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

The Empires (1) aka The Prestos aka The Whirlers

Posted on July 22 2008 by dion1

The Whirlers aka The Empires (1) aka The Prestos
Johnny Barnes, Bobby Dunn, William Goodman & Les Cooper

The Empires (1) (Harlem, New-York)
aka The Prestos aka The Whirlers

Personnel :

Johnny "Buddy" Barnes (Lead)

Les Cooper (Tenor)

William Goodman (Bass)

Bobby Dunn (Baritone)

Discography :

 The Empires (1)

Singles :
1954 - My Baby, My Baby / Corn Whiskey (Harlem 2325)
1955 - Magic Mirror / Make Me Or Break Me (Harlem 2333)
1955 - I Want To Know / Shirley (Wing 90023)
1955 - Tell Me Pretty Baby / By The Riverside (Wing 90050)
1956 - My First Discovery / Don't Touch My Gal (Wing 90080)
1956 - Whispering Heart / Linda (Whirlin' Disc 104)

Unreleased :
1955 - Happy Am I (Wing)
1955 - Your Christmas And Mine (/Wing)
1955 - You Are My Baby (Wing)
1955 - The Clock (Wing)

 Lightnin' Junior & The Empires (1)
1955 - Somebody Changed The Lock / Ragged And Hungry (Harlem 2334)

 The Prestos
1955 - Looking For Love /' Til We Meet Again (Mercury 70747)

The Whirlers
1957 - Magic Mirror / Tonight And Forever (Whirlin' Disc 108/Port 108)

Biography :

The Empires hailed from Harlem, so it's only right that they began their recording career on the Harlem Records label. Consisting of Buddy Barnes, William Goodman, Bobby Dunn, and Les Cooper, the group came together in earnest in 1953, practicing R&B, pop, and gospel tunes, and occasionally performing in the area at small venues. After a long search for a label to record them, they happened upon Morty Shad's Harlem label and released “Corn Whiskey” backed with “My Baby My Baby” ( Harlem #2325).

The Whirlers aka The Empires (1) aka The Prestos

Because they were from the Empire State, they first used the name the Empires. That single was a bust, but they got more chances at Harlem Records and in 1955 released the first version of one of their most beloved ballads, “Magic Mirror ,” backed with “Make Me or Break Me” (Harlem #2333). They were then relegated to providing background vocals for an artist listed as Lightning Junior on Harlem (#2334). Lightning Junior was an alias for blues artist Champion Jack Dupree, but when nothing happened with this single, the Empires were released from Harlem Records. From there, the group landed at Mercury Records and recorded for both Mercury and their Wing imprint label under different names.

The Whirlers aka The Empires (1) aka The Prestos
Clockwise from top left : James Pender, William Goodman, Bobby Dunn, Johnny Barnes & Les Cooper

On Mercury, they were the Prestos for one great release titled “Till We Meet Again ” backed with “Looking for Love” (Mercury #70747), and on the Wing wing, they kept their Empires name and released three singles, with “By the Riverside” being the most successful of the three (Wing #90050) in 1956. Mercury was really pushing and promoting their Wing subsidiary very heavily in all major markets of the country. Sadly, the records received much more trade promotion than actual airplay, and Wing eventually folded (not for a lack of trying) . Like their label mates the Platters and the Penguins, the Empires/Prestos were also managed by Buck Ram, but they did not attain the same level of success.

The Whirlers aka The Empires (1) aka The Prestos

Citing the success of the Channels on the Whirlin' Disc label, the group pitched a recording contract with the company and got it. The result was two singles for the label—the first was a two-sided ballad release, “Linda” backed with “Whispering Heart” as by the Empires (Whirlin' Disc #104) in 1956, followed by a remake of “Magic Mirror” backed with a great up-tempo number called “Tonight and Forever". the latter as by the Whirlers (Whirlin' Disc #108) in 1957, a name inspired by the name of their label. This was one of the last releases for Whirlin' Disc, and it never got the push it deserved and flopped. At this point, the Empires/Prestos/Whirlers broke up, but there is a happy ending. Lead singer Les Cooper had a big instrumental hit in 1962 for the Everlast Records label (#5019) called “Wiggle Wobble.” It peaked at number 12 on the R&B charts and number 22 Pop. Despite many follow-ups for a myriad of record labels, Cooper was never able to cash in again.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Empires/empires.html

