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

The Calvanes aka The Dundees aka The Wonders (1) aka The Nuggets (2)

Posted on April 26 2009 by dion1

The Calvanes (Los Angeles)
aka The Dundees aka The Wonders (1) aka The Nuggets (2)

Personnel :

Herman Pruitt（Lead）

Lorenzo Robert Adams（Tenor）

Joe Hampton（Tenor）

Stewart Crunk（Baritone）

Jack Harris（Bass）

Discography :

Carlyle Dundee & The Dundees
1954 - Never / Evil One (Space 201)

The Wonders
1954 - Bop Bop Baby / Little Girl (Space 202)

The Calvanes
Singles :
1955 - Don't Take Your Love From Me / Crazy Over You (Dootone 371)
1956 - One More Kiss / Florabelle (Dootone 380)
1958 - Dreamworld / 5, 7 Or 9 (Deck 579)
1958 - My Love Song / Horror Pictures (Deck 580)
Unreleased :
N/A - Fleeoowee (Dootone) (Unreleased)
N/A - Baby Come On Home (Dootone)
N/A - You're Only Young Once (Deck)
N/A - Lavender (Deck)
Eps:
1955 - Voices for Lovers (Dootone EP 205)
Don't Take Your Love / Crazy Over You / They Call Me Fool / One More Kiss

The Nuggets (2)
Singles :
1961 - Angel On The Dance Floor / Before We Say Goodnight (RCA 7930)
1962 - Just A Friend / Cap Snapper (RCA 8031)
Unreleased :
1961 - One Magic Night (RCA)
1961 - Your Special One (RCA)
1961 - Roly Poly (RCA)

Biography :

While they only recorded a handful of singles, The Calvanes are part of doo wop history. Carlyle Dundee, Bobby Adams, Sterling Meade, Stewart Crunk, and Jack Harris formed at Manual Arts High School in South Central Los Angeles.

The naturally pop-sounding quintet recorded on Space Records as Carlyle Dundee & the Dundees in 1954. After it failed, Dundee left, and the remaining four recorded another record for Space as the Wonders. Like the first, it did little and they disbanded.

Dootsie Williams

In 1955, Crunk and Adams still had the music bug and regrouped with Jack Harris, Joe Hampton, and Herman Pruitt. Crunk picked the name Calvanes . In 1956 they signed with Dootsie Williams' Dootone Records, in South Central, Los Angeles.

Adams, Crunk, Harris, Pruitt, Hampton

The Calvanes recorded seven songs for Dootone, but only two singles were released: "Don't Take Your Love/Crazy Over You," and "Florabelle/One Kiss". "Don't Take Your Love (From Me)" while only a local/regional hit, was The Calvanes most popular recording, Pruitt sang lead on both sides, and the guys appeared on Hunter Hancock's Rhythm & Bluesville show. The second Dootone release, "Florabelle," bombed.

Regrouping as a quartet in 1958, The Calvanes recorded two singles for Hite Morgan's Deck Records. Pruitt sang lead on "Dream World," and "My Love Song," Fred Willis led "Horror Pictures," and Willis and Crunk co-led "5, 7, or 9." "Dream World" was a beautiful song and garnered some airplay, but that hit record still eluded them.

In between the Dootone and the Deck stints, Herman Pruitt joined the Youngsters along with Donald Miller, Charles Everidge, James Warren, Homer Green, and Harold Murray to record two singles for Empire Records in 1956/1957. In 1959, Bobby Adams joined with Rodney Gooden, Val Poliuto, and two others to form the Hitmakers.

Pruitt later reunited with Bobby Adams, Freddie Willis, and newcomer Sidney Dunbar to formed the Nuggets, who recorded two RCA singles in 1961/1962. Same results, however, no chart busters. Fed up, the guys quit and took regular jobs. They never made much money in music, and had only a few tours (Johnny Otis Show), and television appearances to relish.

