Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Unknowns (3) aka The Classics (5)

Posted on April 30 2023 by dion1

The Unknowns (3) aka The Classics (5)
Marvin Frederick Saiontz

The Unknowns (3) (Baltimore, Maryland)
aka The Classics (5)

Personnel :

Larry Herbert Pozanek

Marvin Frederick Saiontz

Carl Capian

Allen Hanenbaum

Charnaine Saiontz

Biography :

The Unknowns (3)
1958 - Oh Summer Love / Cool Wool (Felsted 8535)

The Classics (5)
1959 - To Live My Life / Lonely Without A Love (Abel 231)

Biography :

Larry H.Pozanek, Marvin Saiontz, Carl Capian and Allen Hanenbaum, seniors at the universitycof Maryland School of Pharmacy, plus Charnaine Saiontz, sister of Marvin Saiontz, recorded two songs in 1958 for Felsted, a subsidiary of London Records. The vocal group under the name of "The Unknowns" has become quite well known in the Baltimore area through appearances on radio, television and a number of record hops. Their recordings are entitled "Ho Summer Love," and "Cool Wool," and vere written by Larry H.Pozanek and Larry Saiontz. The record was released in August 1958 in the Baltimore / Washington, D.C. area, The single was released nationally the fourth week of September. Cash Box Magazine rates these songs as "B". The group would return to the studio a few months later and record "To Live My Life" and "Lonely Without A Love". the disc will be released by Abel records under the name Classics.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Unknowns (3)

Oh Summer Love / Cool Wool

The Classics (5)

To Live My Life Lonely without a love

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The Excels (1) aka The Minors

Posted on April 30 2023 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 Varsity Men

Posted on April 30 2023 by dion1

Fred “Tuck” Carty, Steve Engle and George Diffenbaucher

The Varsity Men (Waynesboro, PA)

Personnel :

Fred “Tuck” Carty

George Diffenbaucher

Steve Engle

Discography :

1962 - Please Don’t Cry / Jackie (Staff 86536)

Biography :

Group formed by by three Waynesboro Area Senior High School friends, Carty of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Diffenbaucher of Alexandria, Virginia and Engle, who lives in Alexandria, Pennsylvania. In September 1962, they left Waynesboro for Staff Recording Studio, Baltimore, to record two songs. ‘Jackie’ (full title, ‘Take Good Care of Him, Jackie’) was written by Steve Engle as an open letter from the young people of our country to the first lady, Jackie Kennedy.

The single was released on the Staff Record label just three weeks before JFK’s TV speech concerning the Cuban Missile Crisis in October of that year. “Please Don’t Cry” on the B side was written by Fred “Tuck” Carty, with the second verse created on the drive to the studio. The instrumental recording group for both songs consisted of Allan Wishard, bass; Jeff Schlichter, organ, and Lynn Zody, drums, and Engle, piano. The record piqued a little interest in a few markets, was spun in Waynesboro by then WAYZ Disc Jockey Denny Brubaker and played on the jukebox at The Big Dipper. Before the record’s untimely demise, they did have one memorable and somewhat harrowing experience performing on a big rock ’n’ roll show at the Norfolk (Virginia) Arena, with a roster that included Roy Orbison, Minnie Pearl, The Isley Brothers, Ray Stevens, and George Hamilton IV,

Songs :

Please Don’t Cry Jackie

...

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Tippie & The Clovermen (Washington, D.C) aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen

Posted on April 29 2023 by dion1

Tippie & The Clovermen aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen
Tippie & The Wisemen

Tippie & The Clovermen (Washington, D.C)
aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen

Personnel :

Harold Lucas

Robert Russell

Roosevelt "Tippie" Hubbard

James "Toy" Walton

Discography :

Tippie & The Clovermen
1962 - Please Mr. Sun / Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (Stenton 7001)

Tippie & The Clovers (2)
1962 - Bossa Nova, Baby / The Bossa Nova (My Heart Said) (Tiger 201)

