L to R: Guy Fredricks, Tony Fasce, Art Mayer, Sal LoCicero
Johnny Angel & The Creations (3) (Bergenfield, New Jersey)
Personnel :
Tony Fasce (Johnny Angel)
Guy Fredricks
Art Mayer
Sal LoCicero
Discography :
1959 - We're Old Enough / Where's My Love (Jamie 1134)
Biography :
The Group's career was launched when they won 1st place in the CYO county talent championship in June of 1959. The Creations signed a recording contract with Jamie Records. Their first appearance was June 1959 on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. The show gave the song a 98% rating!
L to R: Art Mayer, Sal LoCicero, Guy Fredricks, Tony Fasce, Father Bruce
There was even a recording by The Creations on Jamie 1197 from 1961 that you would think is the same group, recording on the same label just two years later. However, this later record was produced by Phil Spector and the group sounds quite different http://bergenfieldalumni.com/doowops/
The Five Secrets (Staten Island, New-York) aka The Secrets (1) aka The Loungers - ref :The Uniques (6)
Personnel :
Dave Concepcion (Lead)
Pat Russo (First Tenor)
Vinnie Santorelli (Second tenor)
Steve Murphy (Baritone)
Franck Del Cavo (Bass)
Discography :
The Five Secrets 1957 - Queen Bee / See You Next Year (Decca 30350)
The Secrets (1) 1957 - Queen Bee / See You Next Year (Decca 30350)
The Loungers 1958 - Remenber The Night / / Dizzy Spell (Herald 534) 1991 - Wedding Bells / Teenage Bells (Park Ave.5)
The Uniques (6) 1962 - Do You Remember / Come Marry Me (Flippin 202)
Biography :
The group formed on Staten Island in 1955, initially singing for fun. In 1956 they decided to get serious about their talent. They soon got themselves a manager and shortly thereafter signed with Decca. Their first release with Decca came in 1957. The recording received little promotion, but it nevertheless afforded them many appearances. Early copies show "Secrets" on the label. Several weeks following the release of this first disc, the Five Secrets signed with Herald.
As a legal precaution, they changed their name to the Loungers. Because of Herald/Ember's preoccupation with the Mellokings and The Five Satins, the Loungers received little or no attention.At Herald the material was written by the group, whereas at Decca Management gave them the material to record. This is most probably why they sounded so different on the two labels. Additionally, Decca had told the group that they wanted to sound pop. Shortly before the group broke up, Murphy Left and was replaced by Pat Russo's brother, Bernie. The group broke up at the end of 1958, and it was three years later that Vinnie Santorelli and Bernie Russo decided to form a new group "the Uniques". In 1962, the Uniques recorded "Do You Remember" b / w "Come Marry Me" released by Flippin Records. Encyclopedia of Rhythm and Blues and Doo-Wop Vocal Groups by Mitch Rosalsky
Marty & The Symbols (1) (Astoria, Queens, New York) aka The Devotions (2)
Personnel :
Ray Sanchez
Bob Weibrod
Bob Havorka
Joe Pardo
Frank Pardo
Discography :
The Devotions (2)
Singles : 1961 - Rip Van Winkle / For Sentimental Reasons (Delta 1001/Roulette 4406/4541) 1964 - Sunday Kind Of Love / Tears From A Broken Heart (Roulette 4556) 1964 - Zindy Lou / Snow White (Roulette 4580) 1972 - How Do You Speak To An Angel / Teardrops Follow Me (Kape 701)
Unreleased : 1964 - Practice What You Preach 1965 - Looking For My Baby
Acapella : Seceret Love Soft And Sweet Sunday Kind Of Love Rip Van Winkle Little Girl Of Mine Stormy Weather Who Can She Be Teardrops From A Broken Heart Sincerely Three Wishes
Marty & The Symbols (1) / Mr Bassman & The Symbols (1) 1963 - You're The One / Rip Van Winkle (Graphic arts 1000)
Biography :
The Devotions were formed in 1960, in Astoria (a borough of Queens, New York City), originally as a sextet. Soon they were pared down to a quintet, consisting of Ray Sanchez (bass vocalist), Bob Hovorka, Bob Weinbrod and the brothers Frank and Joe Pardo. After six months of practicing virtually seven days a week, they met record promoter Joe Petralia, who lived down the street from Frank and Joe. Petralia introduced them to Bernie Zimming, owner of the small Delta label in NYC.
