Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues - jcpiazza26@gmail.com

Dale & The Del-Hearts

Posted on March 24 2024 by dion1

Dale & The Del-Hearts (Atlanta, GA.)

Personnel :

?

Discography :

1961 - I've Waited So Long / Always And Forever (Herald 564)

Biography :

Herald Records was an American record label of the 1950s and 1960s. Herald was founded in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1952 by Fred Mendelsohn. He teamed up with Al Silver and Silver's brother-in-law, who continued Herald Records after Mendelsohn left. The company signed Lightnin' Hopkins in 1954, and The Mellowkings in 1957. Its biggest hit was "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs in 1960.

Dale & The Del-Hearts

Dale & The Del-Hearts came to Herald through Phil Gemhard of Windsong Music in Columbia, S.C. who also Handled Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs. "Always And Ever" bw "I've Waited So Long" came out in August, 1961. Unfortunately no information on the names of the members of the group, we only know that there were eight, five musicians and three singers.

Songs :

Always And Forever I've Waited So Long

...

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The Four Epics

Posted on March 24 2024 by dion1

The Four Epics

The Four Epics (Philadelphia)
ref : The Vespers

Personnel :

Mickey Neil (Second Tenor)

Jack Mc Knight (First Tenor)

Jimmy Mullen (Baritone)

Bobby Riccobene (Bass)

Discography :

The Bancrofts
Unreleased :
1960 - Wonderfull Girl

The Four Epics
Singles :
1962 - I'm On My Way To Love / When The Music Ends (Heritage 109)
1963 - Again / I Love You Diane (Laurie 3155)
1963 - How I Wish I Was A Single / Dance Joanne (Laurie 3183)
Unreleased :
1961 - Wedding Bells
1962 - My Love
1963 - Girl In The Moonlight
1963 - Summertime Angel
1963 - A Thing Worth Remembering
1963 - Mr.Weather
1963 - Girls
1963 - Cover Girl
1963 - Tammy Ann
1963 - Congratulations To Someone
1963 - For The First Time
1963 - Future Just Passed

The Vespers
1963 - Mr Cupid / Walk With My Angel (Swan 4156)

Johnny Greco bb The Four Epics
1963 - Rocket Ride / Why Don't You Love Me (Pageant 602)

Biography :

They started as a trio in the fall of '59 and called themselves the Bancrofts, a name taken from their streetcorner hangout. They were Jack "Rocky" McKnight (1st Tenor and vocal arranger). Mickey Neill (2nd Tenor) and Jimmy Mullen (baritone). After months of practice, they were eager to hear their sound on acetate and in May '60, they recorded Dion and the Belmonts version of Wonderful Girl. Harmony and blend were good, yet lacked the fullness Jack was striving for, It was decided a 4th voice was needed, and in early '61 enter Bobby Riccobene, who completed the ensemble with his basso profundo.

The Four Epics

 Confident with their sound, they pooled their money for studio time and recorded some original material. The group finally made their mark after teaming up with Jerry Ross who, in 1962, suggested a name change to the Four Epics and shuffled them to South Philly's AMS studio to record "I'm On My Way" b/w "When The Music Ends" for his Heritage label. Not only did promotional appearances abound along the eastern seaboard, Jerry managed to keep the boys busy doing backround sessions for established artists like Chubby Checker, Little Joey & the Flips, Rick & the Masters, Freddy Cannon, and the Dovells. One of the most memorable sessions was with some of the members of the Fortune Tellers and the Dreamlovers on "Amazons & Coyotes".

The Four Epics

While the Heritage release was still generating airplay, Bobby Riccobene left the group and in stepped Richie Lalli just as Ross made a connection with the NY based Laurie Records. So in 1963, the boys headed for the Big Apple and the famous Bell Sound Studios where they recorded an up-tempo version of the old standard "Again". Based on airplay and record sales, Laurie execs were ecstatic and sanctioned another release on the label.

The Four Epics

So, hot on its heels in '63 came the follow-up, "Dance Joanne", a ditty reminiscent of "Little Bitty Pretty One". Even as these tunes made their improbable run up the charts, the boys would soon learn their stint with Laurie would be short lived, Consequently disappointment and frustration would lead to Mickey and Richie leaving the group. Jack and Jimmy would go on to form a new group with Tony Barbella (1st Tenor), and Buzzy Shearin (2nd Tenor). Now known as The Vespers, a proficient, albeit ,short-lived ensemble.