Songs :

The Empires (1)


       Corn Whiskey                    Magic Mirror                      Make Me Or Break Me


I Want To Know                          Shirley                                Tell Me Pretty Baby


By The Riverside               My First Discovery                      Don't Touch My Gal


Whispering Heart                             Linda

 Lightnin' Junior & The Empires (1)

Somebody Changed The Lock Ragged And Hungry

 The Prestos

Til We Meet Again / Looking For Love

The Whirlers

Magic Mirror Tonight And Forever

…

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The Hi-Tones (2) aka The Trentons aka The Shytones aka The Shy-Tones 

Posted on July 22 2008 by dion1

(top L to R) Frank Barrata, Bill Sangiovanni & Fred Alvarez. (bottom L to R) Al Scavuzzo, Ben Passantino & Rich Peluso

The Hi-Tones (2) (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
aka The Trentons aka The Shytones aka The Shy-Tones 

 Personnel : 

Graham Lee True (Lead)

Sal Covais (First tenor)

Albert Scavuzzo (Second tenor)

William Scarpa (Baritone)

Fred Alvarez (Bass)

Frank Barrata

Discography : 

The Shytones
1957 - Annette / White Bucks (Spot 14/15)
1957 - White Bucks / Bandstand Rock (Spot 14/15)
1957 - Annette / Bandstand Rock (Spot 15)

The Shy-Tones
1958 - A Lover's Quarrel / Just For You (Goodspin 401)

The Hi-Tones (2)
1958 - A Lovers Quarrel / Just For You (Fonsca 201)
1961 - No More Pain / I Don't Know Why (Fonsco 202)

The Trentons
1959 - All Alone / Star Bright (Inst.) (Shepherd 2204)

Biography :

The Shytones were one of many groups that grew up loving vocal harmony and singing on the street corners. They had a great sound, but too short of a career. The Shytones never made it big selling records, but they were celebrities in their own neighborhood, and at the local hops and shows . They cut just a few records, but with a group name change and a few different labels with the same songs. They were given the name Shy-Tones/Shytones because their lead singer suffered from "stage fright" and had great difficulty performing in from of an audience. This lead a promoter to comment (something like) "Are you guys the Hi-Tones or the Shy-Tones?" The name stuck and the name "Hi-Tones" was not used after that.

The Shy-Tones "A Lover's Quarrel" B/w "Just For You was Reissued" as "Lovers Quarrel" in April 1961 on Fonsca (# 201) with label credit to the Hi-Tones. A slight variation of the group had a release on the Spot label as the Shytones. The group was basically a Brooklyn (NY) group, with one member from Staten Island (NY). On this recording they were: Fred Alvarez, Frank Barrata, Ben Passanante, Rich Peluso, Bill Sangiovanni, Albert Scavuzzo , & Graham Lee True .

The Shytones aka The Hi-Tones (2) aka The Trentons aka The Shy-Tones 

Al Scavuzzo

The Shytones performed at many local hops and dances, and even got the chance to perform at one of Murray The K's big rock and roll show. They had some airplay on a couple of local stations, and were even a pick hit of the week on WINS. The group broke up when Al Scavuzzo tragically passed away on his 21st birthday.
http://www.colorradio.com/shytones.html

Songs :

The Shytones


Annette / Bandstand Rock                White Bucks

The Shy-Tones


A Lover's Quarrel                           Just For You

The Hi-Tones (2)


I Don't Know Why No More Pain

The Trentons

All Alone / Star Bright (Inst.)

...

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The Matadors (3)

Posted on July 17 2008 by dion1

The Matadors (3) (Bronx, New-York)
Ref. The Miracles (4)

Personnel :

Smokey Robinson

Clarence "Humble" Dawson

Pete "Peewee" Moore

Ronnie "Whitey" White

James "Rat" Grice

Discography :

Unreleased :
1955 - Adios, My Desert Love

Biography :

While attending Northern High School in 1955 Smokey Robinson started his own vocal group the Five Chimes. The group included along with Robinson, Pete Moore, Ronnie White James Grice and Clarence Dawson. When Dawson quit Emerson Rogers (Claudette's brother) was added and the name was changed to the Matadors. Cleveland quit the group after getting his girlfriend pregnant and Bobby Rogers who was Claudette's cousin took his place.