The Calvanes regrouped in 1990 and have performed in many oldies/doo wop shows in Southern California. They're considered the most polished doo wop group in Southern California.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Calvanes/calvanes.html
http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/calvanes.htm
http://www.destinationdoowop.com/calvanes.htm
http://www.electricearl.com/dws/calvanes.html

Songs :

They Call Me Fool                  Dreamworld            Don't Take Your Love From Me


My Love Song                        Fleeoowee                     One More Kiss


Crazy Over You                      Florabelle                       Baby Come On Home

Horror Pictures

CDs :

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The Shades (2)

Posted on April 25 2009 by dion1

The Shades (2) (Everett, WA)

Personnel :

Larry Nelson

“Big” Chuck Markulis

Josiah “Joe Hill” Ferrell

Thurston James “T.J.” Reuben

Loreen “Lori” Methven

Discography :

1959 - Dear Lori / One Touch of heaven (Aladdin 3453 / Imperial 5358)

Biography :

It was in January 1958 that two Everett Junior College students , Larry Nelson and “Big” Chuck Markulis wrote a delightfully wimpy teen ballad, “One Touch of Heaven,” that they figured was a natural hit. That same month the two budding music moguls recruited a few more college guys (Josiah “Joe Hill” Ferrell, Thurston James “T.J.” Reube and briefly, Ozzie “Ozz” Moore), and an Everett High School girl , Loreen “Lori” Methven. Somehow the Shades came to the attention of a Seattle label, Celestial Records, and on February 28, 1958 they (sans Moore) signed a personal management and recording contract. Celestial was based out of recording engineer Chet Noland’s Dimensional Sound studios (2128 3rd Avenue) and “One Touch of Heaven” was soon recorded with Rollie’s Trio.

Chuck Markulis & Larry Nelson

Something about that session was deemed unsatisfactory however and on May 21, the tune was cut at Dimensional again, this time with the backing of a veteran Seattle jazz band, the Floyd Standifer Trio. Meanwhile “Dear Lori” and “One Touch of Heaven” were both recorded (on November 27) with the Floyd Standifer Trio at Northwest Recorders (622 Union Street) with Kearney Barton engineering this time. Then on December 11, “Dear Lori” was cut again at Northwest Recorders -- this time with the El-Trey Trio backing them.
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8568

Songs :

Dear Lori One Touch Of Heaven

..

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The Aladdins (1)

Posted on April 24 2009 by dion1

The Aladdins (1) (San Diego, California)

Personnel :

Edward Williams (Lead)

Ted Harper (Second Tenor)

Alfred Harper (Baritone)

Gaylord Green (Bass)

Discography :

Single :
1955 - Remember / Cry Cry Baby (Aladdin 3275)
1955 - I Had A Dream Last Night / Get Off My Feet (Aladdin 3298)
1955 - All Of My Life / So Long, Farewell, Bye Bye (Aladdin 3314)
1955 - Help Me / Lord Show Me (Aladdin 3358)

Unreleased :
1955 - Eternally (Aladdin)
1955 - Remember (first version) (Aladdin)

Biography :

Edward Williams (lead), Ted Harper (2nd tenor), Alfred Harper (baritone) and Gaylord Green (bass) grew up in the same street in San Diego, California. The group toured as the Capris with Johnny Otis for a Year in 1953. Otis had discovered the group at a local show in San Diego and then introduced them to Eddie Mesner of Aladdin Records, who thought highly of the group, signed them, and changed their name to the Aladdins, after his label. The Aladdins cut four records for the Aladdin label, the first one was "Cry, Cry Baby".

None of these discs ever lived up to the expectations that the label management had for them. In 1955, Al Harper and Eddie Williams joined the Colts and Ted Harper joined the Penguins and later the Coasters, staying with the group for ten years. When the Aladdins disbanded, their manager, Buck Ram, built a new group around Williams - the Fortunes, on Antler.

http://doowopy.de/
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Aladdins/aladdins.html

Songs :


Remember                            Eternally


So Long Farewell Bye-Bye       I Had A Dream Last Nite


Cry Cry Baby                          All Of My Life

...