The Four Epics
The Vespers : Jack Mc Knight, Jimmy Mullen, Tony Barbella & Buzzy Shearin

They had only one release in '63 on Swan Records "Mr Cupid" b/w "Walk With My Angel" It was a modest hit, however no others would follow and the group soon disbanded. For the next 3 decades, the musical virtuosity of Jack McKnight would be demonstrated many times, whether it be the rebirth of the 4 Epics, Exodus, Exodus II, or arranging and producing recording sessions for other recording artists. 

Songs :

The Bancrofts

Wonderfull Girl

The Four Epics


I'm On My Way To Love                     When The Music Ends


Again                                      I Love You Diane


How I Wish I Was A Single                        Dance Joanne


Wedding Bells                                      My Love


Girl In The Moonlight                       Summertime Angel


A Thing Worth Remembering                      Mr.Weather


Girls                                            Cover Girl


Congratulations To Someone                   For The First Time

Future Just Passed

The Vespers


   Mr Cupid                                   Walk With My Angel

Johnny Greco bb The Four Epics


       Rocket Ride                                Why Don't You Love Me

...

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The Vocal Lords

Posted on March 23 2024 by dion1

The Vocal Lords

The Vocal Lords (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel:

Steve Tudanger

John Cipriani

Marty Joltin

Sal Ruggiero

Discography :

1959 - Girl Of mine / At Seventeen (Able/Taurus 2969/2969)

Biography :

Early in 1957 three junior high school students from Brooklyn - Marty Jolton, John Cipriani and Steve Tudanger - formed Marty & the Joltineers. Soon they met Larry and Sal Ruggiero, and the Corsairs were founded. When Larry dropped out, the group changed its name to the Vocal Lords and recorded "At Seventeen", released first on the tiny Abel logo, and then on Taurus. The disc earned the group some local fame and a spot on Clay Cole's TV show. While at Taurus, they also did back-ups on releases by Donnie & the Delchords and the Fireflies, whose song "Good Friends" Steve also wrote.

Marty & the Joltineers The Vocal Lords

Meanwhile, in another neighbourhood, Joe DiBenedetto, Jimmy Gallagher, Tommy Saltzo and Nick Zagami formed the Paladians. After releasing "I'd Climb The Highest Mountain" the outfit disbanded, with Jimmy joining the Passions, while Nick and Joe teamed up with John and Steve of the Vocal Lords. This new quartet renamed themselves the Four-Evers..

https://www.spectropop.com/remembers/SteveTudanger.htm

Songs :

Girl Of mine At Seventeen

...

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The Four Pearls aka The Fabulous Pearls

Posted on March 23 2024 by dion1

The Four Pearls (Tacoma, Wa)
aka The Fabulous Pearls

Personnel :

Artis Johnson Jr

Elsie Hall

Lloyd Foster

William Watson

Discography :

The Fabulous Pearls
Single :
1959 - Jungle Bunny / My Heart's Desire (Dootone 448)

Unreleased :
1959 - She'll Understand (Dootone)
1959 - Baby Drop Top (Dootone)
1959 - I Laughed So Hard (Dootone)

The Four Pearls
1960 - Look At Me / It's Almost Tomorrow (Dolton 26)

Biography :

The Pearls were an R&B vocal group that formed at Tacoma's McCord Air Force Base in March, 1957. Artis Johnson Jr. -- an alumni of Oakland, CA's Midnights -- recruited three other singers (Elsie Hall, Lloyd Foster, & William Watson) & they competed in the military's annual Tops-N-Blue talent contest. By the next year's show Johnson & Hall had added new members: Rueben Martin & Ronald Small, they took the prize, & ended up performing Hall's "My Love" on the Ed Sullivan Show which aired from New York City on August 31st. Back home, the Pearls began working weekends at Seattle's top R&B dancehall, the Birdland (2203 E. Madison Street), where they were backed by house-band, the Dave Lewis Combo. In February, 1959, the quartet left Seattle by car & drove to Los Angeles with hopes of getting discovered. Arriving at the offices of Walter "Dootsie" Williams' Dootone Records, they lucked into an immediate audition – & as the Los Angeles Sentinel noted on March 19th: "after hearing them sing just once he immediately signed them to a long term contract." Ensconced in a recording studio with Ernie "Raunchy" Freeman's ace band – Williams was ecstatic about his Fabulous Pearls, declaring that "Both sides of this record will explode."

