Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues

The Tangents aka The Twilighters (4) aka The Twiliters (3)

Posted on February 22 2024 by dion1

The Tangents aka The Twilighters (4) aka The Twiliters (3)
The Tangents from 59 - 60. Bill Redd (Billy Thedford) top right

The Tangents (Pacoima, Ca)
aka The Twilighters (4)
aka The Twiliters (3)
Thanks to Liam

Personnel :

Billy Thedford (Lead)

Jodell Base

Howard Hogains

Willie Marshall

Leonard H.

Discography :

The Tangents
1960 - Send Me Something / I Can't Live Alone (Fresh 1)

Horace Wooten & The Tangents
1961 - That Lucky Old Sun / Never Leave Again (Fresh 2274)

The Twilighters (4)
1961 - Nothin’/ Do You Believe (Eldo 115)

Ron Holden & The Twiliters (3)
1962 - Things Don't Happen That Way / Ya Got That Lovin' Touch (Baronet 3)

Biography :

Vocal Group from Pacoima, Ca. in the San Fernando Valley. The group consisted of Billy Thedford (Lead), Jodell Base, Howard Hogains, Willie Marshall and Leonard H..In 1960, The Tangents recorded "Send Me Something" and "I Can't Live Alone" released in may 1960 on the Fresh Label owned by Danny Sanford Coggins. For their next record on the label, Horace Wooten joined the group .Horace "Pookie" Wooten has been part of many Los Angeles groups like The Chimes, The Shields (The Touring Group), The Lions, The Wonders, The Wanderers and probably others. With Horace Wooten on lead, they recorded "That Lucky Old Sun" and "Never Leave Again".

The Tangents aka The Twilighters (4) aka The Twiliters (3)
Horace "Pookie" Wooten Ron Holden

With almost the same team, but under a new name, The Twilighters, they recorded the fantastic doo wop "Nothin’" and "Do You Believe". The disc will be released by Eldo record founded by Johnny Otis. After the success of 'Love You So" Ron Holden, moved to Los Angeles and met the Group when he recorded "I'll Be Happy" and "I'll Always Have You" at Eldo Records. For their last single The group backed Ron Holden as the Twiliters on "Things Don't Happen That Way" and "You Got That Lovin' Touch" Released on Baronet..

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Tangents

Send Me Something I Can't Live Alone

Never Leave Again

Horace Wooten & The Tangents

That Lucky Old Sun

The Twilighters (4)

Nothin' Do You Believe

Ron Holden & The Twiliters (3)

Things Don't Happen That Way Ya Got That Lovin' Touch

...

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The Stars (3)

Posted on February 20 2024 by dion1

The Stars (3)
(L to R) Johnny Lawrence, Russell Stevens, Wayne Lassiter & Roger Freeman

The Stars (3) (Mobile, Alabama)

Personnel :

Johnny Lawrence

Russell Stevens

Wayne Lassiter

Roger Freeman

Discography :

1959 - Night Train / No Letter From You (Vega 002)
1959 - Let's Cuddle Again / When You Love (Vega VM 100)

Biography :

The Stars were a swinging-singing quartet from the Mobile area. The leader of the “Stars” is Johnny Lawrence, former band instructor at a high school in Prichard. While teaching a school, he coached the boys Russell Stevens, Wayne Lassiter and Roger Freeman , and later organized them into a professional singing group. All three of the youths were band students of Lawrence while he was instructor at Vigor High School. The Stars made two records in 1959. The first is “Night Train” and “No Letter From You” followed by "Let's Cuddle Again" and "When You Love". Both Records were released by Vega owned by Johnny Lawrence.

Songs :

No Letter From You Night Train

Let's Cuddle Again / When You Love

...

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Bill Hall & The Sonnets (2)

Posted on February 18 2024 by dion1

Bill Hall & The Sonnets (2) (Nashville, Tennessee)

Personnel :

Bill Hall (Lead)

Leonard Gentry (Tenor)

Joe Robinson (Tenor)

Denver Lockens (Baritone)

Elridge Patton (Bass)

Discography :

Single :
1958 - Make It Soon / Three Wishes (Checker 884)

Unreleased :
1958 - Lonely Hours (Checker)
1958 - Let Me Get Close (Checker)

Biography :

The Sonnets were a vocal group from Nashville Tennessee. They are most widely known by tunes on the Checker label: "Three Wishes" "Make It Soon" "Let Me Get Close" and "Lonely Hours". Managed by Nathaniel Buchanan the group is composed by Bill Hall lead singer, Leonard Gentry tenor, Joe Robinson tenor, Denver Lockens baritone and Elridge Patton bass. They have had some appearances on radio and television.

