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

The Monotones (1)

Posted on July 25 2013 by dion1

The Monotones (1) (Newark, New Jersey)

Personnel :

Charles Patrick (Lead)

Warren Davis (First Tenor)

George Malone (Second Tenor)

Warren Ryanes (Baritone)

Frank Smith (Bass)

John Ryanes (Second Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1957 - Book Of Love / You Never Loved Me (Mascot 124/Argo 5290)
1958 - Tom Foolery / Zombi (Argo 5301)
1958 - The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow / Soft Shadows (Argo 5321)
1959 - Tell It To The Judge / Fools Will Be Fools (Argo 5339)
1960 - Reading The Book Of Love / Dream (Hull 735)
1961 - Daddy's home, But Momma's Gone / Tattle Tale (Hull 743)

Unreleased :
1959 - What Would You Do If There Wasn't Any Roc'N' Roll? (Argo)
1960 - Forever Yours (Hull)

Lps :
1962 - Your Favorite Singing Groups (Hull Lp 1002)
Book Of Dance / Toast To Lovers

Biography :

Formed in 1955 in Newark, New Jersey, USA, the Monotones recorded one of the most memorable doo-wop novelty songs of the 50s, ‘Book Of Love’. The sextet had sung in the same church choir as Dionne Warwick and Cissy Houston before forming their own group. In 1956, they appeared on the Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour television programme, singing the Cadillacs’ ‘Zoom’.

They won first prize and began to think more seriously about a career in music. Inspired by a television commercial for toothpaste (‘You’ll wonder where the yellow went when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent’), Patrick, Malone and Davis wrote ‘Book Of Love’ to a similar melody.

They recorded it at Bell Studio in New York and it was released on the small Mascot label, a subsidiary of Hull Records. It was then picked up by Argo Records for national distribution and ultimately reached number 5 in the USA. The group was touring when their record entered the charts, and months passed before they had a chance to record a follow-up.

A single called ‘Tom Foolery’ was released but failed to chart. The third, ‘The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow’, was a fine record and is still played on doo-wop radio programmes today, but it also failed to chart in its own time.After a few more singles, the Monotones gave up, although some of the original members performed under that name in the 90s.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Monotones/monotones.html

Movies :

Book Of Love

Songs :

Book Of Love                       You Never Loved Me                 Tom Foolery

Zombi                      The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow              Soft Shadows


Tell It To The Judge              Fools Will Be Fools         Reading The Book Of Love

Dream                 Daddy's home, But Momma's Gone     What Would You Do...


Forever Yours                            Toast To Lovers                 Book Of Dance

…..

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The Prophets (1)

Posted on July 25 2013 by dion1

The Prophets (1) (Harrisburg, Ill.)

Personnel :

?

Discography :

1955 - Come Back, Baby Come Back / Sugar Lump (Go-Lish 101)
1956 - Baby Come Back / Stormy (Atco 6078)

Biography :

Vocal quartet who first recorded for Harrisburg' Go-Lish label the songs "Come Back, Baby Come Back" "Sugar Lump "in 1955.

The Next year "Baby Come Back" with "Stormy" on the B side are released on the Atlantic/Atco label.

Songs :

Baby Come Back Sugar Lump Stormy

…..

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The Three Friends (1) aka The Heartbeats (1)

Posted on July 24 2013 by dion1

The Three Friends (1) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Heartbeats (1)
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Joe Villa (Lead)

Frank V. Stropoli (Tenor)

Tony Grochowski (SecondTenor)

Discography

The Heartbeats (1)
1955 - Finally / Boil and Bubble (Jubilee 5202)

The Three Friends (1)
1956 - Blanche / Baby I'll Cry (Lido 500/ Relic 1021)
1956 - I'm Only A Boy (To her) / Jinx (Lido 502)
1957 - Chinese Tea Room / Jinx (Brunswick 55032)
1957 - Now That You'Re Gone / Chinese Tea Room (Lido 504)

Joey of The Original Three Friends (1)
1962 - Blanche / The Oriental (Chevron 500)

Joey Villa
1962 - Blanche / Mona Lisa (MF 101)

Eddie Robbins bb The Three Friends (1)
1957 - Dear Parents / A Girl Like You (Power 214/Dot 15702/Tip Top 214)

Biography:

The Heartbeats were formed in 1954 at a time when Rock N Roll was in its infancy. The group came together while all four members were attending New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn, NY. The Heartbeats were comprised of Frank V. Stropoli (Lead), Al Rosenberg (First Tenor), Tony Grochowski (Second Tenor) and Joe Sucamele (Bass) . The Group cut one single for for Jubilee in 1955.

