Singles : 1958 - I Love You With All My Heart / Rock & Roll Is Good For The Soul (Cham 003) 1958 - Yum-Mee Yum-Mee / Cuckoo (Josie 840 /Go 103)
Unreleased : 1958 - Love Letters Straight From Your Heart 1958 - Since You've Gone Away 1958 - Blue Moon 1958 - Carachi 1958 - Shook Up "Cuckoo" (Demo) 1958 - Jeannie The Go Go Girl 1958 - Love That Girl
Biography :
In 1958 the 4 boys from New York, Mickey Marlow, Ronnie Raven, Ronald Adesse and Michael DeNardis joined together and founded the group "The Four Counts". The group recorded "Rock'n'Roll Is Good For The Soul" b/w "I Love You With All My Heart " for Cham records in new York. The first recording was followed by "Chuckoo" and "Yum-Mee Yum-Mee" in 1959 for Josie Records, subsidiary of Jubilee Records in New York. Shortly after the band broke up.
Songs :
Cuckoo Yum-Mee Yum-Mee I Love You With All My Heart
Rock & Roll Is Good For The Soul Blue Moon Since You've Gone Away
Shook Up "Cuckoo" (Demo) Carachi Love That Girl
Love Letters Straight From Your Heart Jeannie The Go Go Girl
The Chestnuts (2) (New Haven, Conn.) aka The Five Chestnuts aka The El-Lanos
Personnel
Ruby Whittaker (Lead)
Lyman Hopkins (First tenor)
Frank Hopkins (Second Tenor)
Jimmy Curtis (Baritone)
Reuben White (Bass)
Discography :
The Chestnuts (2) Singles : 1957 - It's You I Love / Love Is True (Davis 447) 1957 - Forever I Vow / Brother Ben (Davis 452) 1957 - Who Knows Better Than I? / Mary, Hear Those Love Bells (Standord 100) 1957 - Who Knows Better Than I? / I'm So Blue (Eldorado 511) Unreleased : 1957 - Tilly, Take Your Time (Standord)
Bill Baker & The Chestnuts (2) 1959 - Won't You Tell Me My Heart / Tell Me Little Darling (Elgin 007/008) 1959 - Wonderful Girl / Chit Chat (Elgin 013/014)
Marvin Baskerville & The Five Chestnuts 1958 - Chi-Chi / Chapel In The Moonlight (Drum 001/002)
The Five Chestnuts Singles : 1959 - My kind Of Baby / Chi Chi (Elgin 002/003) Unreleased : 1958 - I’m So Glad (Drum)
Marvin Baskerville / Hayes Baskerville & The Five Chestnuts 1958 - Chi-Chi / Billy (My Kind Of Baby) (Drum 003/004)
Hayes Baskerville / Norven Baskerville & The Five Chestnuts 1958 - Billy (My Kind Of Baby) / My One And Only Love (Drum 003/004)
Vicki Lee bb The Five Chestnuts 1959 - Crying My Heart Out / With All My Heart (Drum 017/018)
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The El-Lanos 1989 - I Wonder Why / In Mexico (Crescent 200)
Biography :
The Chestnuts were named for their home state, Connecticut. They were from New Haven and the original members of the group were Leroy Griffin (lead, but not the lead singer of another New Haven group, The Nutmegs), Lymon Hopkins (first tenor ), Frank Hopkins (second tenor), Jimmy Curtis (baritone), and Reuben White (bass) . When they thought they were ready for a shot at recording, they made the rounds of a number of independent record companies in New York City without much success. The group thought about their status and felt that if they featured a female lead singer, they would have a more unique sound and have a better chance for a recording contract.
At this time they contacted someone whom they thought would be the perfect addition to the group, and so Ruby Whitaker became the lead voice of the group (When Ruby came in, Leroy went out). Now the Chestnuts were set and they were put in contact with long time record producer and company owner Joe Davis. He had previously went out on his own with the Beacon label, and then Jay-Dee Records, and had good sellers with The Mellows and Dean Barlow and The Crickets. The Chestnuts were set to record on another label, this one called Davis Records. In June of 1956 Davis # 447 is released featuring The Chestnuts on "It's You I Love" and "Love Is True". The 'A' side "Love Is True" gets good airplay in New York and Philadelphia, especially from Herman Amis and Doctor Jive in the Big Apple, and Jocko in Philadelphia. Although the song is an excellent group ballad featuring Whitaker's lead, sales do not dent the top hit charts and Joe Davis readies another try for the group.
