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

The Go-Togethers aka The Everglades (1) ref The Ebbtides (5)

Posted on May 2 2009 by dion1

Charles Henderson, Johnny Johnson & Dave Bell - Top : Johnny Banks

The Everglades (1) (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
aka The Go-Togethers ref The Ebbtides (5)

Personnel :

Johnny Banks

Charles Henderson

Dave Bell

Johnny Johnson

Discography :

The Ebbtides (5)
1956 - Only Be Mine / What's Your Name Dear (Teen 121)

Johnny Banks & The Everglades (1)
1961 - While Sitting In The Chapel / Do You Miss Me (BPV 112277)

The Everglades (1)
1962 - I Went To The S&S / Tell Me Pretty Baby (Brenne 502)

The Go-Togethers
1963 - Train / Time After Time (Coast 100)

Biography :

Charles Henderson began singing with fellow Ben Framklin High Scool. In 1955, Charles Henderson with Johnny Banks, Horace Adams, Robert Lee and Betty McCann formed a group, Following a year of tedious practice, Johnny Banks made the connection with Teen/Sound Records in 1956. At The Reco-Arts Studio , they cut " What's Your Name Dear" with "Only Be Mine". Appearances ensued, most arranged by manage rRobinson. The Baby Grang in Harlem, another in Reading, Pensylvania, the O.V Catto hall at 16th & Fitzwater near Center City, the Ice House in South Jersey, a sleek show at the uptown theater accompanying the Blue Notes the Channels & The Continentals..…

WDAS concert - Uptown Thheater (ca 1960)

Some years later, Dave Bell and Johnny Johnson replaced Horace Adams and and McCann. This reformed aggregation was christened the Everglades by Johnny Banks. Six years or so following their dustup with teen records, they found themselves on the doorstep of BVP Records. The Everglades cut "While Sitting In The Chapel" /" Do You Miss Me". But the BVP platter wended its way to nowhere and the group cut another record for Brenne "I Went To The S&S" and "Tell Me Pretty Baby". The group have two other songs: "Train" and "Time After Time" released one year later on the Coast Label under the strange name "The Go-Togethers".

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Ebbtides (5)


Only Be Mine                              What's Your Name Dear

Johnny Banks & The Everglades (1)


While Sitting In The Chapel                      Do You Miss Me

The Everglades (1)

I Went To The S & S / Tell Me Pretty Baby

The Go-Togethers

Train / Time After Time

...

See comments

The Velvets (2)

Posted on May 2 2009 by dion1

The Velvets (2) (Odessa, Texas)

Personnel :

Virgil Johnson (Lead)

Mark Prince (Bass)

Clarence Rigsby (Lead Tenor)

William Solomon (Baritone)

Bob Thursby (Tenor)

Discography:

Singles :
1961 - That Lucky Old Sun / Time & Again (Monument 435)
1961 - Tonight (Could Be the Night) / Spring Fever (Monument 441/515)
1961 - Laugh / Lana ( (Monument 448)
1962 - Love Express / Don't Let Him Take My Baby ( (Monument 458)
1962 - Let the Good Times Roll / Light Goes on the Light Off (Monument 464)
1963 - Crying in the Chapell / Dawn (Monument 810)
1964 - Here Comes That Song Again / Nightmare ( (Monument 836)
1964 - If / Let the Fool Kiss You (Monument 861)
1966 - Baby the Magic Is Gone / Let the Fool Kiss You (Monument 961)

Unreleased :
N/A - Be Ever Mine
N/A - You Done Me Bad
N/A - Kiss Me
N/A - Alicia
N/A - Bird Dog
N/A - My Love
N/A - Who Has the Right
N/A - I'm Trusting in You
N/A - Almost But Not Quite
N/A - Husbands & Wives
N/A - I Can Feel It
N/A - Poison Love
N/A - That's Out of My Line

Biography:

Virgil Johnson was the lead singer of the Velvets, a vocal quintet from Odessa, West Texas. They are best remembered for their 1961 hit "Tonight (Could Be The Night)", which peaked at # 26 on the Billboard pop charts. On that song the Velvets can be heard chanting "doo-wop" behind lead singer Johnson, one of the first uses of the phrase in a song. Still, the Velvets were not really a doo-wop group. Their sound was highly polished and the backing usually included strings.

Virgil Johnson was a teacher at Blackshear Junior High School in Odessa, where he taught English to eighth grade pupils. It was at this school that he heard two students, Mark Prince and Clarence Rigby, singing as a duo. He recruited two more students, adding Robert Thursby's first tenor and William Solomon's baritone to Rigsby's tenor and Mark Prince's bass. The quintet began to perform at school sock-hops and campus functions, with Johnson as lead singer.

