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Ray Allen Trio aka The Gum Drops aka The Upbeats (2) aka The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

Posted on December 17 2011 by dion1

Ray Allen Trio (Westchester, New York)
aka The Gum Drops aka The Upbeats (2) aka The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

Personnel :

Ray "Allen" Albanese (Vocal/Guitar)

Frank Rey (Vocal/Bass)

Harold "Feirstein" Stone (Vocal/Piano)

Discography :

Ray Allen Trio

1954 - Why Should I Love You / Love My Love (King 1383) 
1954 - Amapola / Love In Rhyme (King 1399)  
1955 - I Miss You So / Money, Money, Money (King 1438) 
1961 - See Africa First / Two Angels (Joy 247)

The Classmates (1)
1955 - What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss (King 1487)

The Four Classmates
1955 - What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss (King 1487)

The Gum Drops

1955 - Gum Drop / Don't Take It so Hard 1955 (King 1496)
1955 - I'll Wait For One More Train / Don't Take It So Hard (King 1499)
1955 - I Wonder and Wonder / I'll Follow You (King 4913)  
1956 - Natural born Lover / Chapel Of Hearts (King 4963)
1957 - Ba-Bee-Da Boat Is Leaving / Pigeon (King 5051) 
1958 - You're The One / Gum Drop Shoes and Bells In Her Hair (Decca 30584)  
1958 - My Own True Love / On The Wings Of The Wind 1958 (Coral 62003)
1959 - I Spoke Too Soon / Sie-Tu (It's You, It's You) (Coral 62102)
1959 - It Happens Every Day / They Wake Me 1959 (Coral 62138)

Ray Allen & The Upbeats (2)

Singles:
1961 - Let Them Talk / Sweet Lorraine (Sinclair 1004)
1962 - Peggy Sue / La Bamba (Blast 204)

Lps :
1962 - "Tribute To 6" (Blast BLP-6804)
C'mon Everyboby / Peggy Sue / Sittin' In The Balcony / Earth Angel / Chantilly Lace / Battle Of New Orleans / La Bamba / Every Day / Running Bear / Donna / North To Alaska / Goodnight My Love

Biography :

The Ray Allen Trio started recording for King Records in 1954, and "Why Should I Love You / Love Me Love" King 1383 was there first release.

Ray Allen Trio (about 1952) -The Arthur Godfrey Show

The personal were "Ray Allen (Ray Albanese) (Guitar), Frank Rey (Bass) and Harold "Feirstein" Stone (Piano). They had very good success with there first two records, and released a total of three on King. The group added Vinnie Bell (Vinnie Gambella) (Guitar) and recorded " What Am I Gonna Do" b/w "A Kiss Is Not A Kiss" released as The Four Classmates and The Classmates

In 1955, DeLuxe released "Gum Drop" and "Save Me, Save Me" by Otis Williams and his New Group's ."Gum Drop" getting a lot of play from Alan Freed. "Gum Drop" was almost immediately covered by the Crew Cuts on Mercury Records, and that made Syd Nathan mad .

With George Montgomery

Syd Nathan refused to grant a license for "Gum Drop." As a final insult, Syd Nathan re-named the Ray Allen Trio to "The Gum Drops" and released their version of the song on King 1496 to cut into the Crew Cuts' sales.

The group consisted of "Ray Allen (Ray Albanese), Frank Rey, Harold "Feirstein" Stone and new member Vinnie Bell (Vinnie Gambella) (Guitar), all were from New York. The Gum drops cut 9 singles for King, Decca & Coral. Their last release was as the Ray Allen Trio on the Joy record label.

In 1961 the Ray Allen Trio signing for Sinclair record as Ray Allen & The Upbeats , and released "Let Them Talk" /" Sweet Lorraine" (Sinclair 1004). The next year they released the LP "Tribute to 6" for Blast Records (a division of Sinclair Record Corp.)

