The Love Notes (4) (Brooklyn, New-York) aka The Five Sounds
Personnel :
Andew Taylor (Lead)
Wesley Hazzard (Baritone)
Lawrence Campbell (First Tenor)
Robert Williamson (Second Tenor)
Bonny Rivers (Bass)
Discography :
The Love Notes (4) 1957 - Dream Girl / Treat Me Right (Peak 5003)
Russ Riley & The Five Sounds 1957 - Tonight Must Live On / Crazy Feeling (Aljon 115/Arcade1005)
The Five Sounds 1958 - The Greatest Gift Of All / Chalypso Baby (Deb 1006) 1960 - Good Time Baby / That's When I Fell In Love (Baritone 940/941)
Biography :
Before recording for the Aljon label, The Five Sounds were earlier know as the Love Notes, when they recorded "Dream Girl" and "Treat Me Right" for Peak/Joyce Records in February of 1957 - which was originally released only with the wrong label. The group included Andew Taylor (Lead), Wesley Hazzard (Baritone), Lawrence Campbell (First Tenor), Robert Williamson (Second Tenor) and Bonny Rivers (Bass). Russ Riley was their new lead singer on "Tonight must live on" and "Crazy Feeling". Arcade Records re-issued the songs on their own label in 1977.
Rip Reed, Wilson James, Ray Pettis, Bobby Robinson & David Taylor
The Gems (1) (Evanston, Illinois)
Personnel :
Ray Pettis (Lead)
Rip Reed (Bass)
Bobby Robinson (First Tenor)
Wilson James (Bass-Baritone)
David Taylor (Second Tenor)
Discography :
The Gems (1) 1954 - Talk About The Weather / Deed I Do (Drexel 901) 1955 - I Thought You'd Care / Kitty From New York City (Drexel 903) 1955 - You're Tired Of Love / Ol Man River (Drexel 904) 1956 - The Darkest Night / One Woman Man (Drexel 909) 1957 - Till The Day I Die / Monkey Face Baby (Drexel 915)
Dorothy Logan & The Gems (1) 1954 - Since I Fell For You / Small Town Man (Dorothy Logan) (Drexel 902
Biography :
Not to be confused with the girl group of the same name from the same city, who were signed to Chess Records -- were a quintet formed in Chicago in 1952, with Ray Pettis on lead, Bob Robinson and David Taylor as tenors, William James as baritone, and Rip Reed as bass. After a couple of years of singing around the Windy City, they were signed to Drexel Records in the spring of 1954, and their "Let's Talk About the Weather" b/w "Deed I Do" became the company's first release a few weeks later. It did well enough locally so that the group was also on the label's second single A-side, "Since I Fell for You," although the B-side was given to another Drexel artist, Dorothy Logan. They were also represented on the company's third single, "Kitty from New York City" b/w "I Thought You'd Care," and the fourth, an R&B rendition of "Old Man River" backed with "You're Tired of Love."