The Miracles

Robinson's initial influence was another great group, Nolan Strong and the Diablos. In 1955 Robinson and the Matadors (as the Miracles originally called themselves) did an a cappella demo of the Diablos' "Adios, My Desert Love" that revealed a distinctive though rough Robinson falsetto already taking shape.

In 1956 Emerson was drafted and his place was taken by his sister Claudette Rogers. In 1957 the Matadors auditioned for Jackie Wilson's manager who turned them down because he felt they sounded too much like the Platters. A young writer named Berry Gordy was there and he liked the Matadors. By early 1958 Gordy along with Jackie Wilson's cousin Tyrone Carlo had written an answer song to the Silhouette's hit "Get A Job" called "Got a Job". Berry brought the song to the Matadors, since they now had a girl in the group re-named themselves the Miracles, and helped get it recorded on End Records in March 1958.

Songs :

Adios, My Desert Love

….

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The Nutmegs aka The Rajahs aka The Lyres

Posted on June 29 2008 by dion1

The Nutmegs (New Haven, Conn.)
aka The Rajahs aka The Lyres

Personnel :

Leroy Griffin (Lead)

"Sonny" Griffin (First Tenor)

Jimmy "Coco" Tyson (Second Tenor)

Billy Emery (Baritone)

Leroy McNeil (Bass)

Discography :

The Lyres
1953 - Ship of love / Playboy (J&G 101)

The Nutmegs
Singles :
1955 - Story untold / Make me lose my mind（Herald 452）
1955 - Ship of love / Rock me（Herald 459）
1955 - Whispering sorrows / Betty Lou（Herald 466）
1956 - Keys to the kingdom / Gift of GObbin' woman（Herald 475）
1956 - Commin' home / A love so true（Herald 492）
1959 - My story / My sweet dream（Herald 538）
1960 - A dream of love / Someone Somewhere (Help me) (Tel 1014)
1962 - Rip Van Winkle / Crazy 'bout you（Herald 574）
1963 - The Way love should be / Wide Hoop skirts (Time square 14/Relic 533)
1963 - Down to earth / (The Admirations) (Time square 1/Candlelite 434)
1963 - Why must i go to school / (The Volumes) (Time square 22/Relic 535)
1963 - Down in Mexico / My Sweet dreams (Time square 27/Relic 528)
1963 - Let me tell you / Hello (Time square 6/Relic 531)
1964 - You're Crying / Wa do Wa (Time square 103)
1965 - Shifting sands / Out of my heart (Relic 1006)
1972 - Story untold 72 / Tell me (Baby Grand 800)
1973 - Shifting sands / Take me and make me yours (Night train 905)
Unreleased :
1956 - The Joker (Herald)
1971 - I like to cha cha (Relic LP 5002)

The Rajahs
Singles
1957 - Shifting Sands / I Feel in love (Klik 7805)
1973 - Rose Ann (a capella) / You're Crying (a capella) (Klik 1019)
1973 - Story to you (a capella) / I Love You so (The Five Satins) (Klik 1020)
Unreleased :
1958 - Help Me (Demo)

.

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The Chanels aka The Five Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels aka The Chelmars

Posted on June 26 2008 by dion1

The Chanels aka The Five Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels

The Five Chanels (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
aka The Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels aka The Chelmars

Personnel :

Sharon Scott (Lead)

Gwynn Speller

Donza Drummond

Dolores Stringer

Virgil Hammond

Discography :

The Chanels
1958 - The Reason / Skiddily Doo (Deb 500)

The Five Chanels
Singles :
1958 - The Reason / Skiddily Doo (Deb 500)
Unreleased :
1958 - You Treat Me Mean (Deb)
1958 - Wish You Were Near (Deb)

Virgil & The Four Chanels
1959 - Waiting / Don't Keep It To Yourself (Deb 508)

The Chelmars
1962 - Jigsaw Puzzle / Confess (Select 45K-712)

Biography :

One of the few vocal group to have escaped the scrutiny of record researchers, the Five Chanels were the protégés of Julius Dixon, a veteran songwriter whose successes included (as co-writer) the Chordettes' 1958 smash 'Lollipop' and Bill Halley's 'Dim Dim the Lights'. Dixon dabbled in all aeras of the music business and in 1958, he launched the Deb Label as a vehicle for his protégé, 14 year-Old Beverly Ann Gibson who had won the amateur hour at the Apollo theatre.