Top : Bob Weibrod , Joe Pardo - Bottom : Bob Havorka, Ray Sanchez & Frank Pardo
The Devotions auditioned with doo-wop classics like "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Life Is But A Dream" and "For Sentimental Reasons". Zimming liked the group, but he wanted something more gimmicky that would sell to teens. Ray Sanchez then wrote a novelty song in keeping with the kind that was popular around 1960. The result was "Rip Van Winkle", based on the classic tale of a man who slept for twenty years.
Zimming liked the song so much that he took the group into the studio on the very day he first heard it. For the B-side the Devotions recorded "For Sentimental Reasons". The group would give out copies on the street and leave signs in record shops that they would be giving away autographed copies. Despite these efforts, "Rip Van Winkle" (Delta 1001) slipped into obscurity almost immediately. In 1962, Times Square, a New York oldies store that specialized in vocal group records, began promoting "Rip Van Winkle" on a local radio show hosted by the store's owner, Slim Rose. Roulette Records heard of its popularity among Times Square's customers, bought the Delta masters, and reissued the record on Roulette 4406.
It still didn't chart, but gave the group a chance to appear on Slim Rose's rock and roll show in September 1962 at Palisades Park (New Jersey), one of the first oldies shows and years ahead of Richard Nader's late '60s successes. In late 1963, Roulette released an "oldies but goodies" compilation called "Golden Goodies". Why a flop like "Rip Van Winkle" was included among all those Top 20 hits is a mystery. A disc jockey in Pittsburgh, Porky Chadwick, started plugging "Rip Van Winkle" and the request phone lines started lighting up.
Porky Chadwick The Devotions
This prompted the folks at Roulette to reissue the record once again in January 1964, this time on Roulette 4541. Within a week of its release, "Rip Van Winkle" had sold 15,000 copies in Pittsburgh alone. Three years after its initial release, the song finally became a hit, peaking at # 36 in Billboard, in the midst of Beatlemania.
Top : Joe Pardo, Ray Sanchez - Bottom : Frank Pardo, Andy Sanchez & Bob Havorka
It turned out that two of the original Devotions were in the armed forces, so a new group was formed with Louis DeCarlo replacing Ray Sanchez on lead and Larry Frank as a replacement for Bob Weisbrod. The group went on the road, had two further releases on Roulette, but received no radio attention and Roulette soon lost interest, after which the group disbanded. The Devotions reformed in the 1970s with Andy Sanchez (Ray's brother) on lead, and ironically they performed more in that decade than when they had their only hit. American singing groups: a history from 1940s to today‬ by Jay Warner
Songs :
The Devotions (2)
Rip Van Winkle For Sentimental Reasons Sunday Kind Of Love
Tears From A Broken Heart Zindy Lou Snow White
How Do You Speak To An Angel Soft And Sweet Teardrops Follow Me
Looking For My Baby Practice What You Preach
Marty & The Symbols (1) / Mr Bassman & The Symbols (1)
The Excellents (1) (Bronx, New York) akaThe Excellons
Personnel :
John Kuse (Lead / Second Tenor)
George Kuse (First Tenor)
Phil Sanchez (Falsetto)
Joel Feldman (Baritone)
Denis Kestenbaum (Lead / Baritone)
Chuck Epstein (Bass)
Discography :
The Excellents (1) Singles: 1961 - Love No One But You / When The Red Red Robin... (Mermaid 106) 1962 - Coney Island Baby / You Baby You (Blast 205)
The Excellents (2)aka The Ultimates(Second group) 1963 - I Hear a Rhapsody / Why Did You Laugh (Blast 207)
Unreleased : 1961 - Geraldine (Blast) 1961 - Gloria (Blast) 1961 - White Cliffs of Dover (Blast) 1963 - Lorraine (Cousins) 1963 - She's Not Coming Home (Cousins) 1963 - Biggest Mistake of My Life (Cousins)
The Excellons 1964 - Sunday Kind of Love / Helene (Your Wish Came True) (Old Timer/Bobby 601)
Biography :
Starting out as "The Premiers","The Excellents" were first formed in early 1960. The members consisted of John Kuse-Lead and Second Tenor; George Kuse-First Tenor; Phil Sanchez-Falsetto; Joel Feldman-Baritone; Denis Kestenbaum-Lead/Baritone and Chuck Epstein-Bass. All members came from The Bronx, New York. In June 1961, they recorded "Red Red Robin" and "Love No One But You" for the Sinclair Record Corporation.