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The Del Vetts aka The Delvets

Posted on April 22 2009 by dion1

The Del Vetts aka The Delvets

The Del Vetts (Yonkers, NY)
aka The Delvets

Personnel :

Jessie (Lead)

Florence Holland

Jackie Scott

Jeanie Johnson

Discography :

The Del Vetts
1961 - I Want A Boy For Christmas / Repeat After Me (End 1106)

The Delvets
1962 - Will You Love Me In Heaven / Repeat After Me (End 1107)

Biography :

The Del Vetts or Delvets won at the Apollo talent show in 1961 and had two singles for George Goldner's End Records. There is another group, a Garage band, with the same name that recorded in the Mid 1960s. Our group's first release was under the name The Del Vetts "I Want A Boy For Christmas" b/w "Repeat After Me" (End 1106, December 1961). In February 1962 they had "Will You Love Me In Heaven" backed with "Repeat After Me" (End 1107). The Del-Vetts were a quartet of Black Girls from Yonkers, NY.....With Jessie on lead and Florence Holland, Jackie Scott, Jeanie Johnson on background harmonies. In 1999, the fantastic doo wop "I Want A Boy For Christmas" has been featured in the Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut soundtrack .

Songs :

I Want A Boy For Christmas Repeat After Me

Will You Love Me In Heaven

...

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O

Posted on April 21 2009 by dion1

O

*OCTAVES (1)
*OCTAVES (2)
*OFF-KEYS
*O'JAYS
OLYMPICS
*OPALS (1)
*OPALS (4)
*ORBITS (1)
*ORCHIDS (5)
*ORIGINAL CASUALS
*ORLANDOS
ORLONS
*OVATIONS (1)
*OVATIONS (3)
*OVERTONES (1) (PENNY & THE)
*OXFORDS (DARREL & THE)

...

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The Cashmeres (1) aka The Marktones aka The Kashmirs

Posted on April 21 2009 by dion1

The Cashmeres (1) (Northwest Atlanta, Georgia)
aka The Marktones aka The Kashmir
(By Hans-Joachim)

Personnel :

Dodd Hicks (Lead Tenor)

Henry Boyd (Tenor)

Ralph Riley (Baritone)

Romeo Shuler (Bass)

Discography :

The Cashmeres (1)
Single:
1954 - My Sentimental Heart / Yes, Yes, Yes (Mercury 70501)
1955 - Don't Let It Happen Again / Boom Mag-Azeno Vip Vay (Mercury 70617)
1955 - There's A Rumor / Second Hand Heart (Mercury 70679)
1956 - Little Dream Girl / Do I Upset You (Herald 474)
Unreleased :
1954 - By And By (Mercury)
1954 - Don't Mistreat Me (Mercury)
1956 - Separate The Good From The Bad (Herald)
1956 - Please Don't Tell 'Em (Herald)

The Marktones
1957 - Hold Me Close / Talk It Over (Ember 1022)
1957 - Yes Siree / Hey Girlee (Ember 1030)

The Kashmirs
1958 - Heaven Only Knows /Tippi-Tippi-Wang-Wang (Wonder 104)

Biography :

"Atlanta R&B outfit the Cashmeres formed in 1949 -- according to Marv Goldberg's profile in the September 2004 issue of Blues & Rhythm, lead Dodd Hicks, tenor William Butts, baritone Ralph Riley, and bass Bobby Arnold founded the group to participate in a talent show at their high school, McNeal Turner. After winning top honors in the contest, the Cashmeres decided to continue their collaboration, making a handful of appearances at Atlanta teen clubs clad in the cashmere sweaters that were their trademark. As their live schedule expanded, however, the parents of Butts and Arnold balked, and they were forced to resign. Tenor Henry Boyd and bass Romeo Shuler, Jr. were quickly recruited to pick up the slack, and with the aid of manager Mark Allan, a radio personality with Atlanta station WAOK, the reconstituted Cashmeres cut a demo session for Mercury Records -- the label extended a contract offer, and in October 1954 the group traveled to New York City to record its debut single, "My Sentimental Heart."

