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The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel

Posted on by dion1

The Naturals (1)
 1959 - The Naturals (1)  : Jerry Marcellino, Mel Larson & Jack Greenbach 

The Naturals (1)  (Berkeley, Calif)
aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel

 


Personnel :

Jerry Marcellino

Mel Larson

Jack Greenbach replaced Lani Woodd Three Honeydrops)




Discography :

The Three Honeydrops

Singles :
1957 - Honey Drop / In The Summer (Music City 813)
1957 - You're The One For Me / Rockin Satellite (Music City 814)
Unreleased:
1957 - Chickaboom (Music City)
 

The Naturals (1)
1959 - Don't Send Me Away / The Mummy (Era 1089)

Jerry & Mel
1961 - Once Upon A Time / Cannibal Stew (Boss-Sound 301)
1961 - Confessions Of A North Beach Poet / Double Whammy  (WB 5195)

 



Biography :

Jerry Marcellino born in Bekerley, California, and graduated from San Lorenzo Hi-School in 1955 as a music major. Lani Woodd, born in the Hawaiian Island and graduated from San Lorenzo Hi-School in 1955 being a soloist in the Hi-School choir. Mel Larson, born in San Francisco and graduated from Hayward Hi-School in 1955 as a music major.

The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel     The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel     The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel 

Jerry Marcellino                                        Mel Larson                                            Lani Woodd

The Three versatile young men, Jerry, Mal and Lani organized their group "The Three Honeydrops " while still in High School and have been together since singing and playing everything from rock'n roll  to  Jazz. They  write  and play  their songs and  made appearances  at  Record  Hops and Dances around the area.

The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel 

Jerry Marcellino                                     Lani Woodd                                             Mel Larson  

They will present their compositions at Music City Records. Music City Records, of Berkeley, California is most closely associated with vocal groups. Ray Dobard’s venerable imprint, in operation for a quarter century from the early 50s on, had its greatest success with records such as ‘WPLJ’ and ‘Ichi Bon Tami Dachi’. Music city release two singles by the group.

The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel     The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel

After the departure of Lani Woodd, musician and composer Jack Greenbach  was hired to replace him in the group. Changing people causes a change in name, it is now The Naturals. As the Naturals, they recorded one single on Era Records. Era was an independent American record label located in Hollywood, California. It was founded by Herb Newman and Lou Bedell in 1955 as a pop, country and western and jazz label. Despite the failure of the single, Jerry Marcellino and Mel Larson continue to write and compose songs and in 1961, they cut two singles as Jerry & Mel.  

The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel   The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel 

Jerry Marcellino and Mel Larson                                                                                                    

For the next twelve years, Jerry played in clubs in North Beach, San Francisco, and San Mateo. All the while, he and his partner, Mel Larson, were writing songs. It was then Jerry experienced his first songwriting successes. First, a hit record for Trini Lopez called Sad Tomorrows on Reprise Records. Then another for Martin Denny on Liberty Records called Strawberry Tree, and another on the hit album Figurines by The Fleetwoods. But Jerry wasn’t satisfied.

The Naturals (1) aka The Three Honeydrops aka Jerry & Mel 

1965 - Jack Greenbach  , Jerry Marcellino & Mel Larson  

Jerry Marcellino and Mel Larson went on to become one of the most successful creative forces in the music industry: producing for The Jackson 5, Diana Ross, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Al Jarreau, Lionel Richie, and countless others. His music has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, including 25 Gold and Platinum records.


 

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 


The Three Honeydrops

  
You're The One For Me                       Rockin Satellite

  
Honey Drop                       In The Summer


Chickaboom 

 

The Naturals (1)

  
Don't Send Me Away                        The Mummy


Jerry & Mel

  
Once Upon A Time                            Cannibal Stew



 

 


...

