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The Lafayettes

Posted on December 18 2022 by dion1

The Lafayettes

The Lafayettes (Baltimore, MD)

Personnel ;

Frank Bonarrigo (Lead singer)

Ben Proctor (Drums)

Jamie Hess (Piano)

Steve Taylor (Guitar)

Lee Bonner (Guitar)

Dick Svehla (Alto Saxophone)

Bob Kirschner (Tenor Saxophone)

Discography :

The Lafayettes
1962 - Life's Too Short / Nobody But You (RCA 47-8044)
1962 - Caravan Of Lonely Men / I Still Do (Dot 47-8082)

Frank James & The Lafayettes
1964 - I Lost My Way / My Heart Keeps Coming Up With You (Bona 1741)

Biography :

One morning in 1962, Lee Bonner and friend Phil Huth sat in the cool basement of a Towson rowhouse and penned a song. There was no particular inspiration, no shadows of Jack Kerouac or Bob Dylan. They were just playing and singing about teen-age love in their local band, the Lafayettes, named after the Baltimore avenue.

The Lafayettes
Back: Ben Proctor, Steve Taylor, Frank Bonarrigo, Jamie Hess Front: Dick Svehla, Bob Kirshner, Lee Bonner

Members included Lee Bonner, Phil Huth, drummer Ben Proctor, pianist Jamie Hess, lead singer Frank Bonarrigo, guitarist Steve Taylor, alto saxophonist Dick Svehla, and Bob Kirschner on tenor sax. Most of them attended Towson High School. In 1962, they won a "battle of the bands" contest on the Buddy Deane Show with their original song "Life's Too Short", which became a national hit on the RCA label. Their hit song 'Life's Too Short' was featured in the original John Water's film 'Hairspray" (1988). In May 2017 they were inducted into the Maryland Entertainment Hall of Fame.
https://baltimorejam.org/Lafayettes/lafayettes_SUNart7-28-03.htm

Songs :

The Lafayettes


I Still Do                                        Life's Too Short


Caravan Of Lonely Men                          Nobody But You

Frank James & The Lafayettes


My Heart Keeps Coming Up With You               I Lost My Way

...

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The Freelancers

Posted on December 10 2022 by dion1

The Freelancers

The Freelancers (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Personnel :

Dan Williams (Lead)

Bob Doan

Charles MacMillen

Frank Santoro

Joe Seta

Discography:

The Freelancers
1962 - Why / High School Flame (Freelance 20)

Dan Williams & The Freelancers
1962 - Why / High School Flame (Beth 45)

Biography :

The Freelancers were students at Central Art Academy in Cincinnati. They were a five member vocal group. The group members were Bob Doan, Charles MacMillen, Frank Santoro, Joe Seta, and Dan Williams. Their two excellent doo wop : "Why" "High School Flame" are recorded at King in late 1962, and releasedt on their own Freelance label. The group appeared on the Bob Braun TV show in December, 1962 and sang both songs. Dan Williams, with Joe Seta and Gene Dennis, are credited as songwriters. The single would be released again the following year on the Beth label, this time as Dan Williams & The Freelancers .
by http://www.buckeyebeat.com

Songs :

High School Flame Why

...

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The Stratfords (1)

Posted on December 6 2022 by dion1

The Stratfords (1) (Bronx, New York)

Personnel :

Jerry Morano (Lead)

Ritchie Passerino (Second Tenor)

Randy Abbondanza (Baritone)

Sal Dilappi (Bass)

Jimmy Orce (First Tenor)

Discography :

The Stratfords (1)
Single
1961 - Promise Her Anything / Lover's Lullabye (U.A. 1215)
Unreleased
1961 - I'll Never Smile Again
1961 - My Darling

King Louis bb The Stratfords (1)
1962 - Her Eyes Reveal / It Was Fun (U.A. 41562)

Biography :

First know as The Delvineers, the Stratfords were students from Evander Childs HS, Monroe HS in the Bronx and Lincoln HS in Yonkers ,NY and named after Stratford Ave. in the Bronx. The group consisted of Jerry Morano (Lead), Ritchie Passerino (Second Tenor), Randy Abbondanza (Baritone), Sal Dilappi (Bass), Jimmy Orce (First Tenor). They started out with lots of radio play...WINS, WABC, WMGM and sold heavy for two-three weeks while Universal Artists Records was caught in the pay-for-play scandal. Mike D’Agnese, their manager send the group on December,1960 to recording session on the Soundcraft Recording Studio in Manhattan where they recorded the demos "My Darling"and /"I’ll Never Smile Again."