Bobby Robinson, David Taylor, Ray Pettis, Wilson James & Rip Reed
Their recording activity slackened considerably after 1955, with their single "One Woman Man" b/w "The Darkest Night" getting some local and regional airplay. Drexel was still plugging them a couple of years later when it issued their final single, "Monkey Face Baby" b/w "Till the Day I Die." The group apparently broke up after 1957, ending a good five-year run. Their recordings retain a serious following among harmony vocal and doo wop enthusiasts, and devotees of Chicago's music history in those genres. After the Gems broke up, Ray Pettis took over as the lead of another Evanston-based vocal group called the Foster Brothers. As a soloist, Pettis recorded for the Boss and Dee Dee labels (which were co-owned by former Gem Bobby Robinson). He was on singles for Boss released in 1962 and 1963, and on one side of a single for Dee Dee (1963). After a single for Salem in 1965 and one for Exodus (run briefly by Jimmy Bracken and Vivian Carter after Vee-Jay went bankrupt, 1966), Pettis recorded his last two singles for Dee Dee in 1969. http://www.uncamarvy.com/Gems/gems.html
Songs :
The Gems (1)
Deed I Do / Talk About The Weather I Thought You'd Care / Kitty From New York
You're Tired Of Love / Ol Man River The Darkest Night / One Woman Man
The Sentimentals (1) 1957 - I Want To Love You / Teenie Teenager (Mint 801/Checker 875) 1957 - Wedding Bells / A Sunday Kind Of Love (Mint 802) 1958 - I'm Your Fool Always / Rock Me Mama (Mint 803) 1959 - You're Mine / Danny Boy (Mint 805) 1968 - I'll Miss These Things / This Time (Mint 807) 1972 - I Want To Love You / This Time (Mint 808)
James Carter & The Sentimentals (1) 1957 - Hey Baby Hey / I Know (Tuxedo 922)
Ann Nichols & The Sentimentals (1) 1958 - Lover I'm Waiting for you / I'm Sixteen Years (Tuxedo 926/943)
Patty York (bb The Sentimentals (1)) 1958 - You Walked Away With My Heart / That Old Feeling (Mint 806)
Biography :
This vocal group featured Sylvester Jackson as lead, Floyd Bond - 1st Tenor, Edward Copeland - 2nd Tenor, Kipling Pittman - Baritone & Michael Riggins - Bass. As mentioned above the group was from Coney Island, New York.
The Sentimentals came to Tuxedo Records for an audition. The label was primarily a Gospel organization, but Tuxedo management liked them and in 1957 began Mint Records for secular music. " I Want To Love You" and "Teenie Teenager" was their first release in August 1957.
Ann Nichols Patty York
When it began to take off, a deal was struck with Chess Record of Chicago for more effective distribution. They recorded for Mint Records and doing back-up work for Mint/Tuxedo artists such as James Carter, Ann Nichols and Patty York. In 1958, Bond and Pittman left and were replaced by Ralph Gamble, making the group a quartet.
During the dormant early 1960s, Gamble left and was replaced by Gary Simmons. The Group recorded several sides, none of which were released. Live appearances continued and eventually they began performing and recording as a soul group. http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/ROWNEW/ThoseMag.htm
Songs :
I Want To Love You I'll Miss These Things A Sunday Kind Of Love
The Gallahads (2) 1960 - Gone / So Long (Nite Owl 20) 1960 - Lonely Guy / Jo Jo The Big Wheel (Del-Fi 4137/Donna 1322) 1961 - Be Fair / I'm Without A Girlfriend (Del-Fi 4148) 1961 - Why Do Fool Fall In Love / Gone (Rendezvous 153)
Jimmy Pipkin & The Gallahads (3) aka The Chants (2) 1962 - This Letter To You / The Answer To Love (Donna 1361)
The Gallahads (3) aka The Chants (2) 1964 - Keeper Of Dreams / Sad Girl (Beechwood 3000)
Jimmy Pipkin's Gallahads (2) 1964 - My Offering / Have Love Will Travel (Sea Crest 6005)
Biography :
The Gallahads -- led by Jimmy Pipkin -- are best remembered for "Lonely Guy," an enormous smash hit in 1960. Lead vocalist Pipkin, Bobby Dixon (first tenor and lead), "Tiny" Tony Smith (second tenor), and bass man Ernie Rouse formed this vocal group in Seattle, WA, in 1952, while they were still in junior high. At first they called themselves the Echoes, but by the time they traveled to L.A. to record for Del-Fi Records and the Donna subsidiary, they were calling themselves the Gallahads. The group had only few releases , but each had enormous impact. Their first single, "Lonely Guy," was released on both the Del-Fi and Donna labels, almost simultaneously. It proved to become an enormous smash, charting between June and September of 1960 and peaking at number nine in the Top Ten. In Los Angeles, it spent ten weeks at number one on the KFWB Fabulous Forty, the number one station in town. It also charted at number 111 on the national pop charts.