Ray Allen & The Upbeats do two songs each by Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper, Johnny Horton and Jesse Belvin . "Tribute to 6" Conducted and Arranged by Vinny Catalano. A single from the LP was also released on Blast 204 with "Peggy Sue" and "La Bamba".
Thanks To Alicia Albanese

Songs :
(Updated By Hans-Joachim)

Ray Allen Trio

Two Angels Amapola

The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss

The Gum Drops


You're The One                 Don't Take it So Hard               Natural born Lover


Gum Drop Shoes and Bells ...             Gum Drop                        Sei Tu

I Wonder And Wonder...     Ba-Bee, Da Boat Is Leaving        They Wake Me


I'll Wait For One More Train     It Happens Every Day         I Spoke To Soon

Chapel Of Hearts

Ray Allen & The Upbeats (2)


Let Them Talk                      Sweet Lorraine                Sittin´ In The Balcony


Earth Angel                        Donna                            Goodnight My Love


North To Alaska                       Peggy Sue                     La Bamba

....

See comments

Ray Allen Trio aka The Gum Drops aka The Upbeats (2) aka The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

Posted on December 17 2011 by dion1

Ray Allen Trio (Westchester, New York)
aka The Gum Drops aka The Upbeats (2) aka The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

Personnel :

Ray "Allen" Albanese (Vocal/Guitar)

Frank Rey (Vocal/Bass)

Harold "Feirstein" Stone (Vocal/Piano)

Discography :

Ray Allen Trio

1954 - Why Should I Love You / Love My Love (King 1383) 
1954 - Amapola / Love In Rhyme (King 1399)  
1955 - I Miss You So / Money, Money, Money (King 1438) 
1961 - See Africa First / Two Angels (Joy 247)

The Classmates (1)
1955 - What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss (King 1487)

The Four Classmates
1955 - What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss (King 1487)

The Gum Drops

1955 - Gum Drop / Don't Take It so Hard 1955 (King 1496)
1955 - I'll Wait For One More Train / Don't Take It So Hard (King 1499)
1955 - I Wonder and Wonder / I'll Follow You (King 4913)  
1956 - Natural born Lover / Chapel Of Hearts (King 4963)
1957 - Ba-Bee-Da Boat Is Leaving / Pigeon (King 5051) 
1958 - You're The One / Gum Drop Shoes and Bells In Her Hair (Decca 30584)  
1958 - My Own True Love / On The Wings Of The Wind 1958 (Coral 62003)
1959 - I Spoke Too Soon / Sie-Tu (It's You, It's You) (Coral 62102)
1959 - It Happens Every Day / They Wake Me 1959 (Coral 62138)

Ray Allen & The Upbeats (2)

Singles:
1961 - Let Them Talk / Sweet Lorraine (Sinclair 1004)
1962 - Peggy Sue / La Bamba (Blast 204)

Lps :
1962 - "Tribute To 6" (Blast BLP-6804)
C'mon Everyboby / Peggy Sue / Sittin' In The Balcony / Earth Angel / Chantilly Lace / Battle Of New Orleans / La Bamba / Every Day / Running Bear / Donna / North To Alaska / Goodnight My Love

Biography :

The Ray Allen Trio started recording for King Records in 1954, and "Why Should I Love You / Love Me Love" King 1383 was there first release.

Ray Allen Trio (about 1952) -The Arthur Godfrey Show

The personal were "Ray Allen (Ray Albanese) (Guitar), Frank Rey (Bass) and Harold "Feirstein" Stone (Piano). They had very good success with there first two records, and released a total of three on King. The group added Vinnie Bell (Vinnie Gambella) (Guitar) and recorded " What Am I Gonna Do" b/w "A Kiss Is Not A Kiss" released as The Four Classmates and The Classmates

In 1955, DeLuxe released "Gum Drop" and "Save Me, Save Me" by Otis Williams and his New Group's ."Gum Drop" getting a lot of play from Alan Freed. "Gum Drop" was almost immediately covered by the Crew Cuts on Mercury Records, and that made Syd Nathan mad .

With George Montgomery

Syd Nathan refused to grant a license for "Gum Drop." As a final insult, Syd Nathan re-named the Ray Allen Trio to "The Gum Drops" and released their version of the song on King 1496 to cut into the Crew Cuts' sales.

The group consisted of "Ray Allen (Ray Albanese), Frank Rey, Harold "Feirstein" Stone and new member Vinnie Bell (Vinnie Gambella) (Guitar), all were from New York. The Gum drops cut 9 singles for King, Decca & Coral. Their last release was as the Ray Allen Trio on the Joy record label.

