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The Varsity Men

Posted on by dion1


Fred “Tuck” Carty, Steve Engle and George Diffenbaucher 

The Varsity Men (Waynesboro, PA)

 

Personnel :

Fred “Tuck” Carty

George Diffenbaucher

Steve Engle

 

Discography :

1962 - Please Don’t Cry / Jackie (Staff 86536)

 

Biography :

Group formed by by three Waynesboro Area Senior High School friends, Carty of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Diffenbaucher of Alexandria, Virginia and Engle, who lives in Alexandria, Pennsylvania. In September 1962, they left Waynesboro for Staff Recording Studio, Baltimore, to record two songs. ‘Jackie’ (full title, ‘Take Good Care of Him, Jackie’) was written by Steve Engle as an open letter from the young people of our country to the first lady, Jackie Kennedy.

  

The single was released on the Staff Record label just three weeks before JFK’s TV speech concerning the Cuban Missile Crisis in October of that year.  “Please Don’t Cry” on the B side was written by Fred “Tuck” Carty, with the second verse created on the drive to the studio. The instrumental recording group for both songs consisted of Allan Wishard, bass; Jeff Schlichter, organ, and  Lynn Zody, drums, and Engle, piano. The record piqued a little interest in a few markets, was spun in Waynesboro by then WAYZ Disc Jockey Denny Brubaker and played on the jukebox at The Big Dipper. Before the record’s untimely demise, they did have one memorable and somewhat harrowing experience performing on a big rock ’n’ roll show at the Norfolk (Virginia) Arena, with a roster that included Roy Orbison, Minnie Pearl, The Isley Brothers, Ray Stevens, and George Hamilton IV,

 

Songs :

   
Please Don’t Cry                                       Jackie        


...

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Tippie & The Clovermen (Washington, D.C) aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen

Posted on by dion1

Tippie & The Clovermen aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen
Tippie & The Wisemen

Tippie & The Clovermen (Washington, D.C)
aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen

 

Personnel :

Harold Lucas

Robert Russell

Roosevelt "Tippie" Hubbard

James "Toy" Walton

 

Discography :

Tippie & The Clovermen
1962 -  Please Mr. Sun / Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (Stenton 7001)

Tippie & The Clovers (2)
1962 - Bossa Nova, Baby / The Bossa Nova (My Heart Said) (Tiger 201)

Tippie & The Wisemen
Unreleased :
1965 - Wait Till I Get There (Shrine)
1965 - Let Me Walk Away (Shrine)
1965 - I Wouldn't Mind Crying (Shrine)
1965 - Bye, Bye (Shrine)

 

Biography :

The Clovers, who hailed from the Washington area, had been recording since 1950; by 1961 the group had split and reformed as two separate Clovers, one led by Harold Lucas the other by John Bailey.  The line-up of the Lucas group was Robert Russel, James “Toy” Walton and Eddie “Tippie” Hubbard.  The Lucas group recorded and released records as "Tippie and the Clovermen" and "Tippie and the Clovers" for Tiger Records, a subsidiary of Rust Records.

Tippie & The Clovermen aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen    Tippie & The Clovermen aka The Clovers (2) aka The Wisemen
Harold Lucas                                                                                                                                  

In December 1962 "Bossa Nova Baby" (written by Leiber and Stoller) / "The Bossa Nova" was released, credited to Tippie and the Clovers. Also released in 1962 on Stenton Records was "Please Mr Sun" / "Gimme Gimme Gimme", credited to Tippie and the Clovermen.  In 1965, Harold Lucas, Robert Russell, Tippie Hubbard and Toy Walton added a fifth member, Al Fox. The group recorded four tracks (all unreleased) as "Tippie and The Wisemen" for Shrine Records. That same year Tippie and The Wisemen changed their name to The Clovers.

 

Discography :

Tippie & The Clovermen

  
Gimme, Gimme, Gimme                           Please Mr. Sun     

Tippie & The Clovers (2)

  
      Bossa Nova, Baby                     The Bossa Nova (My Heart Said)

Tippie & The Wisemen

  
I Wouldn't Mind Crying                            Wait Till I Get There 


Let Me Walk Away

...

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The Skylarks

Posted on by dion1

The Skylarks

The Skylarks (Alton, Illinois)

 

Personnel :

Frank Holmes

Mike Taylor

Johnny Harp

Jimmy Wilson

... Johnson

 

Have they recorded? If anyone know this group .... jcpiazza26@gmail.com 
...