In September of the year, The Chestnuts record "Brother Ben" and "Forever I Vow" on Davis # 452. Unfortunately, not enough record buyers followed through on this great song and Davis dropped the group from the label. In February of 1957, the group signed on with a Connecticut outfit called National Enterprises which featured a record label called Standord Records located in the group's home town of New Haven. Standord would become famous as the original label for The Five Satins epic hit "In The Still Of The Night".
Martin Kugell, the head of Standord Records, promotes the Chestnuts recording of "Who Knows Better Than I" b/w "Mary Hear Those Love Bells". By May Standord # 7701 featured "Who Knows Better Than I?" as by Ruby Whitaker & The Chestnuts, and the new flip side was "Mary Hear Those Love Bells" as by Lymon Hopkins & The Chestnuts. The song "Who Knows Better Than I?" was also released on Eldorado Records on # 511 with "I m So Blue" on the flip side.
In early 1959, Ruby Whitaker had left the group, but the Chestnuts carried on with a lineup of Lymon Hopkins, Frank Hopkins, a third brother Arthur Hopkins, Reuben White, and new lead singer Bill Baker who had spent some time in New Haven's Five Satins. A Connecticut record producer named Clarence Drum began two local labels in 1958, Elgin and Drum Records. He signed The Chestnuts to his label and in February of the year Elgin # 007 is released featuring "Won't You Tell Me My Heart" and the flip side is listed as by Bill Baker & The Chestnuts on the song "Tell Me Little Darling".
Bill Baker (Top) & The Chestnuts (2)
During May of the year Elgin Records releases "Chit Chat" and a version of The Five Satins song "Wonderful Girl" listed as by Bill Baker & The Chestnuts on # 021. Neither of the Elgin releases did much for the group or the label. Further sides for the labels by the group with new members Marvin and Hayes Baskerville included "Chapel In The Moonlight" by Marvin Baskerville & The Five Chestnuts, and "Billy My Kind Of Baby" by Hayes Baskerville & The Five Chestnuts both on the Drum label. Thanks to Marv Goldberg
"I Wonder Why" b/w " In Mexico" was an unreleased acetate who Stevie Dunham purchased in New Haven, CT, in 1988. Probably recorded in 1956-57. It is speculated this group was the Five Chestnuts (Chestnuts) from New Haven, CT. Stevie Dunham's partners at the time did not want to use the Five Chestnuts on the issue of this 45 and left it up to steve to put a name to an acetate that only listed song titles but no group name. So he christened it The El-Lanos. The record was released on Crescent, in July of 1989.
Robin Hood & The Merri Men 1964 - We Had A Quarrel / Maryann (Delsey 303)
Biography :
Before Lenny Rocco completed "Sugar Girl" and "Rochelle", he married his sweetheart, Sandy Pouls (aka Powell) . Sandy Powell was a fine singer and recorded two song in 1958. The vocal undercoating was generated by the Future Rocks. Freddy Faulkner, Barry Pouls (Sandy's brother), Ross Matico and Bob Gardiner backing Sandy's two sides "Bon Bon" b/w "Pistol Packin' Papa".
Sandy Powell
In late '58 or early 59', the same guys recorded with Lenny "Sugar Girl" b/w "Rochelle ". The single was etched in 1961 on Delsey (Billboard April 3. 1961). The Rocks were a constantly changing line-up and broke up. Rocco and Freddy Faulkner debuted sometime later as a duet. In 1963 Freddy Faulkner recorded as a solo artist for Swan Records the sides "Cigarettes & Matches / Little Driftin' Amy." He eventually surfaced with the Illusions . Barry Pouls ceded a somewhat promising peregrination with the original Premiers (Mink & Best).
Barry Pouls, Bob Gardiner, Lenny Rocco, Ross Matico & Freddy Faulkner
In 1960, Lenny Rocco sings with the Jolly Gents, a vocal and instrumental group, they toured two years all around the country . They hobnobbed with the likes of lee andrew and the Hearts, len Barry, the Platter, Isley Brothers, Bobby Darin, Danny & The Juniors and Johnny Maestro & The Crest, and often backed these artist on instrumentals or vocals. Sadly, they never set foot in Studio. Fran Williamson ushered Lenny and the group (with some personnel change), dubbing themselves Robin Hood & The Merri Men into RecoArt Studios where they spliced two sides together "We Had A Quarrel" and "Maryann".