In 1960 they impressed Roy Orbison, who heard them whilst visiting Odessa, and recommended the group to Fred Foster, the owner of Monument Records and the producer of Roy's big hit at that time, "Only the Lonely". Foster signed the group and came up with the name The Velvets. In fact, he decided it should be the Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson because there was another group called the Velvets, years before. They had a song out called "I" on Bobby Robinson's Red Robin label.

The Velvets (2)

The group's first session was held in late 1960, at Nashville's RCA studios and produced four tunes, which would be issued on their first two singles: "That Lucky Old Sun"/"Time And Again" and "Tonight (Could Be The Night)"/"Spring Fever". The two B-sides were from the pen of Roy Orbison, while "Tonight" was written by Virgil Johnson. The accompaniment came from some of Nashville's finest session players, including Boots Randolph and Floyd Cramer. After the success of "Tonight", the group's next release was "Lana"/ "Laugh", both written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. "We should never have put those two songs out together", says Johnson."

The Velvets (2)

Part of the country was playing one side and another part of the country was playing the other side". "Laugh" stalled at # 90, but "Lana" (soon also recorded by Orbison himself) was # 1 in Japan. Monument continued putting out Velvets' singles, nine in all, until 1966. Some of them were quite good, but there were no further chart entries and the group called it a day and went back to a Texas they had never really left. Johnson kept on teaching, and in 1993, he retired from his job as principal of Lubbock's Dunbar-Struggs Junior High School, a post he had held for 25 years. In Lubbock he also was a deejay on Radio KSEL. Clarence Rigsby died in a car crash in 1978. Johnson is adamant on the reasons for the group's relatively short chart life. "You got to realise, in the early sixties there were two music markets in the US. You had a black market and you had a white market. We were extremely popular with whites, but we were never extremely popular with blacks. We were black and we didn't sound like it. People didn't know we were a black group. We couldn't tour and that really hurt us."

Songs :


      That Lucky Old Sun            Time & Again                Tonight (Could Be the Night)


Spring Fever                   Laugh                          Lana


Love Express          Don't Let Him Take My Baby            Let the Good Times Roll


Light Goes on the Light Off       Crying in the Chapell                   Dawn


Here Comes That Song Again         Nightmare                 If


Let the Fool Kiss You               Baby the Magic Is Gone            Let the Fool Kiss You

...

See comments

Gene & Eunice

Posted on May 2 2009 by dion1

Gene & Eunice

Gene & Eunice (Los Angeles, CA)
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel:

Forest Gene Wilson aka Gene Forrest

Eunice Hazel Russ aka Eunice Levy

Discography:

Singles:
1954 - Ko Ko Mo / You And Me (Combo 64)
1955 - Ko Ko Mo / You And Me (Aladdin 3276)
1955 - This Is My Story / Move It Over Baby (Aladdin 3282)
1955 - Flim Flam / Can We Forget It (Aladdin 3292)
1955 - Have You Changed Your Mind / I Gotta Go Home (Aladdin 3305)
1956 - Hootchy-Kootchy / I'll Never Believe In You (Aladdin 3315)
1956 - Let's Get Together / I'm So In Love With You (Aladdin 3321)
1956 - Hi Diddle Diddle / Bom Bom Lulu (Aladdin 3351)
1957 - Strange World / The Vow (Aladdin 3374)
1957 - Don't Treat Me This Way / Doodle Doodle Doo (Aladdin 3376)
1958 - The Angels Gave You To Me / I Mean Love (Aladdin 3414)
1959 - Poco-Loco / Go-On Kokomo (Case 1001)
1959 - Ah! Ah! / You Think I'm Not Thinking (Case 1002)
1959 - You Drive Me Buggy / Without Love (Case 1005)
1960 - Sugar Babe / Let's Play The Game (Case 1007)
1962 - Got A Right To Know / Everlovin' Baby (Lily 512)*
1967 - Soul Loving / Walking Away (Cenco 113)*
*By Eunice Levy and Gene Taylor

Ep:
1960 - Hully Gully / Poco Loco / You Think I'm Not Thinking / Beatnick (Case EP 100)

Gene & Eunice

Unreleased demos:
1954 - Can We Forget It (Combo)
1954 -Flim Flam (Combo)
1954 - I Know A Girl (Combo)
1954 - Move It Over Baby
1954 - Tell Me That You Love Me (Combo)
1954 - This Is My Story (Combo)
1954 - I'll Never Forget You (Combo)*
*Eunice Levy (bb Gene Forrest & The Four Feathers)

Biography :

Gene & Eunice were Los Angeles' answer to New Orleans' Shirley & Lee (their label mates at Aladdin Records), except that Gene & Eunice's duets were much lighter and lyrical. And unlike Shirley, Eunice could actually sing on key. Also unlike Shirley & Lee, Gene & Eunice were actually sweethearts, and the two married and had several children together. Eunice Levy met Gene Forrest at local DJ Hunter Hancock's talent show in Los Angeles. Gene was looking for a girl to sing harmony with his group, the Four Feathers (named after a make of drink). This changed when they began dating, they then started rehearsing and writing in Gene's garage. Older and more experienced than Eunice, Gene dominated the relationship from the start, but Eunice was his co-writer from the beginning. Gene and Eunice wrote most of their own songs.

