Lacille Watkins & The Belltones (3) (Newark, New Jersey)
Personnel :
Lacille Watkins (Lead)
Discography :
1956 - His Hand In Mine / Maybe You'll Be There (Kapp 145)
Biography :
Born in Newark (New Jersey) in 1923, La Cille Christine Watkins started her musical career as a gospel and opera singer. Her long time partner in songwriting and music was Wilbur Bell who also recorded as Johnny Bell (Cecil and Fleetwood Records).
Together, they recorded spirituals as by the Watkins-Bell Singers for Bandwagon Records (and Arlington, its folk and race subisidary) in the late forties. LaCille Watkins had also at least two releases under her own name. The first on Jaguar Records backed by the Volumes. The second on Kapp, backed by the Belltones. http://oldwax.blogspot.fr/2013/10/dry-bones.html
Bob Jewell - Tod Smith - Bobby Fergusson - Sam Armstrong - Ron Smith Paul Nowlen - Walter Hogan - Jim Garret
The Gates (feat. Bobby Fergusson) (Wingate, NC)
Personnel :
Bobby Fergusson (Lead)
Bob Jewell
Tod Smith
Sam Armstrong
Ron Smith
Paul Nowlen (Piano/Organ)
Walter Hogan (Drums)
Jim Garret (Guitar)
Discography :
1959 - Wrapped In Green Made For A Teen / Letter To Dick Clark (Peach K80w-0629/728) 1959 - Wedding Bells Gonna Ring / Summer Night Love (Peach 716)
Biography :
The Gates Doo Wop Group formed in 1957-1958 at Wingate College (Wingate, N.C) winning a major contest at OVENS Auditorium in Charlotte in Feb 1958 with 2800 in attendance. This win led a recording contract for two records for Peach Records of Jefferson owned by Slim Williamson.
Slim Williamson
The Gates recording the four sides at Lowery records in Atlanta . Their second single, "Summer Night Love" hit the charts in a number of cities, was #13 in Columbia SC. Six of the original group transferred to the University of Georgia in 1958 (Athens) where They played many frat and sorority gigs with other performances at high schools and clubs. The Gates were part of a tour called "Holiday for Teens" making appearances in GA, SC and NC. Thanks to Nehemiah Nowlen
Songs :
Wrapped In Green Made For A Teen Wedding Bells Gonna Ring
1955 - Kissin' Bug / We've Been Walking All Night (Capitol 14232) 1957 - Don't Let Me Fall In Love / Happiness (Smash 2002/Limelight 2002)
Biography :
Kent Levaughn Harris was born in 1930 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is best known as being the writer of novelty tunes such as "Shoppin' For Clothes" (a hit for The Coasters) and "Cops And Robbers" (a hit for Bo Diddley). His sisters Marcene, Beverly, and Betty recorded together as The Harris Sisters and charted with a Doo Wop-style tune Called "We've Been Walking All Night".
Dimples also recorded for Savoy Records in 1951 as the Dimples Harris Trio (But not with her sisters). Marcene "Dimples" Harris also had a single released in 1956 on Crest Records called "This I Do Believe" b/w "If You'll Be True" (Crest #1030) under the name Dimples Harris. Another single was released in 1957 by The Harris Sister on Smash & Limelight 2002 ?...
She also released some records as Marcene Harris on Romark, Octave & Valiant Records . Beverly also filled in for Zola Taylor singing with The Platters. Dimples died in 1976.
The Cordials (6) (New Rochelle, NY) aka The Cordialls
Personnel :
Dennis Lane (Lead)
Jimmy McSweeney (Second Tenor)
Charlie Balscio (Bass)
Kenny Wessel (Baritone)
Bob Stewart (High Tenor)
Discography :
The Cordialls Singles: 1965 - Oh How I Love Her / You Can't Believe in Love (Liberty 55784)
The Cordials (6) Lps : 1967 - Blue Eyed Soul (Catamount Blue Eyed Soul) My Love For You / I'm On The Outside Looking In / Island Of Love / Steal Away / Duke of Earl / Love No One But You / Everybody Says / Young And In Love / I Do / If I should Lose You / I Laughed / Teardrops / So In Love / Traveling Stranger / Over The Rainbow
Biography
In 1963, At the New Rochelle High School, "The Cordials" made their first appearance. They were billed with the "Four Seasons". Before that night, they were split up in two different groups know as "Denny and The Aragons" and the "Cordials". When this two groups broke up, five of the boys formed one group and retained the name of the Cordials.
The Cordials performing at Palisades Amusement Park
Their first records entitled : "Oh How I Love Her " was released in 1965 on Liberty records. This recording was done in the Sta-Phillips studio in the Americana hotel on broadway in Manhattan. This is the studio that the Four Seasons did all their recording in. The guy who wrote this song for us is Neil Levinson who wrote the song "Denise" for Randy and the Rainbows.