1959 (At the Birdland Club) L to R : Joe Hardy, Bobby Dixon, Tony Smith, Clifton James and Jimmy Pipkin.
By the time of their next release, the Gallahads' lineup had changed a little bit: joining lead singer Pipkin and Ernie Rouse were fellow Seattlite Ray Robinson and L.A.-based doo wop/R&B musician/arranger/producer Charles Wright, who also worked with label-head Bob Keane as an A&R man and produced and arranged recordings by Little Caesar & the Romans and other acts. The A-side, "Be Fair," was sung in classic doo wop style and generated a bit of controversy because the story involved a blind boy ("it's no fun being blind") crossing the street with his girl friend who realizes that while his girl is "holding my hand, she's kissing my best friend." It's not clear who objected to the song, but the single hit another snag regardless. Disc jockey Alan Freed, whose radio show was broadcast on L.A.'s KDAY in 1960, failed to compensate the Gallahads for a few scheduled appearances, so they signed a complaint with AFTRA (a musician's union). Freed not only dropped the record but influenced fellow DJ Dick Clark to do the same, and it quickly fell off the charts.
The Gallahads (1974) L to R : Ernie Rouse, Jimmy Pipkin (at top), "Tiny Tony" Smith, Charles Sampson.
Pipkin's final Gallahads single failed to earn them airplay as well and the original group soon split up. Jimmy Pipkin then based in California picked up a vocal group called The Chants. This group hailed from San Pedro, California. Members included Arthur Lee Sprewell,Elliott Sprewell, Tyrone Sprewell, Lewis Booker, Eugene Booker, and Mack Givens. The Chants had already recorded "Heaven And Paradise" b/w "When I'm With You" release en 1960 by Night Owl Records and probably in 1959, "The Graveyard Hop" b/w "A Thousand Miles In My Path" on the Big Moment Label. Label copied as Jimmy Pipkin & The Gallahads. The Chants recorded "This Letter To You" and "The Answer To Love" on Donna Records. The "Answer To Love" is a typical Pipkin ballad and sticks to The Gallahads' trademark sound. In fact, The Chants could almost be taken as a Gallahads clone. In 1964, Chuck Markulis, who owned the rights to the Gallahads name, produced two Gallahads sides for the Beechwood label, "Keeper Of Dreams" backed with "Sad Girl" But it's still the Chants recorded the Songs. Meanwhile, the Gallahads name resurfaced again in 1964 with "My Offering," this time with Billy Burns on lead vocal and a white teen band called the Counts backing them up. The Seattle-based Pipkin continued to perform with an oldies version of the Gallahads.
Songs :
The Gallahads (2)
Gone So Long Lonely Guy
Jo Jo The Big Wheel Be Fair I'm Without A Girlfriend
Why Do Fool Fall In Love
Jimmy Pipkin & The Gallahads (3) aka the Chants (2)
The Don-Tels 1963 - People Gonna Talk / I Found A Love (Witch 119) 1963 - Lonely Boy / The Old Man (Witch 121)
The Dontells 1963 - Lover's Reunion / Make A Chance (Beltone 2040) 1965 - In Your Heart / Nothing But Nothing (Vee Jay 666) 1965 - Ain't Cha My Baby / I'm Gonna Tell The World (Vee Jay 967) 1965 - I Can't Wait / Gimmie Some (Ambassador 3346)
Biography :
The Dontells come from Chicago, and cut their first single on the legendary Beltone label (distributed by King Records, Cincinnati).
The same year the group release two singles on the Witch / Cortland label changing the name to the Don-Tels. With only 1 original member , the group have three nice Soul singles in 1965 for the Vee Jay & Ambassador label.
Singles : 1963 - Where There's A Will / We Got It (Poplar 119)
Unreleased : 1963 - And We Danced (Poplar) 1963 - Goodbye My Love (Poplar)
Biography :
Poplar, founded in New York City in 1962 by Stan Soifer, generally featured doo wop-styled groups, but backed them with often surprisingly sharp early rock arrangements that avoided being derivative by adding in little percussion touches, unusual basslines, and touches of horns. Both the Sparkles recordings were masters, Stan Soifer obtained from his deal with the Philly Based Ben-Lee Music Company.