The Chanels aka The Five Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels

She in turn introduced Dixon to the Chanels who hailed from her hometown of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The group were composed by Sharon Scott, Gwynn Speller, Donza Drummond, Dolores Stringer and Virgil Hammond.Early pressings of 'the reason' credited the Chanels but this was changed to the Five Chanels after rival record boss, Georges Goldner, complained that the name was too close to that of the Channels, a group he had recorded for his Gone Label. And not only that, but the Chanels' lead singer, Sharon Scott, sounded similar to Arlene Smith ot the Chantels, another of Goldner's groups.

The Chanels aka The Five Chanels aka Virgil & The Four Chanels aka The Chelmars

'The Reason' benefited from some immediate plugs on American Bandstand, the nation's most influential TV pop show and Dixon set up a distribution deal with ABC Paramount Records in anticipation of the hoped for hit. However, Dick Clark who hosted Bandstand, and had tried to acquire 'The Reason' for Swan Records, a Philadelphia Label with which he was associated, promptly lost interest causing 'The Reason' to stall at #98. A subsequent Release was credited to Virgil & the Four Chanels. In 1962, Julius Dixon will call the group again, without Virgil. The girls renamed "The Chelmars" recorded "Jigsaw Puzzle" b/w "Confess" released by Select Records.

Songs :

The Chanels aka The Five Chanels

The Reason Skiddily Doo

You Treat Me Mean Wish You Were Near

Virgil & The Four Chanels

Waiting Don't Keep It To Yourself

The Chelmars

Confess Jigsaw Puzzle

...

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The Ding Dongs (1) aka The Rinky Dinks

Posted on June 24 2008 by dion1

The Rinky Dinks (New York)
aka The Ding Dongs (1)

Personnel :

Bobby Darin (Lead)

Discography :

The Ding Dongs (1)
1958 - Early In The Morning / Now We're One (Brunswick 55073)

The Rinky Dinks
1958 - Early In The Morning / Now We're One (Atco 6121)

Bobby Darin & The Rinky Dinks
1958 - Mighty Mighty Man / You're Gone (Atco 6128)

Biography :

"Early in the Morning" is a song written by Bobby Darin and Woody Harris. Darin approached Brunswick Records with "Early in the Morning". Brunswick was impressed, but as Darin was still under contract to Atlantic Records' subsidiary, Atco, the song was released by The Ding Dongs. New York deejays liked the record and Atco soon discovered the deception.

Brunswick was forced to turn over the masters to Atco, which released the record in 1958 under the name, "The Rinky Dinks" . Buddy Holly was in the studio on that day and Bobby gave him permission to record both tracks on the Coral label. Both tracks were identical to Bobby's including the Helen Way Singers backup!

Billboard, june 30, 1958

In 1959, Darin recorded the self-penned "Dream Lover," a ballad that became a multi-million seller. With it came financial success and the ability to demand more creative control of his career. So he meant for his That's All album to show that he could sing more than rock and roll. His next single, "Mack the Knife," the standard from Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera, was given a vamping jazz-pop interpretation. Although Darin was initially opposed to releasing it as a single, the song went to No. 1 on the charts for nine weeks, sold two million copies, and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1960. Darin was also voted the Grammy Award for Best New Artist that year, and "Mack The Knife" has since been honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.
http://www.bobbydarin.net/sn_042458.html

Songs :


   Now We're One                              Early In The Morning


Mighty Mighty Man                            You're Mine

...

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The Five Thrills (2) aka The Uniques (2)

Posted on June 24 2008 by dion1

The Five Thrills (2) aka The Uniques (2)

The Five Thrills (2) (Port Chester, NY)
aka The Uniques (2)

Personnel :

Arthur Epps (Lead Tenor)

Curtis Smith (First Tenor)

Richard Welch (Second Tenor)

Ben Peterson (Baritone)

Benjamin Todd (Bass)

Discography :

The Uniques (2)
Single :
1958 - Tell The Angels / Hey, Little Cupid (End 1012)

The Five Thrills (2)
Unreleased:
1957 - Hey, Little Cupid (End)
1957 - Tell The Angels (End)
1957 - Love Express (End)
1957 - Pretty As A Rose (End)

Biography :

The group consisted of Arthur Epps as lead singer, Benjamin Todd as bass, Curtis Smith as first tenor, Richard Welch as second tenor and Ben Peterson sang baritone. They all lived in Port Chester, New York. They were all 18 or 19 years old and Harvey Katz was their manager.1958 was a banner year for END Records. In 1958, the Uniques, previously known as the Five Thrills, recorded "Hey,' Little Cupid" and "Tell The Angels" on the END Label (END #1012), just after the Chantels recorded "Maybe" (END # 1005).

