1960 - The Letter / Henry & Henrietta (Coral 62173) 1974 - The Closer You Are / For Sentimental Reasons "1962" (Kape 1001/100) Biography :
In 1958, Two vocal groups were competing in a talent contest in a Brooklyn nightspot. At the end of the night the two groups combined and formed the Illusions.
In 1959, the group signing a recording contract with Coral. Their first & only record, "The Letter" b/w " Henry & Henrietta" was released on Coral 62173 the next year.
The group appeared in many club & show in New York...
The Dee-Jay's (2) Singles : 1961 - You Took Your Love From Me / Canadian Sunset (Sonata 1100) Unreleased : 1962 - Where Are You (Sonata) 1962 - Come And Get It (Sonata)
Lee Johnson bb The Dee-Jay's (2) 1962 -My Love / Tell Me (Lash 1126)
Sonny Fulton bb The Dee-Jay's (2) 1962 - A Lovely Relationship / Here She Comes Now (with the Will-Ettes ) (Lash 1127))
Biography :
This group was formed in 1959 by William Jackson who picked Joseph and Bruce Bell, Norwood Long and Raymond Robinson to sing on talent shows with him under the name the Lovenotes, which was changed to the Tunisians and finally The Dee-Jays in 1960! We came along in the time of street corner groups and competed against most of them and won but Uncle Sam and the Military draft in 1963 broke up the group!
Jimmy Bishop who was a disc jockey at WHAT radio was our manager and along with his gospel queen wife Louise Williams-Bishop who exposed us to numerous gospel singing groups, they believed we were headed for great things but like many performers in those days who were not being paid for their work, reality made us seek a more secure future.
The Dee-Jay's cut their first single in December 1961 for the local label Sonata. The group cut two other sides "Where Are You" and "Come And Get It" for a second single but it was never released because Dinah Washington's "Where are you" hit the airwaves and it was felt although the songs were completely different , the same title would be confusing. The Group backed Lee Johnson and Sonny Fulton for Lash records Owned by brothers Al and Howard Ravitsky and a friend, Gil Lipschitz. Joe Bell
Unreleased : 1957 - Hey Senorita (Coral) 1957 - Heaven and Paradise (Coral) 1957 - Don't Do It (Coral) 1957 - You (Coral) 1957 - In The Still Of The Night (Coral) 1957 - Blues Stay Away From Me (Coral) 1957 - I Love You So (Coral) 1957 - Ring A Ling (Coral) 1959 - Devil Or Angel 1959 - BlueWorld (live)
Biography :
In 1954, four schoolboys from Seattle's northend were hanging out with a gang of friends no one had ever met. These were mostly night friends, who lived on radio dials from stations in towns across America. By the time they entered high school, The Highlighters had been performing and rehearsing most nights for a couple of years. By their junior year they were so heavily booked they often attended school in their stage outfits.
George Palmerton The Highlighters
They were regulars on a Seattle weekly TV show and were often brought in to perform at Rock and Roll traveling shows that played Seattle's big theatres. In those days they shared the stage with Paul Anka, The Everly Brothers, Bobby Darin and their like. Between appearances, they did backup vocals on record dates and backgrounds for radio commercials. In 1957 The Highlighters were picked up and signed by Coral Records.
The group was brought into the studio to record, and put through photo shoots for an album cover. Students of the era might guess what's coming, because at the approach of 1958, Coral Records surprised the industry by announcing bankruptcy and proceeding to go quickly and completely out of the business. The Highlighters now had a contract with a record company that did not exist. http://thehighlighters.net/index.php
The Stereos (1) (Philadelhia) aka The Tams (1) aka The Hippies
Personnel :
Carole "Devine" Varletta (Lead)
Howard "Bogey" Boggess (Baritone)
Nancy Orts (Alto)
Jack Felker (Tenor)
Discography :
The Stereos (1) 1959 - Memory Lane / Teenage Kids (Mink 27)
The Tams (1) 1959 - Memory Lane / Teenage Kids (Mink 27) 1960 - Sorry / Valley Of Love (Swan 1960) 1961 - Vacation Time / If Love Were Like Rivers (Heritage 101) 1962 - Memory Lane* / Teenage Kids (Parkway 863)
The Hippies 1963 - Memory Lane* / A Lonely Piano** (Parkway 863)
*Alternate Version ** Reggie Harrisson
Biography :
This group came from The Roxborough high Schoolin Philadelhia in 1957. They were Carole "Devine" Varletta, Howard Boggess, Nancy Orts and Jack Felker. Together they dreamt up the name Impalas; it wasn't long before they entered the requisite talent show at Roxborough High. Amazingly they won. Howard Boggess changed the name to The Stereos and Disk Jockey Bud Bress decided to manage the group.