Songs :

Make It Soon Three Wishes

...

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The Young Sisters

Posted on February 17 2024 by dion1

The Young Sisters (Detroit)

Personnel :

Patti Masaglia

Lisa Pomilia

Angela Pomilia

Discography:

The Young Sisters
1962 - Casanova Brown / My Guy (Twirl 2001)
1963 - Playgirl / Hello Baby (Twirl 2008) 
1964 - She Took His Love Away / Jerry Boy (Mala 467)

Del Shannon (bb The Young Sisters)
1962 - Little Town Flirt / The Wamboo (Bigtop 3131)
1963- Two Kind Of Teardrops / Kelly (Bigtop 3143)
1963 - Two Silhouettes / My Wild One - London HLX-9761

Biography :

The Young Sisters were three italian girls from the east side of Detroit that were discovered by Harry Balk of EmBee Productions, who also managed and produced Del Shannon and Johnny & The Hurricanes. Harry had his staff writer, Maron McKenzie (who co-wrote "Little Town Flirt" and six other tunes with Del Shannon) tailor two songs for the young girl group. "Casanova Brown" backed with "My Guy", both McKenzie compositions, was released on Balk's own record label, Twirl Records, as #2001. It barely broke into the Billboard Top 100 in September 1962, peaking only at #94. McKenzie started writing "Little Town Flirt" which originally was intended for The Young Sisters. Balk teamed Maron and Del together to co-write. The result? "Flirt" was completed, and Shannon had another single to chart at #12 in January of '63.

The Young Sisters

Maron swiftly wrote "Playgirl" and "Hello Baby" for the Young Sisters to replace "Flirt" which was originally intended for them as the follow-up. Irving Micahnik and Harry Balk decided to use the Young Sisters to back Del in the studios on three consecutive singles. This included "Little Town Flirt" b/w "The Wamboo", and "Two Kind of Teardrops" b/w "Kelly". The girls were also used for the third intended single "Two Silhouettes" b/w "My Wild One" on London records. Shannon recorded "From Me To You" while on tour in Britain in May of 1963, and the American singles succession looked a little different than what was intended. Maron (who goes by Robert McKenzie today) wrote a third single for the girls,

Del Shannon

"She Took His Love Away" (written with Dick Bossi) b/w "Jerry Boy", released on Mala Records. Patti Young from the group went on to record one single as a solo artist, "Head and Shoulders (Above The Rest)" b/w "The Valiant Kind", produced by Fred Saxon and arranged by Mike Theodore. "Head and Shoulders" went on to become a Northern Soul classic.

Songs :

The Young Sisters


Casanova Brown                                       My Guy


Playgirl                                      Hello Baby


She Took His Love Away                               Jerry Boy

...

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The Impacts (1) aka The Blue Chips (2)

Posted on February 17 2024 by dion1

The Impacts (1) aka The Blue Chips (2)

The Impacts (1) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Blue Chips (2)

Personnel :

Kenneth Seymour (Lead and Baritone)

Steve Liebowitz (Tenor & Baritone)

Horace Brooks (Tenor)

Robert Baber (Bass)

Helen Powell (Tenor)

Discography :

The Renditions(with Steve Liebowitz)
Unreleased :
1957 - Roses
1957 - My Juanita

The Impacts (1)
Singles :
1959 - Now Is The Time / Soup (Watts 5599)
1959 - Croc-O-Doll / Bobby Sox Squaw (RCA 7583)
1959 - Canadian Sunset / They Say (Watts 5600/RCA 7609)
1961 - Help me Somebody / Darling Now you're Mine (Carlton 548)
1965 - Just Because / Pigtails (DCP 1150)
Unreleased :
1958 - Here I am (End)

Kenny & The Impacts (1)
1965 - Wishing Well / Heartaches (DCP 1147)

The Blue Chips (2)
1961 - Puddles Of Tears / The Contest (RCA 7923)
1961 - Let It Ride / Adios Adios (RCA 7935)
1962 - Promise / One Hen (Groove 0006)

