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The Camerons (2) aka The Demilles

Posted on September 25 2011 by dion1

The Camerons (2) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Demilles

Personnel :

Mike DeMartino "Mike Taylor" (Lead)

Bobby Falcone

Al Crisci

Dave Romano

Discography :

The Camerons (2)

Single :
1961 - Guardian Angel / The Girl That I Marry (Cousins 1003)

Unreleaseds:
1960 - Red Red Robin (Cousins)
1960 - Laura (Cousins)
1962 - Barbara's Doin' The Twist (Cousins)
1962 - Swinging On A Star (Cousins)

Mike Taylor "DeMartino" bb The Camerons (2)
1962 - He´s A Lover / Mi-A-Suri Talk (Dream)

Carlo bb The Camerons (2)
1963 - Little Orphan Girl / Mairzy Doats (Laurie 3157)

The Demilles
1964 - Donna Lee / Um-Ba-Pa (Laurie 3230)
1964 - Cry And Be On Your Wy / Lazy Love (Laurie 3247)

Biography :

Formed by Bobby Falcone, Al Crisci and Mike DeMartino (aka Mike Taylor), This Camerons have no relation to the earlier Camerons on Cousins Records. This was a totally different group which simply "borrowed" the name (they had once been know as the Idols) for their Cousin release "Guardian Angel". "Guardian Angel" The song had come to Cichetti's attention via the previous recording by Al Reno & the Selections (Antone 101) and was one which he was anxious to record himself. Once completed and released on Cousins, the masters eventually was acquired and issued by Felsted (a subsidiary of london records). Dave Romano (Of the Tremonts) joined the Camerons after their recording. They recorded four songs " Red Red Robin", "Laura", "Barbara's Doin' The Twist" and "Swinging on a star", which remained unreleased.

Their next release was "Mi-A-Suri Talk", written by Ernie Maresca in honor of Murray the K, a famous New York DJ. The record was produced by group member Mike DeMartino, who had it release under his own stage name of Mike Taylor. Bobby Falcone sang together with Dave Romano (Tremonts), Carlo (Belmont) as the Glen Stuart Chorus, Backing an unknown "Dion" imitator on Abel Records in 1963. The Camerons' next move was to Laurie records, where they became The Demilles. The Demilles had two releases on Laurie records. The first release "Donna Lee" had Carlo of the Belmonts added to the Group.

Songs :

The Camerons (2)


Guardian Angel                             The Girl That I Marry


Laura                                            Red Red Robin

Mike Taylor "Mike DeMartino" bb The Camerons (2)

He´s A Lover Mi-A-Suri Talk

The Demilles

Donna Lee Um-Ba-Pa

Cry And Be On Your Wy

...

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The Saxons (1)

Posted on September 24 2011 by dion1

The Saxons (1) (Los Angeles, CA)

Personnel :

Tommy "Buster" Williams (Lead)

Jesse Belvin (Second Tenor)

Eugene Church (Baritone)

Gaynel Hodge (Vocals/Piano)

Johnny Watson (Bass and guitar)

Discography :

1958 - Is It True / Rock 'N' Roll Show (Contender 1313)
1958 - Tryin' / My Love Is True (Tampa 139)

Biography :

One of Jesse Belvin's myriad groups is the Saxons. This one had consisted of Belvin, Eugene Church, Gaynel Hodge, Tommy "Buster" Williams and Johnny Watson .

                                     (paste-up picture ) Belvin, Watson, Hodge, Church, Williams

In 1957 they had recorded "Is It True" and "Rock And Roll Show" for Motola, which he finally got around to releasing in June of 1958. (By that time, they had also released "Tryin'" and "My Love Is True," on Robert Scherman and Irv Shorten's Tampa label, in February 1958.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/HollywoodSaxons/hollywoodsaxons.html

Songs :

Is It True                                      Rock 'N' Roll Show


Tryin                                             My Love Is True

Cds :

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Tommy Sena & The Val-Monts

Posted on September 22 2011 by dion1

Tommy Sena & The Valmonts (Long Island, NY)
aka The Val-Monts

Personnel :

