Doo Wop - Rhythm & Blues - jcpiazza26@gmail.com

The Shades (4) & The Knott Sisters

Posted on March 25 2023 by dion1

The Shades (4) & The Knott Siste

The Shades (4) (New York)
& The Knott Sisters

Personnel :

Mort Shuman

Willi Burke

Linda Laurie

Susan Yellin

Discography :

1958 - Sun Glasses / Undivided Attention ((Big Top 3003)

Biography :

The Shades was a fictitious label credit masking the lead singing of co-writer Mort Shuman with Willi Burke (aka Mrs Doc Pomus) and a couple of friends who may or may not have been Linda Laurie and Susan Yellin. "Sun Glasses’ was one of the earliest releases on New York's Big Top label, owned by publishers Hill & Range, for whom Pomus and Shuman were signed as staff writers. The flipside, written by Linda Laurie and Susan Yellin from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, NY. was credited solely to the Knott Sisters, who were called that because they were not sisters.

The Shades (4) & The Knott Siste

They did get their picture on the sheet music of ‘Sun Glasses’, though, posing with two male models as the Shades. Another attempt to ride the coattails of the smash pop hit ‘Short Shorts’, this one did not do a lot of business, but in 1958 Pomus and Shuman had a long and successful career ahead of them. The next release on Big Top would be "White Bucks And Saddle Shoes’ by Bobby Pedrick Jr, also penned by the duo. Linda Laurie recorded solo sides from 1958-64 for a number of labels.

Songs :

The Shades (4) & The Knott Sisters             The Knott Sisters


Sun Glasses              Undivided Attention

...

See comments

The Sheiks (2)

Posted on March 21 2023 by dion1

The Sheiks (2)
Jesse Belvin

The Sheiks (2) (Los Angeles, CA)

Personnel :

Jesse Belvin

Mel Williams

Harold Lewis

Discography :

1955 - So Fine / Sentimental Heart (Federal 12237)

Biography :

Johnny Otis was an American singer, musician, composer, bandleader, record producer, and talent scout. He was a seminal influence on American R&B and rock and roll. He discovered numerous artists early in their careers who went on to become highly successful in their own right. One day while fooling around in his garage studio, Johnny Otis had Jesse Belvin, Mel Williams, and Harold Lewis record a song he had composed titled “So Fine.”

The Sheiks (2)
Johnny Otis

Otis released the recording under the group name he gave them on the spot, the Sheiks. It did not sell well, so he recorded it again with Mel Williams alone, but that version did not sell either. Five years later, the song became a hit on an East Coast label forthe Fiestas, a Newark, New Jersey, quartet. The Fiestas' cover version was far more commercially successful than the Sheiks' original (which failed to chart), being a #3 rhythm & blues and #11 pop hit in 1959. Following the success of the cover version, the Sheiks' record was re-released on Federal in 1959, strangely as by the Checkers and again without any chart action.

Songs :


      So Fine                                       Sentimental Heart

...

See comments

The Starfires (2)

Posted on March 19 2023 by dion1

Harold Webb, Wally Osborne, Bernard Johnson, Bobby Holland & William “Lefty” Wright

The Starfires (2) (Philadelphia, PA)

Personnel :

Wally Osborne

Bobby Holland

William “Lefty” Wright

Bernard Johnson

Harold Webb

Discography :

Singles :
1958 - Yearning For You / Do Ko Icke No (Bernice 201
1961 - These Foolish Things / Let’s Do The Pony (D&H 200)
1961 - You’re The One / So Much (Bargain 5001)
1961 - Love Will Break Your Heart / The Dances (Bargain 5003 / Atomic 1912)

Unreleased :
1959 - Get Myself A Girlie (Cameo-Parkway)

Biography :

Wally Osborne went to Ornstein School of Music in Philly, becoming proficient on guitar, bass and piano. It didn’t take long for him to team up with Bobby Holland again, both of whom would join & leave in and out of different groups until they met William “Lefty” Wright, Bernard Johnson and Harold Webb who had been from another broken up group. The five decided to sing together as the Starfires (from the Oldsmobile 98 Starfire convertible) and it was that group who recorded for Richard Barrett. Osborne only sang lead on their first record “Yearning For You / Do Ko Icke No” (Bernice 201) a subsidiary of End Records. After no success with their “End” experience, Osborne left the Starfires as a singer to manage them. He got them to record “Get Myself A Girlie” for Cameo-Parkway Records which was never released.