The Commands The Five Thrills (2) aka The Uniques (2)

Later that year, Little Anthony and the Imperials recorded their first record on END, “Tears on My Pillow”. "(END # l027). The Flamingos recorded “Lovers Never Say Goodbye” (END # 1035). In late 1957, while they were the "Five Thrills", the group recorded four unreleased songs, including another version of "Hey, Little Cupid" and "Tell The Angels” as well as "Love Express" and "Pretty As A Rose".

Songs:

The Uniques (2)

Tell The Angels Hey, Little Cupid

The Five Thrills (2)

Hey, Little Cupid Pretty As A Rose Tell The Angels

Love Express

…

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The Senors aka The Mellow Drops aka The Monitors (1)

Posted on June 24 2008 by dion1

The Monitors (1) aka The Senors aka The Mellow Drops

The Monitors

The Monitors (1) (New Orleans, LA)
aka The Senors aka The Mellow Drops

Personnel :

Robert Kidd (Lead Tenor)

Vontell Lane (Tenor)

Adolph Smith (Tenor)

Clarence Phoenix (Contralto)

Billy Tircuit (Bass / Baritone)

Discography :

The Mellow Drops
Singles :
1954 - The Crazy Song / When I Grow Too Old To Dream (Imperial 5324)
Unreleased :
1954 - I Want Your Love (Imperial)
1954 - Mother Will Stand Up For You (Imperial)

The Monitors (1)
Singles :
1956 - Candy Coated Kisses / Tonight's The Night (Aladdin 3309)
1956 - A Little Word / That's What I'll Do (Aladdin 3313)
1957 - Our School Days / I've Got A Dream (Speciality 595)
1957 - Closer To Heaven / Rock 'N' Roll Fever (Speciality 622)
1958 - Mama Linda / Hop Scotch (Speciality 636)
Unreleased :
1956 - Guiding Light (Aladdin)
1956 - O, O, Daddy, O (Aladdin)
1957/58 - Crazy Green Lizard
1957/58 - Groovy Ruby
1957/58 - If I Could See You Again
1957/58 - My Baby's Rockin'
1957/58 - My Greatest Mistake
1957/58 - Red Sails In The Sunset
1957/58 - Too Young
1957/58 - Wobble When She Walks

The Senors
1962 - May I Have This Dance / Searching For Olive Oil (Sue 756)

Biography :

This New Orleans vocal group First got together in New Orleans in 1952, They were friends in their early twenties and calling themselves the Mellow-Drops, playing bars and clubs in the New Orleans vicinity. Finally they were discovered by Imperial's Dave Bartholomew. Bartholomew got them a session on November 15, 1954. "The Crazy Song" and "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" by the Mellow Drops later that year. For some forgotten reason, the group decided to change their name to the Monitors. They met and backed up Shirley and Lee one day. The producer that day was Eddie Mesner of Aladdin Records. That session eventually led to a session for the Monitors with Aladdin. Kidd was the usual lead, but he was unable to make the Monitors session with Aladdin and Vontell Lane filled in. Four tunes were recorded at the one session they had with Aladdin — only two were used.

The Mellow Drops aka The Monitors (1) aka The Senors

Eddie Mesner Billy Tircuit

The Aladdin disc did well locally but received little support from the label, and they next called on Specialty Records in 1956. While this group had been the Mellow Drops on Imperial and was renamed the Monitors and the Senors, it's curious that despite their Louisiana origin, they recorded for the Sue label in New York and for California's Imperial, Aladdin, and Speciality labels. The Monitors' first session for Specialty was held in December 1956 and their first release on that label occurred in January 1957. It did well locally in New Orleans, but Speciality’s Art Rupe failed to support it. Similarly, their two other Specialty releases had good local support but no push. Differences between group members began to surface and they split up in 1958. Later that year,Vontell Lane and Billy Tircuit got together with Johnny Meyers, Simon Washington, and Elaine Edwards to form the Moonbeems .