Denis Kestenbaum, George Kuse, Joe Feldman, Phil Sanchez, Chuck Epstein, John Kuse
These two sides were released on Mermaid Records(a division of Sinclair Record Corp..) in late June 1961. The record received no promotion and was aired by DJ Slim Rose on his Time Square radio show heard only in the New York area. "The Excellents" signature song, "Coney Island Baby" was arranged at the time thought to be the flipside of their next release.
They had already planned on their own uptempo cover of "The Cleftones" smash hit "You Baby You" to be the 'A' side. "You Baby You" and "Coney Island Baby" were recorded in February 1962 for Blast Records (a division of Sinclair Record Corp.) and released in April 1962.
Denis Kestenbaum,George Kuse, John Kuse, Joel Feldman, Phil Sanchez and Chuck Epstein.
Sinclair Records started promoting "Coney Island Baby" and, it won DJ, Murray the K's 'Boss Record of the Week' contest. With prominent local concerts and a rising reputation, the Excellents looked set for a promising career until record business skulduggery intervened. Booked for an appearance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand television programme, their record company refused to pay their travelling fees.
When they learned that the group simply could not afford to travel to Philadelphia, the label instead sent a Brooklyn group, The Ultimates ( Envoy Records )who recorded "I Hear a Rhapsody" / "Why Did You Laugh"under the name of the Excellents .
Justifiably devastated at this turn of events, the Excellents never recorded again. In 1964, Bobby Miller, owner of Bobby and Oldtimer Record Labels, purchased and released demos "Sunday Kind of Love" and "Helene" as the Excellons. http://www.JohnKuseandTheExcellents.com
Songs :
The Excellents (1)
Love No One But You When The Red Red Robin... Coney Island Baby
The Excellents (1) (Bronx, New York) akaThe Excellons
Personnel :
John Kuse (Lead / Second Tenor)
George Kuse (First Tenor)
Phil Sanchez (Falsetto)
Joel Feldman (Baritone)
Denis Kestenbaum (Lead / Baritone)
Chuck Epstein (Bass)
Discography :
The Excellents (1) Singles: 1961 - Love No One But You / When The Red Red Robin... (Mermaid 106) 1962 - Coney Island Baby / You Baby You (Blast 205)
The Excellents (2)aka The Ultimates(Second group) 1963 - I Hear a Rhapsody / Why Did You Laugh (Blast 207)
Unreleased : 1961 - Geraldine (Blast) 1961 - Gloria (Blast) 1961 - White Cliffs of Dover (Blast) 1963 - Lorraine (Cousins) 1963 - She's Not Coming Home (Cousins) 1963 - Biggest Mistake of My Life (Cousins)
The Excellons 1964 - Sunday Kind of Love / Helene (Your Wish Came True) (Old Timer/Bobby 601)
Biography :
Starting out as "The Premiers","The Excellents" were first formed in early 1960. The members consisted of John Kuse-Lead and Second Tenor; George Kuse-First Tenor; Phil Sanchez-Falsetto; Joel Feldman-Baritone; Denis Kestenbaum-Lead/Baritone and Chuck Epstein-Bass. All members came from The Bronx, New York. In June 1961, they recorded "Red Red Robin" and "Love No One But You" for the Sinclair Record Corporation.
Denis Kestenbaum, George Kuse, Joe Feldman, Phil Sanchez, Chuck Epstein, John Kuse
These two sides were released on Mermaid Records(a division of Sinclair Record Corp..) in late June 1961. The record received no promotion and was aired by DJ Slim Rose on his Time Square radio show heard only in the New York area. "The Excellents" signature song, "Coney Island Baby" was arranged at the time thought to be the flipside of their next release.