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The Citations (1)

Posted on by dion1


(1955- The Sirenos / Citations) Ernest Gibson, Herb Benjamin, William Lucas, Edward "willie" Odom and Prentice Chandler

The Citations (1) (Philadelphia)

 

Personnel :

William Lucas (Lead)

Herb Benjamin (Tenor Lead)

Prentice Chandler (Tenor)

Edward "willie" Odom (Tenor/Baritone)

Ernest Gibson (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Citations (1)
Singles:
1962 - It Hurt Me / Kiss In The Night (Don-El 113)
Unreleased :
1962 - Stranger (Don-El)

Chris LaMar (William Lucas)
1962 - Love So True / Treat Me Good (Don-El 113)

 

Biography :

Previously known as The Sirenos in 1955, the group was composed by William  Lucas (lead) Ernest Gibson (bass), Herb Benjamin (Tenor Lead), Edward "Willie" Odom (Tenor/Baritone) and Prentice Chandler (Tenor). All were between 16 and 19 years olden lived within a block of each other. The name Sirenos came from the Greek Sirenes. During the early days in 1957, gigs for the Sirenos were few and far between. The Sirenos dad a song they composed called "The Bells are Ringing". They sang this song at the Broadwood With the Spaniels. Sure enough about a month or two later, the Spaniels came out with a song who sounded exactly like "The Bells are Ringing". That song was "Everyone's Laughing" wich became a huge hit for them. Over Time, The Sirenos were making the rounds galvanizing an audience.


(1961 - The Citations) Edward Odom , Ken Bolden, Prentice Chandler, William Lucas, Bill kearney and  Ernest Gibson

They doing stagework for the likes of Jimmy Bishop, Kae Williams and Jocko, all of whom owned dinky record labels, but none of whom were willing to take a chance on the outfit who were now billing themselves the Citations. At This Time Ken Boden replace Herb Benjamin . This was the only line-up alteration in the congregation's eight year history. Eventually they win a talent night and getting a contract with Don-el records. Don-El was owned by real estate man C. Percy White [aka Don White].  Spring 1962 "It Hurt Me" b/w "Kiss In The Night" hits the airwaves on the sunglow yellow Don-el Label. The Citations are invited to the Murray Show TV, in Scranton, they did another TV spot… The Same Year, William Lucas cut another single for Don White as Chris Lamar.  With too little success, the group broke up .

 

Songs :

The Citations (1)

        
Kiss In The Night                        It Hurt Me                                 Stranger       

Chris LaMar

  
Love So True                                      Treat Me Good

 .....

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The Matadors (4) aka The Toreadors

Posted on by dion1

The Matadors (4) aka The Toreadors
Harry Bass (Lead) 

The Matadors (4) (Brooklyn, NY.)
aka The Toreadors

 

Personnel :

Harry Bass (Lead)

Tommy Bethea (Bass)

Michael Edwards (Baritone)

Roy Scott (Second Tenor)

Jimmy Hall (First Tenor)

 

Discography :

The Matadors (4)
1962 - If You Left Me Today / It Ain't Nothin' But Rock And Roll (Keith 6502)
1962 - You'd Be Crying Too / My Foolish Heart (Keith 6504)

The Toreadors
1963 - Ring-A-Leevio (Part 1) / Ring-A-Leevio (Part 2)(Pawn 1202)
1966 - Do You Remember (Part 1) / (Midas 1001)

Jackie Wilson bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)
1964 - She's Alright' / Watch Out (Not Them) (Brunswick 55264)

Ray Pollard bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)
1965 - No More Like Me / This Time (I'm Gonna Be True) (Shrine 103)

 

Discography :

The Matadors group actually evolved from a teenager street corner doo-wop ensemble. They were Harry Bass and his younger brother Albert who out sang Frankie Lymon on any given day of the week. Roy Scott and Michael Edwards a guy Richard Steele joined together with Harry & Albert to form The Epsilons. Tommy Bethea  joined the singing group as bass vocal accompaniment. in 1962, The group consisted of  Harry Bass, Tommy Bethea, Michael Edwards, Roy Scott and Jimmy Hall . In time they link up with Richard Tenryke (Ritchie Tee) the classically trained pianist who would travel with them to Broadway for recording auditions and finally for Songwriter and producer:  and co-founder of Shrine Records : Eddie Singleton.

The Matadors (4) aka The Toreadors   The Matadors (4) aka The Toreadors
                                                                                                                          Ray Pollard

Eddie Singleton and the group decided on a new name. The Matadors. Under that name they recorded "If You Left Me Today" / "It Ain't Nothin' But Rock And Roll" and  "You'd Be Crying Too" / "My Foolish Heart" on Keith Records. Later they realized that another vocal group had the name Matadors. So they became the Toreadors. This was part marketing strategy and also an expression of cultural solidarity with the Spanish speaking community members proliferating in NYC There were many Puerto Rican doo-woppers, same as they and the Italians doing street corner work. Also, the thing was, that they had designed some Matador style costumes and could not afford to scrap the costumes. In 1965, Michael Edwards, Harry Bass and Tommy Bethea sing backing vocals behind Ray Pollard on the Shrine roster.


Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Matadors (4)

  
If You Left Me Today                         You'd Be Crying Too

  
       My Foolish Heart                      It Ain't Nothin' But Rock And Roll

The Toreadors


Do You Remember (Part 1 & 2)

 

Jackie Wilson bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)

  
She's Alright'                                 Watch Out

Ray Pollard bb The Toreadors (Uncredited)

  
      No More Like Me                        This Time (I'm Gonna Be True)

...

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Bobby Sands & The Royal Teentones

Posted on by dion1

Bobby Sands & The Royal TeenTones

Bobby Sands & The Royal Teentones (Saint Petersburg, Floride)

 

Personnel :

Bobby Sands (Lead)

Charles Singleton

Fred Williams

Rudolph Wesley

 

Discography :

1959 - Teenage Joy / Secret Lover (Nugget 1003)

 

Biography :

The Royal Teentones, Headed by youthful Tampan Bobby Sands and fellow Teen-Tones Charles Singleton, Fred Williams and Rudolph Wesley are  High School student from Middleton, Saint Petersburg Floride. The youngsters recorded  "Teenage Joy" b/w  "Secret Lover" in June 1959 released by Nugget owned by Rollin Sullivan, Johnny Sullivan. Johnny and Rollin Sullivan, whose family had started the Nugget Record company in Tampa, Florida in 1959, but Lonzo & Oscar Music Publishing had a Nashville base from the start. They bought or built Nugget Sound Studios in Goodlettsville, just north of Nashville. Most releases they recorded are on the Nugget label, and most are country.

 

Songs :

  
Secret Lover                                            Teenage Joy

...

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Dick Watson & The Crescents (6) aka Dick Watson Five

Posted on by dion1

Dick Watson & The Crescents (6) aka Dick Watson Five
Front from left; Alan Hecht and Paul Vanderbeck. Back from left; Sal Rizzo, George Perrotta and Dick Watson.

Dick Watson & The Crescents (6) (Bergenfield, N.J.)
aka Dick Watson Five

 

Personnel :

Dick Watson (Lead Singer and Guitar)

Alan Hecht (Vocal & Sax)

George Perrotta (Vocal & Bass)

Sal Rizzo (Drums)

Paul Vanderbeck (Vocal & Guitar)

 

Discography :

Dick Watson & The Crescents (6)
1963 - Groovy / Be On The Lookout For The Woman (Gone 5144)

Dick Watson Five
1964 - Talkin" Bout Sue / I'll Make It Up Some Other Way (United International 1008)

 

Biography :

Vocal & Instrumental group from Bergenfield, N.J. consisted of Dick Watson (Lead Singer and Guitar), Alan Hecht (Vocal & Sax), George Perrotta (Vocal & Bass), Sal Rizzo (Drums) and Paul Vanderbeck (Vocal & Guitar). The group recorded "Groovy" and "Be On The Lookout For The Woman" in the Allegro Sound Studio in the basement of the Roulette Records building at 1650 broadway New York, New York in about March of 1963. There were 3 different labels on this record, and 3 pressing runs of this record. the first label said "disc jockey copy" with Dick Watson & The Crescents in lightweight type. the second was Dick Watson & The Crescents "disc jockey copy" in heavyweight type, and the third said only Dick Watson radio station copy in heavyweight bold type. The Crescents appearance on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour April 29th 1962. The following year, Herb Bienvecht replaced Sal Rizzo & the group recorded "Talkin" Bout Sue " b/w "I'll Make It Up Some Other Way" again in the Allegro Sound Studio. The single will be released on united international 1008 as the Dick Watson Five. They are not related with the Dick Watson 5 who recorded an album called "Baker Street".

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

Dick Watson & The Crescents (6)

  
                     Groovy                         Be On The Lookout For The Woman
 
Dick Watson Five

  
          Talkin" Bout Sue                    I'll Make It Up Some Other Way

...

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Dick Devil & The Angels (9)

Posted on by dion1

Dick Devil & The Angels (9)  

Dick Devil & The Angels (9) (Geneva, OH)

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

 

Personnel :

Dick Devil (Lead)

Carole Ann Phillips Wright

Joyce Dennington

Ruth Proster

Lynn Magerscak

 

Discography :

Dick Devil & The Angels (9)
1961 - Remember Me / I'm Gonna Buy A Parakeet (Twilight 1005)

Dick Devil
1959 - Broken Hearted / All My Love (Twilight 1001)

 

Biography :

Dick Devil and The Angels sings "Remember Me" and "The Parakeet Song" on a Twilight labeled 45 rpm record. Dick was Richard Ales, who recorded several records released by Twilight. In 1959, he released "Broken Hearted" who was #1 in Cleveland February of 1959. In the 1960s, Richard Ales teamed up with four girls from Geneva. His Angels were GHS glee club seniors in about 1961 or 62. They recorded "Remember Me," and on the flip side of "The Parakeet Song." The latter is a novelty tune in which a guy who is down on his luck says he's going to buy a parakeet.