The Andantes (Hicks, Demps, Barrow) and Gladys Horton
The Darnells (2) (Inkster, Michigan)
Personnel :
Gladys Horton (Lead)
Louvain Demps
Marlene Barrow
Jackie Hicks Demps Barrow
Discography :
1963 - Too Hurt To Cry, Too Much In Love To Say Goodbye / Come On Home (Gordy 7024)
Biography :
The Darnells were a made-up group, yes, featuring Gladys Horton of the Marvelettes on lead, backed up by Louvain Demps, Marlene Barrow and Jackie Hicks – the immortal Andantes. Now, on a lot of Motown records credited to a group (the Supremes being the best-known example), the Andantes would fill in on backing vocals in place of the actual group members.
Be it for logistical reasons (the group themselves might be out touring, say), or as an artistic improvement, it was usually a rather effective strategy, if also somewhat morally ambiguous. So to that extent, this is as much a Marvelettes record as some of their official singles. But it’s not, strictly speaking, the Marvelettes; if anything, Motown was being surprisingly honest in noting this was a different group. "Come On Home" was credited to the Darnells, but was according to the studio log down to Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier, The Four Tops, The Andantes and The Temptations. http://motownjunkies.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/348/
1961 - Peanuts / I'll Be Home (Austin 303/LeCam 721/ Smash 1705) 1961 - Maybe / Popcorn (Smash 1722) 1962 - Your Turn To Cry / Tender Years (Jamie 1219/LeCam 958) 1963 - Be Bop-A-Lula / You Can't Go On (Troy 1002) 1964 - Darla / Someone New (Le Cam 113/Tollie 9016) N/A - Peanuts / You Can't Go (Charay 36) N/A - Hippie! / I Cry (Charay 71)
Biography :
Rick and the Keens, a fivesome from Wichita Falls, had a major hit with Mercury Records, and they took a little song called Peanuts to # 1 in New York, LA and Chicago (a remake of the 1957 record of "Peanuts" by Little Joe and the Thrillers) . It then stayed in the top 100 of the Nation for 16 weeks.
This sizable hit from 1961 was recorded in Texas by this Caucasian Quintet whose career was hindered by the reclusive tendencies of their lead vocalist, Richard Cook. The group, who included John Bland on guitar and Cook'sisters on Piano, hailed from Wichita Falls in North Texas.
Richard Cook Rick & The Keens
"Peanuts" was a rock and roll version of the R&B original, complete with soaring falsetto. It was first issued locally on Austin 303, then on the regional LeCam label (LeCam 721) before Smash (Mercury's Subsidiary label out of Chicago) obtained the master and reissued it as Smash 1705. it Immediately went #1 in Chicago on'Station' WLAS and sold 18,000 Copies there.
The group did a promotional tour and was invited to appear on american Bandstand...
The Truetones (Washinton,D.C. / Baltimore) aka The Capitols (2)
Personnel :
Ronald Henderson (Lead)
James Green (First Tenor)
Marshall Hawkins (Second Tenor)
Earl Briscoe (Baritone)
Leonard Campbell (Bass) )
Discography :
The Truetones 1958 - Honey, Honey / Whirlwind (Monument 4501) 1961 - Blushing Bride / Singing Waters (Felsted 8625) 1966 - He's Got The Nerve / That's Love (Josie 950/1103) 1966 – Girls Are Sentimental / One More Time (LSP 0001/0002)
The Capitols (2) 1973 - Honey, Honey / Alone In The Night (The Jones Boys) (Baron 103)
Biography :
This group started as the Capitols, and changed their name to the Truetones when they signed to Monument records. The Truetones were one of those groups whose personnel changed almost continuously. The only constant member was the group's organizer/Manager/writer and lead singer Ronald Henderson.