In September,1961 The Stratfords signed with Jim Azar label Universal Artists Records and released in February,1962 the sides "Promise Her Anything"/"Lover’s Lullabye" . The A Side have a big local acceptacion and play on Jocko Herdenson’s and Murray the K’s radio shows also the group have in this time life perfomances in New Jersey and Connecticut. The next recording of the group was also in 1962 as backup vocals for King Louis on his Universal Artist’s sides "Her Eyes Reveal" b/w "It Was A Fun."

Songs :

The Stratfords (1)

Promise Her Anything But Give Her Love                  Lover´s lullabye


I'll Never Smile Again                      My Darling

King Louis bb The Stratfords (1)


Her Eyes Reveal                                    It Was Fun

...

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The Sonics (2)

Posted on December 4 2022 by dion1

The Sonics (2) (Newark, New Jersey)

Personnel :

Donald Sheffield (Lead)

William Franklin (Second Tenor)

Larry Davis (Baritone)

Discography ;

1957 - Evil Eye / Triangle Love (Nocturne 110 / RKO Unique 411)
1958 - Once In A Lifetime / It Ain't True (X-tra 107 / Candlelite 416)
1959 - This Broken Heart / You Made Me Cry (Harvard 801/ Harvard 922 / Checker 922)
1962 - Funny / I Get That Feeling (Armonia 102)
1962 - Preacher Man / It's You (Amco 001)

Biography :

Since The Kodoks, whose former tenor William Franklin and baritone Larry Davis subsequently became two-fifths of The Sonics, hailed from Baxter Terrace Newark, New Jersey (their Oh Gee, Oh Gosh came out on Bobby Robinson's Fury label in 1958, it seems a relatively safe bet that The Sonics hailed from that same vicinity as well. A group by the same name had a 1958 single on the New York-based X-Tra imprint coupling Once In A Lifetime and It Ain't True; the assumption is that it was the same quintet.

William Franklin & Larry Davis

Franklin wrote the delectable ballad This Broken Heart, but it was tenor Donald Sheffield who ably fronted The Sonics on the engaging platter. Sheffield also led the flip side, You Made Me Cry, another Franklin composition. The number made enough East Coast noise on Art Gottfried's Harvard Records, another tiny New York imprint, that Chicago's Checker label picked it up in April of '59 for national consumption (Sheffield's featured billing went by the boards). It was a one-time deal for the group, which bounced from one highly obscure label - Nocturne, Amco, Armonia - to the next during the early '60s without ever attracting the interest that This Broken Heart

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Evil Eye                                             Triangle Love


Once In A Lifetime                                It Ain't True


This Broken Heart                            You Made Me Cry


Funny                                            It's You


I Get That Feeling                           Preacher Man

...

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The Montclairs (1)

Posted on December 3 2022 by dion1

(L to R) James Alen, Bill White, Ricky Long, Tucson & Arthur Perry

The Montclairs (1) (New Jersey)

Personnel :

Arthur Perry (Lead)

Ricky Long (Lead)

James Alen

Bill White

Tucson

Discography :

1956 - My Every Dream / Give Me A Chance ‎(Premium 404)

Biography :

Arthur Perry, a native New Yorker began performing in a church sponsored drum and bugle corps at the age of eight. He studied drums with, Dad Hines the father of the famous Gregory and Maurice Hines until the age of 15. At the age of 16 Arthur formed a singing group called the "Montclairs" with James Alen, Bill White, Ricky Long and Tucson. Arthur Perry lived on Clifton Place in Brooklyn at that time, and the group may have taken its name from the New Jersey town called Montclair. The Montclairs performed at the Apollo Theater amateur contest and won first prize. The group went on to record under the Premium Record label owned by Joe Leibowitz located in Linden, NJ.. The group gained much success with their single recording of "My Every Dream" written by Arthur with Ricky Long on lead and "Give Me A Chance" with Arthur Perry on lead. Later, Arthur has worked with such great artist as James Brown, Papa John Creech, Big Joe Turner, Jessica Williams, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Bobby Timmons and many more. Arthur performed on channel 13 for a Public Television special with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, which is now a TV Jazz classic.