Singles : 1961 - Oh Baby, Come Dance With Me / Ruby Has Gone (Bandera 2509)
Unreleased : 1961 - Oh Why Oh Why (Bandera)
Biography :
Bandera was a small Chicago label launched by Vi Muszynski, and her son Bernie Harville, with money Muszynski made off one of her biggest discoveries, the Impressions. The label released a variety of music in the late '50s and early '60s, from hillbilly and rock, to blues and gospel.
The Diatones were a faily young group. They cut three magnificent doo wop tracks, "Oh Baby, Come Dance With Me", "Ruby Has Gone" and the previously unreleased "Oh Why Oh Why". The Diatones were equally at home with the heartfelt ballad as they were with the uptempo number. They all possessed fine voices and produced polished performances.
The Majors (5) (Philadelphia) aka The Versatiles (2) aka The Performers (3)
Personnel :
Rick Cordo (Lead)
Ron Gathers
Gene Glass
Idella Morris
Frank Troutt
Discography :
The Majors (5)
Singles : 1960 - Lundee Dundee / I'll Whisper In Your Ear (The Versatiles) (Rocal 1002) 1962 - A Wonderful Dream / Time Will Tell (Imperial 5855) 1962 - She's A Troublemaker / A Little Bit Now (Imperial 5879) 1963 - Anything You Can Do / What In The World (Imperial 5914) 1963 - Tra La La / What Have You Been Doin' (Imperial 5936) 1963 - Get Up Now / One Happy Ending (Imperial 5968) 1963 - Life Begins / Which Way Did She Go (Imperial 5991) 1963 - Ooh Wee Baby / I'll Be There (Imperial 66009)
Lps : 1963 - Meet The Majors (Imperial Lp 9222) A Wonderful Dream / Ooh Wee Baby / Time Will Tell / Tra La La / Twist and Shout / A Little Bit Now / She's a Troublemaker / Don't Lose your Cool / I Wonder Who's Dancing With Her Now / What in the World / Come on Come On / Anything You Can Do
The Versatiles (2) 1960 - Lundee Dundee (The Majors) / I'll Whisper in your ear (Rocal 1002) The Performers (3) 1966 - Just Dance / Love Is A Answer (ABC 10777)
Biography :
Robert Morris, Gene Glass, Frank Troutt, Rick Cordo, and Ron Gathers made up the original quintet, with Idella Morris soon replacing her brother Robert. The group first called themselves The Premiers and formed in Philadelphia in 1959. Although they attended different high schools, they hung around together after school, and on weekends, in Harlan Street, performing on the street corners between 19th and 20th streets. Idella was the youngest member at nineteen years and Gene Glass, who had just returned from the US Air Force, was the oldest group member, being twenty five.
The group met club owner Buddy Caldwell early in 1960 and he persuaded them to record for his Ro-Cal label. They recorded "Lundee Dundee" and "Let Me Whisper in Your Ear" as The Versatiles since the studio apparently had another group listed on their books as The Premiers. The record had local success, but Ro-Cal just wasn’t geared up for national distribution and the group received little in the way of royalties. At that point some of the male members went off to the service. Two and a half years later, the group reformed, with an identical lineup, as The Majors.
Jerry Ragovoy
When the group reformed Jerry Ragavoy heard them perform and he already knew of "Lundee Dundee". Ragavoy liked The Majors enough to get them a recording deal with Imperial. In July 1962 they turned up at the Imperial studios and “A Wonderful Dream” b/w “Time Will Tell”. “A Wonderful Dream” entered the Cashbox pop chart on the 4th of August and rose to # 20 on September the 22nd, it made # 22 on Billboard and # 23 on the national R&B chart.
Following the success of “A Wonderful Dream” a lone and now quite collectible, LP was issued and, in rapid succession, six more singles. The next release was a bouncy tune in the mould of Wonderful Dream, “A Little Bit Now (A Little Bit Later)” b/w “She's A Troublemaker”. Both sides made moderate moves on the national listing. “A Little Bit Now” peaked at # 63 and “She’s A Troublemaker” reached # 83. Three of the groups remaining five Imperial releases made the Bubbling Under list on Billboard.