Tommy Sena (Lead Singer)

Larry Rosano (Sax)

Anthony DiRusso (Accordian)

Ted Valerio (Guitar)

Gary ??? (Drums)

Discography :

Tommy Sena & The Valmonts
1960 - Oh! Come On Ma! / Fiesta in a Pizzaria (Valmont 902)
1960 - I Can't Get Up / Choo Choo Train (College Hop) (Adore 903)

Tommy Sena bb The Valmonts
1960 - I Can't Get Up /Choo Choo Train (College Hop) (Valmont 903)
1961 - Let it Be Me / Choo Choo Train (Valmont 904)

Tommy Sena & The Val-Monts
1962 - Onions (Remind Me Of You) / The Wobble (Valmont 905)

Tommy Sena
1962 - Let's Just Be Friends / I Always Think of You (Top Sound 540)

Biography :

The band was made up of Tommy Sena, Larry Rosano, Anthony DiRusso, Gary & Ted Valerio. All members were formally trained and could read music. The band played music for both adults and teenagers. Tommy Sena & The Val-Monts played many local dances & parties on Long Island NY during the early 60's.

They recorded several original songs including "The Choo Choo Train"," I can't Get Up", "The Wobble", "Onions Remind Me of You", "Fiesta in a Pizzaria", "Let It Be Me". They also played at "Palisades Amusement Park., New Jersey" in 1962 with Tony Orlando & Gene McDaniels.

Tommy Sena & The Val-Monts

After one of their records was released they played at record hops in Massachusettes on the same show with Curtis Lee "Angel Eyes" & Don & Juan "What's Your Name". Unfortunately, their music never recieved much air play in the NY metropolitan area. In 1962 The Val-Monts played a democratic rally on Long Island for presidential condidate John F Kennedy. The band broke up somewhere around 1964-5

Ted Valerio "Radio Show"
(Every Friday morning from 9 AM to 12)

Songs :

Tommy Sena & The Valmonts


Onions (Remind Me Of You)                    The Wobble

Let It Be Me                           Choo Choo Train

Tommy Sena

I Always Think Of You

...

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The Dedications (1)

Posted on September 21 2011 by dion1

The Dedications (1)

The Dedications (1) (Ozone Park, New York)

Personnel :

1961 lineup

Mike Parquette (Lead & First Tenor)

Steve Variccio (Baritone)

Kenny Jeremiah (Second Tenor)

Bobby Bosco (First Tenor)

1983 lineup

Mike Parquette(Lead & First Tenor)

Joseph Burke (First Tenor)

John Mallon (Bass)

Ronald Petri (Second Tenor)

Steve Petri (Baritone)

Discography :

The Dedications (1)
1962 - Why Don't You Write Me / Boppin Around (Card 335/336/201)
1963 - Shinning Star / Mary Lou (C&A 506)
1963 - I Ain't A Bit Sorry / Toy Boy (Bell 611)
19?? - My Juanita / Why Don't You Write Me (Avenue D8)
1983 - Why Don't You Write Me / My Juanita (Avenue D 8)
1983 - Crazy For You / Never (Avenue D 9)

Johnnie Shepherd bb The Dedications (1)
1961 - How Blue My Heart / Boom Boom Boomerang (Tilden 3001)

Scott English & The Dedications (1)
1962 - (You're Takin') Ugly Pills / When (Joker 777)
1963 - When / High On A Hill (with the Accents)(Sultan 4003/Spokane 4003)

The Dedications (1)

Biography :

The Dedications were a White group from Ozone Park, New York composed in 1958 by Mike Parquette (Lead & First Tenor), Steve Variccio (Baritone), Kenny Jeremiah (Second Tenor) & Bobby Bosco (First Tenor). The group was managed by Frank Cariola. Frank Cariola (Cari) was based in New York City along with his songwriting partner Anna Vito.

