, but in 1958 Pomus and Shuman had a long and successful career ahead of them. The next release on Big Top would be "White Bucks And Saddle Shoes’ by Bobby Pedrick Jr, also penned by the duo. Linda Laurie recorded solo sides from 1958-64 for a number of labels.

Songs :

The Shades (4) & The Knott Sisters             The Knott Sisters


Sun Glasses              Undivided Attention

...

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The Sheiks (2)

Posted on March 21 2023 by dion1

The Sheiks (2)
Jesse Belvin

The Sheiks (2) (Los Angeles, CA)

Personnel :

Jesse Belvin

Mel Williams

Harold Lewis

Discography :

1955 - So Fine / Sentimental Heart (Federal 12237)

Biography :

Johnny Otis was an American singer, musician, composer, bandleader, record producer, and talent scout. He was a seminal influence on American R&B and rock and roll. He discovered numerous artists early in their careers who went on to become highly successful in their own right. One day while fooling around in his garage studio, Johnny Otis had Jesse Belvin, Mel Williams, and Harold Lewis record a song he had composed titled “So Fine.”

The Sheiks (2)
Johnny Otis

Otis released the recording under the group name he gave them on the spot, the Sheiks. It did not sell well, so he recorded it again with Mel Williams alone, but that version did not sell either. Five years later, the song became a hit on an East Coast label forthe Fiestas, a Newark, New Jersey, quartet. The Fiestas' cover version was far more commercially successful than the Sheiks' original (which failed to chart), being a #3 rhythm & blues and #11 pop hit in 1959. Following the success of the cover version, the Sheiks' record was re-released on Federal in 1959, strangely as by the Checkers and again without any chart action.

Songs :


      So Fine                                       Sentimental Heart

...

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The Starfires (2)

Posted on March 19 2023 by dion1

Harold Webb, Wally Osborne, Bernard Johnson, Bobby Holland & William “Lefty” Wright

The Starfires (2) (Philadelphia, PA)

Personnel :

Wally Osborne

Bobby Holland

William “Lefty” Wright

Bernard Johnson

Harold Webb

Discography :

Singles :
1958 - Yearning For You / Do Ko Icke No (Bernice 201
1961 - These Foolish Things / Let’s Do The Pony (D&H 200)
1961 - You’re The One / So Much (Bargain 5001)
1961 - Love Will Break Your Heart / The Dances (Bargain 5003 / Atomic 1912)

Unreleased :
1959 - Get Myself A Girlie (Cameo-Parkway)

Biography :

Wally Osborne went to Ornstein School of Music in Philly, becoming proficient on guitar, bass and piano. It didn’t take long for him to team up with Bobby Holland again, both of whom would join & leave in and out of different groups until they met William “Lefty” Wright, Bernard Johnson and Harold Webb who had been from another broken up group. The five decided to sing together as the Starfires (from the Oldsmobile 98 Starfire convertible) and it was that group who recorded for Richard Barrett. Osborne only sang lead on their first record “Yearning For You / Do Ko Icke No” (Bernice 201) a subsidiary of End Records. After no success with their “End” experience, Osborne left the Starfires as a singer to manage them. He got them to record “Get Myself A Girlie” for Cameo-Parkway Records which was never released.

For the next few years Osborne made many connections and collaborations, wrote songs and managed groups. In 1961 Osborne got D&H records (Dixson & Hodge) to record the Starfires. “These Foolish Things / Let’s Do The PonyY” was the first and only Starfires release for that label. Both songs were written by Wally Osborne. When the D&H label disbanded, partner Steve Hodge continued to produce records on his own Bargain label and released The Starfires’ next record, “You’re The One" / "So Much”. “You’re The One" got some airplay on the East Coast and in Cleveland. Next was “Love Will Break Your Heart ” (co-written by Osborne and Jimmy Bishop) with flipside “The Dances” (written by Osborne). All four songs were recorded at Tony and Don Luisi’s Sound Plus Studio in Northeast Philadelphia.
http://classicurbanharmony.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Wally-Osborne-Story-The-Starfires.pdf

Songs :


Yearning For You                               Do Ko Icke No


These Foolish Things                          Let’s Do The Pony


You’re The One                                         So Much


Love Will Break Your Heart                             The Dances

...