They had already planned on their own uptempo cover of "The Cleftones" smash hit "You Baby You" to be the 'A' side. "You Baby You" and "Coney Island Baby" were recorded in February 1962 for Blast Records (a division of Sinclair Record Corp.) and released in April 1962.
Denis Kestenbaum,George Kuse, John Kuse, Joel Feldman, Phil Sanchez and Chuck Epstein.
Sinclair Records started promoting "Coney Island Baby" and, it won DJ, Murray the K's 'Boss Record of the Week' contest. With prominent local concerts and a rising reputation, the Excellents looked set for a promising career until record business skulduggery intervened. Booked for an appearance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand television programme, their record company refused to pay their travelling fees.
When they learned that the group simply could not afford to travel to Philadelphia, the label instead sent a Brooklyn group, The Ultimates ( Envoy Records )who recorded "I Hear a Rhapsody" / "Why Did You Laugh"under the name of the Excellents .
Justifiably devastated at this turn of events, the Excellents never recorded again. In 1964, Bobby Miller, owner of Bobby and Oldtimer Record Labels, purchased and released demos "Sunday Kind of Love" and "Helene" as the Excellons. http://www.JohnKuseandTheExcellents.com
Songs :
The Excellents (1)
Love No One But You When The Red Red Robin... Coney Island Baby
The Clefs : (L to R) Fred Council, Frank Newman, Scotty Mansfield & Pavel Bess (top) Frank Motley (Bot.) Leo Carter
The Clefs (1) (Arlington, Va) aka Scotty Mann & The Masters (1)
Personnel :
George Henry "Scotty" Mansfield (Lead Tenor)
Frank Newman (Tenor)
Fred Council (Baritone)
Pavel Bess (Bass)
Discography :
The Clefs (1) Singles : 1952 - We Three / Ride On (Chess 1521) 1954 - I'll Be Waiting / Please Don't Leave Me (Peacock 1643) Unreleased : 1952 - Sorry (Chess) 1954 - What Did I Do (Peacock) 1954 - I'm Wondering (Peacock) 

Scotty Mann & The Masters (1) Singles : 1956 - The Mystery Man / Just A Little Bit Of Loving (Peacock 1665) Unreleased : 1956 - Your Memory (Peacock) 1956 - Goodness Gracious Baby (Peacock) 
 1956 - I'll Be Waiting (Peacock)
Biography :
The Clefs had their beginnings during late 1950 in the greater Washington D. C. area. The members of the original group were Scott Mansfield on lead, tenors Pavel Bess and Frank Newman, baritone Fred Council, and bass Gerald Bullock. They performed at various gigs in and around their home area and put in plenty of time on their harmony and musical presentation. By the spring of 1952 Leroy Flack had replaced Bullock on bass. Soon The Clefs had the opportunity to record a demo record which was heard by Lillian Clairborn, a D. C. music scout and manager. The demo was shopped to Chess Records in Chicago and soon the group had a session in the studio for the label. By late October Chess Records released two tunes by the group with the Frank Motley combo. The songs were "We Three", and a 'B' side jump tune called "Ride On".
Chess # 1521 got a decent review in the trade press and so The Clefs had their first recorded effort on the street. Radio airplay was limited mostly to the Chicago area, and in their home city of Washington D.C., there wasn't much of a ripple for the group's record. For the next year and a half the group kept at it until in 1954. By then they were a foursome as Leroy Flack had left and Bess became the new bass for the group. Somehow, even though there was some interest from Vee-Jay, they were subsequently hooked up with Don Robey in Houston Texas and his Peacock label. The group had a record on Peacock by the end of the year : "I'll Be Waiting" and "Please Don't Leave Me" released on # 1643. When that single by the group did not do much in sales or airplay, the group changed their name to Scotty Mann & The Masters. With their new identity the group had one release for Peacock on # 1665 : "The Mystery Man" and "Just A Little Bit Of Loving". As with their previous attempts, this one was not successful.