Although the single earned significant airplay in Atlanta, it failed to catch on nationally, and in April 1955 Mercury issued the follow-up, "Don't Let It Happen Again" -- when it too earned little notice at radio or retail, Mercury released one more Cashmeres single, "There's a Rumor," before terminating the group's contract. A frustrated Hicks enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at year's end, and the remaining trio added lead Grover Mitchell, signing to the Herald label to release "Little Dream Girl" in mid-1956. The single quickly disappeared, and the group dissolved soon after. In the summer of 1957, Herald's Ember subsidiary issued "Hold It Close," credited to the heretofore unknown Marktones -- in truth, the song was an unreleased leftover from the Cashmeres' "Little Dream Girl" session of a year earlier. Six months later, Hicks returned from military service and with Henry Boyd formed a new Cashmeres lineup with tenor Langston George and Edward Patten, both on hiatus from their duties as Gladys Knight's Pips -- when Knight's "Whistle My Love" became a hit in early 1958, George and Patten quickly ankled the Cashmeres to reunite with the singer, forcing Hicks and Boyd to convince Ralph Riley to come out of retirement. He eventually assented, but Romeo Shuler wanted no part of the revived Cashmeres -- neighborhood friend Norman Lumpkin finally agreed to handle bass duties, and in the summer of 1958 the new lineup cut "Heaven Only Knows" for the NRC Records imprint. Credited to the Kashmirs, the single fell on deaf ears and after one last gasp, the 1959 ACA release "Stairsteps to Heaven," the group split once and for all. Hicks later resurfaced as a solo act, adopting the alias Dobie Hicks for his lone Vee-Jay effort, 1961's "Where Is She" -- he continued touring the Atlanta club circuit until finally retiring in the late '80s."

Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
https://www.uncamarvy.com/Cashmeres/cashmeres.html

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The Candles (2) aka The Blenders (5)

Posted on April 21 2009 by dion1

The Blenders (5) (Chicago)
aka The Candles (2)

Personnel :

Gail Mapp (Lead)

Harold Jones

Albert Hunter

Goldie Coates

Delores Johnson

Discography :

The Blenders (5)
1962 - Everybody's Got A Right / What have you got (Cortland 103)
1963 - Daughter / Everybody's Got A Right (Witch 114) 
1963 - Boys think (Every girl's the same) / Squat And Squim (Witch 117)
1963 - One time / One time (Witch 122)
1966 - Love Is A Good Thing Going / Your Love Has Got Me Down (Mar-V-Lous 6010)

Baby Jane & The Blenders (5)
1963 - You Trimmed My Christmas Tree (Witch 112)

Goldie Coates & The Blenders (5)
1962 - Love Is A Treasure / Fisherman (Cortland 102)

The Candles (2)
1964 - Junior / Down Of My Knees (Starr brothers) (Nike 1016)

Biography :

Harold Jones and Albert Hunter had been members of an ad hoc group, the Maples on blue Lake. Harold Jones had also been with the Five Chances and Albert Hunter with the Clouds (1). They made the national charts, the pop charts no less, scoring with "Daughter".

A song penned by jones and led by Coates, which had the flavor of both soul and Doo wop. It lasted eight weeks on Billboard's pop chart in the summer of 1963, peaking at position sixty-one. Curiously, the record did not make the R&B charts. The Song also took the group to the Apollo Theatre. The group also recorded as the candles on the Nike Label.

Songs :

The Blenders (5)

Everybody's Got A Right              Daughter                         Boys think

Baby Jane & The Blenders (5)

You Trimmed My Christmas Tree

Goldie Coates & The Blenders (5)


Fisherman                          Love Is A Treasure

......