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The Salvadors

Posted on March 19 2023 by dion1

The Salvadors

The Salvadors (St. Louis.)

Personnel :

Gus Winfield (Lead)

Flint Lloyd (First Tenor/Lead)

Donald Lloyd (Second Tenor)

Robert Vincent (Baritone/Bass)

Discography :

1961 - Daddy Said / A-E-I-O-U (Nike 1010)
1967 - Stick By Me, Baby / I Wanna Dance (Wise World 301)

Biography :

The Salvadors were a Black group from St. Louis. They started singing while in high school in 1957. They wrote their own songs. From 1957-59, they had 5 members: Gus Winfield, Robert Vincent, Leroy McGhee, Carl Stark and another Carl. In 1960, Donald Lloyd joined, replacing Carl Stark. The other Carl dropped out, making them a foursome. In 1961, his little brother, Flint Lloyd joined, replacing McGhee.

E. Rodney Jones

In the Nike and Wise World groups, Gus Winfield was the lead, Flint Lloyd was 1st Tenor/Alternate Lead, Donald Lloyd 2nd Tenor, and Robert Vincent sang both the Baritone and Bass parts. Winfield led on""A-E-I-O-U". Flint Lloyd led on the 3 other songs on their 2 releases. They were discovered in 1961, by E. Rodney Jones while he was DJ in St. Louis. He became their manager, and took them to Chuck Colbert in Chicago. who signed them. In late 1961, Colbert recorded them at RCA's Chicago studio, and released a record on the group on his new label, Thor Records.

It featured a male version of Luther Dixon's "Mama Said", with of one of The Salvadors' own songs on the flip, titled "A-E-I-O-U". After some local Chicago sales, somehow the owners of another Thor Records, located in New York, found out about it and threatened a lawsuit. So Colbert re-issued it in spring 1962 on his newly-named Nike Records. They appeared in some venues in Chicago during the early '61 and early '62. Despite the almost 5 years between record releases, the group did make some local appearances between, but only in St. Louis. They broke up in late 1962, but , and again once before 1965.

Donald Lloyd, Gus Winfield, Flint Lloyd & Robert Vincent

From '65-67, the gigged in St. Louis, until late 1967, when E. Rodney Jones again took them to Chicago, and hooked them up with Joshie Armstead. She recorded them at Universal Sound. They appeared at a few venues in Chicago, but their record didn't sell at all, and got almost no airplay. It sold moderately in St. Louis, due to their local appearances and consequent popularity. They continued to play venues there until late 1969, when they broke up for the last time.

Songs :


Daddy Said                                 A-E-I-O-U


Stick By Me, Baby                              I Wanna Dance

…

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Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7)

Posted on March 19 2023 by dion1

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7) (Jersey City, N.J)

Personnel :

Ronnie Goodson "Ronald Goodson" (Lead)

Sonny Caldwell (First Tenor)

John Witney (Second Tenor)

Stanley Brown (Baritone)

Kenny Overby (Bass)

Discography :

1962 - I Wish That We Were Married / Twistin & Kissin (Joy 260)
1962 - Send Me Love / Be Kind (Joy 265)
1962 - Valerie / The Fact Of The Matter (Raven 8000)
1963 - A Slow Dance / What The Next Day May Bring (Win 250 / Reo)
1963 - The Fact Of The Matter / You Keep Me Guessin' (Win 251)
1963 - High School Romance / Uptown-Downtown (Win 252)
1965 - Too Young / High School Romance (ABC 10685)
1982 - For Lovers / What A Pretty Bride You'll Be (U.G.H.A. 16)

Biography ;

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites were a vocal group, formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, in the early 1960s. On March 31, 1962, their song "I Wish That We Were Married", a slow ballad sung from the point of view of a young boy expressing his wishes that he and his sweetheart would stay together, charted and rose to number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending twelve weeks on the chart.

