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

The Hearbeats (1) aka The Three Friends (1)

Posted on May 11 2009 by dion1

The Heartbeats (1)(Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Three Friends (1)
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Joe Villa (Lead)

Frank V. Stropoli (Tenor)

Tony Grochowski (SecondTenor)

Discography

The Heartbeats (1)
1955 - Finally / Boil and Bubble (Jubilee 5202)

The Three Friends (1)
1956 - Blanche / Baby I'll Cry (Lido 500/ Relic 1021)
1956 - I'm Only A Boy (To her) / Jinx (Lido 502)
1957 - Chinese Tea Room / Jinx (Brunswick 55032)
1957 - Now That You'Re Gone / Chinese Tea Room (Lido 504)

Joey of The Original Three Friends (1)
1962 - Blanche / The Oriental (Chevron 500)

Joey Villa
1962 - Blanche / Mona Lisa (MF 101)

Eddie Robbins bb The Three Friends (1)
1957 - Dear Parents / A Girl Like You (Power 214/Dot 15702/Tip Top 214)

Biography:

The Heartbeats were formed in 1954 at a time when Rock N Roll was in its infancy. The group came together while all four members were attending New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn, NY. The Heartbeats were comprised of Frank V. Stropoli (Lead), Al Rosenberg (First Tenor), Tony Grochowski (Second Tenor) and Joe Sucamele (Bass) . The Group cut one single for for Jubilee in 1955.

The Three Friends

After the records release, the Heartbeats went through some personnel changes and Joe Villa was recruited in to their ranks. Before the end of 1955 a record called "Crazy For You" was getting a lot of New York City action thanks to deejay Alan Freed. Well this record was also by another Heartbeats group, the one that is familiar to most doo-wop lovers.

The Other Heartbeats "Crazy For You"

To avoid confusion, our guys decided that they needed a new name for their group. About this time, they had begun to collaborate with Teddy Randazzo of the Three Chuckles. Joe Villa credits Randazzo as the one who suggested the group's new name, the Three Friends.

Teddy Randazzo

"Blanche" was an original song penned by the group, and inspired by a young lady who had attended their High School. The group came to the attention of Leo Rogers, who had them record the tune on his newly formed Lido label. The dreamy teen ballad was released in September of 1956.

The Three Friends

The record was reviewed in Billboard the week of October 27 and received a three stars or "very good" rating. Alan Freed liked the record, which meant it got excellent exposure on his New York City radio show, and almost immediately put the Three Friends on the map. Riding high on the success of "Blanche" the Three Friends took almost a year to release some follow up discs. Although the group were fine singers, they could not recapture their initial success with "Blanche".

Eddie Robbins

The Three Friends also used their polished harmonies to back up other artists. They can be heard (although un-credited) behind Eddie Robbins on his 1958 Power release of "Dear Parents" backed with "A Girl Like You". They also provided back-up vocals to Eddie Reardon on his 1958 Brunswick recording of "Who Is Eddie" and "Just Trying".

The Royal Teens

Following his tenure with the Three Friends, Joe Villa would go on to front a combo called the Royal Teens, who had a big success in 1958 with the novelty rocker "Short Shorts" originally released on Power and later picked up by ABC Paramount. And on some of the Royal Teens later recordings such as "Believe Me", it's none other than the Three Friends providing the vocal harmonies.
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/three-friends-mn0000587487/biography

Songs :

The Heartbeats (1)

Boil and Bubble / Finally

The Three Friends (1)

Blanche / Baby I'll Cry I'm Only A Boy (To her)

Now That You'Re Gone / Chinese Tea Room Jinx

Joey Villa of The Original Three Friends (1)

The Oriental

Joey Villa

Blanche / Mona Lisa

Eddie Robbins bb The Three Friends (1)

Dear Parents A Girl Like You

...