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The Chaperones (1)

Posted on April 21 2009 by dion1

The Chaperones (1) (Long Island, New York)

Personnel :

Tony Amato (Lead)

Roy Marchesano (Tenor)

Tommy Ronca (Second Tenor)

Nick Salvato (Baritone)

Dave Kelly (Bass)

Discography :

The Chaperones (1)
1960 - Cruise To The Moon / Dance With Me (Josie 880)
1962 - Shining Star / My Shadow And Me (Josie 885)
1963 - Man From The Moon / Blueberry Sweet (Josie 891)

Lou Jordan & The Chaperones (1)
1962 - Paradise For Two / Close Your Eyes (Josie 888)

Lee Adrian (bb the Chaperones)
1960 - Barbara, Let's Go Steady / I'm So Lonely (Richcraft 5006)

Biography :

The Chaperones are one of the first street corner harmony Doo wop groups formed in Farmingdale, Long Island, New York in the late 1950s. The original members of the group were Tony Amato , Roy Marchesano , Tommy Ronca , Nick Salvato and Dave Kelly (bass). Initially known as the Sharptones and the Fairlanes, until the Josie record label named the group "The Chaperones" for its relevance to the dances and proms of the day. The Chaperones were signed by Josie Records a spin off label or Jubilee Records in 1959 after Nick Salvato played the group's first demo for his C.W. Post College classmate Steve Blaine, son of Josie head Jerry Blaine.

The groups initial Josie recording, "Cruise to the Moon", was produced by Steve Blaine and Mickey Eichner. By the time "Cruise to the Moon" was released in 1960, Rich Messina had replaced Dave Kelly as bass. In the meantime, The Chaperones backed up Lee Adrian on "Barbara, Let's Go Steady" and "So Lonely" (Richcraft Records). After the success of "Cruise to the Moon", the group performed regularly in the New York area at supermarket openings and theme parks. They appeared at Murray the K's shows at Frontierland in Patchogue and Freedomland in the Bronx, at Bruce Morrow shows co-billing The Earls and The Five Discs, and at Palisades Park with The Five Satins.

Richard Messina, Tommy Ronca, Tony Amato, Roy Marchesano and Nick Salvato

The Chaperones' 1961 follow-up record "Shining Star" was an attempt to play on the success of "Little Star" by The Elegants and "Hushabye" by The Mystics. They backed Lou Jordan on "Paradise for Two" and "Close Your Eyes" in 1961 on Josie. They then released their last record on Josie: a remake of the Chandeliers' "Blueberry Sweet" backed with "Man From the Moon".
http://thechaperones.net

Songs :

The Chaperones (1)


Cruise To The Moon                   Dance With Me                 Shining Star


My Shadow And Me                Man From The Moon                Blueberry Sweet

Lou Jordan & The Chaperones (1)


Paradise For Two                               Close Your Eyes

Adrian Lee (bb the Chaperones)

Barbara , Let’s Go Steady I'm So Lonely

...

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Bob & Jerry aka Ezra & The Ivies (2) aka The Kittens (1) aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

Posted on April 20 2009 by dion1

Bob Feldman, Barry Mann & Jerry Goldstein

Bob & Jerry & Their Friends (Brooklyn, New York)
aka Ezra & The Ivies (2)
aka The Kittens (1)
aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

Personnel :

Jerry Goldstein

Bob Feldman

Discography :

Ezra & The Ivies (2)
1959 - Comick Book Crazy / Rockin Shoes (Baca Laca Ling Dong) (UA 165)

The Kittens (1)
1959 - A Letter To Donna / It's All Over Now (Unart 2010)

Bobbi & The Beaus (2)
1959 - Melvin / Losing Game (Unart 2009)