In 1961 the Ray Allen Trio signing for Sinclair record as Ray Allen & The Upbeats , and released "Let Them Talk" /" Sweet Lorraine" (Sinclair 1004). The next year they released the LP "Tribute to 6" for Blast Records (a division of Sinclair Record Corp.)

Ray Allen & The Upbeats do two songs each by Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper, Johnny Horton and Jesse Belvin . "Tribute to 6" Conducted and Arranged by Vinny Catalano. A single from the LP was also released on Blast 204 with "Peggy Sue" and "La Bamba".
Thanks To Alicia Albanese

Songs :
(Updated By Hans-Joachim)

Ray Allen Trio

Two Angels Amapola

The Classmates (1) aka The Four Classmates

What Am I Gonna Do / A Kiss Is Not A Kiss

The Gum Drops


You're The One                 Don't Take it So Hard               Natural born Lover


Gum Drop Shoes and Bells ...             Gum Drop                        Sei Tu

I Wonder And Wonder...     Ba-Bee, Da Boat Is Leaving        They Wake Me


I'll Wait For One More Train     It Happens Every Day         I Spoke To Soon

Chapel Of Hearts

Ray Allen & The Upbeats (2)


Let Them Talk                      Sweet Lorraine                Sittin´ In The Balcony


Earth Angel                        Donna                            Goodnight My Love


North To Alaska                       Peggy Sue                     La Bamba

....

See comments

The Five Playboys

Posted on December 16 2011 by dion1

The Five Playboys (Pittsburgh)
(Update By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Mickey Sands (Lead)

Sammy Juliano

Meraldo "Tony" Bertoni jr

Eddie Lucente

Joey Fabry

Discography

1957 - Pages Of My Scrapbook / Love me right (Fee Bee 213)
1957 - Pages Of My Scrapbook / When We Were Young (Fee Bee 213/Dot 15605)
1958 - Angel Mine / She's My Baby (Fee Bee 232)
1958 - Why be a fool / Time will allow (Mercury 71269)
1959 - She's My baby / Mr Echo (Petites 504)
N/A - Never Let Her Go Spring Is Here (Fee Bee) (Unreleased)
N/A - Spring Is Here (Fee Bee) (Unreleased)

Biography :

The 5 Playboys were a singing group from Pittsburgh, Pa. They recorded several albums in Chicago and New York for labels like Dot, Mercury and Fee Bee. The mega-hit song "One Summer Night" recorded by the Danleers was actually stolen from The 5 Playboys. Joe Averbach, the promoter for The 5 Playboys and the Del Vikings gave the song to the Danleers without cutting The 5 Playboys in on the deal. Two of the Playboys, Meraldo (Tony) Bertoni jr. and Sammy Juliano were driving in the car when they heard their song come on the radio. Their jaws dropped at hearing someone else singing their magical song without their consent or compensation. The copyright laws we have today were not in place then. The playboys broke up as a result. The playboys made a great contribution to the music industry with songs like "pages of my scrapbook". They performed in many venues and appreciated the fans who enjoyed their music. Tony is my dad and he still croons a note every now and then.

Songs :

Why Be A Fool                             Mr Echo

Angel Mine                                   She's My baby                Love Me Right

When We Were Young                   Never Let Her Go                Spring Is Here

Time Will Allow Pages Of My Scrapbook

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Etta & Harvey aka Betty & Dupree

Posted on December 13 2011 by dion1

Betty & Dupree (Chicago, Il.)
aka Etta & Harvey

Personnel :

Etta James

Harvey Fuqua

Discography :

Betty & Dupree
Single :
1959 - I Hope You're Satisfied / If It Ain't One Thing (Kent 318)
Unreleased :
1959 - We're In Love (Kent)

Etta & Harvey
1960 - If I Can't Have You / My Heart Cries (Chess 1760)
1960 - Spoonful / It's A Crying Shame (Chess 1771)

Biography :

The success of "Roll with Me Henry" on the Bihari brothers' Modern label prompted Etta James to split from the Peaches and pursue a solo career. She had a few more but minor hits, notably "Good Rockin' Daddy" (1955) and "Tough Lover" (1956 ). She also did some appealing duets with Harvey Fuqua of the Moonglows as "Betty and Dupree," but by the late 1950s James had fallen into obscurity.