Songs :

???


...
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 
 

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The Vivids

Posted on by dion1

The Vivids

The Vivids (New York)

 

Personnel :

Joe Conza (Lead)

Tony Perretta (Baritone)

Joe Mertens (First Tenor)

Charles Ponzio (Second Tenor)

Bob Curreri (Falsetto)

Jerry Di Donna (Bass)

 

Discography :
Demo :
196? - Bell's of My Heart

 

Biography :

Vocal Group from New York composed by Joe Conza from Richmond Hill (Lead Singer), Tony Perretta from Richmond Hill (Baritone), Joe Mertens from Ozone Pk (First Tenor), Charles Ponzio from Brooklyn (Second Tenor), Bob Curreri from Brooklyn (Falsetto) and Jerry Di Donna from Brooklyn (Bass). The group performs locally and were invited to sing at "I'm A American Day" Festivities, at Central Park.

The Vivids

 

There were over 100 stars of the stage, screen and television; including such greats as Pearl Bailey, Joey Adams, Lucy Monroe, Dick Van Dibe, Henry Youngman... The vivid recoreds several demos. Unfortunately, none of the demos will be released.

 

Songs :


Bell's of My Heart

...

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The Pyramids (5) aka The Acorns aka Vinny Catalano aka aka The Original Pyramids

Posted on by dion1

 

The Pyramids (5) (Bronx, New York)
aka
The Acorns aka Vinny Catalano aka  aka The Original Pyramids

 

Personnel :

Vinny Catalano (Solo)

 

Discography :

The Pyramids (5)
1958 - Ankle Bracelet / Hot Dog Dooly Wah (Shell 711)

The Original Pyramids
1961 - Ankle Bracelet / Hot Dog Dooly Wah (Shell 304 / Shell 100)

The Acorns
1958 - Angel / I'm Gonna Stick To You (Unart 2006)
1959 - Please Come Back / Your Name And Mine  (Unart 2015)

Vinny Catalano
1963 - Please Mr Juke Box Man / Rags To Riches (Hammer 6312)

 

Biography :

In November of 1958, The Pyramids recorded "Ankle Bracelet" and "Hot Dog Dooly Wah" .It has quite a pedigree, what with Billy Mure arranging and conducting, on a song co-written by Vincent (Vinny) Catalano. It is very unusual that we can't find any information on This group. Quite who these Pyramids were remains a mystery, but there's every chance that 'they' were really just co-writer Vince Catalano. Around the same time he also disguised himself as The Acorns on singles released on the Spring and Unart label, under which moniker he had two number one songs in Hawaii (on the Unart label): "Angel" and "Your Name And Mine," in 1958 and 1959 respectively. He recorded under many other aliases and group names.

  
Vince Catalano                                                                                                Donnie & the Dreamers

 

Vince Catalano was born on a farm in New London, Connecticut. He has spent over 45 years in the music business. As a recording artist he waxed his first 45 on Gee Label in 1956, "Ding Dong" by The Echoes.  He went on to have several other releases under many different names - Vinny Downes, Tom Swift under the name The Lonely Boys, Vinny & Sue, Vinny & Kenny, Bea & Dea & the Buttons. His greatest success came under the name The Acorns where he had two number one songs in Hawaii .

  The Acorns aka Vinny Catalano
The Excellents                                                         

 As a songwriter Vinny has penned over 300 tunes. Eventually he would star his own short lived label C&A before becoming partners in Blast Records a subsidiary of Sinclair Records owned by the late Don Ames. Also under the Sinclair Banner, Vinny worked with groups on Mermaid and Whale. It was here Vinny penned one of his best tunes "Conney Island Baby" by the Excellents. Vinny worked with his kid brother's group, Donnie & the Dreamers, recording over 10 excellent sides, most lost and unreleased.  When Vinny left Blast he started his own label again, Wilshire, and released several great sides by the Dubs and Love Notes.  He Release a great album, The Dubs meet the Shells, rerecording both groups with the end result sounding just like the earlier original recording.



Songs :

The Pyramids (5)

  
Ankle Bracelet                                 Hot Dog Dooly Wah

The Acorns

    
               Angel                                     Please Come Back


      
Your Name And Mine                    I'm Gonna Stick To You

Vinny Catalano

      
Please Mr Jukebox Man                         Rags to riches         
 

...

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