The Impact
1967 - My World Fell Down / Could You Love Me (MGM 13726)

Biography :

In 1957, Steve Liebowitz with his Brooklyn group the "Renditions" recorded a two-sided acappela Demo, "Rose" and "My Juanita". Steve would unite with fellow Bedford Styvesant Brooklynites, Horace Brooks (Tenor), Robert Baber (Bass), Kenneth Seymour (Lead and Baritone) and a Female tenor, Helen Powell who Steve eventually marry. They would record the novelty record "soup" backed with "Now is the Time" for the small Watts label in 1958. They left them for End records later in 1958, Recoding a song called "Here I am" which never came out.

The Impacts (1) aka The Blue Chips (2)

A year later they signed a contract with RCA where 4 sides were recorded and released. Steve Liebowitz was away on these recording and was replaced with Charles 'Churchill' Mattocks. After some personnel changes (Paul Fulton and Sammy Strain replaced Powell and Baber), the Group had one release for Carlton Records. The Two new members were both from the Chips "Rubber Biscuit" and Sammy Strain also sang with the Fantastics, later with the Imperials and the O'Jays.

They Moved back to RCA (Two new releases) and would record for the Groove subsidiary but due to contractual problems they were forced to change their name to The Blue Chips. Bert Can now joined the group replacing Paul Fulton. Through their association with Richard Barret, they backed Pookie Hudson as his Spaniels and Earl Wade. They did Backup for Lenny Welch and Little Peggy March.

Pookie Hudson Earl Wade Little Peggy March Lenny Welch

Kenny Seymour saw the music scene changing and along with Sammy Strain he was joined by Harold Jenkins and Renaldo Gamble both from The Kodaks and The Schoolboys. The Group was rounded out by adding Allen Morton (Also from The Chips). The Group had two releases on DCP, the second as Kenny & The Impacts and a final release on MGM as the Impact.
Thanks to Robert Baber

Songs :

The Impacts (1)


Now Is The Time                        Soup                               Croc-O-Doll


Bobby Sox Squaw                 Canadian Sunset                   They Say


Help me Somebody            Darling Now you're Mine             Just Because

Pigtails

Kenny & The Impacts (1)

Wishing Well

The Blue Chips (2)


Puddles Of Tears                      The Contest                                     Let It Ride


Adios Adios              Promise    One Hen

The Impact

My World Fell Down Could You Love Me

....

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The Ambers (1)

Posted on February 13 2024 by dion1

The Ambers (1)

The Ambers (1) (Los Angeles)

Personnel :

Ralph Mathis (Lead)

Barry Tompkins (Second Tenor)

Stan Voetz (Bariton)

Manny Haber (Bass)

Discography :

1958 - Never Let You Go / I'll Make A Bet (Ebb 142)

Biography

The Ambers were a group from San Francisco's George Washington High School: Ralph Mathis (lead and brother of Pop singing sensation Johnny Mathis), Barry Tompkins (second tenor), Stan Voetz (baritone), and Manny Haber (bass).

Ralph Mathis

December 1957, the Ambers did a single session for Ebb Records. Ebb Records, run by Lee Rupe (the ex-wife of Specialty Records' owner Art Rupe), was a minor Los Angeles rock and R&B label of the late 1950s.

The Ambers (1)
Ralph Mathis at The Apollo Theater (1958)

Session producer Jesse Johnson decided to throw in more voices, and rounded up everyone he could find to do additional vocals and clapping .Present in the studio , the Jaguars became part of the backup on the Ralph Mathis and the Ambers session. "Never Let You Go" b/w "I'll Make A Bet" were released in March 1958.

Songs :

Never Let You Go I'll Make A Bet

...

