Vocal Group from New York composed by Joe Conza from Richmond Hill (Lead Singer), Tony Perretta from Richmond Hill (Baritone), Joe Mertens from Ozone Pk (First Tenor), Charles Ponzio from Brooklyn (Second Tenor), Bob Curreri from Brooklyn (Falsetto) and Jerry Di Donna from Brooklyn (Bass). The group performs locally and were invited to sing at "I'm A American Day" Festivities, at Central Park.
There were over 100 stars of the stage, screen and television; including such greats as Pearl Bailey, Joey Adams, Lucy Monroe, Dick Van Dibe, Henry Youngman... The vivid recoreds several demos. Unfortunately, none of the demos will be released.
The Pyramids (5) (Bronx, New York) aka The Acorns aka Vinny Catalano aka aka The Original Pyramids
Personnel :
Vinny Catalano (Solo)
Discography :
The Pyramids (5) 1958 - Ankle Bracelet / Hot Dog Dooly Wah (Shell 711)
The Original Pyramids 1961 - Ankle Bracelet / Hot Dog Dooly Wah (Shell 304 / Shell 100)
The Acorns 1958 - Angel / I'm Gonna Stick To You (Unart 2006) 1959 - Please Come Back / Your Name And Mine (Unart 2015)
Vinny Catalano 1963 - Please Mr Juke Box Man / Rags To Riches (Hammer 6312)
Biography :
In November of 1958, The Pyramids recorded "Ankle Bracelet" and "Hot Dog Dooly Wah" .It has quite a pedigree, what with Billy Mure arranging and conducting, on a song co-written by Vincent (Vinny) Catalano. It is very unusual that we can't find any information on This group. Quite who these Pyramids were remains a mystery, but there's every chance that 'they' were really just co-writer Vince Catalano. Around the same time he also disguised himself as The Acorns on singles released on the Spring and Unart label, under which moniker he had two number one songs in Hawaii (on the Unart label): "Angel" and "Your Name And Mine," in 1958 and 1959 respectively. He recorded under many other aliases and group names.
Vince Catalano Donnie & the Dreamers
Vince Catalano was born on a farm in New London, Connecticut. He has spent over 45 years in the music business. As a recording artist he waxed his first 45 on Gee Label in 1956, "Ding Dong" by The Echoes. He went on to have several other releases under many different names - Vinny Downes, Tom Swift under the name The Lonely Boys, Vinny & Sue, Vinny & Kenny, Bea & Dea & the Buttons. His greatest success came under the name The Acorns where he had two number one songs in Hawaii .
The Excellents
As a songwriter Vinny has penned over 300 tunes. Eventually he would star his own short lived label C&A before becoming partners in Blast Records a subsidiary of Sinclair Records owned by the late Don Ames. Also under the Sinclair Banner, Vinny worked with groups on Mermaid and Whale. It was here Vinny penned one of his best tunes "Conney Island Baby" by the Excellents. Vinny worked with his kid brother's group, Donnie & the Dreamers, recording over 10 excellent sides, most lost and unreleased. When Vinny left Blast he started his own label again, Wilshire, and released several great sides by the Dubs and Love Notes. He Release a great album, The Dubs meet the Shells, rerecording both groups with the end result sounding just like the earlier original recording.
The Pyramids (5) (Bronx, New York) aka The Acorns aka Vinny Catalano aka aka The Original Pyramids
Personnel :
Vinny Catalano (Solo)
Discography :
The Pyramids (5) 1958 - Ankle Bracelet / Hot Dog Dooly Wah (Shell 711)
The Original Pyramids 1961 - Ankle Bracelet / Hot Dog Dooly Wah (Shell 304 / Shell 100)
The Acorns 1958 - Angel / I'm Gonna Stick To You (Unart 2006) 1959 - Please Come Back / Your Name And Mine (Unart 2015)
Vinny Catalano 1963 - Please Mr Juke Box Man / Rags To Riches (Hammer 6312)
Biography :
In November of 1958, The Pyramids recorded "Ankle Bracelet" and "Hot Dog Dooly Wah" .It has quite a pedigree, what with Billy Mure arranging and conducting, on a song co-written by Vincent (Vinny) Catalano. It is very unusual that we can't find any information on This group. Quite who these Pyramids were remains a mystery, but there's every chance that 'they' were really just co-writer Vince Catalano. Around the same time he also disguised himself as The Acorns on singles released on the Spring and Unart label, under which moniker he had two number one songs in Hawaii (on the Unart label): "Angel" and "Your Name And Mine," in 1958 and 1959 respectively. He recorded under many other aliases and group names.