Songs :

Give Me A Chance My Every Dream
...

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Ray & The Quarter Notes (2)

Posted on December 3 2022 by dion1

1959 (Joe, Lou, Ray, Ann and Ed)

Ray & The Quarter Notes (2) (Miami, FL)

Personnel :

Ramón "Ray" Claveria (Lead & Guitar)

Louis "Lou" Claveria (vocal)

Joe (vocal & Guitar)

Ann (vocal)

Ed (vocal)

Discography :

1958 - You'll Always Be Mine and Rose / ---- (Scott 1204)

Biography :

Born July 29, 1942 in Palma Soriano, Oriente, Cuba. Professionally known as Ray and Ray Milan, Ramón Claveria started his musical career in Miami, FL at the age of 15. Under the guidance of his mentor, Henry Stone, He formed the vocal group Ray and The Quarter Notes with his brother Louis, Joe, Ann and Ed. His first single record, “You’ll Always Be Mine and Rose,” was released in 1958 under the Scott Record Label.

Ray & The Quarter Notes (2)

Next, Ramón moved to New York City with his brother Lou and new members, Bob, Greg & Dave. He signed on with the Jolly Joyce Theatrical Agency and was headlined as “Ray Milan and the Quarter-Notes". ABC Paramount Records signed the group and in 1963 released the album, “Million Sellers Go Bossa Nova,” featuring the talented group.

Ray & The Quarter Notes (2)

Ramon performed with the Quarter-Notes throughout the USA, Canada, and the Caribbean, sharing the stage with such greats as Johnny Rivers (“Memphis, Tennessee”), Joey Dee and the Starlighters (“The Peppermint Twist”), and Little Anthony and the Imperials (“Hurts So Bad”). Ramón also toured with the Tokens as a back-up singer. The group toured extensively in Las Vegas and throughout the United States. The Tokens are well known for their 1961 hit, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” which was revived in the Disney animated film and the play, The Lion King.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

You'll Always Be Mine

...

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The Symbols (4) aka The Splendors (3) aka The Wonders (8)

Posted on December 3 2022 by dion1

The Wonders (8) aka The Splendors (3) aka The Symbols (4)

The Symbols (4) (Los Angeles, Ca)
aka The Splendors (3) aka The Wonders (8)

Personnel :

James Williams

Donnell Thomas

Charles Morrison

Richard Byrd

Leonard Green

Discography :

The Wonders (8)
1962 - Please Don't Cry / With These Hands (Bamboo 523)

The Splendors (3)
1962 - Island Called Romance / Puddin'Tain (Jano 004)

The Symbols (4)
1963 - Last Year About This Time / Better Get Your Own One Buddy (Doré 666)

Biography :

The Wonders "Please Don't Cry", released in September 1962, was written by Don Thomas (real name Donnell Thomas) but misprinted as Dan Thomas on the label. The song was published by Aee-Cee-Mmm Music and the record was produced by ACM Productions, both of which were Ed Cobb and Lincoln Mayorga's companies. Don Thomas sang with the Splendors, who recorded an also-ran version of "Puddin'Tain", released on Jano concurrently with the Alley Cats' hit version on Philles in December 1962. There was a name switch to the Symbols for "Last Year About This Time" on Dore, released in March 1963, on which Thomas took the lead for his own composition. The Splendors/Symbols were James Williams, Donnell Thomas, Charles Morrison (later of the Larks), Richard Byrd and Leonard Green, and were likely also the Wonders - a group name not to be confused with Tony Allen's Wonders/Wanderers, Don Thomas also composed the Blisters' 1963 vocal group 45 "Shortnin. Bread" / "Cookie Rockin' In Her Stockings" on Liberty. That was another Cobb-Mayorga production; the groups could well be related.