The Impalas - Howard "Bogey" Boggess, Nancy Orts, Jack Felker & Carole "Devine" Varletta
In 1959, The Stereos came in the Allegro Studio for Mink Records with "Memory Lane" and "Teenage Kids". Mink launched the two-sider in mid-1959. But there was in fact a Stereos group from Ohio, so the label repressed the same versions under the aegis of the Tams. Not long thereafter, Bogey and Brees arranged an audition with Bernie Bennick's Swan complex… Both cuts, "Sorry" , a weeper composed by Bogey, was coupled with Bress' "Valley of Love", were assembled.
Carole "Devine" Varletta
In 1961, Bogey and the group, perhaps augmented by another singer, issue a nifty platter for Heritage Records "Vacation Time" b/w "If Love Were Like Rivers" was fobbed off to a juke warm public. Bernie Lowe owner of Cameo, released "Memory Lane" b/w "Teenage Kids" on his Parkway subsidiary, bust must have been alerted during the first month or so that Joe South's Tams out of Virginia objected the name "Tams".
The Tams/Hippies, with new Members
ABC's Tams had already issued a clutch of recordings on Arlen and General American soon to score a major triumph in "What Kind Of Fool" during the Fall of 1963. Lowe changed the name to Hippies, and switched out the flip to "A Lonely Piano".
Songs :
Memory Lane Teenage Kids Sorry
Valley Of Love If Love Were Like Rivers Vacation Time
1960 - Darling / Do You Remember (Sigma 1003 / 1004)
Biography :
The Sinceres, on Sigma Records, were from the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn . Several nationalities make up this group from New York : Billy Johnsen is Norwegian and German, Buddy Nugent is Irish, Mikey is polish, Paddy Monaco is Italian and tenor Georgie is South American. The Sinceres cut "Darling" b/w "Do You Remember" for Sigma Records in 1960. The lead singer, Billy Johnson, of the Sinceres, was most influenced by Jimmy Gallagher, lead of the Passions. The Sinceres used to appear at the St. Thomas of Aquinas Church on Flatbush Ave and Flatlands Ave. A couple of guys, from the Marine Park section of Brooklyn, were greatly influenced by the Sinceres appearances and they then put together the Caslons ("Anniversary Of Love"). By Bobby Diskin - Brooklyn, NY.
1959 - Sweet Lovin' Baby / I Don't Seem To Care Anymore (Poplar 117)
Biography :
The Talkabouts were a vocal and instrumental group of five teenage guys from Ottawa. The group consists of Ron Carle , his brother Billy Carle , Brian Prot, Pete McCarthy and Pat Cassidy. On June 24, Lou Krefetz (manager of The Clovers), who had once again left his Sales Manager position at Atlantic, announced the formation of Poplar Records, located at 48 West 48th Street, in Manhattan.
The Talkabout cut "Sweet Lovin' Baby" b/w "I Don't Seem To Care Anymore" for Poplar Records in 1959. The group appeared in many club in all parts of Canada and recording some live tracks at the Picadilly Lounge.
The Intruders (Philadelphia) aka The four Intruders (Early Years)
Personnel :
Sam "Little Sonny" Brown
Eugene "Bird" Daughtry
Phillip "Phil" Terry
Robert "Big Sonny" Edwards
Discography :
The Intruders Singles : 1961 - Come Home Soon / I'm Sold (On You) (Gowen 1401/Lost Nite 195) Unreleased : 1961 - Let's Try It Again (Gowen) 1961 - I'm Calling (Gowen)
The Four Intruders 1961 - My Baby / This Is My Song (Gowen 1404) 1979 - Goodnight / Sweet Girl (King Tut 179)
Biography :
The Intruders were the first group to score hits with the songwriting/production team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and they played a major role in the rise of Philadelphia soul. The guys were originally formed as a doo wop group in 1960, and sang around Philadelphia for several years.