Vince Catalano Donnie & the Dreamers
Vince Catalano was born on a farm in New London, Connecticut. He has spent over 45 years in the music business. As a recording artist he waxed his first 45 on Gee Label in 1956, "Ding Dong" by The Echoes. He went on to have several other releases under many different names - Vinny Downes, Tom Swift under the name The Lonely Boys, Vinny & Sue, Vinny & Kenny, Bea & Dea & the Buttons. His greatest success came under the name The Acorns where he had two number one songs in Hawaii .
The Excellents
As a songwriter Vinny has penned over 300 tunes. Eventually he would star his own short lived label C&A before becoming partners in Blast Records a subsidiary of Sinclair Records owned by the late Don Ames. Also under the Sinclair Banner, Vinny worked with groups on Mermaid and Whale. It was here Vinny penned one of his best tunes "Conney Island Baby" by the Excellents. Vinny worked with his kid brother's group, Donnie & the Dreamers, recording over 10 excellent sides, most lost and unreleased. When Vinny left Blast he started his own label again, Wilshire, and released several great sides by the Dubs and Love Notes. He Release a great album, The Dubs meet the Shells, rerecording both groups with the end result sounding just like the earlier original recording.
Tommy Dae / Tommy Dae's Tensionettes 1963 - It Was A Lie /You Made Me Cry (Hitt 101/102)
Tommy Dae & The Tensionettes / Tommy Dae's Tensionettes 1964 - Watch Out / When Teddy Finds Out (Hitt 6401/6402)
Tommy Dae & The Tensionettes 1964 - I'll Be Coming Home / It's Gonna Be All Right (Hitt 6403/6404)
Tommy Dae bb Tensionnettes 1963 - Janie / It Was A Lie (Goldisc 12)
Biography :
Real Name, Frank Draus Jr. aka Tommy Dae from Rockville / Vernon area in connecticut, had a sister Linda Draus and a brother Ernie Draus. "You Made Me Cry", Tommy's first release , came for his own Hits Records from Connecticut. The flip side has "It Was A Lie ". The ballad “It Was a Lie” received airplay on local radio stations. The flip side, "You Made Me Cry" was a top 40 song by the Tensionettes on several radio stations in Connecticut. Sometimes Sherry from Ellington joined the Tensionnettes as a third Members,
Sherry, Linda & Anette Tommy Dae
The Musicians on this release are Tommy Dae (Vocal on "It Was A Lie") the Tensionettes (Linda Draus and Anette Lettendre) and The High Tensions : Bernie Costello (Lead Guitar/bass Guitar & Backup vocal, Ernie Drauss (Bass Guitar & Backup vocal), Tommy Dionne (Drums & Backup vocal), Mike Garrison (Rhythm guitar / Backup Vocal) and Arno Groot (Saxophone). Tommy wrote both tracks and produced under his given name Frank Draus. It seems that Tommy had at least seven more releases for Hitt, Gold Disc, Glo, Diamond Jody & MZ.
The Fairlanes (3) (San Francisco, CA.) aka Cleo & Ramona King
Personnel :
Ramona King
Cleo King
Lawrence Thibeaux
Elzie Walker
Discography :
The Fairlanes (3) 1961 - Playboy / Writing This Letter (Continental 26)
Cleo & Ramona King 1961 - Dream On / Soulmate (Arvee 5041)
Biography :
Although she recorded for several other outlets, San Francisco-based Ramona King is best known for the singles she released on Lee Hazlewood's Eden label in 1962-63 and on Warner Bros in 1964-65. "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" , the first of her four Warners 45s, had all the makings of a hit record, but unfortunately went on sale the same month as the version by the better known Betty Everett, which made the Top 10. Before leaving for a solo career in 1962, Ramona King was a member of The Fairlanes of San Francisco, Ca. They recorded the Hit song "Writing This Letter" b/w "Playboy" both written by Ramona. The group consisted of, Ramona King, brother's Cleo King, Lawrence Thibeaux and Elzie Walker. Ramona & Cleo recorded "Dream On" b/w "Soulmate" released by Arvee Records.
The Tramps (1) (Los Angeles, CA) aka Bill Harris & The Continentals (3)
Personnel :
Beamon Young (Lead)
Willie King
Norma King
Bill Harris (Baritone)
Discography :
The Tramps (1) 1959 - You're A Square / Ride On (Arvee 548) 1959 - Midnight Flyer / Your Love (Arvee 570) 1959 - I'm So Glad / I Love You So (Arvee 1)
Beamon Young 1959 - The Love I Just Lost / Some Day (Arvee 573)
Bill Harris & The Continentals (3) 1960 - Danny Boy/ I’m So Glad (Eagle 1002)
Biography :
Born in Los Angeles, Fred Sledge Smith often credited as Fred Smith, was an American R&B songwriter and record producer, who worked in particular with The Olympics, Bob & Earl, Bill Cosby, and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. He started his career as a songwriter in the 1950s with his friend Cliff Goldsmith. They wrote the novelty song "Western Movies", which was recorded by vocal group The Olympics.