Tippie & The Wisemen
Unreleased :
1965 - Wait Till I Get There (Shrine)
1965 - Let Me Walk Away (Shrine)
1965 - I Wouldn't Mind Crying (Shrine)
1965 - Bye, Bye (Shrine)

Biography :

The Clovers, who hailed from the Washington area, had been recording since 1950; by 1961 the group had split and reformed as two separate Clovers, one led by Harold Lucas the other by John Bailey. The line-up of the Lucas group was Robert Russel, James “Toy” Walton and Eddie “Tippie” Hubbard. The Lucas group recorded and released records as "Tippie and the Clovermen" and "Tippie and the Clovers" for Tiger Records, a subsidiary of Rust Records.

Tippie & The Clovermen aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen
Harold Lucas

In December 1962 "Bossa Nova Baby" (written by Leiber and Stoller) / "The Bossa Nova" was released, credited to Tippie and the Clovers. Also released in 1962 on Stenton Records was "Please Mr Sun" / "Gimme Gimme Gimme", credited to Tippie and the Clovermen. In 1965, Harold Lucas, Robert Russell, Tippie Hubbard and Toy Walton added a fifth member, Al Fox. The group recorded four tracks (all unreleased) as "Tippie and The Wisemen" for Shrine Records. That same year Tippie and The Wisemen changed their name to The Clovers.

Discography :

Tippie & The Clovermen


Gimme, Gimme, Gimme                           Please Mr. Sun

Tippie & The Clovers (2)


      Bossa Nova, Baby                     The Bossa Nova (My Heart Said)

Tippie & The Wisemen


I Wouldn't Mind Crying                            Wait Till I Get There

Let Me Walk Away

...

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The Skylarks

Posted on April 29 2023 by dion1

The Skylarks

The Skylarks (Alton, Illinois)

Personnel :

Frank Holmes

Mike Taylor

Johnny Harp

Jimmy Wilson

... Johnson

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

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The Citations (1)

Posted on April 29 2023 by dion1

(1955- The Sirenos / Citations) Ernest Gibson, Herb Benjamin, William Lucas, Edward "willie" Odom and Prentice Chandler

The Citations (1) (Philadelphia)

Personnel :

William Lucas (Lead)

Herb Benjamin (Tenor Lead)

Prentice Chandler (Tenor)

Edward "willie" Odom (Tenor/Baritone)

Ernest Gibson (Bass)

Discography :

The Citations (1)
Singles:
1962 - It Hurt Me / Kiss In The Night (Don-El 113)
Unreleased :
1962 - Stranger (Don-El)

Chris LaMar (William Lucas)
1962 - Love So True / Treat Me Good (Don-El 113)

Biography :

Previously known as The Sirenos in 1955, the group was composed by William Lucas (lead) Ernest Gibson (bass), Herb Benjamin (Tenor Lead), Edward "Willie" Odom (Tenor/Baritone) and Prentice Chandler (Tenor). All were between 16 and 19 years olden lived within a block of each other. The name Sirenos came from the Greek Sirenes. During the early days in 1957, gigs for the Sirenos were few and far between. The Sirenos dad a song they composed called "The Bells are Ringing". They sang this song at the Broadwood With the Spaniels. Sure enough about a month or two later, the Spaniels came out with a song who sounded exactly like "The Bells are Ringing". That song was "Everyone's Laughing" wich became a huge hit for them. Over Time, The Sirenos were making the rounds galvanizing an audience.

(1961 - The Citations) Edward Odom , Ken Bolden, Prentice Chandler, William Lucas, Bill kearney and Ernest Gibson

They doing stagework for the likes of Jimmy Bishop, Kae Williams and Jocko, all of whom owned dinky record labels, but none of whom were willing to take a chance on the outfit who were now billing themselves the Citations. At This Time Ken Boden replace Herb Benjamin . This was the only line-up alteration in the congregation's eight year history. Eventually they win a talent night and getting a contract with Don-el records. Don-El was owned by real estate man C. Percy White [aka Don White]. Spring 1962 "It Hurt Me" b/w "Kiss In The Night" hits the airwaves on the sunglow yellow Don-el Label. The Citations are invited to the Murray Show TV, in Scranton, they did another TV spot… The Same Year, William Lucas cut another single for Don White as Chris Lamar. With too little success, the group broke up .

