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The Stereos (4) aka The Hi-Liters (2) aka The Hamiltones

Posted on October 18 2009 by dion1

The Hi-Liters

The Hi-Liters (2) (Portland, OR)
aka The Hamiltones aka The Stereos (4)

Personnel :

George Vereen (First Tenor)

Wiseman Moon (First Tenor)

Calvin Williams (Baritone)

Furman Haynes (Second Tenor)

Claude Chandler (Bass)

Discography :

The Hi-Liters (2)
Singles :
1956 - Ain't Givin' Up Nothing / Undecided Now (Celeste 3005)
1956 - Hello Dear / Bobby Sox Baby (Vee Jay 184)
1958 - Let Me Be True To You / In The Night (Hico 2432)
1958 - Over The Rainbow / Baby Please Be True (Hico 2433)
Unreleased :
1956 - Feeling Alright (Vee jay)
1956 - Duncan's Box (Vee jay)

Johnny Hamilton / Al Hickey & The Hi-Liters (2)
1958 - Sabada / Later Baby (Hico 2434)

George Vereen / Wiseman Moon & The Hamiltones (Hi-Liters)
1958 - You Are My Lovely One / Rock A Billy Hop (Hico 2435)

The Stereos (4)
Singles :
1962 - You Left Me Forsaken / My Heart (Robin Nest 101)
1962 - Don't Cry Darling / Run Sinner Run (Robin Nest 1588)

Lps :
1962 - The Stereos - Our Most Requested Songs (Robin Nest 2013)
Across The Alley From The Alamo / My Shy Violet / Cab Driver / San Antonio Rose / We Three / Dry Bones / SnapYour Fingers/ Green Green Grass Of Home / Swing Down Swing Chariot / Oh Lonesome Me / My Night To Howl / Always

Biography :

In 1948, Furman Haynes formed the Deep Tones, with George Vereen, Calvin Williams, Carroll Dean and Ivy Floyd. They sang spirituals and then added secular songs, such as Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Castle Rock, and The Night You Said Goodbye. Decca signed The Deep Tones to its Coral label, calling them The Four Deep Tones, even though there were five.

Deep Tones (Top row- LtoR): Calvin Williams, Carroll Dean, Furman Haynes (Bottom row- LtoR) George Vereen, Ivy Floyd

They cut four songs for Coral, and although they never had the kind of hit that would catapult them to stardom, they all built solid careers in music. In the early 1950s Haynes met Katie Williams, and when the pair married they moved to the West Coast and settled in Portland, Ore.

The Hi-Liters

The Deep Tones had changed their name to the Hi-Liters when they recorded for the Celeste label in 1956 the sides "Ain't Giving Up Nothing" / "Undecided Now". Celeste was one of the many short-lived (A little more than one year in duration) record label which specialized in R&b and headquartered in New York City during the middle fifties heyday of Rock'n Roll.

The Hi-Liters

The Hi-Liters recorded in New York City in Beltone Studios, on November 10, 1955 for Vee-Jay four sides : "Hello Dear", "Bobby Sox Baby", "Feeling Alright" and "Duncan's Box" At this time, The Hi-Liters consisted of George W. Vereen (first tenor), Wiseman Moon (first tenor), Furman Hayes (second tenor), Ivey E. Floyd (baritone), and Calvin Williams (baritone). Vereen had previously sung with the Four Knights, Moon had led the Victorians , Haynes had been with Brook Benton in the Sandmen.

The Hi-Liters

The Hi-Liters started their own record label HICO (Hi-Liters Company = HiCo) and their group now consisted of George Vereen, Wiseman Moon, Calvin Williams, Furman Haynes and Claude Chandler. Claude Chandler had been with the Cabineers. In 1958 the Hi-Liters recorded and released four singles for their HiCo label . Each side of Hico #2435 lists a Hi-Liters member and the Hamiltones. Calvin Williams confirms that the group on both sides is the Hi-Liters and not the Hamiltones. The Hamiltones must be the band.