“Anything You Can Do” reached # 117 in Februrary 1963. “Your Life Begins at Sweet Sixteen” made #125 in September 1963 and “I’ll Be There” reached #113 in February, 1964. At this point The Majors contract with Imperial Records concluded. The Majors, with their line-up intact, recorded just once more. In 1966 they entered Frank Virtue's studios as The Performers. ABC-Paramount issued the Peter DeAngelos’ produced disc, but it failed. The group continued to tour during the 1960s, but made no more recordings and disbanded.
In a 1986 a Dick Clark TV special gathered all of the original members for a performance. Rick Cordo, Idella Morris, who had by this time changed her name to Haleema Alkhatib and Gene Glass then, recommenced working as The Majors. Sometimes Troutt and Gathers also join them. http://vicrock.com.au/community/showthread.php?2424-The-Majors
Songs :
The Majors (5)
Lundee Dundee A Wonderful Dream Time Will Tell
She's A Troublemaker A Little Bit Now Anything You Can Do
What In The World Tra La La What Have You Been Doin'
Get Up Now One Happy Ending Life Begins
Which Way Did She Go Ooh Wee Baby I'll Be There
Twist And Shout Don't Lose Your Cool Come On, Come On
Singles : 1954 - Tell Me / Whoo-Wee Baby (United 172) 
 1954 - My Heart's Got The Blues / Goody, Goody (United 180) 

Unreleased : 1954 - There's No Tomorrow (United) 
 1954 - I Long For You (United) 1954 - Only By You I Want To Be Loved (United)
 1954 - Going My Way (United)
Biography :
Gary, IN-based R&B vocal group the Five C's formed in 1951 -- according to Marv Goldberg's profile on his R&B Notebooks website, founders Clarence Anderson (lead tenor), Curtis Nevils (tenor), and Carlos Patterson (bass) originally adopted the name Three C's, and performed as a trio while finishing their careers at Gary's Froebel High School. After graduation, the group expanded with the additions of baritone Melvin Carr and high tenor Harvey Honey, nicknaming the latter "Clyde" solely for the purposes of accuracy in renaming themselves the Five C's.
Because all five members worked in the Gary mills, they were forced to restrict their live appearances to weekends, but by late 1953 they'd earned enough to enter Chicago's Universal Recording Studio to cut their debut single, "Tell Me." Issued in early 1954 on the local United label, the disc was a minor local hit, and the Five C's reentered the studio in May to cut their sophomore effort, "My Heart's Got the Blues," backed by saxophonist Eddie Chamblee's orchestra. The record made less of an impact than its predecessor, and a third United session remains unreleased.
Eddie Chamblee The Five C's
Carr quit the group soon after to join the military, and with new baritone Leroy "Clifford" Hicks, the Five C's continued intermittently for over a decade, never again recording but playing the occasional Froebel High alumni gathering and the like. In the late '60s, they even shared a bill with another Gary quintet: an up-and-coming sibling group called the Jackson 5. http://www.uncamarvy.com/5Cs/5cs.html
Darrell & The Oxfords (1) (New York) ref : The Linc-Tones
Personnel :
Jay Siegel
Hank Medress
Warren Schwartz
Fred Kalkstein
Discography :
1959 - Picture In My Wallet / Roses And Red (Roulette 4174) 1960 - Can't You Tell ? / But Your Mother She Said No (Roulette 4230)
Biography :
In 1955, Neil Sedaka was sitting in his math class at Lincoln High School when he heard Jay Siegel singing Falsetto. They decided to form a group and recruited three members of Mrs. Eisen's Choral (Hank Medress, Cynthia Zolotin and Eddie Rabkin), the Linc-Tones was Born. Piano prodigy Sedaka decided The Tokens sounded better as a name; Rabkin left the following year and was replaced by Siegel. Cynthia's family had connections in the city at the Brill Building, which opened doors for her and Neil.