Well, not quite: even though the newspaper figured that the single's A-side ("Jungle Bunny") was an innocent "Easter-timed" (!) single, its title was actually based on some racist graffiti that Hall had once seen as a little girl. Williams thought it had "a slight edge due to its unusual style," but its edginess caused it to flop – so he began promoting the B-side, "My Heart's Desire," without much more luck. Three additional tunes -- "She'll Understand," "Baby Drop Top" & "I Laughed So Hard" -- were also cut, the latter finally surfacing on compilation CDs in 1995. Back in Seattle -- & now recast as the Four Pearls -- they were signed in July, 1960, by Bob Reisdorff to his Dolton Records label which was scoring hits with Northwest acts like the Fleetwoods, Ventures & FranticsThe beautiful "Look At Me" (with Dave Lewis on piano) & "It's Almost Tomorrow" (with the Frantics) were cut by audio engineer, Kearney Barton, at his Northwest Recorders studio (622 Union Street). When issued by Dolton around August, KOL & various other Northwest radio stations gave "Look At Me" some support, but it failed to grow into a broader hit & the Four Pearls headed to Canada where they played their final gigs.
http://nw-music-archives.blogspot.com/2009/12/four-pearls-northwest-doo-wop-1957-1960.html

Songs :

The Fabulous Pearls


Baby Drop Top                     Jungle Bunny


My Heart's Desire                  I Laughed So Hard

The Four Pearls

Look At Me It's Almost Tomorrow

...

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The Corals (3)

Posted on March 18 2024 by dion1

The Corals (3)

The Corals (3) (Jersey City)

Personnel :

Linda Kirkland

Marie Poole

Daisy Yarbrough

Thelma Yarbrough

Discography :

1962 - My Best Friend / Dancin' & Cryin' (Rayna 5010 / Kram 1001)
1962 - The Puppet / Tell Me Yes (Tell Me No) (Blackbird 4004 / Cheer 1001]

Biography :

In 1962, agent Michael Amato from Jersey City who discovered "Ronnie & The Hi-Lites" have a new group, The Corals. Te group consists of Linda Kirkland; 16, Marie Poole, 16, and sisters Daisy, 13, and Thelma Yarbrough. The girls all attend Ferris High. The Corals released "My Best Friend" b/w "Dancin' & Cryin'" first on Kram (1962). The same songs were re-issued on Rayna the same year. They also did "Puppet" on Blackbird that year, which was re-issued on Cheer. New York City labels. Their records was produced by Hal Wess whose wife wrote all the songs.

Songs :


My Best Friend                             Dancin' & Cryin'


The Puppet                                    Tell Me Yes

...

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The Young Lads (2)

Posted on March 18 2024 by dion1

Anthony Antonelli, Jim Grote, Jimmy Amatullo and Johnny Antonelli

The Young Lads (2) (Hell's Kitchen, New York)

Personnel :

Anthony Antonelli (Lead)

Jim Grote

Johnny Antonelli

Jimmy Amatullo

Discography:

The Young Lads (2)
1963 - Night After Night / Graduation Kiss (Felice 909/712)

Stan Vincent bb The Young Lads (2)
1963 - Hot Fudge Sundaes and Pizza Pies / The World Is Round (Felice 711)

Biography :

Anthony Antonelli was born and raised in the west side in Hell's Kitchen around 51st and 52nd street and 10th avenue. Anthony began his singing career at the age of twelve and was a two-time winner on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour. In the late fifties Anthony started his first vocal group called The Young Ladds with his brother Johnny, Jim Grote and Jimmy Amatullo.

The Young Lads (2)
Marty ?, Johnny Antonelli And Anthony Antonelli

The Group was immediately signed to Felice Records. The group released its first record on Felice Records entitled ''Night After Night''. This record immediately made its way to Billboards Top 100. During the session, the Young Lads backed Singer, songwriter, producer, arranger: Stan Vincent on "Hot Fudge Sundaes and Pizza Pies" b/w "The World Is Round"

The Young Lads (2) Stan Vincent

Anthony's contract was sold to Music Tone Records where he joined a group called "The Classics". Anthony's next venture in show business was helping to launch a cartoon character called Smurf. '
Jimmy Amatullo was also a member (very possibly the Lead Singer) of the Dedications on the C & A label who had “Shining Star” b/w “Mary Lou” on C & A (# 506) in 1963.