The Dedications (1)

The Dedications (1963) Bobby Bosco, Kenny Jeremiah, Richie Ingui, & Charlie Ingui

Frank Cari is another one of those independent writer/arranger/producers whose name appears on various New York labels in the early to mid sixties. He owned Card Records, Sultan Records, Joker Records, Tilden Records, Sultan (BMI) and Turban (BMI)…

The Dedications (1)

The Dedications backed Johnnie Shepherd on his Tilden’single and cut "Why Don't You Write Me" b/w "Boppin Around" on The Card Label. The group appear on the Murray the K and Cousin Bruce shows and backed Scott English on others Frank Cariola’s label : Joker & Sultan. . Their rendition of the Crests’ "My Juanita" though probably recorded in the early 60's did not surface until this original Avenue D release.

The Dedications (1)

The Dedications (1963) Kenny Jeremiah, Bobby Bosco, Richie Ingui, & Charlie Ingui

In early 1963, Steve Variccio Left, he was replaced by Charlie Ingui & when Mike Paquette left he was replaced by Richie Ingui. when Bobby Bosco left..... Charlie Ingui Richie Ingui & Kenny Jeremiah went on to become the New Dedications who recorded "I Ain't A Bit Sorry" b/w "Toy Boy ». This group could be called the fore runner of the Soul Survivors.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Dedications (1)

Why Don't You Write Me / Boppin Around


Shinning Star / Mary Lou                     I Ain't A Bit Sorry


Why Don’t You Write Me / My Juanita           Crazy For You / Never

Johnnie Shepherd bb The Dedications (1)

Boom Boom Boomerang / How Blue My Heart

Scott English & The Dedications (1)

(You're Takin') Ugly Pills / When

...

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Carlyle Dundee & The Dundees aka The Wonders (1) aka The Calvanes  

Posted on September 20 2011 by dion1

Carlyle Dundee & The Dundees (Los Angeles)
aka The Wonders (1) aka The Calvanes

Personnel :

Robert Mosely "Carlyle Dundee"

Lorenzo Robert Adams（Second Tenor）

Sterling Meade (First Tenor）

Stewart Crunk（Baritone）

Jack Harris（Bass）

Discography :

1954 - Never / Evil One (Space 201)

Biography :

Lorenzo "Bobby" Adams (second tenor), Stewart Crunk (baritone), Jack Harris (bass), and Sterling Meade (first tenor) were overheard by Robert Mosely (a singer calling himself Carlyle Dundee), who asked them to back him up on a couple of songs that he'd written.

Lorenzo Robert Adams Stewart Crunk Jack Harris

After they recorded the 1954 single under the name Carlyle Dundee & The Dundees, Dundee himself left the group.

The remaining four background singers stayed with Silver long enough to record two more songs, with Bobby Adams on lead, under the name The Wonders. Shortly afterward, the quartet broke up.
In 1955, Crunk and Adams decided to get back together. After recruiting their former bass singer, Jack Harris, they found second tenor Joe Hampton and first tenor Herman Pruitt, who had a smooth, soulful way with ballads. They called themselves The Calvanes.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Calvanes/calvanes.html
http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/never.htm

Songs :

Evil One Never

Cds :

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Carlo (bb The Tremonts(1))

Posted on September 18 2011 by dion1

Carlo (Bronx, New York)
bb The Tremonts(1)

Personnel :

Carlo Mastrangelo (Lead)

The Tremonts (1)

Julio "Joey Dee" Decicco

Billy Frye

Dave Romano

Ronnie Lapinski

Discography :

Carlo bb The Tremonts  (1)
Singles :
1963 - Baby Doll / Write Me A Letter (Laurie 3151)
1963 - The Story Of Love / Five Minutes More (Laurie 3175)
1964 - Ring A Ling / Stranger In My Arms (Laurie 3227)
Unreleased :
1963 - Brenda The Great Pretender (Laurie)
1963 - Kansas City (Laurie)

Carlo bb The Camerons (2)
1963 - Little Orphan Girl / Mairzy Doats (Laurie 3157)

Biography :

After recording " Come on Little Angel" with the Belmonts in 1962, Carlo decided on a solo career, and with Laurie records looking for a replacement for Dion (who left the same year to sign with Columbia) the reunion (with Laurie) seemed to be of mutual benefit.