Hunter Hancock with Gene & Eunice

In the spring of 1954, they pitched a folio of songs to Jake Porter. The outstanding song penned by the duo was “Ko Ko Mo” b/w “You And Me” and Porter released it on the Combo label in the fall of 1954. Aladdin Records, which already had Gene Forrest under contract as a solo artist, claimed ownership of the team of Gene & Eunice in late January 1955 and rushed them into the studio with Johnny Otis's band (billed as Johnny's Combo -- perhaps as a slap at Combo Records) to record a second version of “Ko Ko Mo.” The Combo and Aladdin singles, counted as one unit by Billboard's compilers, climbed as high as #6 R&B in early 1955. They became extremely popular and made appearances in such diverse arenas as the Apollo Theatre and Dick Clark's TV show. The duo returned to the studio for Aladdin to cut “This Is My Story” b/w “Move It Over Baby.” “This Is My Story” reached # 8 R&B, their only purely Aladdin hit. Great songs like “Let's Get Together” and “Bom Bom Lulu” failed to click. A further session didn't improve sales and Aladdin let them go in 1958.

A Canadian company set up a new label, Case Records, and searching for an established act to kick start the label, they signed Gene & Eunice. They cut “Poco-Loco” b/w “Go-On Kokomo“ and it charted in the fall of 1958, reaching # 48 in the hot hundred. Further 45s flopped. By the end of 1960, the duo had parted, Gene back in a blue collar job, whilst Eunice married an English record distributor named Jack Frost. She recorded another duo 45, “Got A Right To Know” b/w “Ever Lovin’ Baby” with Gene Taylor. Mike Gradny’s Cenco Records from Los Angeles issued in 1967 the last record by the pair, “Soul Loving” b/w “Walking Away.” Eunice Levy passed away in 2002 and Gene Forrest died in 2003.

http://electricearl.com/dws/gene&eunice.html
http://www.geocities.ws/shakin_stacks/eunicelevy.txt
http://www.colorradio.com/Gene_And_Eunice.html
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gene-eunice-mn0000801739/biography
https://acerecords.co.uk/go-on-ko-ko-mo
http://www.45cat.com/artist/gene-and-eunice

Songs:

Ko Ko Mo / You And Me (Combo)       Ko Ko Mo / You And Me (Aladdin)


This Is My Story          Move It Over Baby                   I Gotta Go Home

Flim Flam / Can We Forget It               The Vow / Strange World


Have You Changed Your Mind     I'll Never Believe In You         Hootchy-Kootchy


Let's Get Together        I'm So In Love With You       Bom Bom Lulu


Hi Diddle Diddle            Doodle Doodle Doo      Don't Treat Me This Way

I Mean Love / The Angels Gave You To Me          Ah! Ah! / You Think I'm Not Thinking

Without Love / You Drive Me Buggy Sugar Babe / Let's Play The Game

Poco-Loco                       Go-On Kokomo                      Soul Loving


Hully Gully / Beatnick                Got A Right To Know / Everlovin' Baby


Walking Away              Can We Forget It (demo)            Flim Flam (demo)


I Know A Girl (demo)     Move It Over Baby (demo)      Tell Me That You Love Me (demo)


This Is My Story (demo)         I’ll Never Forget You (demo)

....

See comments

The Twin-Tones (2) aka The Twins

Posted on May 1 2009 by dion1

The Twin-Tones aka The Twins

The Twin-Tones (2) (Hicksville, Long Island)
aka The Twins
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

John Cunningham

James Cunningham

Discography :

Singles :

The Twin Tones (2)
1958 - My Dear / The Flip Skip (Skip-Tip) (RCA 7148)

The Twins
1958 - Jo Ann's Sister / Who Knows The Secret (RCA 7235)
1958 - Gee Whiz / Classroom Rock (RCA 7382)
1959 - Heart Of Gold / Buttercup (Lancer 106)

The Twin-Tones aka The Twins

Eps :

The Twin Tones (2) - Jim & John (RCA 4107)
1957 - Jo-Ann / Before You Go / My Dancing Lady / One Mail A Day

The Twin-Tones aka The Twins

The Twins (Jim And John) Teenagers Love The Twins
1958 - My Dear / The Flip Skip (Skip-Tip) / I Want A Girl / Together Forever

The Twin-Tones aka The Twins

Lps :

The Twins Jim and John - Teenagers Love The Twins (RCA Victor LPM-1708)
1958 - Jo-Ann / Who Knows The Secret / My Dear / Before You Go / After Dark / The Flip-Skip (Skip-Tip) / Bubble-ee Bubble-ee Bubble Gum / Jo-Ann's Sister / Give Me Your Picture / You Know You Love It

The Twin-Tones aka The Twins

Biography :

On 20 December 1957, Jim and John Cunningham, the Twin-Tones, appeared or the 100th broadcast of Dick Clark's American Bandstand, along with Jerry Lewis, who performed his only hit. "Rock-a Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody". The Twin-Tones sang 'Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now". Jim & John were not Patiente and Prudence in drag. They were two good looking blonde boys from Hicksville High School in Long Island, New York.