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

Posted on 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     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     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     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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Little Jan & The Radiants (2) aka The Teen-Tones (1)

Posted on by dion1

Little Jan & The Radiants (2) aka The Teen-Tones (1)
Top :Tommy Nelli, Billy Shelly & Dominick Scretti - Bottom : Jan Perolla

Little Jan & The Radiants (2) (Syracuse, NY)
aka The Teen-Tones (1)


Personnel :

Jan Perolla (Lead)

Billy Shelly (First Tenor)

Dominick Scretti (Baritone)

Tommy Nelli (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Teen-Tones (1)
1958 - Miss Sweet / Darling I Love You (Dandy Dan 2)

Little Jan & The Radiants (2)
1960 - If You Love Me / Heart And Soul (VIM 507)

Jan & The Radiants (2)
1960 - Is It True (I Still Believe In You) / Now Is The Hour (Clock 1028)
1961 - If You Love Me / Is It True (I Still Believe In You) (Queen 247)



Biography :

Syracuse vocal group Little Jan and the Radiants were formed in 1958, when three male members of the Teen-Tones : Billy Shelly (1st tenor), Dominick Scretti (baritone) and Tommy Nelli (bass) replaced Billy Sanders, who went into the service, with Carl Irvine (2nd tenor), and added none other than the departed Billy’s girlfriend, 17 year old Jan Perolla. Originally christened Little Jan & the Orients, their infectious sound crossed cultural lines and the group quickly became a local favorite. Sports-o-ramas, sock-hops, house parties and high school dances gave way to the big time.

Little Jan & The Radiants (2) aka The Teen-Tones (1)
The Teen-Tones (Sam Furco, Tommy Nelli, Billy Sanders, Billy Shelly and Dominick Scretti)

When a producer representing Syracuse University graduate and SAMMYS Lifetime Achievement Award winner Dick Clark came to Syracuse to audition Jeff & the Notes, their friends Little Jan and the Radiants were also there and invited to “sing a few bars of Earth Angel”.  Shortly thereafter, the group got a call from the producer, met at The Orange at Syracuse University, signed a contract with CLOCK Records, and the renamed Little Jan and the Radiants were on their way.

Little Jan & The Radiants (2) aka The Teen-Tones (1)    Little Jan & The Radiants (2) aka The Teen-Tones (1)
                                                                                                                                        Jan Perolla

“Heart And Soul” b/w “If You Love Me” was recorded in Buffalo NY in 1959, and “Is It True” b/w “Now Is The Hour”, recorded in Rochester, was released the following year, both garnering significant radio airplay across the United States, rumored to have hit the top 10 in some major markets. The discs were so popular that they were later re-released nationally on Queen Records in 1961. In their heyday, the group shared stages with such notables as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Gene Pitney and an early lineup of the not yet famous Four Seasons.


Songs :

The Teen-Tones (1)

  
Darling I Love You                                   Miss Sweet       

Little Jan & The Radiants (2)

  
If You Love Me                                  Heart And Soul

Jan & The Radiants (2)

  
Is It True (I Still Believe In You)                      Now Is The Hour    


...

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The Hammond Brothers aka The Three Friends (2)

Posted on by dion1

The Three Friends (2) aka The Hammond Brothers
Clay Hammond

The Three Friends (2) (Compton, California)
aka The Hammond Brothers

 

Personnel :

Clay Hammond (Lead)

Walter Hammond (Baritone)

Julius Brown (Tenor)

 

Discography :

The Three Friends (2)
1961 - Walkin' Shoes / Blue Ribbon Baby (Cal-Gold 169)
1961 - Dedicated (To The Songs I Love) / Happy As A Man Can Be (Imperial 5763)
1961 - Go On To School / You're A Square (Imperial 5773)

The Hammond Brothers
1962 - Thirty Miles Of Railroad Track / I Told You (Abner 7005)

 

Biography :

Black doowop trio from Compton, California. Comprised of Julius Brown and brothers Clay and Walter Hammond.  Clayton Hammond Jr. was born in Groesbeck, Texas. He was an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter and in 1956 he became a founding member of the gospel group The Mighty Clouds of Joy in Los Angeles, with Little Johnny Taylor and others. His younger brother, Walter Hammond, became a member of vocal group The Olympics.

The Three Friends (2) aka The Hammond Brothers  The Three Friends (2) aka The Hammond Brothers
                                                                                        Clay Hammond

Clay Hammond made his first recording in 1959 for the Tag label, and then formed a trio, The Three Friends with Walter Hammond and friend Julius Brown. They recorded for the Cal-Gold and Imperial labels in 1961, with little success. Their only charted single was "Dedicated (To The Songs I Love)", which peaked at #89 in July of 1961. The Next year, he also recorded with his brother Walter as the Hammond Brothers. In 1963, his song "Part Time Love", recorded by Little Johnny Taylor, reached the top of the Billboard R&B chart and no.19 on the pop chart. He continued to write songs, but with much less success, as well as recording singles for a variety of small labels.