James and Fuqua were also romantically involved, and Fuqua, who was becoming more immersed in A&R work for Chess, was thus the reason that James left Modern and joined Chess in 1959. James and Fuqua were quickly recorded together under the name of "Etta and Harvey," and came up with a fine double-sided hit, "My Heart Cries' and 'If I Can't Have You" (1960).

But the songs harked back to the 1950s and did not represent James' subsequent work on chess. There was another Etta & Harvey duet release in December 1960. This time it was "Spoonful"/"It's A Crying Shame."
Robert Pruter "Chicago Soul"

Songs :

I Hope You're Satisfied If It Ain't One Thing

We're in Love

...

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The Charmaines

Posted on December 11 2011 by dion1

The Charmaines (Cincinnati, Ohio)
(The early Years)

Personnel :

Marian "Gigi" Jackson

Dee Watkins

Irene Vinegar

Discography :

The Charmaines
1961 - If you were mine / Rockin' Old Man (Fraternity 873)
1961 - What kind of girl (Do you hink i am) / All you gotta do (Fraternity 880)
1961 - Only Love (Fraternity) (Unreleased)
1962 - Where is the boy tonight / On the wagon (Dot 16351)
1963 - G. I. Joe / Don't Take Away Your Love (Fraternity 909)
1963 - Goodbye Baby Goodbye / Midnight (Dave Rockingham Trio) (Fraternity 917)
1964 - I Idolize You / Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu (Fraternity 921)

Lonnie Mack bb The Charmaines
1963 - Baby, What's Wrong (Fraternity 918)
1964 - Say Something Nice To Me (Fraternity 920)

Biography :

Gigi and the Charmaines’ brief and only Billboard chart appearance at #117 in 1961 doesn’t reflect the trio’s great solo work on six different labels, nor does it take into account their work backing Lonnie Mack or their singing behind artists that included Little Willie John, James Brown, Bobby Freeman, Conway Twitty, Gary U.S. Bonds and Hawkshaw Hawkins at the King Records’ studio.

These acheivements made them Cincinnati’s top girl group. They won a recording contract with Fraternity Records on a local televised talent show. The group’s debut 1960 Fraternity 45 "Rockin’ Old Man" backed with "If You Were Mine", for which Gigi wrote the lyrics. More 45s, including What Kind Of Girl (Do You Think I Am), which topped a rival version from Erma Franklin in the summer of 1961, followed and they worked on local dance party shows . The mystery of how one 45 was released on Hollywood-based Dot label is explained and also the story of how the girls moved to and recorded in Canada.
http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/gigi.htm

Songs :

The Charmaines

Only Love       Where is the boy tonight               On the wagon


All you gotta do                    What Kind Of Girl                If You Were Mine


Rockin' Old Man    I Idolize You Rockin' Pneumonia ...

Lonnie Mack & The Charmaines Carl Edmondson (bb The Charmaines)

Say Something Nice To Me Baby Please Don't Go

...

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The Note-Torials

Posted on December 9 2011 by dion1

The Note-Torials (Philadelphia)

Personnel :

Freddy Faulkner

Jack Wittenberger

Dave Perry

Buddy Bomze

Stan Reisman

Discography :

1958 - My Valerie / Loved and Lost (Impala 201/Sunbeam 119)

Biography :

The Note-Torials from Philadelphia recorded "My Valerie" and "Loved and Lost" on the Impala and Sunbeam labels in 1958 and 1959. The members of the group were Freddy Faulkner, Jack Wittenberger, Dave Perry, Buddy Bomze and Stan Reisman. This racially mixed group hailed from several sections of Philadelphia including north and west philly, east falls, and mount airy. Their recordings received most air play in the Philadelphia-New Jersey-New York listening areas.

Songs :

Loved and Lost My Valerie

...

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The Crowns (2) aka The Five Crowns (1)

Posted on December 7 2011 by dion1

The Crowns (2) (New-York)
aka The Five Crowns (1) aka The Drifters
(Update By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

James "Papa" Clark (Lead)

Benjamin Earl Nelson "Ben E. King" (Second Tenor)

Charlie Thomas (Tenor)

Dock Green (Baritone)

Elsbeary Hobbs (Bass)

Discography :

1958 - Kiss And Make Up / I'll Forget About You (RnB 6901)

Biography :

On a fateful day in 1957, Benjamin Earl Nelson was singing to himself while working in his father's restaurant. One of the patrons that day happened to be Lover Patterson, manager of the 5 Crowns. In need of a second tenor/baritone, Patterson snapped him up.