The boys recorded a cute rock-a-ballad called "Jo Ann" for RCA Victor, which was quickly covered by a group of three chubby comedians called the Playmates who turned the song into a hit for Roulette. RCA did not give up, however, releasing an LP, an EP and several singles, like "The Skip Flip" and "Jo-Ann's Sister" Unlike the Midnighters, they failed to record "Jo-Ann Had A Baby".

The Twin-Tones aka The Twins

The reader should not attach any cosmic meaning to the following, but both the Twins' and the Playmates' album covers featured the acts on motor scooters. One may, however, deduce that the Twins' booking on the Alan Freed Holiday Show at the Paramount Theater may have had something to do with the fact that 'Jo-Ann's Sister' was published by Freed's Figure Music.

The Twin-Tones aka The Twins

The twins didn’t realize and profit for composing the song – nor did they make any money from their RCA Victor long play and such was the business back then. John Grant Cunningham, born on September 22, 1940 in Flushing, New York, passed July 18, 2016 in Brockwell, Arkansas. His twin brother James William Cunningham died May 29, 2018 in Cullman, Alabama.

(There were in fact two different Twin Tones duets. The Twin Tones on Monte Carlo 005 were girls)

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Jo- Ann                                         My Dear


The Flip Skip                           Before You Go


My Dancing Lady                           One Mail A Day


Jo Ann's Sister                           Classroom Rock


   Buttercup                                        Together Forever

     After Dark                             Give Me Your Picture


Bubble-ee Buble-ee Bubble Gum               Who Knows The Secret


I Want A Girl                                      My Foolish Fling


This Feelings Bound To Love    T.V. Hop

Heart Of Gold

……

See comments

The Ivy Three

Posted on April 30 2009 by dion1

The Ivy Three (Garden City, New-York)

Personnel :

Artie Kaye

Charlie Cane

Don Rubin

Discography :

1960 - Yogi / Was Judy There (Shell 720)
1960 - Alone In The Chapel / Hush Little Baby (Shell 723)
1961 - Nine Out Of Ten / I've Cried Enough For Two (Shell 302)
1961 - Bagoo / Suicide (Shell 306)

Biography

A trio consisting of Artie Kaye (nee Berkowitz), Charlie Cane (nee Koppelman), and Don Rubin, the Ivy Three were formed at Adelphi University in Garden City, Long Island at the very end of the 1950s, when the three undergraduates started singing together. They were signed to Shell Records in New York, a small independent outfit co-founded by Lou Stallman and Sid Jacobson, a pair of songwriters, and Charles Koppelman helped them finish a song the two were working on called "Yogi," which became the trio's first single.

"Yogi" got all the way to number eight on the national charts in the fall of 1960, but nothing else by the trio ever cut did remotely that well, and they'd broken up within a year. Koppelman and Rubin later formed a management company, Koppelman-Rubin Productions, that handled the likes of the Critters, Tim Hardin, and Gary Lewis & the Playboys, enjoying considerable pop success in the mid-'60s.

Additionally, the Critters were instrumental in securing the early success of Kama Sutra Records, as well as serving as a vehicle for songwriters Peter Anders and Vince Poncia, two Phil Spector alumni ("Do I Love You," etc.) who were formerly of the vocal group the Videls.
Bruce Eder

Videos :

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Suicide Alone In The Chapel I've Cried Enough For Two

Was Judy There Yogi Nine Out Of Ten

Hush Little Baby

CD :

..

See comments

The Chapelaires aka The Softwinds

Posted on April 29 2009 by dion1

The Chapelaires aka The Softwinds

The Chapelaires (Pittsburgh)
aka The Softwinds

Personnel :

Tony Rausch

Bob Bubarth

Ross Melodia

Fred Ferketic

Discography :

The Chapelaires
1961 - I'm Still In Love With You / Not Good Enough (Hac 101)
1961 - Gloria / Under Hawaiian Skies (Hac 102)

Joni kay & The Chapelaires
1964 - Lonely Star / Happy Memories (Gateway 744)
1965 - It's Impossible, Why Try / Vacation Time (Gateway 746)

John Ivey bb The Chapelaires
1963 - Own A Real Live Clown / Far Far Far Away (Scotty 615)