For the next few years Osborne made many connections and collaborations, wrote songs and managed groups. In 1961 Osborne got D&H records (Dixson & Hodge) to record the Starfires. “These Foolish Things / Let’s Do The PonyY” was the first and only Starfires release for that label. Both songs were written by Wally Osborne. When the D&H label disbanded, partner Steve Hodge continued to produce records on his own Bargain label and released The Starfires’ next record, “You’re The One" / "So Much”. “You’re The One" got some airplay on the East Coast and in Cleveland. Next was “Love Will Break Your Heart ” (co-written by Osborne and Jimmy Bishop) with flipside “The Dances” (written by Osborne). All four songs were recorded at Tony and Don Luisi’s Sound Plus Studio in Northeast Philadelphia.
http://classicurbanharmony.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Wally-Osborne-Story-The-Starfires.pdf

Songs :


Yearning For You                               Do Ko Icke No


These Foolish Things                          Let’s Do The Pony


You’re The One                                         So Much


Love Will Break Your Heart                             The Dances

...

See comments

The Salvadors

Posted on March 19 2023 by dion1

The Salvadors

The Salvadors (St. Louis.)

Personnel :

Gus Winfield (Lead)

Flint Lloyd (First Tenor/Lead)

Donald Lloyd (Second Tenor)

Robert Vincent (Baritone/Bass)

Discography :

1961 - Daddy Said / A-E-I-O-U (Nike 1010)
1967 - Stick By Me, Baby / I Wanna Dance (Wise World 301)

Biography :

The Salvadors were a Black group from St. Louis. They started singing while in high school in 1957. They wrote their own songs. From 1957-59, they had 5 members: Gus Winfield, Robert Vincent, Leroy McGhee, Carl Stark and another Carl. In 1960, Donald Lloyd joined, replacing Carl Stark. The other Carl dropped out, making them a foursome. In 1961, his little brother, Flint Lloyd joined, replacing McGhee.

E. Rodney Jones

In the Nike and Wise World groups, Gus Winfield was the lead, Flint Lloyd was 1st Tenor/Alternate Lead, Donald Lloyd 2nd Tenor, and Robert Vincent sang both the Baritone and Bass parts. Winfield led on""A-E-I-O-U". Flint Lloyd led on the 3 other songs on their 2 releases. They were discovered in 1961, by E. Rodney Jones while he was DJ in St. Louis. He became their manager, and took them to Chuck Colbert in Chicago. who signed them. In late 1961, Colbert recorded them at RCA's Chicago studio, and released a record on the group on his new label, Thor Records.

It featured a male version of Luther Dixon's "Mama Said", with of one of The Salvadors' own songs on the flip, titled "A-E-I-O-U". After some local Chicago sales, somehow the owners of another Thor Records, located in New York, found out about it and threatened a lawsuit. So Colbert re-issued it in spring 1962 on his newly-named Nike Records. They appeared in some venues in Chicago during the early '61 and early '62. Despite the almost 5 years between record releases, the group did make some local appearances between, but only in St. Louis. They broke up in late 1962, but , and again once before 1965.

Donald Lloyd, Gus Winfield, Flint Lloyd & Robert Vincent

From '65-67, the gigged in St. Louis, until late 1967, when E. Rodney Jones again took them to Chicago, and hooked them up with Joshie Armstead. She recorded them at Universal Sound. They appeared at a few venues in Chicago, but their record didn't sell at all, and got almost no airplay. It sold moderately in St. Louis, due to their local appearances and consequent popularity. They continued to play venues there until late 1969, when they broke up for the last time.