The Stereos (L to R) : C. Williams, E. Williams, Harry Kenney, Wisemen Moon and George Vereen

In the 1960's the Hi-Liters would evolve into the Stereos (Robin Nest label) and cut two singles and one Lp : "Our Most Requested Songs" . The Stereos consisted of Hi-Liters' George W. Vereen (first tenor), Wiseman Moon (first tenor), Calvin Williams (baritone) with nem member's Eddie Williams and his big bass violin and Harry Kenney on Piano. Calvin Williams would also spend 14 years in Europe singing with the Golden Gate Quartet.
http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/ROWNEW/CastleRk.htm
http://www.classicurbanharmony.net/hico_label.htm

Songs :

The Hi-Liters (2)


Undecided                               Hello Dear                  Bobby Sox Baby


Let Me Be True To You           In The Night                      Over The Rainbow


Baby Please Be True                   Feeling Alright                Ain't Givin' Up Nothing

George Vereen & The Hamiltones    Wiseman Moon & The Hamiltones


You Are My Lovely One                        Rock A Billy Hop

The Stereos (4)


My Heart                           Don't Cry Darling               You Left Me Forsaken

Run Sinner Run

...

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The Emeralds (3)

Posted on October 17 2009 by dion1

The Emeralds (3) (Oakmont, Pittsburgh, PA)

Personnel :

Bill Pazman (Lead)

Don Slebrich (Tenor)

Don Muhall (Baritone)

George Grimes (Bass)

Discography :

1958 - You Belong To My Heart / The One I Adore (ABC 9889)
1958 - I'm Dreaming / Confess (ABC 9848)

Biography :

Group first got together in 1956 doing record hops and other local events. Pittsburgh disk jockey Jay Michael liked them and called on them frequently to appear at dances and other shows he was doing. He hooked them up with Dickie Goodman's Eldorado Records, where they recorded several masters. Bot the group felt that they have performed poorly on the masters and decided not to sign any contract with Goodman oe Eldorado.

Munhall brought the group's demo tape to New York and landed a contract with ABC Paramount Records. At their session, they did two ballads and three up-tempo tunes. In January 1958 their ABC Paramount disc was released. Their second was released in August 1958. They made many appearances for Jay Michael at record hops. Because he liked them so much, he was trying to live the rest of their lives. They did not sit well with them and early in 1959 they chose to split up.

Songs :

You Belong To My Heart I'm Dreaming

The One I Adore Confess

...

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Larry & The Conservatives

Posted on October 15 2009 by dion1

Larry & the Conservatives

Larry & The Conservatives (Chicago)

Personnel :

Larry Johnson (Lead)

J.Johnson

B. Johnson

M. DeShields

Discography :

Larry & The Conservatives
1963 - Can you Wobble / Watch your Step (Like 417)

Larry Johnson
1963 - Can You Monkey? / Watch Your Step (Zorro 418)

Larry Johnson & The Ideals (6)
1964 - Please Love Me (What's It Gonna Be) / Don't Give In (Zorro 420)

Biography :

The group, ranging in age from 13-15 were composed by Larry Johnson, his two brothers and M DeShields. In 1963, the group released "Can you Wobble" b/w "Watch your Step" on the Like Label.

Larry & The Conservatives

The Same year, Larry Johnson recorded again "Watch Your Step" with "Can You Monkey?" on the Zorro Label. Larry Johnson backed by the Ideals recorded again on the Zorro label "Please Love Me (What's It Gonna Be)" b/w "Don't Give In.

Song :

Larry & The Conservatives

Watch Your Step Can You Wobble

...

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The Four Queens (1) aka The Rockin' Kids aka Ace Adams Singers

Posted on October 13 2009 by dion1

The Rockin' Kids aka The Four Queens (1) aka The Ace Adams Singers

The Rockin' Kids (New York)
aka The Four Queens (1) aka Ace Adams Singers

Personnel :

?

Discography :

The Rockin' Kids
1958 - Yea Yea (I'm in the Mood) / Black Stockings (Dot 15749)

Ace Adams Singers
1958 - Ooh-Ya Ya Ya / Clang Clang - Click Click (Stan 45300)
1961 - Black Stockings / Gooey Over Louie (Abbco 46300)

The Four Queens (1)
1963 - Black Stockings / It's To Late (ABC 10409)

Biography :

The Rockin' Kids aka The Four Queens (1)

Songs :

The Rockin' Kids


Yea Yea (I'm in the Mood)                    Black Stockings

Ace Adams Singers


Ooh-Ya Ya Ya                            Clang Clang - Click Click

Gooey Over Louie

The Four Queens (1)

Black Stockings / It's Too Late

...