The original line-up of The Intruders was formed in 1960 by Sam "Little Sonny" Brown, Eugene "Bird" Daughtry, Phillip "Phil" Terry and Robert "Big Sonny" Edwards. The quartet began performing in a style that owed equally to doo-wop and gospel. In 1961 they released "Coming Home Soon" b/w "I'm Sold on You" on Gowen. The following year, as "The Four Intruders," they released "This Is My Son" b/w "My Baby." In the late 1970' an old acetate of the Intruders doing "Goodnight" & "Sweet Girl" was found and released on the King Tut label. http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/intruders.htm http://www.soulcellar.co.uk/intruders/IntrudersDiscography.html
Songs :
The Intruders
Come Home Soon I'm Sold (On You) Let's Try It Again
Unreleased : 1962 - Come To Me (Volt) 1962 - Heavenly Angel (Volt) 1962 - Tell Me (Volt) 1962 - The Rotation (Volt) 1962 - Unhand That Man (Volt)
Biography :
The Tonettes were Shirley Thomas, Mary Hunt and Mildred Pratchett.Theirs were the first voices to be heard on the Stax/Volt label when ‘No Tears’ became Volt 101 in early 1962 . The Tonettes had a second single a few months later, and recorded enough material to fill four more 45s, but they caught an unexpected break when Nashville label Sound Stage 7 needed a black female group to go out as the Dixiebelles to promote a studio-created Hot 100 hit called ‘Down At Papa Joe’s’.
A recording session at Stax with Mary Hunt and Mildred Pratchett
The singers on the "‘Down At Papa Joe’s’" were members of The Anita Kerr Singers. Later on Shirley Thomas left The Tonettes. She was replaced by Eula Jean Rivers and Barbara McCoy and the group name was changed to The Charmels.
1965 - How Many Times / Top Down Time (Rotate 850)
Biography :
The Dantes hailed from Carnegie, Pennsylvania, a suburban community west of Pittsburgh. Originally called the Itals (short for Italians) in 1958, this group of teenage friends consisted of Bob Palombi, Rick Funaro, Pat Molinaro and Bob Oliastro.
1959 - The Itals - Patsy Molinaro, Rick Funaro and Bob Palombi,
Until high school graduation in 1960, the Itals had been performing at boys clubs, VFW's and similar places in the Carnegie vicinity. Once graduated Bob Oliastro opted to leave the group. Shortly thereafter Rick Funaro and Bob Palombi enlisted in the army for three years.
Pat Molinaro volunteered for his draft and spent two years with Uncle Sam. Molinaro completed his two year hitch in 1962, while Funaro and Palombi donned Civilian threads in 1963. Danny Piacquadio, Funaro's cousin joined the quartet at First Tenor.
At this time Piaquadio resided in the Beechview section of Pittsburgh. This area was also home for Joe Rock, manager of the Skyliners. A change in name was forthcoming to the Dantes and early in 1965, Joe Rock arranged a recording session for the group at Bell Studio in New York. Two songs "How Many Times" b/w "Top Down Time" were released by Rotate Records.
Bob Palombi, Patsy Molinaro, Rick Funaro and Dan Piacquadio
Their Rotate disc became a "Premiere Record" on the Clark Race Show on KDKA-AM. By the week of June 21st, "Top Down Time" moved into the 39th position on KDKA Radio 1020 "Sounds One survey. Extreme popularity of the platter in Buffalo, NY provided the group with a mini tour of the city. Rotate was sold to the Amy/Mala recording Organization. By Summer's end, The Dantes had disbanded…
(L to R) Charles Woodridge, Charles Perry, Andrew Thomas, Carlton Black & Arthur Cox
The Duvals (5) (Evanston, IL.) aka The Naturals (6)
Personnel :
Charles Perry (Lead)
Carlton Black (First Tenor)
Charles Woodridge (Second Tenor)
Arthur Cox (Baritone)
Andrew Thomas (Bass)
Discography :
The Duvals (5) 1963 - What Am I? / Cotton (Boss 217/Red Rocket 471)
The Naturals (6) 1964 - Let Love Be True / Three Banditos (Smash 1875)
Biography :
The group was formed by tenor and lead Charles Perry from among his friends in Evanston when he got out of the air force in the summer of 1961. Originally the other members consisted of second tenor Charles Woodridge, baritone Arthur Cox, and bass Andrew Thomas. In early 1962 Perry felt the group needed another member and added Carlton Black, who soon proved himself as the group's lead and principal songwriter. The Duvals recorded "What Am I?" b/w "Cotton" in 1963. During 1964 the Duvals, under the name Naturals and with Black as Lead, got on the local charts with an Impressions' soundalike, "Let Love Be True." They disbanded in 1965 when follow-ups failed.
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