Bob & Jerry
1961 - Dreamy Eyes / We're The Guys (Who Drive Your Baby Wild) (Bob & Jerry & Their Friends) (Columbia 42162)
1962 - Chubby Isn't Chubby Anymore / Nursery Rhyme Folk (Musicor 1018)

Biography :

Born in Brooklyn in 1940, Feldman grew up in an orthodox Jewish home and originally studied to be a cantor. The Feldmans lived across the street from Neil Diamond’s folks, just around the corner from the Sedakas, whose son, Neil, was a promising classical pianist, and a couple of blocks away from members of the Tokens, all Lincoln High School graduates and friends. By the mid-50s, doo wop was all the rage and Feldman soon fell in with various groups practising harmonies on the Brooklyn backstreets. He teamed up with his neighbourhood buddy, Jerry Goldstein, and wrote some songs that brought the pair to the attention of Jack Lewis, an A&R man at United Artists Records. Lewis allowed the enthusiastic 18 year-old to sit in on sessions at weekends and mentored him on various aspects of the music business.

Bob & Jerry aka Ezra & The Ivies (2) aka The Kittens (1) aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

Back then, the quickest route to a potential hit was a novelty recording and Feldman and Goldstein chose this path as the most likely way of securing airplay in a crowded market. Thus "Comic Book Crazy" by Ezra & the Ivies, "Melvin" by Bobbi & The Beaus with singer Barbara Robert and "‘A Tribute To Donna" by the Kittens - both probably recorded at the same session under Lewis’ supervision, appeared in March 1959, the latter being a tribute to Ritchie Valens, issued within weeks of his death in the plane accident that also claimed Buddy Holly’s life. None of these early efforts were particularly distinguished or hitworthy, but they enabled Feldman and Goldstein to establish a toehold in the business as part-timers.

Bob & Jerry aka Ezra & The Ivies (2) aka The Kittens (1) aka Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

The two pals would grab a sandwich andhustle music publishers in their lunch breaks. Young, enthusiastic and markedly persuasive, they began to get some bites, mainly as a novelty turn, twice riding on the coat-tails of existing hits with ‘We’re The Guys’ (an answer record to Barry Mann’s ‘Who Put The Bomp’) as Bob & Jerry on Columbia Records and ‘Chubby Isn’t Chubby Anymore’ (a daft nod to the King of The Twist) on the Musicor label. Another of their songs, ‘Charm Bracelet’, was recorded by teenage pop vocalist Bernadette Peters. Though they were making inroads, it wasn’t until Feldman and Goldstein met Richard Gottehrer in a music publisher’s waiting room in the spring of 1962, that they tasted their first chart success.They formed the Strangeloves consisted of Bob, Jerry and Richard Gottehrer. Although they left their mark under the name Strangeloves with only four singles and one album, their fascinating story extends both before and beyond the group’s brief tenure.

Songs:

Ezra & The Ivies (2)

Rockin Shoes (Baca Laca Ling Dong) Comick Book Crazy

The Kittens (1)

A Letter To Donna It's All Over Now

Bobbi & The Beaus (2)

Losing Game Melvin

Bob & Jerry & Their Friends

We're The Guys (Who Drive Your Baby Wild)

Bob & Jerry

Dreamy Eyes Nursery Rhyme Folk

...

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Nino & The Ebb Tides (1) aka The Ebbtides (3)

Posted on April 19 2009 by dion1

Nino & The Ebb Tides (1) aka The Ebbtides (3)

Nino & The Ebb Tides (1) (Bronx, New York)
aka The Ebbtides (3)

Personnel :

Antonio "Nino Aiello (Lead)

Vinnie Drago (Baritone)

Ralph Bracco (Tenor)

Tony Imbimbo (Bass)

Discography :

The Ebb-Tides (1)
1958 - Franny Franny / Darling I Love Only You (Acme 720)