 

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim) 


The Three Friends (2)

     
        Blue Ribbon Baby                     Walkin' Shoes         Dedicated (To The Songs I Love)

  
Happy As A Man Can Be              Go On To School / You're A Square
 

The Hammond Brothers

  
Thirty Miles Of Railroad Track                        I Told You                   

...

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The Casualairs aka The Casual-Aires

Posted on by dion1

The Casualairs aka The Casual-Aires

The Casualairs (Staten Island, NY)
aka The Casual-Aires

 

Personnel :

Pete Habild (Lead)

William Comforti

Thomas Manzo

Russell Delbe

Charlie Notabartolo

 

Discography :

The Casualairs
1962 - At The Dance / Satisfied (Mona Lee 136)

The Casual-Aires
1963 - Cruising  / Bossa Nova Twist (Craig 5001/CB 5001)

 

Biography :

The Casualairs hail from Staten Island, NY. The group then consists of Pete Habild  on lead, William Comforti, Thomas Manzo, Russell Delbe and Charlie Notabartolo. The group recorded "At The Dance" & "Satisfied" released in 1962 by Mona Lee Records. Mona Lee Records was incorporated on April, 4 1960 in New York by Samuel Kaufman, Esq., 507 Fifth Avenue. 

The Casualairs aka The Casual-Aires    The Casualairs aka The Casual-Aires

President was Leonora "Lee" Rupe,  ex-wife of Arthur Goldberg, better known as Art Rupe owner of Specialty Records. In 1963, the group recorded "Cruising" and "Bossa Nova Twist" . The single was released the same year by Craig Records and CB Records, both from New Jersey under the name of The Casual-Aires.

 

Songs :

The Casualairs

  
At The Dance                                        Satisfied    

The Casual-Aires

  
     Cruising                                      Bossa Nova Twist


...

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The Crowns (5) aka The Barons (6)

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The Crowns (5) aka The Barons (6)
Richie Giordano

The Crowns (5) (Stamford, CT.)
aka The Barons (6)

 

Personnel :

Jimmy Ienner (Lead / Bass)

Tommy Fowler (Lead Tenor)

Richie Giordano (Falsetto) 

Joe Mattera (Baritone)

Pete Esposoto (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Barons (6)

Singles :
1964 - Pledge Of A Fool / Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl) (Epic 9586)
1964 - Lucky Star / Remember Rita (Epic 9747)
1966 - Since You're Gone / My Smile Is Bigger (Than Your Smile) (RCA 9034)
Unreleased :
1966 - When You Dance (Acappella)
1966 - Traveling Stranger (Acappella) (as the Kooltones)
1966 - Pennies From Heaven (Acappella) (as the Pretenders)

The Crowns (5)

1964 - Possibility / Watch Out (Old Town 1171)

 

Biography :

In 1962, Jimmy Ienner and Richie Giordano formed the the Majestic Lads in  Stamford Ct. area. The group then consisted of Jimmy Ienner (Lead/Bass), Tommy Fowler (Lead Tenor), Richie Giordano (Falsetto), Joe Mattera (Baritone) and Pete Esposoto (Bass). in 1963, Stan Vincent became the manager of The Majestic lads and composed "Pledge Of A Fool" and "Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl)". Stan Vincent changed the original name by The Barons. Stan Vincent began his music industry career as a teenager working as a gofer at the Brooklyn-based offices of Jim Gribble who managed several doo-wop groups including the Mystics and the Passions, sometimes assisting on the recordings on Gribble's clients: by 1959 Vincent was himself recording his output including two singles backed by the Del Satins.

The Crowns (5) aka The Barons (6)    The Crowns (5) aka The Barons (6)
Stan Vincent                                                                                                                                      

Vincent's releases were overlooked but a recording he produced for the Del Satins of his composition "Teardrops Follow Me" became a regional success in the summer of 1962 and Vincent was afforded his first major success as the producer of the Earls hit "Remember Then" recorded in 1962 which reached #24 in January 1963. Some of the artists he's worked with include (but are not limited to): The Passions, The Earls, Connie Francis, Lou Christie, The 5 Stairsteps, The Brooklyn Bridge, Cher, Ronnie Dyson, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, The Del Satins, Larry Finnegan.