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The Symbols (2) aka The Beltones (1) aka The Masters (4)

Posted on May 11 2009 by dion1

(Beltones/Symbols) B. Brown, R. Brown, B.Cottman, A.Pope, C.Williams

The Symbols (2) (Jamaica, Queens, New York)
aka The Beltones (1) aka The Masters (4)

Personnel :

Andrew Pope (Lead)

Clayton "Dickie" Williams（First Tenor）

Buster Cottman （Baritone）

Robert Brown（Bass）

Wilbur "Buzzy" Brown (Second Tenor)

Discography :

The Beltones (1)
1957 - I Talk To My Echo / Oof Goof (Hull 721)

The Symbols (2)
Unreleased:
1958 - Crying My Heart Out (Old Town)
1958 - Lover, Lover, Lover (Old Town)
1958 - Last Rose Of Summer (Old Town)
1958 - Country Boy (Old Town)

The Masters (4)
1961 - A Man Is Not Supposed To Cry / Look Out (End 1100)
1962 - Crying My Heart Out / I'm Searching（Le Sage 713/714)

Discography :

The Beltones were a product of the thriving Jamaica, Queens, doo wop community that also launched the Rivileers, the Deltairs, and the Five Sharps. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the December 2000 issue of Discoveries, the quartet was founded in 1954 by lead Andrew Pope, first tenor Clayton "Dickie" Williams, baritone Herb Rooney, and bass Robert Brown -- the latter also moonlighted in rival vocal group the Love Larks, and when their career began taking off, Brown exited to join their ranks full-time.

The Love Larks

With new bass Alva Martin, the Beltones eventually signed to Hull Records, recording their debut single, "I Talk to My Echo," in the summer of 1956. For reasons unknown Hull did not issue the disc until the following spring, and when it predictably failed to generate much excitement, the label parted ways with the group. By that time, the Love Larks were no more, so Brown returned to the Beltones, prompting Martin's exit. Brown brought with him fellow Love Larks alum/second tenor Wilbur "Buzzy" Brown (no relation). Soon after, Rooney resigned, and with new baritone George "Buster" Cottman, the Beltones signed to the legendary Old Town label to cut a four-song session in the spring of 1958.

The Masters (4) :B.Cotteman, H.Rooney, C.Williams, D.Banks, F.Turner)

While the group mulled a name change to the Symbols, Hull got wind of the session and threatened a breach of contract suit, effectively rendering any moves moot. Old Town shelved the tapes, and although the Beltones continued touring the Queens live circuit for more than a year, in 1960 Pope was called to military duty, and "Buzzy" Brown quit soon after. The remaining trio convinced Rooney to return, adding lead David Banks and changing their name to the Masters. This lineup recorded the 1961 End Records effort "A Man Is Not Supposed to Cry," followed a year later by "Crying My Heart Out," originally written by Pope for the Old Town session. In 1962 the Masters dissolved and Rooney joined their sister group, the Masterettes, which as the Exciters later recorded the classic smash "Tell Him."
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Beltones/beltones.html

Songs :

The Masters (4)


A Man Is Not Supposed To Cry                 Look Out


Crying My Heart Out                         I'm Searching

The Beltones (1)


I Talk To My Echo                                 Oof Goof

The Symbols (2)


Crying My Heart Out                   Lover, Lover, Lover


Last Rose Of Summer                         Country Boy

.....

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The Charts

Posted on May 11 2009 by dion1

Glenmore Jackson, Ross Buford, Leroy Binns, Stephen Brown & Joe Grier

The Charts (Harlem, New York)

Personnel :

Joe Grier (Lead)

Stephen Brown (First Tenor)

Glenmore Jackson (Second Tenor)

Leroy Binns (Baritone)

Ross Buford (Bass)

Discography :

1957 - Deserie / Zoop (Everlast 5001)
1957 - Dance Girl / Why Do You Cry (Everlast 5002)
1958 - You're The Reason / I've Been Wondering (Everlast 5006)
1958 - All Because Of Love / I Told You So (Everlast 5008)
1958 - My Diane / Baby Be Mine (Everlast 5010)
1963 - What's Your Excuse / Keep Dancing With Me(Vel-V-Tone 102)
1965 - Deserie / I Wanna Take You Home (not by the Charts) (Lana 117)
1966 - Desiree / Fell In Love With You Baby (Wand 1112)
1966 - Livin' The Nightlife / Nobody Made You Love Me (Wand 1124)

Discography :

A group of Harlem teenagers had a dream. The dream was to make the charts… and they did. The Charts were probably one of the only groups in America to get booed off the stage at an Apollo Theatre amateur night and still go on to success. One of those New York City street-gang vocal groups (like the Juveniles on Mode and The Belmonts on Laurie), the Charts must have seemed like a logical next step when street fighting lost its charm. Originally eight gang members from the 115th Street area, the group had pared itself down to a quintet by late 1956, leaving Joe Grier (lead), Leroy Binns (first tenor), Steven Brown (second tenor), Glenmore Jackson (baritone), and Ross Bu- ford (bass).