Nino & The Ebb-Tides (1)
1958 - Puppy Love / You Make Me Wanna Rock And Roll (Recorte 405)
1958 - Purple Shadows / The Real Meaning Of Christmas (Recorte 408)
1959 - I'm Confessin' / Tell The World I Do (Recorte 409)
1961 - Those Oldies But Goodies / Don't Run Away (Madison 162)
1961 - Someday I'll Fall In Love / Juke Box Saturday Night (Madison 166)
1961 - Happy Guy / Wished I Was Home (Mr. Peacock 102)
1962 - Stamps Baby Stamps / Lovin' Time (Mr. Peacock 117)
1963 - Nursery Rhymes / Tonight (I'll BeLonely) (Mr. Peeke 123)
1964 - Automatic Reaction / Linda Lou Garret (Likes 24 Karat) (Mala 480)

Nino & The Ebbtides (3)
1959 - I Love Girl / Don't Look Around (Recorte 413)
1961 - Someday I'll Fall In Love / Little Miss Blue (Marco 105)

_______________________

Lenny Dean & The Rockin' Chairs bb Nino The Ebb Tides (1)
1959 - Memories of Love / Girl of Mine (Recorte 412)

Danny Winchell bb Nino & The Ebb Tides (1)
1959 – Beware, You’re Falling In Love / Jeannie (Recorte 406)
1959 – We’re Gonna Have A Rockin’ Party / Don’t Say You’re Sorry (Recorte 410)
1959 – Come Back My Baby / I’ve Choosen You (Recorte 415)

Miss Frankie Nolan bb Nino The Ebb Tides (1)
1961– A Week From Sunday / Say No More(Madison 151)

Hiawatha Brown bb Nino The Ebb Tides (1)
1962 – My Imagination / Hiawatha Doo Ya (Mr. Peacock 105)

Lenny Coleman bb Nino The Ebb Tides (1)
1965 - Four Seasons / Shake It Easy (Laurie 3290)

The Co-Eds & bb Nino The Ebb Tides (1)
Unreleased :
196? - Stardom
196? - Jive Time Boys

Biography :

One of the first purveyors of rock nostalgia, Nino and the Ebb Tides started as the Ebbtides from the Bronx, New York, in 1956. Schoolmates Antonio "Nino Aiello (lead) and Vinnie Drago (baritone) drafted Tony D'Alessio (2nd tenor) and a guy remembered only as Rudy (bass). They met talent scout Murray Jacobs, who cut two sides with them in 1957: "Franny Franny" b/w "Darling I Love Only You," "Darling…" written by Nino and Vinnie, and "Franny, Franny" written by Nino, Vinnie and Tony D. By the fall of 1957 the quartet (now Nino and the Ebb Tides) found themselves on Bill Miller's West 44th Street Acme label, and "Franny Franny' was getting some solid rotation from New York jocks like Alan Fredericks and Alan Freed and the group was performing at Sock hops along with other NY groups. Tony D was pushing the group to higher ground, advocating a migration into jazz harmonies and pop tunes ala "The Four Freshmen" and "The Hi-Los" and getting into the club scene, but this was not to happen.

Nino & The Ebb Tides (1) aka The Ebbtides (3)

Their next single, "Puppy Love," saw a 50 percent change in the group as Tony D. joined the Army to fullfil his draft obligation and was replaced by Ralph Bracco (tenor), and Rudy was replaced by Tony Imbimbo (Bass), formerly of Tony and the Imperials (not Little Anthony's group). That wasn't the only change, as Murray Jacobs decided to set up his own Recorte record label in March 1958. Nino got a chance to sample the new Recorte setup as he sang backup vocals for the Rockin Chairs' spring 1958 regional classic, "A Kiss Is a Kiss." "Puppy Love," unlike frantic "Franny," was a nice ballad on Recorte that surfaced in October 1958 and saw a lot of local activity, but nothing more (though you could certainly sell a lot of records in the New York area of the late '50s with its population of over five million). The Tides' next single became their rarest ("The Meaning of Christmas"), quickly passing into history. The group was still rough-edged and learning its craft when they did two more singles for Recorte ("I'm Confessin"' and "Don't Look Around") as well as a backup job on the Rockin' Chairs' third release, "Memories of Love" b/w "Girl of Mine."By 1960 Tony DiBari was at tenor for Ralph Bracco, and the group moved to the Marco label for one ill-fated (but better sounding) ballad called "Someday."