In 1959, Fred Smith and Cliff Goldsmith Produced The Tramps. The Tramps were Los Angeles based and were Beamon Young (Lead), Willie King, his sister Norma and Bill Harris (Baritone). Members of The Tramps were in the Air Force when they recorded for Arvee. They changed their name to Bill Harris & The Continentals when they finished their tour of duty in the Air Force. Smith and Goldsmith continued to co-write novelty and dance songs together until the early 1960s.
Phil & Harv 1961 - Darling (Please Bring Your Love) / Friendship (Rampart 611) 1961 - The Facts Of Love / Sweeter Than Candy (Rampart 612)
Phil & Del 1962 - Don't Play With Love / My Girl (Linda 105) 1967 - These Feelings / It Hurts Me (Rampart 656)
Biography :
The Mixtures began as a group called the Playboys at Oxnard High School in 1957 with members Steve Mendoza, Del Franklin & Jess Poras. Later Dan Pollock, Leroy Soto and Eddie DeRobles joined the group. In 1960, they changed their name to the Mixtures because they were a mix of races, Chicano, African-American and white. They became very popular playing at local gigs, dances and weddings. In 1960, They backed singer Cookie Comp . The Mixtures felt they needed more vocal help so Del Franklin brought in a black singer from the projects named Phillip Tucker. Phil brought in another singer, who was also African-American, by the name of Willis Junior Harvey. Phil and Harv would be featured singers with the Mixtures for a couple of years.
Phil & Harv & The Mixtures Delbert Franklin
The Mixtures would next back vocal Harvey & Phillip on "Darling)Please Bring Your Love)" and "Friendship" released in March 1961 on the Rampart label (Rampart 611). The backing vocals were done by the female group, The Blossoms though uncredited. This was follwed by by the release of Phil & Harv's "The Facts Of Love" and "Sweeter Than Candy" released on the Rampart label (Rampart 612). Following this release, Harvey Willis had some legal issues and he was replaced by The Mixtures' Delbert Franklin. In 1962 Phil & Del recorded "Don't Play With Love" and "My Girl" released on the Linda label (Linda 105). In 1967, "These Feelings" b/w "It Hurts Me" by Phil & Del was released on Rampart 656. http://wwwyoufoundthateastsidesoundcom.blogspot.com/2012/04/eastside-bands-mixtures.html https://markguerrero.net/31.php
Little information on this group from Allentown in Pennsylvania. According to youtube, William Bates would be one of the members of the group. They are not related with the four Coachmen on Castle & Adonis records.
During the summer of 1959, the Four Coachmen recorded "My Own True Love" and "These Golden Years" which would be released by MGM. Some six months later, the group recorded two good new titles, "Fortune Telle" and "Sales Talk". Mgm released the single changing the name of the group by The Banners.
The Tumemasters (Bronx, New York) aka The Chantels
Personnel :
Arlene Smith (Lead)
Lois Harris (First Tenor)
Sonia Goring (Second Tenor)
Jackie Landry (Second Alto)
Rene Minus (Alto / Bass)
Discography :
The Tumemasters 1957 - It's All Over / Sending This Letter (Mark-X 7002)
Willie Wilson & The Tumemasters 1958 - I've Lied / Sending You This Letter (End 1011)
Willie And Arlene And The Tunemasters 1958 - I've Lied / Sending You This Letter (End 1011)
Biography :
It was almost a precursor to 'Sister Act” when The Chantels first sang together, as the five female members of the group were studying at the Saint Anthony of Padua Convent in Morrisania, New York. Their leader Arlene Smith was not yet sixteen when End Records came calling in July 1957, yet she'd already gained a wealth of experience by giving recitals in Carnegie Hall. Midway through the girls’ first recording session, producer Richard Barrett used them to back up another of his signings, Willie Wilson & The Tunemasters. Arlene was awarded a portion of the writing credits on the ballad "I've Lied" , which was first released as being by Willie and Arlene & The Tunemasters. The girls were later purloined to provide back ups behind Ronnie Baxter, Jimmy Pemberton and for Barrett himself on a cover of 'Come Softly to Me’ and Summer's Love' which briefly made the Hot TOO.
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