The Mellow Drops aka The Monitors (1) aka The Senors
Art Rupe

In 1961, many of the Monitors original members got together and renamed themselves again to the Senors. The group members were Billy Tircuit, Adolph Smith, Vontell Lane, and Clarence Phoenix. Their new lead singer was Adolph's brother, Milton Smith. They recorded a couple of sides at Cosimo's: "May I Have This Dance" and "Searching For Olive Oil". By 1964, the Monitors / Señors had disbanded for good.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Monitors/monitors.html

Songs :

The Mellow Drops


The Crazy Song                      I Want Your Love

The Monitors (1)


Candy Coated Kisses / Tonight's The Night      Our School Days / I’ve Got A Dream


Closer To Heaven / Rock 'N' Roll Fever      Mama Linda / Hop Scotch

The Senors


May I Have This Dance                Searching For Olive Oil

….

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The Mello-Harps aka The Levee Songsters aka The Teen-Tones (1) aka The Melloharps

Posted on June 24 2008 by dion1

The Mello-Harps aka The Levee Songsters aka The Teen-Tones (1) aka The Melloharps

The Mello-Harps (Brooklyn, New-York)

aka The Levee Songsters
aka The Teen-Tones (1)
aka The Melloharps
aka The Teentones

Ref The Leopards (1)

Personnel :

Arnold "Johnny" Malone (Lead)

Vernon Staley (First Tenor)

Joe Gowder (Second Tenor)

Daniel Elder (Baritone)

Ossie Davis (Bass)

Discography :

The Mello-Harps
1955 - Love Is A Vow / Valerie (Do-Re-Mi 203)
1956 - Searchin' / Love Is A Vow (Rego 1003)
1958 - Gumma Gumma / No Good (Casino 104)

The Melloharps
1955 - I Love Only You / Ain't Got The Money (Tin Pan Alley 145/146)
1956 - What Good Are My Dreams / Gone (Tin Pan Alley 157/158)

Teacho Wiltshire & The Melloharps
1956 - My Bleeding Heart / I Couldn't Believe (Tin Pan Alley 159/160)

The Teen-Tones (1)
1956 - Love Is A Vow / Walkie Talkie Baby (Rego 1004)

Lee and Larry & The Teentones
1956 - Have A Happy (The Dedications Song)/ Oh Yes (Rego 1005)

The Levee Songsters
1959 - Our Love Is A Vow / Walkie Talkie Baby (Karen 1004)

The Leopards (1)
1963 - Valerie / Mah Mah Chicken Pot Pie (Leopards 5006)

Biography :

Brooklyn-based R&B vocal group the Mello-Harps formed in 1955. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the April 1990 issue of Record Collectors' Monthly, co-founders Arnold "Johnny" Malone (first tenor), second tenor Joe Gowder, baritone Daniel "Bunny" Elder, and bass Ossie Davis were longtime friends from the borough's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.

The Mello-Harps aka The Levee Songsters aka The Teen-Tones (1) aka The Melloharps

After adding a fifth member, high tenor Vernon Staley, the Mello-Harps began touring the local nightclub circuit, and while performing at Brooklyn's Club Baby Grand they negotiated a management deal with musician Larry Lucy, who quickly landed them a record deal with the Do-Re-Mi label. The Mello-Harps beautiful debut, "Love Is a Vow," followed in the autumn of 1955. One of the scarcest singles of the doo wop era, it earned little attention upon its original release but later achieved cult classic status among R&B aficionados.

The Mello-Harps aka The Levee Songsters aka The Teen-Tones (1) aka The Melloharps
Teacho Wiltshire

By year's end Davis resigned from the lineup, and upon adding bass Bobby Hawkins (the brother of NBA Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins), the Mello-Harps signed to Tin Pan Alley Records to issue their sophomore effort, "I Love Only You." "What Good Are My Dreams" followed in early 1956, and when the group's commercial fortunes failed to improve, Elder exited in the wake of their fourth single, "My Bleeding Heart." Tenor William Brown signed on prior to cutting a re-recorded "Love Is a Vow" for the Rego label.