At The Apollo , July 1961 - Joel Gray, Leroy Binns, Stephen Brown

They practiced on street corners and in hallways until they felt ready for the stairway to stardom that was the Apollo's Tuesday night amateur competition. Always scanning Billboard magazine, the group decided to name themselves after name themselves after Billboards hits list with the intent of one day seeing themselves on the charts . Joe Grier, the oldest member at 17, wrote a song entitled "Deserie" that fit the group's raw, free-form style perfectly. While the first and second tenor and baritone "wah wah-ed" and the bass "aye yah-ed," Joe alternated between a smokey-voiced lead and a soaring falsetto that reminded many of a yodel. It was this sound coupled with "Deserie's" three slow and seemingly endless verses (with no chorus or bridge) that the Apollo crowd heard on that fateful night, and sure enough the combination was too weird to be taken seriously.

The Charts

The group wah-wahed its way through the boos. Shaken (but not stirred) they barely made it off the stage. Among the onlookers, however, was one Les Cooper , formerly of the Whirlers on Bobby Robinsons Whirling Disc label and a member of the Empires on Harlem, Whirling Disc, and Wing. Cooper felt this unusual sound had potential and immediately introduced himself to the nervous teens. Shortly after the Apollo fiasco, Cooper — now the group's manager — introduced them to Dan Robinson (Bobby's brother), who was starting his own label. By June 1957, Everlast 5001 was being played all over the tri-state area.By July 15, 1957, it had reached Billboard's Pop chart spending four weeks in the rarified air of success and peaking at number 88.

The Charts
Joe Grier

"Deserie" became a huge East Coast doo wop cult classic and has been listed among the top 10 oldies of the New York area each year for more than three decades. Such was and is the extent of the record's airplay that in the more than 30 years since its release it's reported to have sold well over a million singles. (Good for the group but not too good for young Joe Grier, who had sold off the writer's share of the song to a photographer of the stars named James Kriegsman .) Meanwhile the B side, "Zoop," an up-tempo, infectious rocker, was getting lots of play on its own. It was a quality cut in an era when B sides were often throwaways. The group next released "Dance Girl," a "Zoop"-like recording that featured Joe Grier's immediately identifiable nasal rock sound. It saw local activity but neither " Girl" nor its beautiful ballad B side "Why Do You Cry" reached sales levels as high as they deserved. The single "You're the Reason" (arguably their best ballad) closed out 1957 with little fanfare; "their Latin-based "All Because of love" had the same non-effect on the general population during its early 1958 run.

The Charts - 1966 - Top : Tonny Harris, Leroy Binns - Bottom Frankie Pierce and Stephen Brown

The group's last Everlast single was a "Deserie" sound-alike entitled "My Dianne" (Spring 1958) which had absolutely no exposure and therefore no chance to chart. Joe Grier joined the service after "My Diane" flopped, and the group disbanded. When Joe returned he hooked up with his old manager to play tenor sax on a composition entitled "Wiggle Wobble." The contagious instrumental became a number 22 hit for Les Cooper and the Soul Rockers. Grier never returned to the Charts, but a revised group (that included holdovers Steven Brown [now on lead] and Leroy Binns [now on bass] along with newcomers Frank ie Fears and Tony Harris) recorded an up-tempo powerhouse version of "Deserie" on Wand Records in 1966. It Flopped. its follow-up ("Living the Nightlife") failed, and the group once again dispersed, only to be reincarnated in 1976 as the Twelfth of Never.
American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today (Jay Warner)
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Charts/charts.html

Songs :


Deserie                                   Zoop                                   Dance Girl


Why Do You Cry                  You're The Reason                 I've Been Wondering


All Because Of Love           I Told You So                         My Diane


            Baby Be Mine           What's Your Excuse                 Keep Dancing With Me


Deserie                 Fell In Love With You Baby                    Deserie


   Livin' The Nightlife               Nobody Made You Love Me

….