Marie LaDonna & The Chapelaires
1964 - How Can I Let You Know / Georgie Porgie (Not Them) (Gateway 730)

The Softwinds
1961 - Cross my heart / Oh Baby (Hac 105)

Biography :

It all started back in 1955 when a large group of eighth graders from the Mount Troy / Troy Hill District of Pittsburgh were attending Saint Anthony's Church. The Group of 12-20 boys would pass the chapel along side St. Anthony's every week on their way to church. One day someone suggested they start a singing group and all agreed. Whithin three weeks when the smoke cleared only four remained with a serious commitment to singing Tony Rausch, Paul Young, Ross Melodia and Fred Ferketic who were now the "Chapel Boys".

The group would perform at local hops and by 1957 Paul was replaced by Bob Bubarth. The group made some demos of original tunes they had written, "A Tear", Scarlet Scarf", "Swing Loose" and "Walla Walla Bong Bong". They would acquire amanager in 1958, Bob Ross, who was working with several other groups at the time (i.e. - Mario & the Satellites). A name change also developed and the group became "The Chapelaires".

Soon a management change would have the boys under the direction of DJ Mark Flanagan (Bob Pappas) of Weep. He got the group a contract with HAC Records named after the three song writing partners, Hal-Al-Chuck. Fred was a few years older than the rest of the group and in 1959 elected to go to college. He was replaced with bill Schmidt. So the recordings on HAC in 1961 were Bill, Tony, Ross and Bob. Bill would soon be drafted (1962?) and the group picked up John Lajzo and Wayne Goldie, Both former members of a local acappella group the Suburbans.

The Chapelaires aka The Softwinds

The groups sound had now changed so they felt a new name should match their sound, "The Softwinds". Hac Records only had four releases on the label before they closed their doors after less than two years of operation.

The Chapelaires aka The Softwinds

The Softwinds

The final release by "The Softwinds" were by the boys themselves. After a lack of succes the group would loose Wayne and go back to the name the "Chapelaires". Elmer Willett heard them and had them do some background vocals for Gateway Records, the label he was affiliated with.
Ed Angel (Crystal Ball Records)

Songs :

The Chapelaires


I'm Still In Love With You                  Not Good Enough

Gloria

The Softwinds


Cross My Heart                            Oh Baby

John Ivey bb The Chapelaires


Own A Real Live Clown                 Far Far Far Away

Marie LaDonna & The Chapelaires

How Can I Let You Know

...

See comments

The Colts

Posted on April 29 2009 by dion1

The Colts (Bakersfield, California)

Personnel:

Ruben Grundy (Lead)

Joe Grundy

Carl Moland

Leroy Smith

Discography :

The Colts
1955 - Adorable / Lips Red as Wine (Mambo 112/ Vita 112)
1956 - Sweet Sixteen / Honey Bun (Vita 121)
1956 - Never, No More / Hey You, Shoo Bee Ooh Bee (Vita 130)
1957 - Sheik of Araby / Never No More (Antler 4003)
1957 - Guiding Angel / Sheik of Araby (Antler 4007)
1958 - I Never Knew/ Oh When You Touch Me (Antler 4002)
1959 - Oh When You Touch Me / (not on B-side) (Del-Co 4002)
1962 - Sweet Sixteen / Hey Pretty Baby (Plaza 505)

Jackie Kelso & The Colts
1955 - Kwella Kwella / Rat a rat (Vita 114)

Ruben Grundy & The Devilles Sisters
1957 - Every Word / Sail Away (Spry 110)

Biography :

The Colts are best remembered as the group who first recorded "Adorable," a classic doo wop tune subsequently covered by the Drifters, Little Caesar & the Romans and other vocal groups.
The Colts formed in the Mojave desert city of Bakersfield, CA, but commuted by car to L.A., where they attended classes at Los Angeles City College. The group -- Ruben Grundy, his brother Joe Grundy, Carl Morland, and Leroy Smith -- eventually caught the attention of music business veteran and impresario Samuel "Buck" Ram, who at the time was also managing the Platters and the Penguins. In August of 1955, the Colts were signed to Mambo Records in Los Angeles and shortly thereafter recorded "Adorable" and its flipside, "Lips Red As Wine." Just as the single (Mambo number 112) was about to hit retail outlets, however, Ram and the label's reps decided that the Mambo name might confuse some people and lead them to think that the label featured only Latino dance music, so the group was shifted over to the Vita label instead (Vita number 112). Meanwhile, in New York, Atlantic Records' Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler had heard the Colts' "Adorable" and felt the song should be covered by their Drifters. It proved to be the perfect tune for the group (their first without celebrated lead vocalist, Clyde McPhatter, who by this time had just left the group).