At the time, the other Crowns were Sy Palmer (lead), Charlie Thomas (tenor), Dock Green (baritone), and Elsbeary Hobbs (bass). Within a short while, Sy Palmer left and was replaced by one of the mainstays of the original 5 Crowns, James "Papa" Clark.

In 1958, this group recorded "Kiss And Make Up" and "I'll Forget About You" for Doc Pomus and Mort Schuman's R & B label. "Kiss And Make Up" began to make some noise locally, and the Crowns were booked into the Apollo Theater (as part of a Dr. Jive show) for the week beginning May 30, 1958.

The Crowns with manager Lover Patterson

They'd released one record, but in about a year from the time they became the Drifters, they were at the top of the heap. And they stayed there for many years

The Drifters

http://www.uncamarvy.com/5Crowns/5crowns.html

Songs :

I'll Forget About You Kiss And Make Up

Cds :

See comments

The Fauns

Posted on December 6 2011 by dion1

The Fauns (Sidney, Australia)

Personnel :

Peter Flanagan

Paul Flanagan

Margaret Flanagan

Discography :

1960 - Dance With Me / Don’t Take The Stars (Leedon LS589)
1961 - We Should Be Together / While Susan Sleeps (Leedon LK57)
1961 - Tell Me Why / Nursery Rhyme Rock (Leedon LK114)

Biography :

The fauns were an early 1960s aussie vocal group. they were some of the early performers who appeared on australian bandstand. They had 3 vinyl singles. The faun's first single in 1960 was "dance with me" backed with "don't take the stars" on the lee gordon owned record label "leedon".

The Fauns

On the "dance with me" record label it has a confusing little tag which states..."with orchestrations under the direction of eddie cash jr"...for those who are "not in the know", eddie cash jr. was really johnny o'keefe, a man prone to using this strange pseudonym for his own warped amusement. The Fauns became known as the Flanagans in 1963

Videos

Xmas Medley

What Am I Gonna Do

Songs :


Dance With Me                                Don't Take The Stars


We Should Be Together                            While Susan Sleeps

...

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The Cubans (2) aka Little Caesar & The Romans (3) aka The Upfronts (1)

Posted on December 5 2011 by dion1

(paste-up picture ) Johnson, Simmons, Harris & Sanders

The Cubans (2) (Los Angeles)
aka Little Caesar & The Romans (3) aka The Upfronts (1)

Personnel :

David "Caesar" Johnson (Lead)

Johnny Simmons (First Tenor)

Early Harris (Second Tenor)

Leroy Sanders (Bass)

Curtis ? (Second Tenor)

Discography :

The Cubans (2)
Single:
1959 - Tell Me / You've Been Gone So Long (Flash 133)
Unreleased:
1959 - Oh Miss Dolly (Flash)
1959 - Don't Go Baby (Flash)
1959 - Can't You See (Flash)

Biography :

David Johnson headed for Los Angeles and joined up with Johnny Simmons (first tenor) Early Harris (second tenor), Leroy Sanders (bass), and someone named Curtis (second tenor) to form the Cubans in 1955 (though none of the members were Cuban ). They signed with Charlie Reynolds' Watts- based record label/record store, Flash Records. The Cubans' only single out of Flash's 623 East Vernon Avenue address was an enjoyable ballad called "Tell Me," with Early on lead, backed by a blues-styled jump tune similar to THE PARAGONS' later "Stick with Me Baby" titled "You've Been Gone So Long," featuring David.

Except for some local play it went unnoticed. In 1959 the Cubans disbanded (they would not have been too popular under that name anyway during Castro's Cuban revolution), and David hooked up with Lummtone Records, owned by Lummie Fowler. He formed the Upfronts. Several years later they became little Caesar & the Romans.

Jay Warner - American singing groups: a history from 1940s to today

Songs :


Tell Me (Will You Ever Be Mine)           You've Been Gone So Long


Oh Miss Dolly                                    Can't You See