The Three Friends

After the records release, the Heartbeats went through some personnel changes and Joe Villa was recruited in to their ranks. Before the end of 1955 a record called "Crazy For You" was getting a lot of New York City action thanks to deejay Alan Freed. Well this record was also by another Heartbeats group, the one that is familiar to most doo-wop lovers.

The Other Heartbeats "Crazy For You"

To avoid confusion, our guys decided that they needed a new name for their group. About this time, they had begun to collaborate with Teddy Randazzo of the Three Chuckles. Joe Villa credits Randazzo as the one who suggested the group's new name, the Three Friends.

Teddy Randazzo

"Blanche" was an original song penned by the group, and inspired by a young lady who had attended their High School. The group came to the attention of Leo Rogers, who had them record the tune on his newly formed Lido label. The dreamy teen ballad was released in September of 1956.

The Three Friends

The record was reviewed in Billboard the week of October 27 and received a three stars or "very good" rating. Alan Freed liked the record, which meant it got excellent exposure on his New York City radio show, and almost immediately put the Three Friends on the map. Riding high on the success of "Blanche" the Three Friends took almost a year to release some follow up discs. Although the group were fine singers, they could not recapture their initial success with "Blanche".

Eddie Robbins

The Three Friends also used their polished harmonies to back up other artists. They can be heard (although un-credited) behind Eddie Robbins on his 1958 Power release of "Dear Parents" backed with "A Girl Like You". They also provided back-up vocals to Eddie Reardon on his 1958 Brunswick recording of "Who Is Eddie" and "Just Trying".

The Royal Teens

Following his tenure with the Three Friends, Joe Villa would go on to front a combo called the Royal Teens, who had a big success in 1958 with the novelty rocker "Short Shorts" originally released on Power and later picked up by ABC Paramount. And on some of the Royal Teens later recordings such as "Believe Me", it's none other than the Three Friends providing the vocal harmonies.
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/three-friends-mn0000587487/biography

Songs :

The Heartbeats (1)

Boil and Bubble / Finally

The Three Friends (1)

Blanche / Baby I'll Cry I'm Only A Boy (To her)

Now That You'Re Gone / Chinese Tea Room Jinx

Joey Villa of The Original Three Friends (1)

The Oriental

Joey Villa

Blanche / Mona Lisa

Eddie Robbins bb The Three Friends (1)

Dear Parents A Girl Like You

...

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The Four Vanns

Posted on July 23 2013 by dion1

The Four Vanns (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Teddy Vann (All voices)

Discography :

1956 - So Young And So Pretty / Sha-Bee-Dah-Ah-Ding-Dong (Vik 0246)

Biography :

Native of Bensonhurst (section of Brooklyn, NY) songwriter/producer Teddy Vann ventured into music during his teen years after he left high school early. Teddy also tried his hand at singing.

His first single is Credited to the Four Vanns. "So Young And So Pretty" and "Sha-Bee-Dah-Ah-Ding-Dong" is the only voice work of Teddy Vann on a multiple-recording session. He had a minor hit in the summer of 1961, a ballad called, 'The Lonely Crowd' on Columbia Records. Teddy Vann wrote the Johnny Thunder monster hit "Loop De Loop". In 1960 he wrote & recorded the great instrumental hit "Teenage Hayride" as Tender Slim.

Songs :

So Young And So Pretty Sha-Bee-Dah-Ah-Ding-Dong

.....