Aided by strong popularity on the West Coast, "Adorable" charted from late October into November before being overtaken in sales by the Drifters' version. In October 1955, the Colts made their very first performance at the 400 Club in San Diego, appeared on local TV shows, and closed out the year by appearing in a big R&B revue in Los Angeles, hosted by DJ Hunter Hancock. In early 1956, the Colts' next single -- "Sweet Sixteen" b/w "Honey Bun" (written for them by Curtis Williams of the Penguins, the writer of "Earth Angel") -- was released (Vita number 121) and after their next single ("Never No More" b/w "Hey You Shoo-Be-Doo-Be" (Vita number 130), manager Ram moved the Colts over to Dot Records. Mickey Lynn, the wife of Johnny Otis Band singer Mel Williams, joined the group as a vocalist, but this lineup failed to produce any releases for Dot. In the summer of 1957, they released "Sheik of Araby" b/w "Guiding Angel" on Buck Ram's Antler label, but by now, Ram was concentrating on the worldwide success of the Platters. The Colts disbanded shortly thereafter. By December of 1961, the song "Adorable" was still hot, when Little Caesar and the Romans recorded it for their only full-length LP, Those Oldies but Goodies (DFLP 1218) which features a fine version with vocals by Carl Barnett.
Bryan Thomas, All Music Guide

...

See comments

The Delights (1) aka The Delrays aka The Teen-Kings

Posted on April 28 2009 by dion1

The Delights (1) aka The Delrays aka The Teen-Kings

The Delights (1) (Reading, Pa)
aka The Delrays aka The Teen-Kings

Personnel :

Walter "Buster" Lockman (Lead)

James Keith (Tenor)

Norman Keith (Tenor)

Jimmy Tindall (Baritone)

Bernie Washington (Bass)

Discography :

The Teen-Kings
1958 - That's A Teenage Love / Tell Me I You Know (Bee 1115)

The Delrays
1958 - Our Love is True / One Kiss, A Smile And A Dream (Cord 1101)

The Delights (1)
1961 - My one Desire / Please Take My Love (Nite 201 / Nite 1034)

Biography :

James and Norman Keith were performers from their pre-school day when they would entertain they neighbors with their singing and Ukulele playing . By the time they were attending Fitzsimmons Junior High School, they had a quintet assembled consisting of LaVester Littles, Ron Brown, Walter "Buster" Lockman, and themselves. They were called the Victors, and played opening night at the Blue Horizon Club on North broad Street in 1956. For The next two years they played regularly at other clubs, benefits, and neighborhood gatherings, mostly in North Philly. In 1958, Bernie Washington took over the Bass singer, and Jimmy Tindall replaced Littles as Baritone. With "Buster" Lockman on Falsetto lead, they quickly learned that they could get their biggest crowd reaction bodying Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers covers.

The Delights (1) aka The Delrays aka The Teen-Kings

The Name change to Teen Kings, reflected their desire to develop their sound close to Lymon's group. Their shows also got the attention of Ben Johnson Jr (who had managed the Re-Vels since 1954), who signed them to a management contract, and a recording session at Virtue Studios, in the 1600 block of North Broad Street. They recorded four songs at Virtue, likely completed at a single session. In addition to "That a Teenage Love" and "Tell Me If You Know", Johnson released another single on his Cord label, credited to the Delrays. "Our Love Is True" (Wich is virtually the same melody as "That's A Teenage Love") and "One Kiss, A Smile And A Dream", both list Johnson as the writer.

The Delights (1) aka The Delrays aka The Teen-Kings
The Teen Kings, the Keith Brothers (Facing each other) and Buster Lockman (at the microphone)

All four sides suffered from a very muddily sound with the lead buried in a poorly placed sigle mike. Lockman was only 13 years old when he made this recordings. The same Lineup made one more records as the Delights ("My one Desire" / "Please Take My Love"), released in 1961. Around the same time, the group auditioned for Richard Barrett in New York but the deal did not materialize. Lockman continued his career as a solo artist through the sixties, releasing one record on the Wand Label in 1967 as Walter Wilson. Norman keith also continued in the music business as a side man, touring with Martha & The Vandellas.

Songs :

The DelRays

One Kiss, A Smile And A Dream Our Love is True

The Teen-Kings

That's A Teenage Love Tell Me If You Know

The Delights (1)

My One Desire Please Take My Love

...