Songs :


Daddy Said                                 A-E-I-O-U


Stick By Me, Baby                              I Wanna Dance

…

See comments

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7)

Posted on March 19 2023 by dion1

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7) (Jersey City, N.J)

Personnel :

Ronnie Goodson "Ronald Goodson" (Lead)

Sonny Caldwell (First Tenor)

John Witney (Second Tenor)

Stanley Brown (Baritone)

Kenny Overby (Bass)

Discography :

1962 - I Wish That We Were Married / Twistin & Kissin (Joy 260)
1962 - Send Me Love / Be Kind (Joy 265)
1962 - Valerie / The Fact Of The Matter (Raven 8000)
1963 - A Slow Dance / What The Next Day May Bring (Win 250 / Reo)
1963 - The Fact Of The Matter / You Keep Me Guessin' (Win 251)
1963 - High School Romance / Uptown-Downtown (Win 252)
1965 - Too Young / High School Romance (ABC 10685)
1982 - For Lovers / What A Pretty Bride You'll Be (U.G.H.A. 16)

Biography ;

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites were a vocal group, formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, in the early 1960s. On March 31, 1962, their song "I Wish That We Were Married", a slow ballad sung from the point of view of a young boy expressing his wishes that he and his sweetheart would stay together, charted and rose to number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending twelve weeks on the chart.

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7)

Selling over half a million copies, the song put 14-year-old Ronnie Goodson and company on the map, paving the way for performances alongside Stevie Wonder, Major Lance and Ronnie's girlfriend Eva Boyd, better known as Little Eva. They subsequently appeared on American Bandstand, at The Apollo and numerous venues throughout the east coast.

"I Wish That We Were Married" is perhaps known for Ronnie's emotional sobbing, adding to the theme of the song. The group was originally called the Cascades, not to be confused with a different group of the same name that recorded "Rhythm of the Rain". Initially consisting of tenors Sonny Caldwell and John Whitney, bass singer Kenny Overby and baritone Stanley Brown, the group added 12-year-old Ronnie Goodson as their lead singer.

Ronnie & The Hi-Lites (7)
Ronnie Goodson

They were soon introduced to songwriter/producer team Marion and Hal Weiss, who offered them "I Wish That We Were Married". The small independent record label, Joy Records, picked up the group's recording and renamed the ensemble Ronnie & the Hi-Lites. They subsequently released the single and the group went on to record many more singles without troubling the chart compilers again.Ronnie Goodson died 4 November 1980.

Songs :


I Wish That We Were Married                Twistin & Kissin


Send Me Love                                        Be Kind


             Valerie                            The Fact Of The Matter


              A Slow Dance                     What The Next Day May Bring


You Keep Me Guessin' High School Romance


Uptown-Downtown                            Too Young


    For Lovers                               What A Pretty Bride

...

See comments

The Majestics (7)

Posted on March 18 2023 by dion1

The Majestics (7)

The Majestics (7) (Jersey City, New Jersey)

Personnel :

Jerome Contey

Louis Contey

Dennis "Skip" Skipper

Peter Moscatello

Discography :

1962 - Puppet Beat (The Big Three) / Puppet Bop (The Big Two) (Wren 150)

Biography :

Peter Moscatiello have been in and around the music since 1958. While attending P.S. 15 in Jersey City, New Jersey, he met Dennis Skipper (Skip), through his friend Louis Contey. Skip was into vocal harmony and was teaching Louis and his brother Jerome how to harmonize. They asked Peter if he wanted to sing and as Skip taught him the basics, he became hooked. But the driving force, the thing that lit the fire under him was hearing the song that launched Laurie records: "I Wonder Why" by Dion and the Belmonts.

The Majestics (7)
Dennis "Skip" Skipper & Louis Contey

They called themselves the Majestics and were together for two years. they parted ways when they went off to different high schools. In those two years they sang at dances and even performed at the "Teenage World Fair" at Freedomland in New York. In 1962, They recorded one song : "Puppet Beat" under the name the Big Three. The Big were The Majestics, The Bongo Walers & The Beachcombers. The other side is an instrumental "Puppet Bop" as the Big Two. The Big Two were the same minus The Majestics.

Songs :

Puppet Beat

See comments

The Tamaneers

Posted on March 18 2023 by dion1

The Tamaneers
Neith Anderson, Wilmore Pitcher JR, Randoph Baker (rear) Harvey Lee Everhardt (Center) and David Hill (Kneeling)

The Tamaneers (Poughkeepsie, New York)

Personnel :

Kenneth Anderson (Lead)

Harvey Lee Everhardt (Lead)

Wilmore Pitcher JR

Randoph Baker

David Hill

Discography :

1961 - Be Anything But Be Mine / Searching (Bramley 102)

Biography :

Harvey Lee Everhardt was educated in the New York City School District. In 1952, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. While in the USAF, he formed the Sentinals, a singing group, who appeared on Television thru-out England. After serving his country for four years he received an Honorable discharge. After his tour of duty he was employed at New York University. In 1958, he relocated to Poughkeepsie, NY and was a long time resident.