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The Four Queens (1) aka The Rockin' Kids

Posted on October 13 2009 by dion1

The Four Queens (1) (New York)
aka The Rockin' Kids

Personnel :

?

Discography :

The Rockin' Kids
1958 - Yea Yea (I'm in the Mood) / Black Stockings (Dot 15749)

The Four Queens (1)
1963 - Black Stockings / It's To Late (ABC 10409)

Biography :

The Four Queens (1) aka The Rockin' Kids

Songs :

The Rockin' Kids

Yea Yea (I'm in the Mood) Black Stockings

The Four Queens (1)

Black Stockings / It's Too Late

...

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The Checkers

Posted on October 11 2009 by dion1

The Checkers (New York)

Personnel :

John Carnegie (Lead)

Charlie White (Lead)

James "Buddy" Brewer (Baritone)

Bill Brown (Bass)

Discography :

The Checkers
1952 - Flame In My Heart / Oh, Oh, Oh Baby (King 4558)
1952 - Night's Curtains / Let Me Come Back (King 4581)
1953 - My Prayer Tonight / Love Wasn't There (King 4596)
1953 - Ghost Of My Baby / I Wanna Know (King 4626)
1953 - I Promise You / You Never Had It So Good (King 4673)
1953 - White Cliffs Of Dover /Without A Song (King 4675)
1954 - House With No Windows / Don't Stop Dan (King 4710)
1954 - You've Been Fooling Around / Over The Rainbow (King 4719)
1954 - Mama's Daughter / I Wasn't Thinking, I Was Drinking (King 4751)
1954 - Can't Find My Sadie / Trying To Hold My Gal (King 4764)
N/A - A Friend In Need (King) (Unreleased)
1959 - Let Me Come Back / White Cliffs Of Dover (Federal 12375)

The Original Checkers
1962 - Love Wasn't There / Over The Rainbow (King 5592)

Biography :

In early 1952 Billy Brown a member of The Dominos cited differences with Billy Ward the group's manager and left the group. He formed a new vocal group which he called The Checkers.Other members of the group at times were Charlie White, Eddie Harris, John Carnegie, and Perry Heyward (this information comes from Marv Goldberg). In September of 1952 King Records of Cincinnati announces the release of #4558 which features The Checkers on the tunes "Flame In My Heart" and "Oh Oh Baby". The next record by the group features the songs "My Prayer Tonight" and "Love Wasn't There" on #4596. In November King releases "Night's Curtain" and "Let Me Come Back" on #4581.In the spring of 1953 King releases a new side by The Checkers. The songs are "Ghost Of My Baby" and "I Wanna Know" on #4626. Late in the year of 1953 the Checkers record "White Cliffs Of Dover" and "Without A Song" released by King on #4675. In January of 1954 King is still at it with a new record by The Checkers. The songs are "You Never Had It So Good" and "I Promise You" on #4673. In March last year's recording of "White Cliffs Of Dover" begins to sell on the West coast. In May King Records pushes the group's "Don't Stop Dan" and "House With No Windows" on #4710.

In late May Billboard picks the record as its "buy of the week" and states that both sides are selling well despite limited air play on radio. The 'A' side seems to be "Don't Stop Dan" and it is selling well especially in the South. It turns out to be the group's biggest hit and top seller. In July the Cincinnati, home base of King Records, reports big sales of the flip side of the record - "House With No Windows" (the tune would be covered by The Midnighters for King in 1958). On the strength of record sales The Checkers hit the road for a tour of one nighters throughout the South during the last three months of the year. Cootie Williams & his Orchestra, Dinah Washington, and Danny Overbea are also part of the package show. The second part of the tour will head out to the Midwest with James Moody and his band replacing the Williams unit. Meanwhile King is out with another side by the group - "Over The Rainbow" and "You've Been Fooling Around" on #4719. In November King follows up The Checkers big seller with a new release featuring the tunes "I Wasn't Thinking I Was Drinking" and "Mama's Daughter" on #4751.