The Mello-Harps aka The Levee Songsters aka The Teen-Tones (1) aka The Melloharps
A configuration of the Mello-Harps (or The Leopards)

Credited to the Teen-Tones, the song fared no better the second time around, and Staley was the next to turn in his resignation. Tenor David "Sonny" Forte signed on for 1957's "Gumma Gumma," a novelty tune that restored the Mello-Harps moniker. Despite saxophone contributions from the great King Curtis, the single went nowhere and after an aborted session for Juggy Murray's Sue label, the group split in 1959. In the early 60s, Joe Gowder formed another group, which re-recorded "Valerie" (with Joe himself doing lead). Along with the flip, "Mah Mah Chicken Pot Pie" (also led by Joe), it was released on the Leopard label in 1963, as the "Leopards." David Forte was also in this group.
http://www.uncamarvy.com/MelloHarps/melloharps.html

Songs :

The Mello-Harps


Love Is A Vow                                             Valerie


Searchin'                       Gumma Gumma                             No Good

The Melloharps


I Love Only You                       Ain't Got The Money


What Good Are My Dreams                            Gone

Teacho Wiltshire & The Melloharps

My Bleeding Heart / I Couldn't Believe

The Teen-Tones (1) / The Levee Songsters

1959 - (Our) Love Is A Vow / Walkie Talkie Baby

The Leopards (1)


             Valerie                      Mah Mah Chicken Pot Pie

…

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The Chandeliers (2) aka The Cheerios (1) aka The Impossibles (2)

Posted on June 24 2008 by dion1

The Chandeliers (2) aka The Cheerios (1) aka The Impossibles (2)
Bobby Sanders

The Chandeliers (2) (Los Angeles)
aka The Cheerios (1)
aka Linda Carr & The Impossibles (2)

Personnel :

Bobby Sanders (Lead)

Ralph Chestnut (Bass)

Clotelle King

Andrew Bayone (Cheerios & Chandeliers)

Joe Lawson (Cheerios & Chandeliers)

Discography :

Linda Carr & The Impossibles (2)
1961 - I'll Never Get Married / Happy Teenager (Skyla 1111)
1961 - (I'm In Love With) The Garbage Man / Shy One (Ray Star 779)

The Cheerios (1)
1961 - Ding Dong Honeymoon / Where Are You Tonight (Infinity 11)

The Chandeliers (2)
1962 - Give Me Your Love / She's A Heartbreaker (Sue 761)

Biography :

Linda Carr was just 14 years of age at the time of this, her debut recording. Her powerful voice belied her tender years. In '61, talent scount, recording artists producer and writer, Bobby Sanders (real name: Jerome Lenoir) brought gifted singer, Linda Carr to producer Steve Venet. Happy Teenager happily launched her long and remarkable international singing career as one of the queens of the Northern Soul musical genre. The writer, Richard George, had written many songs while at UCLA and later while working in the Hollywood film industry.

The Chandeliers (2) aka The Cheerios (1) aka The Impossibles (2)

He wrote Happy Teenager as an answer song to Dion's Lonely Teenager. Steve Venet arranged to record her with Bobby Sanders, Ralph Chestnut and Clotelle King billed as the Impossibles. Steven Venet next recorded Linda's follow-up release, I'm in Love With the Garbage Man, a clever and fun record. In '64, Linda signed with Sam Cooke's Sar label with Steve Venet producing the release with Sanders and Cooke doing the backup work. Next she signed with Don Costa's DCP label and in '65 had a release that got some action. In '66, she had several releases on the Bell label and later with the Ranwood label. She had the talent but never had the song or promotion to make it big.

The Chandeliers (2) aka The Cheerios (1) aka The Impossibles (2)

After their singles with Linda, the Impossibles, Bobby Sanders, Ralph Chestnut and Clotelle King recruited Andrew Bayone & Joe Lawson. The Quintet with Bobby Sanders on Lead had a release on Infinity in September 1961 billed as The Cheerios. They also recorded for Sue Record as The Chandeliers. During this period, Bobby Sanders also recorded as a single artist and with Dorsey High School friends as the Extremes.

Songs :

Linda Carr & The Impossibles (2)


I'll Never Get Married                             Happy Teenager


(I'm In Love With) The Garbage Man                 Shy One

The Cheerios (1)


Ding Dong Honeymoon                    Where Are You Tonight

The Chandeliers (2)


Give Me Your Love                         She's A Heartbreaker

...

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