The quartet auditioned for Morty Craft, owner of the Willows' label, Melba, and recorded "I Love My Baby" (with a lead vocal by Rabkin) backed with "While I Dream" (lead by Sedaka), both written by Neil and another Lincoln High student, Howard Greenfield. This led to an appearance on Ted Steele's Teen Bandstand show on WOR-TV, though the single didn't catch on outside the N.Y. area. The group gradually separated and in '58 Hank and Jay ventured forth with Warren Schwartz and Fred Kalkstein as the oddly-named Darrell and the Oxfords; two 1959 singles on Roulette included the ballad "Picture in My Wallet."
Late in the year another shake-up occurred when Hank and Jay began singing with younger Lincoln High student Phil Margo, who played piano, and his 12-year-old brother Mitch. They came up with another strange name, Those Guys, then in 1960 Joe Venneri joined and the group functioned as a quintet for several years. Craft signed them again, this time for the Warwick label, insisting they ditch that "Those Guys" misnomer. Reviving the Tokens name, they hit the top 20 in the spring of '61 with a catchy 'doo-be-doo-be-dum...' tune penned by Margo and Medress, "Tonight I Fell in Love."
The Baltineers (Baltimore, Maryland) aka The Val-Tone
Personnel :
Percy Cosby (Lead)
William Kennedy
Thomas Smith
Joseph Wiggins
Discography :
The Val-Tones 1955 - Tender Darling / Siam Sam (DeLuxe 6084)
The Baltineers 1956 - Moments Like This / New Love (Teenage 1000) 1956 - Tears In My Eyes / Joe's Calypso (Teenage 1002)
Biography :
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, The Val-Tones were discovered by Henry Stone, DeLuxe A&R man while they were working a club in Miami, Florida. The members Were Percy Cosby (Lead), William Kennedy, Thomas Smith, And Joseph Wiggins. The Act has been together for about three years and have been touring the country from border to border and coast to coast. The Quartet cut "Tender Darling" b/w "Siam Sam" for the Deluxe Label.
The Val-tones change their name to the Baltineers and recorded four sides for The Teenage Label owned by Bill "Bass" Gordon and Ben Smith . Bill "Bass" Gordon, recorded with the Colonials for the Gee label in 1954. He began the Teenage label in New York in 1955. The label, Black-owned and operated, was one of the rarities among the independant labels in the mid-1950s. Thanks to Marv Goldberg
Eps : 1963 - The GI's (Festival FX 1341) Please Wait / Too Much Dreamin's No Good / Blizzard / Dance The Wiggle Wobble
1964 - The GI's (Festival FX 1368) When Does It Get To Be Love / Lucy / Indian Surf / Surf No. 1 (Surfin' Little Girl)
Doug Van Beck Trio
Singles : 1964 - Surfin' Little Girl / A Workin' Man's Day Is Never Done (Fargo 1064) 1964 - A Whole Lot Of Surfin' / A Workin (Judy 6500)
Biography :
This vocal group, made up from three US Army soldiers. They met during their military service in France. They sing mostly in American military camps for armed theater. Following an appearance at the french TV, they got a contract with the French's Festival label and cut eight songs.
When they returned to the United States after their military service, they recorded two singles as Doug Van Beck Trio. Doug Morris later wrote "Sweet Talkin' Guy" for The Chiffons and produced many Laurie label acts.
Top : Lenny LaMonica & Tom Nigra - Below : "Little" Johnny Schilling andTony Valastro
Johnny Schilling & The Sherwoods (4) (Chester, NY.)
Personnel :
"Little" Johnny Schilling (Guitar/Vocals)
Tom Nigra (Bass/Vocals)
Tony Valastro (Tenor Sax/Vocals)
Lenny LaMonica (Drums)
Discography :
1964 - Marcelle / King of the World (C&A 507)
Biography :
Little Johnny Schillingand the Sherwoods was a vocal & instrumental group from Chester, NY. Little John on guitar and vocals, Tom Nigra on bass and vocals, Tony Valastro on tenor sax and vocals and Lenny LaMonica on drums. The band was formed in 1962 and played steadily all over New York state and Jersey.
Johnny Schilling & The Sherwoods recorded two fabulous Doo Wop "Marcelle" and "King of the World" for C&A Records producer, Vinnie Catalano in New York City in 1964. They played together until 1968. Little John Schilling is still working as a musician in Central Florida with Nightly Blues, a blues, jazz and r&b group. Little John and the Sherwoods are not to be confused with another band called the Sherwoods from Connecticut.
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