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The Runaways (3)

Posted on July 22 2013 by dion1

The Runaways (3)

The Runaways (3) (New York)

Personnel :

Bill Reichert (Lead)

Joey Gioia

Tony Petrocelli

Sam Wood

Discography :

Single :
1963 - Kangaroo Hop / Teenage Style (Teensound 1924)

Unreleased :
1963 - Laughing (With Tears in My Heart) (Teensound)
1963 - Shake (Teensound)

Biography :

Group led by Bill Reichert (later with the Long Island Group The Dedications and Pittsburgh group The Holidays) In picture above, original members L to R - Bill Reichert, Joey Gioia, Tony Petrocelli (Florence Zagari's son), and Sam Wood who was later with the Sparrows Quartet. There was a 2nd unreleased record from this session - "Laughing with Tears in my Heart" and "Shake" which were later released on Ed Engel's label, Crystal Ball Records. Additional credit should also go to Rocco Zagari, Florence's husband who backed his wife's endeavors and loved the music. The group was originally called The Runarounds and toured as such for over a year performing throughout the tri-state area. The week before Kangaroo Hop was going to press and production, The Regents of Barbara Ann fame, changed their name to the Runarounds and released their record titled Runaround...thus the name change to The Runaways.
http://www.45cat.com/record/ts1924

Songs :

Laughing With Tears In My Heart / Shake

Teenage Style Kangaroo Hop

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The Barbees

Posted on July 19 2013 by dion1

Simon Barbee, Bertha Barbee, Norma Barbee, Joyce Barbee

The Barbee’s (Flint, Michigan)
Ref. The Velvelettes
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel:

Simon Barbee (lead)

Bertha Barbee

Norma Barbee

Joyce Barbee

Discography:

1957 - The Wind / Que Pasa? (What’s Happening) (Stepp 236)

Biography :

Singer and songwriter Simon Barbee formed The Barbee's with his nieces Bertha, Norma and Joyce Barbee. Bertha and Norma were cousins and Joyce a cousin by marriage. The Girls were twelve, thirteen and fourteen at the time.

The Velvelettes

The group got some local gigs in Flint, Michigan and the surrounding towns, and was very well received. They recorded in 1957 The Wind b/w Que Pasa? for the small Stepp labe . Carolyn and Mildred Gill, Norma and Bertha Barbee, and Betty Kelley launched The Velvelettes in 1962.

Songs:

The Wind Que Pasa? (What’s Happening)

….

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The Universals (4)

Posted on July 17 2013 by dion1

The Universals (4) (Hollywood, Ca)

Personnel :

Henry Glover

John McVey

James Collie, Jr.

Lenora Davis

Discography :

1962 - A Love Only You Can Give / I'm In Love (Shepherd 2000)

Biography :

The Idea for a vocal group occurred to three members of the four Universals during their Army careers when, Henry Glover, John McVey and James Collie, Jr. were singing for troops in the service. Upon discharge, they felt the need for adding a female voice and singled out Lenora Davis, who had been studying singing for a year but who had not yet done any professional work. The four Youngsters worked together for some time, forgetting their own individual singing styles and trying to achieve a certain style and sound for the group as a wholes. When a demonstration record was submitted to RCA Victor's West Coast A&R Representative, lee Shapiro, he liked what he heard and signed the quartet to a recording contract. The masters were probably sold, in 1962 the two songs was released by Shepherd record in Hollywood.

Songs :

A Love Only You Can Give I'm In Love

…

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The Galleons

Posted on July 15 2013 by dion1

The Galleons (Los Angeles, Ca.)

Personnel :

Robert Cotterell

Merlyn Nelson

Lew Parsons

Joe Sershan

Discography :

1959 - I Played The Fool / Pick Up (Vita 184)

Biography :

By Gary E. Myers:
The Galleons were a four-part male vocal group, consisting of college students Robert Cotterell, Merlyn “Mert” Nelson, Lew Parsons and Joe Sershan. They had met on Labor Day 1958 on Catalina Island and began singing together for fun. Ruth Stratchborneo heard them at a UCLA Spring Sing event. “She helped set up an appointment with Art Laboe of Original Sound,” recalled Cotterell. “He seemed somewhat strange so we did not pursue this contact – probably a mistake.”