Songs :

The Young Lads (2)

Graduation Kiss / Night After Night

...

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Rusty Carry (bb The Jordanaires)

Posted on March 16 2024 by dion1

Rusty Carry

Rusty Carry (bb The Jordanaires) (Norton, Massachusetts)

Personnel :

Rusty Carry (Lead)

The Jordanaires

Hoyt Hawkins (Baritone)

Neal Matthews Jr. (Second Tenor)

Gordon Stoker (Tenor)

Ray Walker (Bass)

Discography :

Single:
1961 - Tag Along / Our Love Can Wait (Holiday Inn 106)

Unreleased :
1961 - Lonely Tears (Holiday Inn)

Biography :

In august 1961 Rusty Carry, a 16 year old Norton Boy, senior at J.I. Burton High School in Vacation in Nashville caught a bus to the RCA recording studios in hopes of seeing Elvis Presley and to try his luck in the song. Rusty Carry meet Floyd Cramer , a noted pianist and Gordon Stoker, a member of the famed Jordanaires . They took him for a recording session. Later Stoker took Rusty to a songwriter Marijohn Willin. Marijohn wrote two songs she thought be "Right" For Him.

Rusty Carry (bb The Jordanaires)
The Jordanaires Rusty Carry

In September 1961, Rusty recorded Three Songs, "Tag Along”, "Our Love Can Wait” and "Lonely Tears" Backed by the Jordanaires especially the Low voice of Ray Walker on "Tag Along" . The first two will be released by Holiday In Records. The record has been distributed to 2400 radio stations throughout the country.The teenager has been tagged by Nashville radio announcers as the “Big Voice From A Small Town.”

Songs :

Tag Along Our Love Can Wait

...

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The Idols (3)

Posted on March 12 2024 by dion1

The Idols (3)

The Idols (3) (Lodi, California)

Personnel :

Lionel Handel

Mike Harmon

John Hops

Larry Westgate

Discography :

1961 - Tell Me / We Dined By Candlelight (Camelia 100-38/39)
1961 - The Stars Will Remember / Tell Me (Galaxie 77)

Biography :

A Lodi vocal group, “The Idols,” entertainers on radio and television, have joined the ranks of recording artists, with their first disc. The four young men are Lionel Handel, Larry Westgate, Mike Harmon, and John Hops. One song on the record, “Tell Me” was written by Mike Harmon. The other, “We Dined by Candle-light” is a composition of Mrs Helen Allrich, a resident of Lodi. Both songs are ballads of the type in which the group has gained recognition. The two songs were released on The Camelia label from Sacramento.

The Idols (3)
Lionel Handel, John Hops, Mike Harmon & Larry Westgate

The Idols, an anagram for “Lodi” was formed in 1957 While the singers were stil! attending Lodi High School, and all were playing in the school band. Since that time they have entertained at numerous functions in Lodi, Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton, and San Francisco. Later, after the boys entered college, they continued the singing combo, and branched into radio and video, appearing on the Bil] Rase show and on several occasions they have been guests on the Don Sherwood Show. Some months later, the Idols release their second recording on the Galaxie label. The latest composition is "The Stars Will Remember" with a repeat of "Tell Me" .

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Stars Will Remember Tell Me

Tell Me / We Dined By Candlelight

...

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The Echoes (6)

Posted on March 9 2024 by dion1

The Echoes (6)

The Echoes (6) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Laurels (5)

Personnel :

Tommy Morrissey

Harry Boyle

Tom Duffy

Discography :

The Laurels (5)
1960 - Baby Blue (demo)
1960 - Every Dream I Dream (demo)

The Echoes (6)
Singles:
1961 - Baby Blue / Boomerang (Segway 103)
1961 - Sad Eyes / It's Rainin' (Segway 106)
1961 - Gee Oh Gee / Angel Of My Heart (Segway 1002)
1962 - Bluebirds Over The Mountain / A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird (Smash 1766)
1963 - A Million Miles From Nowhere / Keep An Eye On Her (Smash 1807)
1963 - If Love Is / Annabelle Lee (Smash 1850)
1965 - I Love Candy / Paper Roses (Ascott 2188)
Unreleased :
1960 - Think It Over
1961 - In A Little Spanish Town
1964 - I Just Can't Help Myself
1969 - A Rose And A Baby Ruth
1983 - Maybe Tonight
1983 - Let's Go To Angelo's
1983 - I Flunked
1983 - It's Party Time
1984 - Little Star
1984 - Hushabye
1984 - Baby Blue Medley