Laurie even used Carlo's first name only on the label to keep the Dion mystique alive. He recorded three singles backed by another Bronx group, the Tremonts, and one by the Camerons. The highlight of these releases was the pulsating up-tempo harmony gem "Baby Doll," which, like the others, saw little exposure.

The Belmonts                     The Tremonts

Songs :


Baby Doll                                  Write Me A Letter


Little Orphan Girl                                 Mairzy Doats


The Story Of Love                           Ring A Ling


Stranger In My Arms                      Brenda The Great Pretender

...

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The Versatiles (2) aka The Majors (5) aka The Performers (3)

Posted on September 16 2011 by dion1

The Versatiles (2) (Philadelphia)
aka The Majors (5) aka The Performers (3)

Personnel :

Rick Cordo (Lead)

Ron Gathers

Gene Glass

Idella Morris

Frank Troutt  

Discography :

The Majors (5)

Singles :
1960 - Lundee Dundee / I'll Whisper In Your Ear (The Versatiles) (Rocal 1002) 
1962 - A Wonderful Dream / Time Will Tell (Imperial 5855) 
1962 - She's A Troublemaker / A Little Bit Now (Imperial 5879) 
1963 - Anything You Can Do / What In The World (Imperial 5914) 
1963 - Tra La La / What Have You Been Doin' (Imperial 5936) 
1963 - Get Up Now / One Happy Ending (Imperial 5968) 
1963 - Life Begins / Which Way Did She Go (Imperial 5991)
1963 - Ooh Wee Baby / I'll Be There (Imperial 66009)

Lps :
1963 - Meet The Majors (Imperial Lp 9222)
A Wonderful Dream / Ooh Wee Baby / Time Will Tell / Tra La La / Twist and Shout / A Little Bit Now / She's a Troublemaker / Don't Lose your Cool / I Wonder Who's Dancing With Her Now / What in the World / Come on Come On / Anything You Can Do

The Versatiles (2)
1960 - Lundee Dundee (The Majors) / I'll Whisper in your ear (Rocal 1002)

The Performers (3)
1966 - Just Dance / Love Is A Answer (ABC 10777)

Biography :

Robert Morris, Gene Glass, Frank Troutt, Rick Cordo, and Ron Gathers made up the original quintet, with Idella Morris soon replacing her brother Robert. The group first called themselves The Premiers and formed in Philadelphia in 1959. Although they attended different high schools, they hung around together after school, and on weekends, in Harlan Street, performing on the street corners between 19th and 20th streets. Idella was the youngest member at nineteen years and Gene Glass, who had just returned from the US Air Force, was the oldest group member, being twenty five.

The group met club owner Buddy Caldwell early in 1960 and he persuaded them to record for his Ro-Cal label. They recorded "Lundee Dundee" and "Let Me Whisper in Your Ear" as The Versatiles since the studio apparently had another group listed on their books as The Premiers. The record had local success, but Ro-Cal just wasn’t geared up for national distribution and the group received little in the way of royalties. At that point some of the male members went off to the service. Two and a half years later, the group reformed, with an identical lineup, as The Majors.

Jerry Ragovoy

When the group reformed Jerry Ragavoy heard them perform and he already knew of "Lundee Dundee". Ragavoy liked The Majors enough to get them a recording deal with Imperial. In July 1962 they turned up at the Imperial studios and “A Wonderful Dream” b/w “Time Will Tell”. “A Wonderful Dream” entered the Cashbox pop chart on the 4th of August and rose to # 20 on September the 22nd, it made # 22 on Billboard and # 23 on the national R&B chart.