Top : Ronald Henderson, Gene Williams, Andrew Layer - Bottom : John Johnson, Kenny Willis
Their first records, "Honey, Honey" (not be confused with the Teenchords' song of the same name) is a great medium-tempo harmony group sound from the late 1950's. The group Other three records were spaced rather far apart : "Singing Waters"on Felsted was released in the early 60's and the two other were released on Josie & LSPin the Mid-60s. In 1973, Honey, Honey is released by Baron under their original name, The Capitols.
The Truetones (1966)
At personal appearances, the Truetones would perform as a "double group" that is, they would open the show with their own songs, and then return to sing back-up for another singer, usually, Pookie Hudson after he left the Spaniels. Thanks to Marv Goldberg
The Echoes (4) 1958 - Scratch My Back / The Little Green Man (Swan 4013)
The Unique Echos 1962 - Italian Twist / Zoom (Southern Sound 108)
Jimmy McQuade & The Unique Echos 1967 - Booga Ka Do / Bongo Talk (Swan 4274)
The Frankie Grier Quartet bb The Echoes (4) 1958 - Oh Gloria / Lonesome For You (Swan 4019)
Biography :
After graduating from high school, Bobby Palese and Joe Giglio enlisted the talents of two other boys, Dominick "Chubby" Salvatore and Fiore "Cookie Dell" Delbuono, who were equally disdainful of the ordinary working world. They started to play and sing for garden parties, birthdays, weddings, bar mitzvahs and the like. The name they performed under at that time was Cookie and His Swing Kings.
The Echoes (4) : Chuby, Joe Giglio, , Cookie & Bob Palese
But when Swan Records took an interest in them, they changed the name to the Echoes. Their first pick to click was a demented novelty ditty, 'The Little Green Man,' in which they not only sang but provided all the instrumental background as well, a rarity in that time when persnickety label owners usually demanded professional sidemen for recording sessions.
The Echoes (4) : Chuby, Joe Giglio, Dick Clark, Cookie & Bob Palese
Little Green Man" was designed to take advantage of the ubiquitous UFO sightings, which were so common in the late 1950s. But unexpectedly, Bosco wrote, "it was the flip side, 'Scratch My Back,' which was garnering airplay, especially from local supergiant WIBG.
Joe Giglio, Dino Borgi, Bob Palese & Jimmy Mc Quade (Top) Jimmy Mc Quade & Joe Raodano. (Bottom) Ed Vickery & Joe Giglio
It reached #2 in Scranton and #86 nationally."A few day after their mission for Swan, they were marshaled back into Reco-Arts to support Frankie Grier, A later Day Angel (Grand Records) and his homeboys on their stellar two sider, " Oh Gloria" and "Lonesome For You ". They Provided all the instrumentation.
But the boys suffered a blow when the payola scandal erupted in 1959-60, ensnaring among others "American Bandstand's" Dick Clark, who was a silent partner in Swan. He had to divest himself of many of his holdings in the music industry, including Swan. Without Clark, the company foundered. Calamitously, Bobby Palese, out of nowhere, got drafted, to be replaced by Nicky 'Rags' Guaglione.
The Quartet evolved into a Quintet with George Campisi. Eventually, Bob, the Drummer, bassman and first tenor rejoined the group . They were indeed an unknown number of 'Echoes' configurations… with Jimmy McQuade, Dino Borgi, Joe Raodono, Ed Vickery and George Campisi… The group kept busy, performing as far away as New York and Canada and at many now-forgotten clubs around Philadelphia and in South Jersey.
The Echoes were later redubbed the "Unique Echos". After a hitch in the Army, Bobby and his friends released a single called "Zoom" with singer-songwriters Frank Slay and Bob Crewe, the brains behind the Four Seasons a few years down the road. Once again, it was the flip side, "The Italian Twist," that got the attention. After the group faded, Bobby kept playing two or three nights a week on keyboard, drums and bass, and singing.
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