Biography :

The Echoes were a product of the great New York borough of Brooklyn. Harry Boyle recalls that in 1959 (at the ripe old age of 15) he was singing with a guy named Charlie Morrissey whose older brother Tommy (age 21) was just getting out of the service. Tommy started signing with some different guys including Bill Perry the lead of Billy and the Glens. Bill Perry introduced Tommy to Tom Duffy. Duffy knew two other guys – Sam Capano and Willie Bender. These five guys started practicing and getting songs together as the Laurels. Duffy knew Johnny Powers (of Johnny and the Jokers).

The Echoes (6)
The Laurels

The story goes that two teachers from Brooklyn wrote a song called “Baby Blue.” Those two were Sam Guilino and Val Lagueux. The two offered the song to Johnny Powers. Powers didn’t think the song was right for him and he passed it along to Duffy. In 1959, the Laurels took the song and did a slow, “Earth Angel” type ballad demo version of Baby Blue. They shopped it around without success.

The Echoes (6)

In 1960, Harry Boyle was asked to join the group as a guitar player. Capano and Bender left the group and the remaining trio asked Harry Boyle and Tommy Morrissey to start singing. They renamed themselves the Echoes. Harry Boyle suggested re-recording Baby Blue as a cha-chat. The group did that, picking up the pace a bit and changing the intro of the song by spelling out the words “Baby Blue.” It was Duffy, Morrissey and Boyle with Ralph DePalma on drums. They shopped the record at the famous “1650″ building and met up with Jack Gold of Paris Records (of the G-Clefs, Four Esquires, and Newports fame). Gold liked it and re-recorded it again with a new arrangement that included guitarist Billy Mueller. That was December 1960.

The Echoes (6)

Baby Blue b/w Boomerange was released in January 1961 on the S.R.G. label (named for Gold’s son Stephen Richard Gold) and Gold leased the rights to Seg-Way (#103 1961). The song first broke in Cleveland and was a huge hit going all the way to #12 in Billboard and #9 in Cashbox. The Echoes followed up on Seg-Way with Sad Eyes b/w Its Rainin (Seg-Way #106 1961) which did well locally but only reached #88 nationally. They followed with Gee Oh Gee b/w Angel of My Heart (Seg-Way #1002 1961) which did not chart.
https://strathdee.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/one-hit-wonders-the-echoes/

Songs :

The Laurels (5)


          Baby Blue (demo)                  Every Dream I Dream (demo)

The Echoes (6)


Baby Blue                                  Boomerang


Sad Eyes                                          It's Rainin'


Gee Oh Gee / Angel Of My Heart         Bluebirds Over The Mountain


A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But A Bird      A Million Miles From Nowhere


Keep An Eye On Her                               If Love Is

Annabelle Lee I Love Candy / Paper Roses

In A Little Spanish Town

...

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The Chanteers

Posted on March 9 2024 by dion1

The Chanteers (West Palm Beach, Florida)

Personnel :

John "J.P." Robinson (Lead)

Berdell Macon

Levon Kinsey

Joe Fisher

Discography :

1960/61 - Jungle Twist / The Life Of Pepe Lococo (?)
1962 - She's Coming Home / Mr. Zebra (Mercury 71979)
1962 - I Waited / Just A Little Boy (Mercury 72037)

Biography :

Early in 1958 John Robinson began his music career with the R&B group The Chanteers. This Vocal group from Roosevelt Senior high school, West Palm Peach, Florida, including J.P. Robinson, Berdell Macon, Levon Kinsey and Joe Fisher (future south florida disc jockey, who would later bring Robinson to the attention of Henry Stone). The chanteers playing gigs in many club around Miami. It states (in the ad) that the Chanteers were already a 'recording act' back in 1958 though the 1st 45 by the group was titled "Jungle Twist" and so dates from 1960 or 1961.

The Chanteers

The group later signed a recording contract for Mercury records and cut two singles in 1962.. Three Years later, in 1965, John Robinson with Victor Kerr cut one single as "Vick & John". John Robinson would later launch a solo career that spawned through the early 1970's recording as J.P. Robinson.

Songs :


             She's Coming Home                    Mr. Zebra


I Waited                                         Just A Little Boy

...

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