Planets, Rockets, Rocketeers, Magic-Tones :( L to R) Billy Steward, Jimmy Brunsen, Vince House & Woody Johnson
The Planets (1)(Chicago)
akaThe Magic Notes aka The Rockets (3) aka The Rocketeers (2) aka The Rhythm Aces
Personnel :
Billy Steward (First Tenor)
Woody Johnson (Second Tenor)
Jimmy Brunsen (Tenor)
Vince House (Baritone/Bass)
Discography :
The Rhythm Aces Singles : 1954 - I Wonder Why / Get Lost (Vee Jay 124) 1955 - Whisper To Me / Olly, Olly, Atsen Free (Vee Jay 138) 1955 - That's My Sugar / Flippety Flop (Vee Jay 160) Unreleased : 1954- I Realize Now (Vee Jay)
The Rockets (3) 1956 - You Are The First One / Be Lovey Dovey (Modern 992)
Jimmy Beasley & The Rockets (3) 1957 - Johnny's House Party, Part 1 / Part 2 (Modern 1021)
The Rocketeers (2) 1956 - Talk It Over Baby / Hey Rube (Modern 999) 1958 - My Reckless Heart / They Turned The Party Out At Bessie's House (M-J-C 501)
Darla Hood & The Rocketeers (2) 1957 - No Secret Now / Jody (Encino 1007)
The Magic Notes 1957 - The Wrong Door / Never Again (Era 1035)
The Planets (1) 1957 - Stand There Mountain / Never Again (Era 1038) 1957 - Be Sure / Wild Leaves (Era 1049)
Biography :
R&B harmony group the Rhythm Aces formed in 1950 comprising first tenor Billy Steward, second tenor Chuck Rowan, baritone Clyde Rhymes, and bass Vince House; all were members of the U.S. Army's Special Services division stationed in Germany at the time of the quartet's formation, ultimately winning the "All-Army Soldier Singing Contest" and landing an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show as a result. Following their 1954 discharge, the Rhythm Aces returned to the U.S. and mounted a tour of the Midwest -- their performance at Chicago's Crown Propeller Lounge proved such a hit that the club named the group its regular headline act, firing former marquee act the Moonglows in the process.
The Rhythm Aces : Billy Steward, Chuck Rowan, Clyde Rhymes & Vince House
Vee-Jay Records exec Ewart Abner soon caught the Rhythm Aces' act and arranged an audition with label owners Vivian and Jimmy Carter, who immediately extended a contract offer. Their debut single "I Wonder Why" followed in late 1954, but the group's sharp, sophisticated harmonies made few inroads at radio or retail. Vee-Jay issued the Rhythm Aces' luminous sophomore effort "Whisper to Me" in the spring of 1955, but it too failed to attract much attention, and when a similar fate befell their third single, "That's My Sugar," the label terminated the group's contract.
After adding guitarist Sam Alexander and installing Rowan on piano, the Rhythm Aces toured Canada in late 1955, but during a break from the road Rhymes wed while Steward and Alexander spent the holidays in their native Detroit, when only Rowan and House turned up for a scheduled gig in New York City, the group dissolved. After the Vee Jay Rhythm Aces broke up late in 1955, they all returned home. It is not known when or where, but Lloyd McCraw ( Jacks/Cadets) had previously met Vince House.
Jimmy Beasley
In 1956, he communicated with House, asking him to assemble a group and come west to record for his organization. House rounded up Steward and Rowan and picked up Jimmy Brunsen, they were now "the Rockets. McCraw got them a contract and session with Modern Records . When their Modern disc failed, Rowan left for good, rejoining the service. He was replaced in the group by Brunsen's friend Woody Johnson. Modern then changed the group's name to Rocketeers late in 1956 and released a new single.
Johnny Otis Show
Nothing happened with the name change or the Modern release, and the group moved to Era, where House's name was changed to Vince Howard. The Group cut three singles, as the Planets & The Magic Tones. One disc that the Planets released on Era, "Stand There Mountain," became their biggest hit. At this point they hooked up with Johnny Otis and became part of his touring "Johnny Otis Show" (once again as the Rockets). In early 1958, they became the "Rocketeers" again, for a single recording as backup for Willie Davis. http://www.uncamarvy.com/RhythmAces/rhythmaces.html
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L to R: Guy Fredricks, Tony Fasce, Art Mayer, Sal LoCicero 