They rehearsed their material at the good old West View St home and they were backed on the sessions by Jackie Kelso’s band. The label shows Cotterell, Nelson & Parsons as writers on one side, but today’s BMI listing includes Stratchborneo, showing that she added her name to the work of others even back in the early days. Cotterell later formed the Sonrise label for Christian music and built Creative Sounds, a CD duplication company.
http://topshelfoldies.org/tide_edit_records.htm

Songs :

Played The Fool Pick Up

....

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The Young Lads (1) aka Pearl & The Deltars

Posted on July 12 2013 by dion1

The Young Lads : Aaron Broadnick, James Straite, Ronnie Watson, Carl Williams, Luther Morton

The Young Lads (1) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka Pearl & The Deltars

Personnel :

Ronnie Watson (Lead)

Carl Williams (First Tenor)

James Straite (Second Tenor)

Luther Morton (Baritone)

Bootsie Aaron Broadnick (Bass)

Discography :

The Young Lads (1)

Singles :
1956 - Moonlight / I'm In Love (Neil 100)

Pearl & The Deltars

Singles :
1961 - Teenage Dream / Dance Dance Dance (Fury 1048)
Unreleased:
1961 - Back To School Again (Fury)
1961 - Where Are You? (Fury)

Biography :

The Young Lads' only record was 'I'm In Love'/'Moonlight' (Neil 100), the Brooklyn group consisting of five boys: Ronnie Watson, Carl Williams, James Straite, Luther Morton and Aaron Broadnick. They needed to replace Ronnie Watson, who had been missing rehearsals, and heard that Pearl and the Kodaks had split up. Nate Rogers, of the Chesters, hooked up Pearl and the Young Lads and, with Pearl replacing Ronnie Watson, they started rehearsing.

Pearl McKinnon with the Kodaks

This was difficult, since they all lived in Brooklyn, except for Pearl, who lived in Newark. Obviously the name "Young Lads" had to go, and they named themselves after Delta Airlines, as the Deltars. Pearl & The Deltars cut one single for Robinson's Fury label released in the winter of 1961: "Teenage Dream" / "Dance Dance Dance". Dance, Dance, Dance received some local and proved that Pearl could modernize her sound in the early sixties. Unfortunaly, Bobby Robinson & his small Fury office staff soon became overwhelmed with gladys Knight & The Pips and their "Every Beat Of My Heart" smash.
(Thanks to Marv Goldberg)

Songs :

The Young Lads (1)


Moonlight                                           I'm In Love

Pearl & The Deltars


Dance Dance Dance                              Teenage Dream

..

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The Five Sharks (1) aka The Gold Bugs

Posted on July 10 2013 by dion1

The Statues

The Five Sharks (1) (Long Island, New York)
aka The Gold Bugs

Personnel:

Eddie Schwartz

Johnny Mumford

Bruce Garland

...

Discography :

The Five Sharks (1)
1964 - Stormy Weather / If You Love Me (Time Sq. 35)

The Gold Bugs
1965 - Stop That Wedding / It's So Nice (Coral 62453)

Biography :

The Five Sharks were a young white group from Floral Park, Long Island who were known as the Florals when they recorded their version of "Stormy Weather" for Irving "Slim" Rose. The group consisted of Eddie Schwartz, Johnny Mumford, Bruce Garland and another guy. To capitalize on his self-created "Stormy Weather" promotion (he kept offering more cash each week for an original 45 of the Five Sharps' 952 Jubilee recording, "Stormy Weather;" Irving "Slim" Rose never had to pay up and, to this date, no 45 has ever turned up), Slim renamed the Florals the "Five Sharks" and pressed up his first 100 copies on a unique multicolor vinyl Times Square pressing with a longer intro creating an instant collector's item. Eddie Schwartz's friend of the family had a friend who had a barber shop in Atlantic City with a recording studio in the back, The Florals group cut "Stop That Wedding" and "It's So Nice" released by Coral Records as The Gold Bugs. The record was produced by Dave Rick, who had also produced Vito & the Salutations' "Unchained Melody."

Songs :

The Five Sharks (1)

Stormy Weather If You Love Me

The Gold Bugs

*** Stop That Wedding*** It's So Nice

...

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