In January of 1955 "Try Holding My hand" and "Can't Find My Sadie" are released by King Records on #4764.The Checkers suddenly drop off the radar screen so to speak and they are not heard from on record for three years. Just as suddenly The Checkers reappear in late 1958 with "Heaven Only Knows" and "Nine More Miles" on King #5166. The next year there are two records by the group - "So Fine" and "Sentimental Heart" is released on Federal #12355 which is followed by "Teardrops Are Falling" on one side of King #5199. There has been much speculation over the years that these three late 50s releases are not by the original version of The Checkers at all. The final record release by the group is on Federal #12375 in 1960 which features re-issues of "White Cliffs Of Dover" and "Let Me Come Back". The Checkers - another fondly remembered group by those who are anchored in the sound of the R & B vocal groups all those years ago. For all others, try and find the work of this group if for no other reason than they were part of that magical scene "back in the day".
back to title page . . . . . .
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Checkers/checkers.html

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The Question Marks (1) aka The Gales (1) aka The Violinaires

Posted on October 11 2009 by dion1

The Gales (1) (Detroit)
aka The Question Marks (1) aka The Violinaires

Personnel :

Isaiah Jones (Lead)

Calvin Fair (Lead)

Bob Gandy

Wilson DeShields (Baritone)

Leo Coney

Discography :

The Violinaires
1954 - Another Soldier Gone / Joy In The Beulah Land (Drummond 4000)

The Gales (1)
1955 - Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying / My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble (J.V.B 34)
1955 - Darling Patricia / All Is Well, All Is Well (J.V.B 35/J.O.B. 3001)

The Question Marks (1)
1954 - Another Soldier Gone / Get Some More (Hollywood Flames) (Swing Time 346)

Biography :

Calvin Fair, along with Isaiah Jones, Wilson DeShields, Leo Coney, and Dempsey were the Violinaires singing "Another Soldier Gone." The Pressing plant personnel at Drummond misspelled the Group's name on the label as Voilinaires. The same group of people recorded the four (4) songs attributed to the Gales. Los Angeles label Swing Time issued 'Another Soldier Gone' with the credited artists as The ? Marks. In fact "Another Soldier Gone" seems to be an alternate take by the Violinaires. The group who sing on the flip of the record featured here is in fact The Hollywood Flames.
http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/another.htm

Songs :

The Violinaires


Another Soldier Gone        Joy In The Beulah Land

The Gales (1)


My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble     Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying      Darling Patricia

All Is Well, All Is Well

The Question Marks (1)

Another Soldier Gone

...

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Thomas Wayne & The DeLons

Posted on October 9 2009 by dion1

Thomas Wayne & The DeLons

Thomas Wayne & The DeLons (Memphis, TN.)

Personnel :

Thomas Wayne (Lead)

Sandra Brown

Nancy Reed

Carol Moss

Discography :

1958 - Tragedy / Saturday Date (Fernwood 109 )
1959 - Eternally / Scandalizing My Name (Fernwood 111)
1959 - Gonna Be Waitin' / Just Beyond (Fernwood 113)

Biography :

When elvis was conscripted into the US Army in early 1958, his backing trio, Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana, were made redundant. Retourning to Memphis, Black and Moore found themselves at a lose end. Black took a day job (pending the subsequent formation of Bill Black' Combo) while moore fell in with owners of Fernwood Records, a local label run on a shoestring by a memphis truck driver named Slim Wallace.

Thomas Wayne with Scotty Moore

Neither Moore nor Black harboured any lingering thoughs about a Fernwood session they were invited to play on in September 1958. The whole deal, from the singer to the song, seemed so low key as to be barely memorable. Or so they thought.

The Vocalist, Thomas Wayne, was the younger brother of Johnny Cash's guitarist, Luther Perkins while the only other personnel present, aside from Moore & Black, were The DeLons, (Sandra Brown, Nancy Reed, Carol Moss), Three school friends of wayne's who had come in as background vocalists. Out-takes feature a drummer using brushes but he was ommited from the final arrangement.