Following the success of “A Wonderful Dream” a lone and now quite collectible, LP was issued and, in rapid succession, six more singles. The next release was a bouncy tune in the mould of Wonderful Dream, “A Little Bit Now (A Little Bit Later)” b/w “She's A Troublemaker”. Both sides made moderate moves on the national listing. “A Little Bit Now” peaked at # 63 and “She’s A Troublemaker” reached # 83. Three of the groups remaining five Imperial releases made the Bubbling Under list on Billboard.

“Anything You Can Do” reached # 117 in Februrary 1963. “Your Life Begins at Sweet Sixteen” made #125 in September 1963 and “I’ll Be There” reached #113 in February, 1964. At this point The Majors contract with Imperial Records concluded. The Majors, with their line-up intact, recorded just once more. In 1966 they entered Frank Virtue's studios as The Performers. ABC-Paramount issued the Peter DeAngelos’ produced disc, but it failed. The group continued to tour during the 1960s, but made no more recordings and disbanded.

In a 1986 a Dick Clark TV special gathered all of the original members for a performance. Rick Cordo, Idella Morris, who had by this time changed her name to Haleema Alkhatib and Gene Glass then, recommenced working as The Majors. Sometimes Troutt and Gathers also join them.
http://vicrock.com.au/community/showthread.php?2424-The-Majors

Songs :

The Majors (5)

Lundee Dundee                 A Wonderful Dream                  Time Will Tell


She's A Troublemaker                A Little Bit Now               Anything You Can Do


What In The World                  Tra La La                  What Have You Been Doin'


Get Up Now                  One Happy Ending                     Life Begins


Which Way Did She Go            Ooh Wee Baby                   I'll Be There

Twist And Shout Don't Lose Your Cool Come On, Come On

I Wonder Who's Dancing With Her Now

The Versatiles (2)

I'll Whisper In Your Ear

The Performers (3)

Just Dance Love Is A Answer

Cds :

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

...

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The Crescendos (3)

Posted on September 12 2011 by dion1

The Crescendos (3) (Nashville, TN)
(Update By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

George Lanius

Kenneth Brigham

Jim Lanius

Jimmy Hall

Tommy Fortner

Discography :

The Crescendos (3)

Singles :
1957 - Oh, Julie / My Little Girl (Nasco 6005)
1958 - School Girl / Crazy Hop (Nasco 6009) 
1958 - Young And In Love / Rainy Sunday (Nasco 6021) 
1961 - Let's Take A Walk / Strange Love (Scarlet 4007) 
1961 - Angel Face / I'm So Ashamed (Scarlet 4009)
1962 - Oh, Julie / Angel Face (Tap 2027)

Unreleased :
1958 - I've Tried (Nasco)
1958 - Gawk' N' Stroll (Nasco)
1958 - Lucky Love (Nasco)
1958 - Teenage Angel (Nasco)

Lowell McGuire bb The Crescendos (3) (Uncredited)
1958 - Spellbound / Leave My Girlie Alone (Nasco 6007)

Janice Green bb The Crescendos (3) (Uncredited)
1958 - Jackie / With All my heart (Nasco 6013)

Lps :

The Original "Oh Julie" With the Crescendos (Guest Star 1453)
1962 - Oh Julie / Angel Face / I'm So Ashamed (Other tracks by another Crescendos group)

Biography :

In 1958 the sounds of a sweet ballad chanting "Oh Julie" pierced the airwaves of all top 40 radio stations across the country. The second vocal group release for the new Excello subsidiary Nasco, based in Nashville Tennessee, the Crescendos had the biggest Nasco label hit by far, selling about a million copies.

It was also a popular song to record. Otis Williams and the Charms sold 300,000 on King, and Sammy Salvo sold 250,000 copies with RCA. The female voice that really added a hook to the record was Janice Green.

The Spades

The group was originally called the Spades, but wisely changed their name. They attended Cumberland High school in Nashville Tennessee, and the group was discovered at a talent show.

There were three releases on Nasco, two on Scarlet, an album released after the fact on Guest Star, and a release on the Tap label.

The Crescendos did the back-up vocals for Lowell McGuire on "Spellbound" backed with "Leave My Girlie Alone"on Nasco, but they were not credited because the Label operations manager, Ernie Young, did not want them to interfere with the monster hit they had in the making with, "Oh Julie".