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The Charades (1) aka The Rockaways (1)

Posted on May 11 2009 by dion1

The Charades (1)

The Charades (1) (Elmont, New York)
aka The Rockaways (1)

Personnel :

Lewis Berryman

RobertCarrillo

Alan Richwald

Maurice Iazetta

Joe Pastorelli

Discography :

Alicia & The Rockaways (1) - Ken Darrell & Rockaways (1)
1956 - Why Can't I Be Loved / Never Comin' Back (Epic 9191)
1957 - I'm Not Goin' Steady / Faleroo (Epic 9226)

The Charades (1)
1958 - Now I´ll cry / ? (Lancer 101)
1958 - Make Me Happy, Baby / Shang Lang A Ding Dong (U.A. 132)
1959 - Bright Red Shiney Pants / Let Me Love You (U.A. 183)

Jody Lin bb The Charades (1)
1959 - Why Is He Staying Away / Oh Henry (Luxor 100)

Biography :

Vocal & instrumental group from New York formed in 1955 and composed by Lewis Berryman, Robert Carrillo, Alan Richwald, Maurice Iazetta and Joe Pastorelli. The band performed in New York and its surroundings for a year before being discovered by Zober & Salmi.

The Charades (1)

The Rockaways with Kenneth Darrell & Alicia Iazetta

Writers Bert Salmirs and Wally Zober were based in New York as was Atlantic Music Corp. They were so impressed with the harmony and performance, They quickly introduced the group to Epic Records launched in 1953 by Columbia Records . The group began their recording careers as the Rockaways, and backed Maurice Iazetta's sister, Alicia and pop singer Ken Darrell on two singles. Both singles written by Bert Salmirs and Wally Zober.

The Charades (1)

Little success has led the group to change company and name. The Group signing a recording contract with United Artists as the Charades. Formed in New York City in 1956, United Artists not only had their own recording artists, but were used to launch recordings from other labels to the national scene.

The Charades (1)
Jody Lin
The Charades recorded two singles and backed Jody lin on "Why Is He Staying Away" and "Oh Henry" on her Luxor single. Again, all the songs are written by Bert Salmirs and Wally Zober .

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Alicia & The Rockaways (1)

Why Can't I Be Loved I'm Not Going Steady

Ken Darrell & The Rockaways (1)

Never Comin' Back Faleroo

The Charades (1)

Now I´ll cry                   Make Me Happy, Baby            Shang Lang A Ding Dong


Bright Red Shiney Pants              Let Me Love You

Jody Lin bb The Charades (1)

Why Is He Staying Away Oh Henry

...

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The Concords (1)

Posted on May 11 2009 by dion1

Milton Love

The Concords (1) (Manhattan, N Y)

Personnel :

Milton Love (Lead)

Joe Willis (First Tenor / Baritone)

Bob Thompson (Second Tenor)

Jimmy Hunter (Bass)

Discography :

The Concords (1)
1954 - Monticello / Candlelight (Harlem 2328)

Pearl Reaves & The Concords (1)
1955 - You Can't Stay Here / I'm Not Ashamed (Harlem 2332)

Biography :

Milton Love was born in Chatham County, North Carolina on July 8, 1937. He began singing as a child, Milton's family moved to New York City where Love, Joe Willis, Bob Thompson, and Jim Hunter formed the Concords as classmates at Seward Park High School in 1952. Two years later, their manager, Morty Shad, arranged a record deal with a local company. They only made one record. Milton Love wrote and sang lead on both sides, the ballad "Candlelight" and the Latin-flavored "Monticello", issued in 1954. In 1955, the group backed up Harlem artist Pearl Reaves of Roxbury, Mass., on her single "You Can't Stay Here"/"I'm Not Ashamed".