See comments

Mickey & Sylvia

Posted on April 27 2009 by dion1

Mickey & Sylvia (Louisville, Kentucky / New York)
(By Hans-Joachim)

Members :

McHouston Baker aka Mickey Baker

Sylvia Vanderpool

Discography :

"Little" Sylvia Vanderpool & Mickey Baker And His Band
1954- Fine Love / Speedy Life (Cat 102)

Mickey & Sylvia

1955- I'm So Glad (Tra La-La-La-La-La) / See De Boom Run Dun (Rainbow 31)
1955 - Rise Sally Rise / Forever And A Day (Rainbow 318)
1955 - Where Is My Honey? / Seems Like Just Yesterday (Rainbow 330)
1956 - No Good Lover / Walkin' In The Rain (Groove 0164)
1956 - Love Is Strange / I'm Going Home (Groove 0175)
1957 - Love Is Strange / I'm Going Home / No Good Lover / Walkin' In The Rain (Groove EP EGA-18)
1957 - Love Is Strange / I'm Going Home (Vik 0252)
1957 - There Oughta Be A Law / Dearest (Vik 0267)
1957 - Love Will Make You Fail In School / Two Shadows On Your Window (Vik 0280)
1957 - There'll Be No Backing Out / Where Is My Honey (Vik 0297)
1958 - Bewildered / Rock And Stroll Room (Vik 0324)
1958 - It's You I Love / True True Love (Vik 0334)
1958 - To The Valley / Oh Yeah! Uh Huh (RCA Victor 47-7403)
1958 - There Oughta Be A Law / I'm So Glad / Dearest / Se De Boom Run Dun (Vik EP EXA-262)
1958 - Rock And Roll Room / Bewildered / There 'll Be No Backin' Out / Love Will Make You Fail In School (RCA Victor EP 75449) (France)

1958 - Love Will Make You Fail In School / Peace Of Mind / Rise Sally Rise / Who Knows Why / Say The Word / Too Much Weight / Where Is My Honey / Seems Just Like Yesterday / A New Idea On Love / Forever And A Day / I've Got A Feeling / Shake It Up (Vik LP LX-1102)

1960 - Sweeter As The Day Goes By / Mommy Out De Light (RCA Victor 47-7774) (Mono)
1960 - Sweeter As The Day Goes By / Mommy Out De Light (RCA Victor 61-7774) (Stereo)
1960 - What Would I Do / This Is My Story (RCA Victor 47-7811) (Mono)
1960 - What Would I Do / This Is My Story (RCA Victor 61-7811) (Stereo)
1960 - This Is My Story / Mommy Out Delight / What Would I Do / Sweeter As The Day Goes By (RCA Victor EP 75637) (France)
1961 - Love Lesson / Love Is The Only Thing (RCA Victor 37-7877) (Compact 33 RPM Single)
1961 - Love Lesson / Love Is The Only Thing (RCA Victor 47-7877)
1961 - Baby You're So Fine / Lovedrops (Willow 23000)
1961 - Darling (I Miss You So) / I'm Guilty (Willow 23002)
1962 - Since I Fell For You / He Gave Me Everything (Willow 23004)
1962 - Love Is Strange / Walking In The Rain (Willow 23006)
1963 - Baby Let's Dance / Oh Yea, Ah Ah (King 5737)
1965 - Let's Shake Some More / Gypsy (RCA Victor 47-8517)
1965 - From The Beginning Of Time / Fallin' In Love (RCA Victor 47-8582)
1965 - Love Is Strange / Darling (I Miss You So) (King 6006)

1965 - Love Is Strange / Walkin' In The Rain / Dearest / In My Heart / Mommy Out De Light / Love Is Treasure / Two Shadows On Your Window / Love Will Make You Fail In School / No Good Lover / I'm Going Home (RCA Camden LP 863)

1968 - Lovedrops / Because You Do It To Me (All Platinum 2307)
1969 - Any Time / Soulin' With Mickey & Sylvia (All Platinum 2310)
1969 - Rocky Racoon / Souling With Mickey And Sylvia (Stang 5004)

1973 - Love Is Strange / What Will I Do / A New Idea On Love / Love Will Make You Fail In School / There'll Be No Backing Out / Bewildered / No Good Love / Dearest / Say The Word / Love Is The Only Thing / There Oughta Be A Law / This Is My Story (RCA LP APM-1-0327)

1973 - Baby You're So Fine / Anytime You Want To (Stang 5047)
1973 - Love Is Strange / Dearest (RCA Victor Apao-0080)
N/A - Love Is Strange / Ooh Wee Baby (Goldies 45 2672)
N/A - Loving You Darling (Willow unreleased)
N/A - Mickey’s Blues (Willow unreleased)
N/A - Sylvia’s Blues (Willow unreleased)
N/A - The Hucklebuck (Willow unreleased)
N/A - Can’t Get You On The Phone (unreleased)
N/A - I Gotta Be Home By Ten (unreleased)
N/A - I Hear You Knockin’ (unreleased)
N/A - I'm Glad For Your Sake (unreleased)
N/A - I'm Working At The Five And Dime (You're At The A And P) (unreleased)
N/A - Let’s Have A Picnic (unreleased)
N/A - Summertime (unreleased)
N/A - Yours (unreleased)

Biography :

“Although this duo is primarily remembered as a one-hit act — for "Love Is Strange," which reached number 11 in 1957 — they actually recorded quite a few exciting hybrids of R&B and rock & roll in the mid- and late '50s. Playing on countless '50s sessions for various labels (especially Atlantic and OKeh), Mickey Baker was one of the greatest guitar players of early rock & roll.