The Tamaneers

Harvey was also in the entertainment business. He formed a singing group, The Tamaneers, who preformed primarily in New York City area, including such clubs as : Marie's, Tropical Inn, and the world famous Apollo Theatre. In the 1960's The Tamaneers recorded a single entitled "Be Anything But Be Mine" b/w "Searching" on the Bramley label...

Songs :


Be Anything But Be Mine       Searching
(feat Harvey Lee Everhardt)                 (feat Kenneth Anderson)

...

See comments

The Hi-Dells

Posted on March 11 2023 by dion1

The Hi-Dells

The Hi-Dells (Bronx, New York) ???

Personnel :

Two Brothers

Discography :

Unreleased:
1962 - Baby Doll
1962 - Don’t Let Der Cry
1962 - Later For You Darling

Biography :

According to a Youtubeurs who posts a lot of good doo wop music, the "Hi-Dells" would be his father and his uncle who can be seen in the photos. the two boys under the name of "Hi-dells" would have recorded three songs which would never have been released. Yet we wonder why? the three pieces dating from 1962 should have been published, the pieces are extraordinary. Another source says they are from the Bronx... If the Youtubeurs (Medieval History) reads this, can he give us some additional information.

Songs :

Baby Doll Don’t Let Her Cry Tonight

Later for you darling

...

See comments

The Echotones (1)

Posted on March 10 2023 by dion1

The Echotones (1)

The Echotones (1) (Bayside, New York)

Personnel :

Bob Krygier

Tony D'Andrea

Tom Zminkowski

Stan Brauner

Discography :

Skip & The Echotones (1)
1959 - Born To Love / Oo-La-La (DR 1001 / Warwick 634)

The Echotones (1)
1959 - So In Love / My Baby Doll (Dart 1009)

Biography :

Tony D'Andrea was a Student from Holy Cross High School, a co-educational Catholic high school located in Flushing in the New York City borough of Queens. In 1955, Under the direction and encouragement of Brother Paul Schweyer, the school’s first music director, Tony joined the Marching Band, the Concert Band (where he played Clarinet and tenor sax), and the Dance Band, where he was the percussionist.All through high school Tony D'Andrea belonged to a budding four-member rock band called “The Echotones,” from Bayside. Two of whom were students at Holy Cross – Tony and his close friend Tom Zminkowski. The Echotones was managed by Jim Gribble who also handles The Fiestas, The Mystics, The Passions, and others.

The Echotones (1)
Tony D'Andrea

They became nationally famous during these high school years, signing a record contract with Warwick Records and playing all over the tri-state area. Their four original records on Warwick and Dart labels made the Top 40 list in 1959 to 1961. In fact, the songs were in every Juke Box in the tri-state area. The band played in all the famous venues of the time, including the Apollo Theater. They appeared on Cousin Brucie’s show, worked with Allen Freed and Paul Sherman, and even opened for the Everly Brothers. Their song “Born to Love” was included on the cover of Nashville’s Music City News as “rising in the charts” in 1959 and in Billboard Magazine through 1960.

Biography :

Skip & The Echotones (1)


Born To Love                                Oo-La-La

The Echotones (1)


So In Love                                   My Baby Doll

...

See comments

The Drakes (2)

Posted on March 4 2023 by dion1

The Drakes (2)
Left to right : Jimmy Jett, Don "Curtie" Davis, Billy Perkins & Warren McCowen

The Drakes (2) (Richmond, Indiana)

Personnel :

Don "Curtie" Davis (Lead)

Jimmy Jett (Tenor)

Bill Perkins (Baritone)

Warren McCowen (Bass)

Discography :

1958 - Oo Wee So Good / Kitty (Conquest 1001)

Biography :

Vocal group from Richmond, Indiana composed of Don Davis (lead), Jimmy Jett (tenor), Bill Perkins (baritone), and Warren McCowen (bass). In 1958 they recorded "Oo Wee So Good" for Conquest, a small Indianapolis label. While normally an a cappella group, the Drakes were backed up by drummer Harold Jones and an unremembered guitarist. The flip was an instrumental called "Kitty," by the strangely-cited "The J.J. Macambo."

Songs :

Oo-Wee So Good

...

See comments