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The Kampus Kids aka Rick & The Legends (4)

Posted on February 11 2024 by dion1

The Kampus Kids aka Rick & The Legends (4)
The Kampus Kids (East Liverpool, Ohio)
aka Rick & The Legends (4)
aka Riki & The Rikatones

Personnel :

Rick Palmer (Guitar / Lead Vocal)

Jerry Nolan (Rhythm Guitar / Vocal)

Jay Stewart (Guitar Bass / Vocal)

Discography :

Rick Palmer
1958 - You Threw A Dart / My Greatest Wish (Carlton 491)

The Kampus Kids
1960 - Leave Me Alone / Mr Rainbow Man (Ensign 5000)

Riki & The Rikatones
1960 - Whiphash / T.N.T. (Manhattan 201)

Rick & The Legends (4)
1963 - The Diary Of A Teenage Bride / All Of Your Love (JD 155)
1965 - I Wonder Why / Leave Me Alone (JD 162)
1966 - I Wonder Why / Love Me Like I Know You Can (UA 5093)

Biography :

Originally from East Liverpool, Ohio, the group begin in 1958 as The Teen-Kings, a musical group comprised of Rick Palmer, Bill Pipes, Don Hay and Jerry Nolan. In November 1958, Rick Palmer recorded "You Threw a Dart" b/w "My Greatest Wish" released On Carlton records.In 1959 Rick Palmer on lead vocal and lead guitar teamed up Jerry Nolan on rhythm guitar and vocal and Jay Stewart on bass and vocal. Their current manager sold their contract to Buck Ram. As Their new manager, Buck provided the group with "Mr. Rainbow Man" and "Leave Me Alone" released on on the new Ensign label (Antler’s subsid) as the The Kampus Kids.

The Kampus Kids aka Rick & The Legends (4)
The Kampus Kids - From top : Jay Stewart, Jerry Nolan & Rick Palmer

The single made it all the way into the top five on radio station WNOR in Norfolk, Virginia. Even though the song was extremely popular regionally it failed to achieve success nationally. After several ups and downs they moved to Cleveland Ohio where their manager had a "You Write 'Em and I'll Record 'Em" business for songwriters who wanted to hear their songs recorded. They were his house band and some of the recordings they made for him were released on his Manhattan label as Riki & The Rikatones, two Rockabilly "Whiphash" and "T.N.T.". In the very early 60s (1961/1962) the band relocated to the Norfolk, Virginia area & played Virginia Beach regularly as well as the naval base officers club. It was here that the band got to open up for and back-up the late, great Roy Orbison. Rick Palmer also did lots of session work and played with Ray Peterson on "Tell Laura I love her".

The Kampus Kids aka Rick & The Legends (4)
clockwise from top left: Jean Palmer, Buzzy Rose, Jerry Nolan and Rick Palmer

He backed up Nashville artist, Minnie Pearl also. In 1968 the band relocated to Massachusetts where they recorded "Love me like I know you can" in their basement for the United Artists label. In 1962 Buzzy Rose joined Rick Palmer and Jerry Nolan as their drummer and added Rick's wife Jean (keyboards & vocals). They call themselves The Coachmen and changed to Rick & The Legends. Soon they cut their first record on the JD label "The Diary Of A Teenage Bride" b/w "All Of Your Love". The next record was "I Wonder Why" b/w "Leave Me Alone". Then United artists cut "I Wonder Why" and a new song Rick wrote, "Love Me Like I Know You Can".

Songs :

The Kampus Kids


Mr Rainbow Man                                   Leave Me Alone

Rick & The Legends (4)


The Diary Of A Teenage Bride                    All Of Your Love


   I Wonder Why                       Love Me Like I Know You Can

Rick Palmer

You Threw A Dart

Riki & The Rikatones

Whiphash (Rockabilly) T.N.T. (Rockabilly)

..

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The Stompers aka The Cordials (3)

Posted on February 11 2024 by dion1

The Cordials (3) aka The Stompers (2)

Bobby (Boris) Pickett

The Stompers (2) (Los Angeles)
aka The Cordials (3)

Personnel :

Bobby (Boris) Pickett

Leonard "Lenny" Capizzi

Bill Capizzi

Ron Deltorto

Lou Toscano

Discography :

The Stompers (2)
1962 - Quarter To Four Stomp / Foolish One (Landa 684)

The Cordials (3)
1962 - Eternal Love / The International Twist (Reveille 106)

Biography :

Bobby (Boris) Pickett was born in Somerville, Massachusetts. After high school, he spent three years in Korea in the US army signal corps. Upon demobilisation, Pickett headed for Hollywood, where he wanted to break into movies and stand-up comedy - his first nightclub act included a horror film routine. His initial success was modest, and in 1961 he joined a vocal group called the Cordials. The Cordials were Leonard "Lenny" Capizzi, Bill Capizzi, Ron Deltorto, Lou Toscano and Bobby Boris Pickett. It specialised in the doo-wop close-harmony style and occasionally Pickett would enliven shows by intoning the spoken section of Little Darlin', a hit by the Diamonds, in his Karloff voice.