With his partner (and former guitar student) Sylvia Robinson, he got to stretch out a bit from his usual role, with some trailblazing, piercing, lean, and bluesy leads. Vocally, Mickey & Sylvia had an engagingly playful, occasionally sly and sassy repartee that makes up in charm what it might lack in smoke and firepower. Their recordings were inconsistent, but at their best they offered a fetching blend of blues, Bo Diddley, calypso, and doo wop.

After "Love Is Strange," whose devastating licks inspired countless guitarists, the duo notched a couple more substantial R&B hits. But although they recorded as late as 1965, they never approached the Top 20 again. Mickey Baker recorded as a solo artist and enjoyed a fairly successful career as an expatriate sessionman in France. Sylvia Robinson unexpectedly re-emerged with the number three pre-disco hit "Pillow Talk" in 1973, and co-founded the pioneering rap label Sugar Hill in the late '70s.”

Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

http://color-radio.com/mickey_sylvia.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~jaymar41/Great_Duos.html
http://koti.mbnet.fi/wdd/mickeybaker.htm
http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/sylviav.htm
http://www.rocky-52.net/chanteursm/mickey&s.htm

CD :

See comments

The Four Mints aka The Mints

Posted on April 27 2009 by dion1

The Four Mints (Center, Texas)
aka The Mints

Personnel :

James Wilson (Lead)

Gene Warr (First Tenor)

Aubie McSwain (Second Tenor)

Al Warr (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :

The Mints
1956 - Busy Body Rock / "(Don't Leave Me) Alone (Lin 5001)
1956 - Night Air / Pledge Of Love (Ken Copeland) (Lin 5007 / Imperial 5432)

The Four Mints
1956 - What'Cha Gonna Do / Night Air (Choctaw 8002/Imperial 5432)
1957 - Gold / Ruby Baby (Decca 30465) 
1958 - Hey Little Neil / Teenage Wonderland (NRC 003) 
1958 - You Belong To My Heart / Wolf (NRC 011)
1959 - Tomorrow Night / Pina Colada (NRC 037)

Lps :

1959 - The Fabulous Four Mints (AZTEC ALP 1002)
Journey's End / Love Is The Reason / You'll Never Walk Alone / Lonesome Road / Roll 'Em Pete / Born To Swing / Only You / Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall / Falling In Love / Scarlet Ribbons / Ruby Baby

Biography :

The Four Mints (also known simply as the Mints) were a true oddity, a respected white vocal group in the midst of the early rock & roll era, capable of doing convincing R&B. James Wilson (lead), Gene Warr (first tenor), Aubie McSwain (second tenor), and Al Warr (bass) had known each other since childhood and sung together for years, throughout the '40s. Their main influence was gospel music, and they'd sung in churches for most of their lives.

The quartet had sung locally around Center, TX, mostly at local events and church functions. They took on the name the Four Mints and crossed over into popular music and R&B in 1954-1955. They'd always listened to the black R&B vocal groups of the period and proved good -- even inspired -- students: unlike, say, the Crew Cuts, the Four Mints didn't "bleach" out the sounds that they learned to create, but kept them intact even as they made them their own.

They were, in many respects, the group equivalent of the phenomenon that Sam Phillips claims to have been searching for, a white man who could sing black music.What's more, they were good enough to get bookings far outside of Center, even managing to cross paths with Elvis Presley in the process and even getting his future drummer, D.J. Fontana, on the skins for some of their gigs in Louisiana.

They cut a handful of songs for Lin Records in Gainesville, TX, including "Night Air" and "Little Mama Tree Top" (the latter unissued for 40 years). Although sometimes identified, for convenience's sake, as a doo wop group, the Mints were more animated than most of the acts to which the name is usually applied -- their models were groups like the Treniers, most of all, more so than the balladeer-type outfits usually called doo wop groups.

The Four Mints left Lin after just a few months for the much larger Decca label in 1956. They failed to generate any hits, but Decca's promotional efforts on their behalf and the resulting exposure gave them the intro the needed to break out of the south and become a national act.

They followed their idols, the Treniers, into the same Las Vegas clubs and remained popular for years. McSwain left the quartet in 1960. He was replaced, and the group lasted for another two years, breaking up in 1962.
Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Mints

Magic Of Love Night Air Busy Body Rock

(Don't Leave Me) Alone

The Four Mints


Ruby Baby     You Belong To My Heart / Wolf   What'Cha Gonna Do / Night Air

Gold                      Hey Little Nell              Teenage Wonderland

Tomorrow Night / Pina Colada

...

See comments