Songs :

The Citations (1)

Kiss In The Night It Hurt Me Stranger

Chris LaMar

Love So True Treat Me Good

.....

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The Matadors (4) aka The Toreadors

Posted on April 29 2023 by dion1

The Matadors (4) aka The Toreadors
Harry Bass (Lead)

The Matadors (4) (Brooklyn, NY.)
aka The Toreadors

Personnel :

Harry Bass (Lead)

Tommy Bethea (Bass)

Michael Edwards (Baritone)

Roy Scott (Second Tenor)

Jimmy Hall (First Tenor)

Discography :

The Matadors (4)
1962 - If You Left Me Today / It Ain't Nothin' But Rock And Roll (Keith 6502)
1962 - You'd Be Crying Too / My Foolish Heart (Keith 6504)

The Toreadors
1963 - Ring-A-Leevio (Part 1) / Ring-A-Leevio (Part 2)(Pawn 1202)
1966 - Do You Remember (Part 1) / (Midas 1001)

Jackie Wilson bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)
1964 - She's Alright' / Watch Out (Not Them) (Brunswick 55264)

Ray Pollard bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)
1965 - No More Like Me / This Time (I'm Gonna Be True) (Shrine 103)

Discography :

The Matadors group actually evolved from a teenager street corner doo-wop ensemble. They were Harry Bass and his younger brother Albert who out sang Frankie Lymon on any given day of the week. Roy Scott and Michael Edwards a guy Richard Steele joined together with Harry & Albert to form The Epsilons. Tommy Bethea joined the singing group as bass vocal accompaniment. in 1962, The group consisted of Harry Bass, Tommy Bethea, Michael Edwards, Roy Scott and Jimmy Hall . In time they link up with Richard Tenryke (Ritchie Tee) the classically trained pianist who would travel with them to Broadway for recording auditions and finally for Songwriter and producer: and co-founder of Shrine Records : Eddie Singleton.

The Matadors (4) aka The Toreadors
Ray Pollard

Eddie Singleton and the group decided on a new name. The Matadors. Under that name they recorded "If You Left Me Today" / "It Ain't Nothin' But Rock And Roll" and "You'd Be Crying Too" / "My Foolish Heart" on Keith Records. Later they realized that another vocal group had the name Matadors. So they became the Toreadors. This was part marketing strategy and also an expression of cultural solidarity with the Spanish speaking community members proliferating in NYC There were many Puerto Rican doo-woppers, same as they and the Italians doing street corner work. Also, the thing was, that they had designed some Matador style costumes and could not afford to scrap the costumes. In 1965, Michael Edwards, Harry Bass and Tommy Bethea sing backing vocals behind Ray Pollard on the Shrine roster.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Matadors (4)


If You Left Me Today                         You'd Be Crying Too


       My Foolish Heart                      It Ain't Nothin' But Rock And Roll

The Toreadors

Do You Remember (Part 1 & 2)

Jackie Wilson bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)

She's Alright' Watch Out

Ray Pollard bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)

No More Like Me This Time (I'm Gonna Be True)

...

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Bobby Sands & The Royal Teentones

Posted on April 20 2023 by dion1

Bobby Sands & The Royal TeenTones

Bobby Sands & The Royal Teentones (Saint Petersburg, Floride)

Personnel :

Bobby Sands (Lead)

Charles Singleton

Fred Williams

Rudolph Wesley

Discography :

1959 - Teenage Joy / Secret Lover (Nugget 1003)

Biography :

The Royal Teentones, Headed by youthful Tampan Bobby Sands and fellow Teen-Tones Charles Singleton, Fred Williams and Rudolph Wesley are High School student from Middleton, Saint Petersburg Floride. The youngsters recorded "Teenage Joy" b/w "Secret Lover" in June 1959 released by Nugget owned by Rollin Sullivan, Johnny Sullivan. Johnny and Rollin Sullivan, whose family had started the Nugget Record company in Tampa, Florida in 1959, but Lonzo & Oscar Music Publishing had a Nashville base from the start. They bought or built Nugget Sound Studios in Goodlettsville, just north of Nashville. Most releases they recorded are on the Nugget label, and most are country.