The Concords (1)
Pearl Reaves

However, the Concords were almost history. Herman Curtis, lead of the Solitaires, had been drafted and Monte Owens (their guitarist) brought Milton Love to the audition, held around May 1955. Pat Gaston, Solitaires' bass, said that when the group heard Milton they sent all the other applicants home without even listening to them. As far as is known, no other members of the Concords ever sang with any other groups.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Concords/concords.html

Songs :

The Concords (1)

Monticello Candlelight

Pearl Reaves & The Concords (1)

You Can't Stay Here / I'm Not Ashamed

...

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The Wrens

Posted on May 7 2009 by dion1

The Wrens (Bronx, New-York)
https://www.uncamarvy.com/Wrens/wrens.html

Personnel :

Bobby Mansfield (Lead)

George Magnezid (First Tenor)

Francis Conception (Bariton)

Jimmy "Archie" Archer (Bass)

Discography:

The Wrens
Singles :
1954 - Love's Something That's Made For Two / Beggin' For Love (Rama 53)
1955 - Come Back My Love / Beggin' For Love (Rama 65)
1955 - (Will You) Come Back My Love / Beggin' For Love (Rama 65)
1955 - Come Back My Love/ Eleven Roses (Rama 65)
1955 - Love's Something That's Made For Two / Eleven Roses (Rama 110)
1955 - Hey Girl / Serenade Of The Bells (Rama 174)
1955 - Hey Girl / Love's Something That's Made For Two (Rama 174)
1955 - I Won't Come To Your Wedding / What Makes You Do The Things You Do (Rama 184)
1956 - C'est La Vie / [C'est La Vie - Jimmy Wright Ork.] (Rama 194)
1992 - Why Can't You / I'm Just The Kind Of Guy (Classic Artist 131)
Unreleased :
1955 - She's My Everything (Rama)
1955 - Betty Jean (Rama)

Bobby Mansfield backed by the Supremes
Unreleased
1956 - Reckless (Gee)
1956 - House of cards (Gee)

Biography :

The Wrens were one of the best of the dozens of R&B vocal groups who recorded in the mid- to late '50s for George Goldner, signed to his Rama and Gee labels in the wake of his success with "Gee" by the Crows. Lead singer Bobby Mansfield, George Magnezid (tenor), Francis "Frenchie" Concepcion (tenor), and James "Archie" Archer (bass) first started singing together in 1954 at a community center in the Bronx, NY. There they were spotted by Fred Johnson, a promoter who organized local talent shows, and he offered to manage the quartet. The Wrens were known best for their smooth, elegant harmony singing, which elevated both their ballads and their jump numbers above much of the competition. They sang R&B, but it tended more toward mature ballads and serious jump songs, rather than teen novelties.

Johnson got the group an audition with George Goldner's Rama Records and a recording contract followed late in 1954, with the group's first session taking place on November 21 of that year. Fred Johnson played piano behind them on that session and Goldner produced; in later recordings, legendary saxman Jimmy Wright led the band that backed them up. The group's first released single was "Love's Something Made for Two" b/w "Beggin' for Love," featuring Mansfield and Concepcion, respectively.It was their second single, "Come Back My Love," however, that achieved some local popularity in New York early in 1955 and put the Wrens on the map for R&B vocal fans.

At their best, the Wrens sounded a lot like the Moonglows -- Mansfield's singing at times bore a striking resemblance to Harvey Fuqua of the latter group, and both outfits were at their best doing mid-tempo jump numbers and ballads, though the Wrens' records also had a hard edge from Wright's sax and the bold sound of the Rama house band under his leadership. Goldner issued a total of six singles by the Wrens, but they never enjoyed a bigger hit than "Come Back My Love," which became their signature song despite competition from a cover version done by the Cardinals on Atlantic that same year. By 1956, however, Bobby Mansfield had split off from the group for a solo career, during which he made some records for Goldner with the Supremes (the male R&B vocal group, not the Motown trio) backing him.

The Wrens disappeared into the mists of R&B vocal group history, while Mansfield remained active into the 1990s, even recording with a new group of "Wrens" in the middle of the decade. The original Wrens all lived long enough to see themselves inducted into the United Group Harmony Association's Hall of Fame in 1998.