Apollo Theatre (L to R) Dennis Lane, Jimmy McSweeney, Charlie Balscio, Kenny Wessel and Bob Stewart.
Before cutting their first record, they won the second prize in a contest at the famous Apollo Theatre. In 1967, the cordials cut a splendid 'acappella" album "Blue-Eyed-Soul"on Catamount. The Cordials disbanded in the late 60's due to some of its members being drafted during the Vietnam war.
Songs :
The Cordialls
You Can't Believe in Love Oh how I Love Her
The Cordials (6)
If I Should Lose You Young And In Love What Time Is It
The Arnells 1963 - Heart Repair Shop / Take A Look (Roulette 4519)
The Teenettes (3) 1963 - Let Me Be The One / Bye Bye Baby (Sandy 250)
Biography :
The girls were all from Elizabeth high school (NJ.) and The lead singer was Judy Roberts . They recorded two singles under two different names, The Arnells on Roulette and The Teenettes on the litlle label Sandy.
Bob & Jerry & Their Friends (Brooklyn, New York) aka Ezra & The Ivies (2) aka The Kittens (1) aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)
Personnel :
Jerry Goldstein
Bob Feldman
Discography :
Ezra & The Ivies (2) 1959 - Comick Book Crazy / Rockin Shoes (Baca Laca Ling Dong) (UA 165)
The Kittens (1) 1959 - A Letter To Donna / It's All Over Now (Unart 2010)
Bobbi & The Beaus (2) 1959 - Melvin / Losing Game (Unart 2009)
Bob & Jerry 1961 - Dreamy Eyes / We're The Guys (Who Drive Your Baby Wild) (Bob & Jerry & Their Friends) (Columbia 42162) 1962 - Chubby Isn't Chubby Anymore / Nursery Rhyme Folk (Musicor 1018)
Biography :
Born in Brooklyn in 1940, Feldman grew up in an orthodox Jewish home and originally studied to be a cantor. The Feldmans lived across the street from Neil Diamond’s folks, just around the corner from the Sedakas, whose son, Neil, was a promising classical pianist, and a couple of blocks away from members of the Tokens, all Lincoln High School graduates and friends. By the mid-50s, doo wop was all the rage and Feldman soon fell in with various groups practising harmonies on the Brooklyn backstreets. He teamed up with his neighbourhood buddy, Jerry Goldstein, and wrote some songs that brought the pair to the attention of Jack Lewis, an A&R man at United Artists Records. Lewis allowed the enthusiastic 18 year-old to sit in on sessions at weekends and mentored him on various aspects of the music business.
Back then, the quickest route to a potential hit was a novelty recording and Feldman and Goldstein chose this path as the most likely way of securing airplay in a crowded market. Thus "Comic Book Crazy" by Ezra & the Ivies, "Melvin" by Bobbi & The Beaus with singer Barbara Robert and "‘A Tribute To Donna" by the Kittens - both probably recorded at the same session under Lewis’ supervision, appeared in March 1959, the latter being a tribute to Ritchie Valens, issued within weeks of his death in the plane accident that also claimed Buddy Holly’s life. None of these early efforts were particularly distinguished or hitworthy, but they enabled Feldman and Goldstein to establish a toehold in the business as part-timers.
The two pals would grab a sandwich andhustle music publishers in their lunch breaks. Young, enthusiastic and markedly persuasive, they began to get some bites, mainly as a novelty turn, twice riding on the coat-tails of existing hits with ‘We’re The Guys’ (an answer record to Barry Mann’s ‘Who Put The Bomp’) as Bob & Jerry on Columbia Records and ‘Chubby Isn’t Chubby Anymore’ (a daft nod to the King of The Twist) on the Musicor label. Another of their songs, ‘Charm Bracelet’, was recorded by teenage pop vocalist Bernadette Peters. Though they were making inroads, it wasn’t until Feldman and Goldstein met Richard Gottehrer in a music publisher’s waiting room in the spring of 1962, that they tasted their first chart success.They formed the Strangeloves consisted of Bob, Jerry and Richard Gottehrer. Although they left their mark under the name Strangeloves with only four singles and one album, their fascinating story extends both before and beyond the group’s brief tenure.
Songs:
Ezra & The Ivies (2)
Rockin Shoes (Baca Laca Ling Dong) Comick Book Crazy
The Sunbeams (2) (Tacoma, Washington) The Sawyer Sisters aka The Soo Sisters
Personnel :
Katie Sauer
Susie Sauer
Joanie Sauer
Discography :
The Sunbeams (2) 1955 - I'm Gonna Go Home To Mama / Blue Mountain Waltz (Dot 1271) 1956 - Wrap It Up And Save It / How About It (Dot 1280)
The Soo Sisters 1956 - Three Hearts Later / My World (chic 1005)
The Sawyer Sisters 1959 - Here I Am / Rock-a Boogie Babies (Dynasty 621)
Biography :
This vocal trio is composed by three sisters from Tacoma, Katie, Susie and Joanie Sauer. It is under the name of the Sauer Sisters that they perform locally and begin to attract crowds. In mid-1955, the girls signed a recording contract with Dot Records. Two singles will be released by the Label in October 1955 and in Mars 1956 under the name of the Sunbeams. in December 1956, a new single released By Chic Records from Georgia. They still see their artist name change : The Soo Sisters
In June 1959 Dynasty Records, the new label headed by Lee Palmer released the last single of the trio under The Sawyer Sisters with "Here I Am" and "Rock A Boogie Babies". Between 1961 and 1963, the Sawyer Sisters appeared at Showboat, New Frontier, Flamingo and Riviera Hotels...