The Cordials (3) aka The Stompers (2)

The Cordials soon came to the attention of the record producer and songwriter Gary Paxton. Under his guidance, the Cordials, a white group in a mainly black genre, recorded "Eternal Love" and "The International Twist" both written By the Capizzi brothers . Gary Paxton produced the Next single "Quarter To Four Stomp", a surf-orientated adaptation of Garу US Bonds’ “Quarter To Three” . The single was released under the name of the Stompers.

The Stompers (2) aka The Cordials (3)

Shortly after this release Bobby Boris Pickett left for a solo career and co-wrote "Monster Mash" with Cordials/Stompers member Leonard Capizzi to take advantage of the Mashed Potato dance craze. Pickett's half-spoken, half-sung narration includes a brief snatch of a heavily accented Bela Lugosi impersonation as well as the Karloff voice. The refrain ran, "He did the mash/ He did the monster mash/ The monster mash/ It was a graveyard smash".

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Cordials (3)


Eternal Love                      The International Twist

The Stompers (2)


Quarter To Four Stomp                            Foolish One

Bobby Pickett

Monster Mash

...

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The Hi Tones (2)

Posted on February 10 2024 by dion1

The Hi Tones (2)

The Hi Tones (2) (New York)

Personnel :

Jay Thompson

David Eason

Charles Baskerville

William White

Discography :

1960 - Let's Have A Good Time / Fool, Fool, Fool (King 5414)

Biography :

Co-written with the “5” Royales’ Lowman Pauling, ‘"Let's Have A Good Time" was also credited as being composed by Jay Thompson, David Eason, Charles Baskerville and William White on the label. The likelihood is that these were the group members brought to King by Lowman Pauling for this one-off 45. Eason and White had been members of the Glendells from Waycross, Georgia in 1959 who had performed with Ruth Brown on a show. She encouraged the group to move up to New York. Charles Baskerville had been a member of the Videos vocal group, who recorded on Casino in 1958 and 1959 and went on to be a member of Shep & The Limelighters. Maybe Baskerville and Jay Thompson teamed up with Eason and White and came up with this rocking blues vocal group gem.

Songs :

Fool, Fool, Fool Let's Have A Good Time

...

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Lena Calhoun & The Emotions (2)

Posted on February 10 2024 by dion1

Lena Calhoun & The Emotions (2)
Louise Williams & Beverly Pecot

Lena Calhoun & The Emotions (2) (Los Angeles)

Personnel :

Lena Calhoun (Lead)

Louise Williams

Beverly Pecot

Diane Irvin

Discography :

The Emotions (2)
1961 - I Ran To You / Been Lookin' Your Way (Flip 356)

Lena Calhoun & The Emotions (2)
1961 - First Love Baby / I Ran To You (Flip 357)
1961 - I Can Tell (I'm Losing Your Love) / Been Looking Your Way (Flip 358)

-----
The LaVettes (With Lena Calhoun)
1960 – You'll Be Mine / Teen Age Idol (Emjay 1920=45)

Biography :

LA'S Flip label is most famous for having been the imprint under which Richard Berry recorded ‘Louie Louie’. Other acts to feature on the label were the Dreamers, the Six Teens and Lena Calhoun & the Emotions. The latter outfit were a female quartet led by Lena (a younger girl from Compton) and backed by Louise Williams and Beverly Pecot of the Six Teens, and Diane Irvin (who had originally auditioned for the Six Teens in early 1956). The group had three consecutively numbered releases on Flip in 1961. "T Ran To You" / "Been Lookin' Your Way" (Flip 356) was the first, "I Can Tell (lm Losing Your Love)" (Flip 358) the last, with ‘Been Lookin" Your Way" reissued as its flip. "I Can Tell" was actually recorded as a trio (without Diane Irvin) and is a punchy R&B-based item just waiting for dance floor action once a few copies turn up. Lena Calhoun was the youngest member of the group and also had a release as one of the Lavettes on Emjay Records in the same year.

Songs ;

I Ran To You                                Been Lookin' Your Way


         First Love Baby                     I Can Tell (I'm Losing Your Love)

...

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