...

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The Four Coachmen (1) aka The Banners

Posted on May 6 2009 by dion1

The Four Coachmen (1) aka The Banners The Four Coachmen (1) (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
aka The Banners

Personnel :

William Bates

Discography :

The Four Coachmen (1)
1959 - My Own True Love / These Golden Years (MGM 12810)

The Banners
1960 - Fortune Teller / Sales Talk (MGM 12862)

Biography :

Little information on this group from Allentown in Pennsylvania. According to youtube, William Bates would be one of the members of the group. They are not related with the four Coachmen on Castle & Adonis records.

The Four Coachmen (1) aka The Banners

During the summer of 1959, the Four Coachmen recorded "My Own True Love" and "These Golden Years" which would be released by MGM. Some six months later, the group recorded two good new titles, "Fortune Telle" and "Sales Talk". Mgm released the single changing the name of the group by The Banners.

Songs :

The Banners

Fortune Teller Sales Talk

...

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The Coronets (1)

Posted on May 5 2009 by dion1

The Coronets (1)

The Coronets (1) (Cleveland)

Personnel :

Charles Carruthers (Lead)

Lester Russaw (First Tenor)

Sam Griggs (Second Tenor)

George Lewis (Baritone)

William Griggs (Bass)

Discography :

The Coronets (1)
Singles:
1953- Nadine / I'm All Alone (Chess 1549)
1953 - It Would Be Heavenly / Baby's Coming Home (Chess 1553)
1955 - I Love You More / Crime Doesn't Pay (Groove 0114)
1955 - Hush / The Bible Tells Me So (Groove 0116)
Unreleased :
1953- I Want You To Know (Chess)
1953- G.I. Misery (Chess)
1953- Should I (Chess)
1953- Cobella (Chess)
1953- Beggin' And Pleadin' (Chess)

The Bill Reese Quintet & The Coronets (1)
1955 - The Little Boy / Don't Deprive Me (Sterling 903)

Sammy Griggs & The Coronets (1)
1959 - Footsteps /Long John Silver (Job 100)

Biography :

The Coronets were Cleveland second most famous R&B vocal group behind the Moonglows. The group started around 1952 when they were students at Edison High School. The group included Sammy Griggs, brother Bill Griggs, Lester Russaw, and George Lewis. Not long after they started performing, Charles Carruthers joined as primary lead singer. The group made a couple demos to WJW DJ Alan Freed and he was able to get them signed to Chess records, at least a year before the Moonglows. The group wrote "Nadine" and that was the A side of their first 45 on Chess, and it was a big R&B hit. When the record was released, Alan Freed had put his name as writer, not the first and last time that happened. They were backed by the Sax Mallard Combo when they recorded at Chess.

The group returned to Chess and cut some more songs, two of them were released on a second., less successful 45. Meanwhile the success of "Nadine" got them shows at chitlin circuit stops in the Great Lakes and Midwest. Russaw and Carruthers left and the group replaced them with Bobby Ward. By 1955, Chess was no loger interested in them, and Freed and long given them up as both Chess and Freed picked the Moonglows to promote. The Coronets recorded a bunch of new songs locally (believed to have been done at Schneider), and were signed on to Sterling records, a short lived label run by Shelly Haims and Irving Lief. On the recordings, they were backed by the Cleveland R&B group the Bill Reese Quintet, who also recorded on their own for Sterling. Other names show up on the Sterling 45, LaMotta and Schroeder.

The Coronets (1)

Sterling was able to get RCA's R&B subsidiary Groove records to release 2 Coronets 45s apparently simultaneously. None of these records got much action, and the group continued to perform in the Cleveland area. Bobby Ward left and was replaced by the returning Charles Carruthers. In 1960 they made one more 45, with Charles singing lead and Sam Griggs writing the songs. The 45 was on the JOB label, a one-off which seems to have been their own. The record was recorded at Audio, with one side using Joe Petito's Big Song publishing.
The group disbanded at the end of 1960.

https://www.uncamarvy.com/Coronets/coronets.html

...