Billboard's review offered room for optimism : "Fine warble by Wayne on a haunting ballad with a beat that is nicely backed by a fem chorus. It can attract." This prescience proved well founded. Something of a 'sleeper', "Tragedy" did not reach Billboards's chart until February 1959 eventually peaking at #5.

The Fleetwoods took the song back into the top 10 in 1961. Wayne, who was born in Bathsville, Mississippi in 1940, was killed in a motoring accident in 1971.

Songs :

Saturday Date Just Beyond Gonna Be Waitin'

Tragedy Eternally

...

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The Ultimates (1) aka The Excellents (2)

Posted on October 7 2009 by dion1

The Ultimates (1) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Excellents (2)

Personnel :

Gary Allen (Lead)

Carlos Miranda (First Tenor)

Neil Bernstein (Second Tenor)

Donald Scheer (Baritone)

Dave Strum (Bass)

Discography :

The Ultimates (1)
1961 - I Can Tell You Love Me Too / Lonely Nights (Envoy 2302)  

The Excellents (2)
1962 - I Hear Rhapshody / Why Did You Laugh (Blast 207)

Biography :

The Excellents (1) looked set for a promising career with "Coney Island Baby" until record business skulduggery intervened. Booked for an appearance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand television programme, their record company refused to pay their travelling fees.

The Excellents (1)

When they learned that the group simply could not afford to travel to Philadelphia, the label instead sent a Brooklyn group, The Ultimates. This Group composed by Gary Allen, Carlos Miranda, Neil Bernstein, Donald Scheer and Dave Strum, was from Brooklyn and had previously record for the Envoy record Label the sides "I Can Tell You Love Me Too" / "Lonely Nights".

The Excellents (2)

This substitute Excellents group did record for Blast records "I Hear Rhapshody" b/w Why "Did You Laugh" as The Excellents.

Songs :

The Ultimates (1)

I Can Tell You Love Me Too Lonely Nights

The Excellents (2)

I Hear Rhapsody Why Did You Laugh

...

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The New Yorkers (1) aka The Five Satins aka The Wildwoods (1) ref : The Scarlets

Posted on October 6 2009 by dion1

The New Yorkers (1) (New haven, CT.)

aka The Wildwoods (1)
aka The Five Satins
ref : The Scarlets
(Thanks to Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Fred Parris (Lead)

Wes Forbes (Tenor!

Richie Freeman (Second Tenor)

Lou Peebles (Baritone)

Sylvester Hopkins (Bass)

Discography :

The New Yorkers (1)
1961 - Miss Fine / Dream A Little Dream (Wall 547)
1961 - Tears In My Eyes / A little Bit (Wall 548)

The Wildwoods (1)
1961 - When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano / Heart Of Mine (Caprice 101/102)

Biography :

Led by Fred Parris, the Five Satins were among the preeminent doo wop groups of the era, yet their pop succes was essentially limited to just two hits, the immortal "In The Still Of The Night" (1956) and "To The Aisle" (1957). In 1960, after three years with Ember Record, The Five Satins were signed by Cub, a pop subsidiary of the mighty M-G-M label which was enjoying a hot spell on the charts. Though expectations were high, M-G-M were unable to break the Group, and when the Five Satins heard they were to be dropped by the label in 1961, Parris and his cohorts went undercover, fetching up on Wall records, an obscure New York label, as the New Yorkers.

"Miss Fine" appeared on the market at the same time as the Five Satins final Cub release, "Golden Earrings". A somewhat sisillusioned Parris reasoned that a name change might lend the group a fresh lease of life - They also moonlighted as the Wildwoods on other Label, Caprice, during this periode before reverting to their original name on some later records. A little raged around the edges, "Miss Fine" sounded like a demo released as a master. While the vocals and especially the song are top notch, "Miss Fine" would have benefited commercialy from better production values.

Songs :

The New Yorkers (1)

A Little Bit                               Tears In My Eyes


Miss Fine                            Dream A Little Dream

The Wildwoods (1)

Heart Of Mine When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano

...

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