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7)

Selling over half a million copies, the song put 14-year-old Ronnie Goodson and company on the map, paving the way for performances alongside Stevie Wonder, Major Lance and Ronnie's girlfriend Eva Boyd, better known as Little Eva. They subsequently appeared on American Bandstand, at The Apollo and numerous venues throughout the east coast.

"I Wish That We Were Married" is perhaps known for Ronnie's emotional sobbing, adding to the theme of the song. The group was originally called the Cascades, not to be confused with a different group of the same name that recorded "Rhythm of the Rain". Initially consisting of tenors Sonny Caldwell and John Whitney, bass singer Kenny Overby and baritone Stanley Brown, the group added 12-year-old Ronnie Goodson as their lead singer.

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7)
Ronnie Goodson

They were soon introduced to songwriter/producer team Marion and Hal Weiss, who offered them "I Wish That We Were Married". The small independent record label, Joy Records, picked up the group's recording and renamed the ensemble Ronnie & the Hi-Lites. They subsequently released the single and the group went on to record many more singles without troubling the chart compilers again.Ronnie Goodson died 4 November 1980.

Songs :


I Wish That We Were Married                Twistin & Kissin


Send Me Love                                        Be Kind


             Valerie                            The Fact Of The Matter


              A Slow Dance                     What The Next Day May Bring


You Keep Me Guessin' High School Romance


Uptown-Downtown                            Too Young


    For Lovers                               What A Pretty Bride

...

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The Majestics (7)

Posted on March 18 2023 by dion1

The Majestics (7)

The Majestics (7) (Jersey City, New Jersey)

Personnel :

Jerome Contey

Louis Contey

Dennis "Skip" Skipper

Peter Moscatello

Discography :

1962 - Puppet Beat (The Big Three) / Puppet Bop (The Big Two) (Wren 150)

Biography :

Peter Moscatiello have been in and around the music since 1958. While attending P.S. 15 in Jersey City, New Jersey, he met Dennis Skipper (Skip), through his friend Louis Contey. Skip was into vocal harmony and was teaching Louis and his brother Jerome how to harmonize. They asked Peter if he wanted to sing and as Skip taught him the basics, he became hooked. But the driving force, the thing that lit the fire under him was hearing the song that launched Laurie records: "I Wonder Why" by Dion and the Belmonts.

The Majestics (7)
Dennis "Skip" Skipper & Louis Contey

They called themselves the Majestics and were together for two years. they parted ways when they went off to different high schools. In those two years they sang at dances and even performed at the "Teenage World Fair" at Freedomland in New York. In 1962, They recorded one song : "Puppet Beat" under the name the Big Three. The Big were The Majestics, The Bongo Walers & The Beachcombers. The other side is an instrumental "Puppet Bop" as the Big Two. The Big Two were the same minus The Majestics.

Songs :

Puppet Beat

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The Tamaneers

Posted on March 18 2023 by dion1

The Tamaneers
Neith Anderson, Wilmore Pitcher JR, Randoph Baker (rear) Harvey Lee Everhardt (Center) and David Hill (Kneeling)

The Tamaneers (Poughkeepsie, New York)

Personnel :

Kenneth Anderson (Lead)

Harvey Lee Everhardt (Lead)

Wilmore Pitcher JR

Randoph Baker

David Hill

Discography :

1961 - Be Anything But Be Mine / Searching (Bramley 102)

Biography :

Harvey Lee Everhardt was educated in the New York City School District. In 1952, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. While in the USAF, he formed the Sentinals, a singing group, who appeared on Television thru-out England. After serving his country for four years he received an Honorable discharge. After his tour of duty he was employed at New York University. In 1958, he relocated to Poughkeepsie, NY and was a long time resident.

The Tamaneers

Harvey was also in the entertainment business. He formed a singing group, The Tamaneers, who preformed primarily in New York City area, including such clubs as : Marie's, Tropical Inn, and the world famous Apollo Theatre. In the 1960's The Tamaneers recorded a single entitled "Be Anything But Be Mine" b/w "Searching" on the Bramley label...

Songs :


Be Anything But Be Mine       Searching
(feat Harvey Lee Everhardt)                 (feat Kenneth Anderson)

...

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