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Joey & The Twisters (3)

Posted on May 4 2009 by dion1

Joey & The Twisters (3)

Joey & The Twisters (3) (Manhattan, New York)
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel: :

Joey Villa (Vocals)

Bob Azzara (Piano)

Albert Leonardis (Drums)

Frankie Natale (Saxophone)

Discography :

1961 - Peppermint Twist Time / Silly Chili (Dual 502)
1962 - Bony Moronie / Mumblin’ (Dual 505)
1962 - Do You Want To Dance / Last Dance (Dual 509)
N/A - My Mother's Eyes / Jailer, Bring Me Water (Armour 2244)

Biography :

Joey & The Twisters was a Twist group formed from remnants of the original Royal Teens around 1961. The group was led by Teens vocalist Joey Villa (aka Joe Francovilla), along with several other members from the local Manhattan Doo Wop scene. The band played regularly at the Peppermint Lounge in Manhattan, alongside Joey Dee and the Starliters and other acts. The Twisters never released an album, but did release several singles on Duel Records, including remakes of Bobby Darin's "Jailer, Bring me Water," Bobby Freeman's "Do You Want To Dance," and "Bony Maronie," and penned "Peppermint Twist Time" in honor of the club that gave them a home.

Joey & The Twisters (3)

They did launch on a national tour, the highlight of which was playing the Dream Room in New Orleans. The group dissolved as the Twist fell out of fashion. Joey Villa continued playing as a solo artist. Bob Azzara and Louis Burgio, along with friend Flip Cesario, who briefly played with The Royal Teens, later formed the band Mardi Gras.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_and_the_Twisters

Songs :

Do You Want to Dance Bony Maronie

Mumblin'
...

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The Youngsters (1) aka The Preludes (1) aka Tempters aka Them

Posted on May 4 2009 by dion1

The Youngsters (1) (Los Angeles)
aka The Preludes (1) aka Tempters aka Them

Personnel :

Homer Green (Lead)

Charles Everidge (Second Tenor)

Donald Miller (First Tenor)

Harold Murray (Baritone)

James Monroe Warren (Bass)

Discography :

The Youngsters (1)
1956 - Shattered Dreams / Rock'n Roll'n Cowboy (Empire 104)
1956 - Counterfeit Heart / You're An Angel (Empire 107)
1956 - Dreamy Eyes / Christmas In Jail (Empire 109)
1956 - Dreamy Eyes / I'm Sorry Now (Empire 109)

The Preludes (1)
1956 - Don't Fall In Love Too Soon / I Want Your Arms Around Me (Empire 103)

The Them
1956 - Shattered Dreams / I'm Sorry Now (Heg 501)

The Tempters
1956 - I'll See You Next Fall / I'm Sorry Now (Empire 105)

Biography :

The Youngsters had one good sized hit on the west coast, several records under different names, and members that were involved in other fine groups. The group formed at Manual Arts High School on Vermont Street in Los Angeles in 1955. Group members originally included Homer Green, Don Miller, Charles Everidge, Harold Murray and James Warren.

Their first recording was issued as the Preludes and was with the newly formed Empire record label, owned by George Motola and Jack Hoffman. Backing them on the session was noted pianist Ernie Freeman. "Don't Fall In Love Too Soon" was actually recorded at the same session as "Shattered Dreams" and "Rock And Roll Cowboy". Besides the Preludes and Youngsters, they also had the name of the Tempters.

Their next release stalled, and the group made a personnel change. Homer Green joined the service, and Herman Pruitt jumped aboard. He had sung with another fine LA vocal group, the Calvanes. And, coincidently, was also from Manual Arts High School. "Dreamy Eyes" became their best selling record and earned them spots on a few local tours and some great gigs.

The song was also covered by many groups, including the Squires on Aladdin, the Viceroys, the Sparklers, and others. By 1957, the Youngsters fortunes faded for at least a couple of reasons.Two members of the group left, and Empire records folded. Everidge and Warren eventually joined the Shields touring group, as they were then hot with "You Cheated".

Songs :

Shattered Dreams                   Rock'n Roll'n Cowboy              I'm Sorry Now


Counterfeit Heart / You're An Angel        Dreamy Eyes / Christmas In Jail

....

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