Nino & The Ebb Tides (1) aka The Ebbtides (3)
Nino & The Ebb Tides (1) Danny Winchell

Their next stop was Larry Uttal's Madison label, whose claim to fame was the Tassels' charter "To a Soldier Boy" (#55, 1959) and the Al Browne and the Tunetoppers hit "The Madison7 (#23, 1960). The Ebb Tides first Madison single was a song called "Those Oldies But Goodies Remind Me of You" that was starting to get action on the West Coast. The Ebb Tides revised it slightly by adding quick harmony references to such past hits as "Deserie" (The Charts) and "That's My Desire" (The Channels) and singing the title lines of oldies like "Glory of Love" (The Five Keyes), "Silhouettes" (The Rays), and "Over the Mountain" (Johnnie and Joe) behind Nino's talking bridge. They recorded on a Friday and the record was out that Monday (today it takes that long for some musicians to program their drum machines!). "Those Oldies" was reviewed by Cashbox on May 13, 1961, 12 days after the Little Caesar And The Romans version hit the Billboard charts.Nino's group outdistanced Caesar's in Cashbox's Top 100 but Billboard gave a slice of pie to Caesar at number nine (#28 R&B) with Nino and company nowhere to be found. New York was evenly split, giving both versions heavy airplay.

Nino & The Ebb Tides (1) aka The Ebbtides (3)

The battle for nostalgia bragging rights continued through both groups' next releases. The Romans tried for another brass ring with "Memories of Those Oldies But Goodies," which never got off the ground. The Ebb Tides' summer release was a revision of the Tex Beneke, Marion Hutton, and MODERNAIRES (with Glenn Miller) masterpiece of merriment, "Juke Box Saturday Night" (#7, 1942). It did get off the ground, complete with imitations of THE MONOTONES' "Book of Love" and THE SILHOUETTES' "Get a Job" replacing the '40s versions of classics by THE INK SPOTS and Harry James. On September 4. 1961, "Juke Box" charted on Billboard's Top 100, reaching number 57 and becoming another East Coast hit.It's likely that the references to earlier songs in these recordings helped to fuel the first wave of rock nostalgia that soon cropped up on Top 40 radio and on oldies compilations by Original Sound, Roulette, and many other labels in the early '60s.

Nino & The Ebb Tides (1) aka The Ebbtides (3)
The Rockin-Chairs Nino & The Ebb Tides (1)

It's unusual for a group to leave a label after their biggest success, but Nino and the boys had no choice since Madison was going out of business. Toward the end of 1961 they fell in with Mr. Peacock Records, cutting one of their best singles, "Happy Guy." By this time their sound was polished, and the BELMONTS/DEL-SATINS-styled rocker seemed like a winner until Mr. Peacock laid an egg in support of its single. At around this time, Bronx songwriter Ernie Maresca wrote a rocker that the guys heard and passed on. Ernie took it next to Dion, who recorded it with the Del-Satins and made it a number two record in the nation. The Ebb Tides must still be smarting over the loss of "The Wanderer." A few more singles on various labels and the group members were back to their separate lifestyles by 1965. Unlike many groups, even when they were on the charts the Ebb Tides kept working at their regular jobs and never became full-time performers. They regrouped in 1971 for the start of that decade's rock revival and disbanded soon after, returning to their professions: Vinnie at a TV and radio sales company, Tony Imbimbo as a New York City policeman, Tony D. for American Express, and Nino as a record distributor. In the '80s the group would occasionally get together to give fans of the '50s and '60s a taste of those oldies but goodies.
American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today

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