1962 - Here You Come / Your Love Is Wonderful (Gordy 7007)
Biography :
Hattie Littles was a blues singer from Shelby Mississippi, she came to Motown around late 1961 early 1962, her first single was to be "Back In My Arms" slated for Gordy 7004 in 1962. Hattie along with The Spinners was Marvin Gaye's opening act on his 1963 tour she was billed as Queen Of The Blues.
Hattie Littles
Hattie Littles was with Motown from 1962 to 1965 but only had one single release "Your Love Is So Wonderful" released as Gordy 7007. The (B) side copy states vocal accompaniment the Fayettes. According to Rosalind Ashford, The Vandellas are The Fayettes who backed Hattie Littles on "Here You Come" ..
The Ivy Tones : Terry, Robert "Bird" Parks, Lenny brook,James "Pee Wee" Thomas & John Ivey
The Ivy Tones (Philadelphia, PA) aka The Corvets (2) aka The Corvettes (4)
Personnel :
John Ivey (Lead)
James Green (Tenor & Second Lead)
James "Pee Wee" Thomas (Tenor)
Joseph Moody (Bass)
Discography :
The Ivy Tones Singles : 1958 - Oo-Wee Baby / Each Time (Red Top 105) Unreleased : 1958 - My Confession (Red Top) 1958 - Rock & Roll Daddy (Red Top)
The Corvets (2) Singles : 1959 - I'm pleading / Let's Do The Pony (Sure 1003) 1959 - Voodoo Baby / I Want To Know Why (Tone Craft 1009) Unreleased : 1959 - I'll Get You Yet (Sure )
The Corvettes (4) 1960 - When You're In Love / Pointed Toe Shoes (Val-Ue 212)
Biography :
John Ivey & James "Pee Wee" Thomas lived in the same neighborhood, 15th & Jefferson Streets, in North Phillly. The Ivy Tones consisted of James "Pee Wee" Thomas, John Ivey, James Green, William Brown & Robert "Bird" Parks (recruited by early member Lenny Brock). Thomas, Ivey & Green started out as a gospel group know as the Joylands with two other guys : Howard Tate & Willima Bright. The Ivy Tones traipsed to the Reco-Art Studio on 12th Street in Center City Waxing "Oo-Wee Baby", "Rock & Roll Daddy", "Each Time" and "My Confession". Founded in 1957, Red Top and its related labels gave Philadelphia another outlet for RnB and Vocal Group recordings.
The Ivy Tones : John Ivey, Terry, Robert "Bird" Parks, Lenny brook & James "Pee Wee" Thomas
Philadelphia in 1957 was the hotbed city for music. With recordings on Red Top, Hunt and later Jalynne and other labels for National and local releases, Red Top became a haven for local talent to cut wax and seek the National Hit. In 1958, "Each Time" b/w Oo-Wee Baby was released on Red Top 105. The record, the group's only release, picked up some play in Philadelphia and Pittsburg, and garnered a distribution deal for Red Top with Liberty. With William Brown & Robert "Bird" Parks departed, and with new member, The Ivy Tones Changed their name to the Corvets and released "I'm pleading" b/w "Let's Do The Pony" for a new company, Sure Records owned by Len Rosen.
The Corvettes (4) : Joe Moody, Robert "Bird" Parks, James "Pee Wee" Thomas & John Ivey
Their Next Waxing "Voodoo Baby" and "I Want To Know Why " was released on Tone-Craft Records. "Voodoo Baby" was a splendid Rockballad penned by James Green. The Corvets crooned "Voodoo Baby" At the Cotton Club opening for the DreamLovers. In 1960, a last singles was released for Val-Ue Records under the name of the Corvettes.
In the late 1950s, Jordan Zankoff and pals Gene Blackford, Phil DiMascio and Darrel McDonald formed a doo-wop group called the Fascinations. The boys performed at sock hops and appeared on WEWS-TV's One O'Clock Club. In 1960, the Fascinations cut a 45 RPM record for the Sure label in Philadelphia.
The Fascinations (1)
The featured song was It's Midnight, a romantic serenade with soaring vocals, while the calypso-tinged Doom Bada Doom was the flip side. Although it wasn't a hit, Zankoff had found his niche. Things happened quickly after that.
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