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The Three Graces

Posted on March 9 2024 by dion1

Miss Mary Grace (right)

The Three Graces ( New York)

Personnel

Mary Grace Bookhart

?

Discography :

Singles :
1958 - X Equals Kiss / Jimmy Joe (Golden Crest 515)
1959 - Billy Boy's Time / Lonesome And Sorry (Golden Crest 528)
1960 - Missed / 7 L (Golden Crest 534)
1960 - Larry Applebaum / My Hero (Golden Crest 546)

Eps :
The Three Graces / The Wailers (Golden Crest 88601 / 88602)
Billy Boys' Tune / 7 L / Tall Cool One / Road Runner

The Three Graces

Biography :

The Three Graces from New York City, were composed of Mary Grace Bookhart and two other unidentified young ladies. They recorded four singles for Golden Crest. Golden Crest was a Long Island label owned Clark Galehouse who also owned the Shelley pressing plant, makers of mostly styrene pressings. The Three Graces had a radio turntable hit with “Billy Boy’s Tune” which snuck in at No.100 in Cash Box national chart for two weeks in late summer 1959. Subtitled "Billy Boy's Funeral March" is a song with a wild guitar solo in the middle, sung by a group of three girls from different vocal backgrounds - classical, theatre and pop.

The Three Graces

When reviewed in the summer of '59, Billboard called it "a sharp reading of a first class piece of material." The reviewer predicted heavy sales which never happened and this exceptional song was soon forgotten. The single was originally issued as "Billy Boy's Funeral March" and the all three gals were brunettes. The single was retitled "Billy Boy's Tune" with the same 3 brunettes and echo was added to the musical mix . Somewhere along it's life, the middle gal was replaced with a blonde and the label was changed!

Songs :


Missed                                       X Equals Kiss


Lonesome And Sorry                                     7 L

Larry Applebaum

...

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The Searchers (1)

Posted on March 2 2024 by dion1

(paste-up picture) Top : Jesse Belvin. Bottom : Bobby Day & Earl Nelson

The Searchers (1) (Watts, Los Angeles)
aka The Hollywood Flames aka ....

Personnel :

Bobby Byrd "Bobby Day" (Lead)

Earl Nelson (Tenor)

Jesse Belvin

Discography :

1958 - Wow-Wow Baby / Ooo-Wee (Class 223)

Biography :

According to Class & Rendezvous Vocal Groups, The Searchers were another spin-off from the Hollywood Flames. We do not know their full lineup but it appears to have included artists including Bobby Day and Earl Nelson (who always seemed to be in the Class recording studio for one reason or another) and Jesse Belvin. The two sides of their only single, "Wow-Wow Baby” / "Ooo Wee”’ (Class 223), have similar titles and energy. The beginning of "Wow-Wow Baby” is explosive while “Ooo Wee" sounds a lot like "Over And Over" by Bobby Day and the Satellites, issued on Class 229 during the same time period.

Songs :

Wow-Wow Baby Ooo-Wee

...

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The Continentals

Posted on March 2 2024 by dion1

The Continentals
Left to right : Paul O' Connor, Keith Gwillians, Wes Clanahan, Dan Bowers and Kenton Kidd.

The Continentals (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Personnel :

Paul O' Connor (Lead)

Keith Gwillians

Wes Clanahan

Dan Bowers

Kenton Kidd

Biography :

Vocal Group from Oklahoma City composed by Paul O' Connor, Keith Gwillians, Wes Clanahan, Dan Bowers and Kenton Kidd. The group was managed by Venita Cravens who brought all of the big shows to Oklahoma City? and who promised them they would be on all the major shows. The Continentals warmed up the audience for many big-name stars such as the Four Preps, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, the Platters and Ricky Nelson. The group will be content with covers and will never record songs.

...

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The Cousins (3)

Posted on March 2 2024 by dion1

The Cousins (3)

The Cousins (3) (New Jersey)

Personnel :

Billy Hayes

Kevin Barry

Tom Gindhart

Bill Uhr

Discography :

1958 - I'm In Love With You (I Am) / Be Nice To Me (Decca 30609)

Biography :

Very little information on this group. The Cousins were a Vocal and Instrumental group from New Jersey composed by Billy Hayes, Kevin Barry, Tom Gindhart and Bill Uhr.

The Cousins (3)

The group will only have one single released by Decca with "I'm In Love With You (I Am)" and "Be Nice To Me", both composed by the members of the group. The Cousins performed locally for two years before disbanding.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Be Nice To Me I'm In Love With You

...

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The Markeets

Posted on March 2 2024 by dion1

The Markeets
Freddie Hughes

The Markeets (Oakland, Ca.)

Personnel :

Freddie Hughes (Lead Tenor)

George Aubrey (Bariton)

Robert Shands (Bass)

Butch Newton (Tenor)

Discography :

1958 - Tear Drops / Baby Please (Melatone 1005)

Biography :

At Junior High, Freddie Hughes hitched up with an unnamed all-women's vocal group. The aggregation often held forth at the Bushrod. Recreational Center on 59th Street in. North Oakland. Freddie began writing songs for the group to perform. He was also called to sing solo at his family Church. At age 15, Freddie along with a handful of school buddies organized a vocal group called the Markets. The Markeets were composed of. George Aubrey, baritone (who later became road manager for the. Whispers), tenor 'Butch' Harlindsa Newton who had a voice remarkably like Smokey Robinson's, Robert Shands who sang bass, and Freddie who assumed tenor lead and filled in on backgrounds.

The Markeets
Freddie Hughes

The quartet sang around the Oakland school system but never opted to go professional. Freddie and the Markeets did not get along too well as Freddie was often criticized for sounding too "Churchy". In 1958, group manager Billy Dunley. Barnes took the fellas to the tiny. Melatone label based in Compton, CA where they recorded the beautiful "Tear Drops' on which Freddie's lead singing is a joy to hear. His melismatic, gospel-sounding vocabulary is so rich; one never really encounters it as much on his later recordings. The single (currently valued around five hundred dollars) failed to click and was soon forgotten. It is unfortunate that the Markeets disbanded soon after the Release. In his early years Freddie played in quite a few outfits including the Holidays, Five Diciples, Casanova Two, Music City Soul Brothers and The Four Rivers.

Songs :

Tear Drops Baby Please

...

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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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