Songs :

The Wonders (8)

Please Don't Cry With These Hands

The Splendors (3)

Island Called Romance                         Puddin'Tain

The Symbols (4)


Last Year About This Time          Better Get Your Own One Buddy

...

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The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)

Posted on December 2 2022 by dion1

The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)
Gary DeCarlo

The Glenwoods (Bridgeport CT.)
aka The Chateaus (2)

Personnel :

Johnny Castle (Lead)

Frank A. Borelli

Gary DeCarlo "Garret Scott"

Joe Reed

Dale Frashuer

Ronnie Schlrlllo

Norman Zachlod aka Zack Norman

Bill Garneau

Discography :

The Glenwoods
Single :
1961 - Elaine / That's The Way I'll Be Jubilee (5402)
Unreleased :
1961 - Give Me A Chance (Jubilee)
1961 - Tell Her (Jubilee)

The Chateaus (1)
1963 - Summer's Here (School Is Through) / Honest I Will (My Pledge To You) (Coral 62364)

Zack Norman
1962 - Hey Doll / Givin' Up Love (Poplar 111)

Biography:

The song ""Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye"" can be traced back to 1961, when three Bridgeport, Connecticut teenagers cowrote a song they called "Kiss Him Goodbye." The song was not recorded and never released. The three teenagers were Gary DeCarlo, Dale Frashuer and Paul Leka. All three attended high schools in Bridgeport— Leka (Bassick High), DeCarlo (Central High) and Frashuer (Roger Ludlowe High). Soon after, DeCarlo and Frashuer joined a group known as the Glenwoods. The other members of that group were Joe Reed, Johnny Castle (Castlelenetti) and Frank Borelli. The group's name changed several times, first to the Citations and then to the Chateaus.

The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)

The members of the group have also changed, Norman Zachlod aka Zack Norman, Ronnie Schlrlllo and Bill Garneau were also part of the group at certain times. Leka sat in with the groups and played piano. The new formed group going into New York in 1959 making their first record with the songs “That's The Way It Will Be" b/w "Elaine” both written by Frank A. Borelli. The single arranged by Stan Vincent was Released by Jubilee Records as "The Glenwoods". They took their name from a street in Brooklyn, Glenwood Ave. Their second record arrives two years later on the Coral Label : “Summers Here (School Is Through)” b/w " Honest I Will" on Coral. They were now the “Chateaus” at the time.

The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)
Kneeling, from left, are "The Glenwoods," Ronnie Schlrlllo, Norman Zachlod and Bill Garneau.
Standing, are Joe Reed, Alexander, Sheila O'Brien, Dale Frashuer, Kathy O'SuIlivan, John Castle, Frank A. Borelli and Gary DeCarlo.

The group disbanded when Paul Leka talked Dale Frashuer into going into New York City with him to write and possibly produce. In 1962, Norman Zachlod as Zack Norman recorded "Hey Doll" (written by Gary DeCarlo) and "Givin' Up Love" (written by Norman). The single will be released by Poplar records. In 1968, Gary DeCarlo recorded four songs at Mercury Records in New York with Paul Leka as producer. The singles impressed the company's executives, who wanted to issue all of them as A-side singles. In need of a B-side, Leka and DeCarlo resurrected an old song from their days as the Glenwoods, "Kiss Him Goodbye", with their old bandmate, Dale Frashuer. With DeCarlo as lead vocalist, the three musicians recorded the song in one recording session.

The Glenwoods aka The Chateaus (2)
Steam

Instead of using a full band, Leka had engineer Warren Dewey splice together a drum track from one of DeCarlo's four singles and played keyboards himself. December 6, 1969, Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart attributed to a then-fictitious band they named "Steam". It was released under the Mercury subsidiary label Fontana and became a number one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1969, and remained on the charts in early 1970.