Ernie Young with The Crescendos

They also backed Janice Green (The Oh Julie Girl) on her Nasco record "Jackie".

The Crescendos were part of the national tour called "The Biggest Show Of Stars". Oh Julie was riding high late 1957, and carried well into 1958.

For their two records on Scarlet, The group did not include Jimmy Hall.
http://www.colorradio.com/crescendos.htm
http://www.waybackattack.com/crescendos.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/the-crescendos
http://www.bigbobh.net/dowop/crescendos.htm

Songs :

The Crescendos

Lucky Love Teenage Angel

Oh, Julie I've Tried

My Little Girl Gawk' N' Stroll

Lowell McGuire (bb The Crescendos)

Spellbound Leave My Girlie Alone

Cds :

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The Tenderfoots aka The Lamplighters

Posted on September 9 2011 by dion1

The Tenderfoots aka The Lamplighters (Los Angeles)
(Update By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Carl White (Lead)

Al Frazier (Tenor)

Sonny Harris (Lead)

Matthew Nelson (Bass)

Discography :

1955 - Kissing Bug / Watussi Wussi Wo (Federal 12214) 
1955 - Save Me Some Kisses / My Confession (Federal 12219) 
1955 - Those Golden Bells / I'm Yours Anyhow (Federal 12225) 
1955 - Sindy / Sugar Ways (Federal 12228)
1955 - Lavern (Federal) (Unreleased)
1955 - No Other One (Federal) (Unreleased)

Biography :

This group recorded as, and evolved from the Lamplighters.
The Lamplighters personnel was changing often. By year's end, they were an entirely different group.

The Lamplighters

Later in the year, the Lamplighters signed with Decca for only one single, then returned to Federal, who tried something new: they decided to re-name them "The Tenderfoots," hoping to start anew and get off on the good (tender) foot. Four recordings were released by the group under this name, but were quickly forgotten.

Songs :

La Verne                                    No Other One


My Confession                             Those Golden Bells


Cindy                                                Watussi Wussi Wo


Save Me Some Kisses                            I'm Yours Anyhow


Sindy                                            Sugar Ways

CDs :

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The Leaders

Posted on September 8 2011 by dion1

The Leaders (Newport News, Virginia)

Personnel :

Harry Burton (First Tenor)

Edward "Snipper" Alston (Second Tenor)

Nelson Shields (Second Tenor)

Ronald Judge (Baritone)

Charles Simpson (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1955 - Stormy Weather / A Lover Of The Time (Glory 235)
1956 - Nobody Loves Me / Dearest Beloved Darling (Glory 239)
1956 - Can't Help Lovin' That Girl Of Mine / Lovers (Glory 243)

Unreleased :
1956 - Dry Your Eyes (Glory)
1956 - I Almost Lost My Mind (Glory)

Biography :

The Leaders were known early in their career as the Pokenoes and then the Five Swans. They all grew up in the same neighborhood and attended the same high school, Hunnington High. As the Five Swans, they competed in many amateur shows and did quite well. Well enough to win a trip to the famed Apollo theatre in New York. They won the show 4 weeks in a row in 1955, and soon after signed a record deal with the Glory label.

The name change was first, and in the late summer of 1955, they recorded their bluesy rendition of "Stormy Weather". The band that backed them up included Mickey Baker, Sam The Man Taylor and Panama Francis. Two additional records followed, but none had the same success as their first, and the contract with Glory records was not renewed. Burton, Alston, and Simpson continuing on as the Three Voices while Judge and Shields relocated to New York City, forming the Corvairs with tenors Joe Shepard and Prince McKnight along with bass Billy Faison.
http://www.colorradio.com/leaders.htm
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Leaders/leaders.html

Songs :


Stormy Weather            Can't Help Lovin' That Girl Of Mine   Lovers


Nobody Loves Me                  Dearest Beloved Darling       A Lover Of The Time

...

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