Songs :

Secret Lover Teenage Joy

...

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Dick Watson & The Crescents (6) aka Dick Watson Five

Posted on April 16 2023 by dion1

Dick Watson & The Crescents (6) aka Dick Watson Five
Front from left; Alan Hecht and Paul Vanderbeck. Back from left; Sal Rizzo, George Perrotta and Dick Watson.

Dick Watson & The Crescents (6) (Bergenfield, N.J.)
aka Dick Watson Five

Personnel :

Dick Watson (Lead Singer and Guitar)

Alan Hecht (Vocal & Sax)

George Perrotta (Vocal & Bass)

Sal Rizzo (Drums)

Paul Vanderbeck (Vocal & Guitar)

Discography :

Dick Watson & The Crescents (6)
1963 - Groovy / Be On The Lookout For The Woman (Gone 5144)

Dick Watson Five
1964 - Talkin" Bout Sue / I'll Make It Up Some Other Way (United International 1008)

Biography :

Vocal & Instrumental group from Bergenfield, N.J. consisted of Dick Watson (Lead Singer and Guitar), Alan Hecht (Vocal & Sax), George Perrotta (Vocal & Bass), Sal Rizzo (Drums) and Paul Vanderbeck (Vocal & Guitar). The group recorded "Groovy" and "Be On The Lookout For The Woman" in the Allegro Sound Studio in the basement of the Roulette Records building at 1650 broadway New York, New York in about March of 1963. There were 3 different labels on this record, and 3 pressing runs of this record. the first label said "disc jockey copy" with Dick Watson & The Crescents in lightweight type. the second was Dick Watson & The Crescents "disc jockey copy" in heavyweight type, and the third said only Dick Watson radio station copy in heavyweight bold type. The Crescents appearance on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour April 29th 1962. The following year, Herb Bienvecht replaced Sal Rizzo & the group recorded "Talkin" Bout Sue " b/w "I'll Make It Up Some Other Way" again in the Allegro Sound Studio. The single will be released on united international 1008 as the Dick Watson Five. They are not related with the Dick Watson 5 who recorded an album called "Baker Street".

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Dick Watson & The Crescents (6)


                   Groovy           Be On The Lookout For The Woman

Dick Watson Five


          Talkin" Bout Sue                    I'll Make It Up Some Other Way

...

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Dick Devil & The Angels (9)

Posted on April 16 2023 by dion1

Dick Devil & The Angels (9)

Dick Devil & The Angels (9) (Geneva, OH)

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Dick Devil (Lead)

Carole Ann Phillips Wright

Joyce Dennington

Ruth Proster

Lynn Magerscak

Discography :

Dick Devil & The Angels (9)
1961 - Remember Me / I'm Gonna Buy A Parakeet (Twilight 1005)

Dick Devil
1959 - Broken Hearted / All My Love (Twilight 1001)

Biography :

Dick Devil and The Angels sings "Remember Me" and "The Parakeet Song" on a Twilight labeled 45 rpm record. Dick was Richard Ales, who recorded several records released by Twilight. In 1959, he released "Broken Hearted" who was #1 in Cleveland February of 1959. In the 1960s, Richard Ales teamed up with four girls from Geneva. His Angels were GHS glee club seniors in about 1961 or 62. They recorded "Remember Me," and on the flip side of "The Parakeet Song." The latter is a novelty tune in which a guy who is down on his luck says he's going to buy a parakeet.

Songs :

???

...
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

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