Songs :

The Glenwoods

Elaine Give Me A Chance

That's The Way It'll Be Tell Her

The Chateaus (1)

Summer's Here (School Is Through) Honest I Will

Zack Norman

Hey Doll Givin' Up Love

Steam

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye

...

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The Ascots (3)

Posted on December 2 2022 by dion1

The Ascots (3)

The Ascots (3) (New York)

Personnel :

Joseph Dixon

James Ingram

Robert Leverett

Robert Rimson

Michael Simmons

Discography :

1962 - (Darling I'll See You) Tonight / I Don't Care One Bit (King 45-5679)
1962 - She Did / Hip Talk (Bethlehem 45-3046)

Biography :

Vocal group from New York composed by Joseph Dixon, James Ingram, Robert Leverett, Robert Rimson and Michael Simmons. The Ascots had one recording session for King in June 1962 with resulted in their street corner doo-wop "Darling I'll See You Tonight" being issued on King 5679. The session also produced another single issued in 1962 on King's subsidiary Bethlehem label. The group is definitely not connected with the Ascots on J&S in 1958 and does not appear to us to be related to later groups on labels such as Ace and MBS.

Songs :


(Darling I'll See You) Tonight                   I Don't Care One Bit


She Did                                        Hip Talk

...

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The Catalina Six aka Jerry & The Catalinas (10)

Posted on November 26 2022 by dion1

The Catalina Six aka Jerry & The Catalinas (10)

Front : Robert Novello, Morris Amato & Richard Novello - Rear : Jerry Swede, Tom Malin & Frank Sole

The Catalina Six (New Jersey)
aka Jerry & The Catalinas (10)

Personnel :

Frank Sole (Lead Tenor)

Richard Novello (Second Tenor)

Morris Amato (Bass)

Tom Malin (Guitar)

Jerry Swede (Guitar)

Robert Novello (Drums)

Discography :

The Catalina Six
1962 - Moon 2000 (Twist-A-Roo) / Would You Believe It (Flagship 126)
1962 - It Had To Rain Again / Sweet Baby Please Come Home (Twist-A-Roo)(Flagship 127)
1962 - It Had To Rain / Baby Please Come Home (Candlelite 413)

Jerry & The Catalinas (10)
1965 - The Arabian Knight / Away From It All (Veroona 101)

Biography :

The Catalina Six is musical sextet, four Hasbrouck Heights boys and two from Wood-Ridge are The Catalina Six. When they begin to recorded in 1962 They have already done a number of appearance in North Jersey. Their principal activity has been personal appearaces at teen-age dances. Their first record met with a 3-star rating in "Billboard" magazine, "Moon 2,000" and "Would You Believe It" was released on the Flagship label. Just released in the metropolitan area, the disk jockeys had beginning to spin it on local programs.

The Catalina Six aka Jerry & The Catalinas (10)

The group had its origin at aNew Year's Eve party. A singing trio — tenor FrankSole and bass Morris Amato, both of Wood-Ridge, and second tenor Richard Novello of Hasbrouck Heights — discovered the sound of good harmonizing. Richard's brother Robert, had a good instrumental trio. That group included Jerry Swede and Thomas Malin of Hasbrouck Heights, who played Guitar, and Robert on the drums. All teamed up, and the Catalina Six offers a singing trio, dual guitars and sticks.

The Catalina Six aka Jerry & The Catalinas (10)

The sextet's name was chosen because it is a model of car owned by one of the boys and the vehicle appeared ,in one of their publicity photos. The same year, the group recorded another single for the Flagship label : "It Had To Rain Again" b/w "Sweet Baby Please Come Home" and "It Had To Rain" b/w "Baby Please Come Home" on Candlelite. Three years later, the group will have a last single "The Arabian Knight" b/w "Away From It All" released as Jerry & The Catalinas.

Songs :

The Catalina Six


Would You Believe It                    It Had To Rain Again


Sweet Baby Please Come Home            Moon 2000 (Twist-A-Roo)

Jerry & The Catalinas (10)


The Arabian Knight                       Away From It All

...

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