The Crowns (5) aka The Barons (6)    The Crowns (5) aka The Barons (6)
                                                                                                           Jimmy Ienner

Considered by many as one of the most wonderful doo wop, "Pledge of a Fool" was released in March 1963 on Epic and charted locally. The record became popular and the group make many appearances throughout the area. in 1964, Ron D'Angelis replaced Joe Mattera. At the end of 1964, the Barons returned to the studio and record two new songs composed by Stan Vincent : "Lucky Star" and "Remember Rita" released on Epic 9747. Some months later, they recorded "Possibility" b/w "Watch Out" released on Old Town records as the Crowns because they were still under contract with Epic.

The Crowns (5) aka The Barons (6)
Jimmy Ienner (Left) with the Raspberries

The Crowns sounded like Larry Chance & the Earls and "Possibility" was composed again by Stan Vincent and this is where the Larry Chance rumor was started. There is no connection to Larry  Chance with either the Barons or the Crowns. The Larry Chance connection to the Crowns on Old Town was one of several/many BS stories started by Gus Gossert. After this Billy Neilson replaced Richie Giordano. In 1966, Jimmy Ienner composed & produced the last single of the Barons "Since You're Gone" b/w "My Smile Is Bigger" on RCA. They also had 3 accapella sides on Relic 101 (Best of Acappella Vol 1). These came from Slim Rose who found them in the back of Times Square Records on reel to reel. They are: When You Dance, Traveling Stranger (as the Kooltones) and Pennies From Heaven( as the Pretenders). Jimmy Ienner will become an American music producer, best known for producing albums for such artists as Bay City Rollers, The Raspberries and Three Dog Night.
Richard A. Giordano,74, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, October 7, 2016.
 

Songs:
(updated by Hans-Joachim)   

The Barons (6)

  
Pledge Of A Fool                                  Lucky Star       

  
            Remember Rita                   Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl)

  
     Since You're Gone                    When You Dance (Acappella)



The Crowns (5)


Possibility


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Bud Johnson & The Voices Five aka The Chanters (2)

Posted on by dion1



Bud Johnson & The Voices Five (Queens, New Kork)
aka The Chanters (2)

 

Personnel :

Larry Pendergrass (Lead)

Fred Paige (First & Second Tenor)

Bud Johnson, Jr. (Second & First Tenor)

Elliot Green (Baritone)

Bobby Thompson (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Chanters (2)
1958 - My My Darling / I Need Your Tenderness (Deluxe 6162)
1958 - Row Your Boat / Stars In The Skies (Deluxe 6166)
1958 - Five Little Kisses / Angel Darling (Deluxe 6172)
1961 - I Make This Pledge / No, No, No (Deluxe 6191)
1961 - At My Door / My My Darling (Deluxe 6194)
1963 - Over The Rainbow / No, No, No (Deluxe 6199)
1963 - Row Your Boat / No, No, No (Deluxe 6200)

Bud Johnson & The Chanters (2)
1958 - No, No, No / Over The Rainbow (Deluxe 6177)

Bud Johnson & The Voices Five
Singles :
1959 - For Sentimental reasons / All alone (Inst.)(Craft 116 )
1959 - You're driving me crazy / On the Alamo (Stereo craft 111 A)
 

Lps:
1959 - Big Beat Dance Party (Lp RCS-509 )
Lover Come Back To Me  / For Sentimental Reasons  / You're Driving Me Crazy / On The Alamo

 

Biography :

Bud (sometimes spelled as Budd) Johnson was a jazz and R & B tenor sax player who did a lot of session work in New York throughout the forties and fifties. His son Bud Jr. along with a few of his neighborhood friends soon began singing notes and trading riffs which the father thought might show some promise. So Bud Johnson along with Bob Thompson, Fred Page, Elliot Green, and lead singer Larry Pendergrass soon solidified the group. Their influence was the top sound of the day - the young high tenor lead made famous by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers.  Bud and his group who were managed by his mother soon were put in contact with one of the leading independent record companies of the day, the King-Federal-DeLuxe combine located in Cincinnati, Ohio and headed by Syd Nathan.

 Nathan who was looking for just that kind of sound in a vocal group, quickly signed them to his DeLuxe label and set up their initial recording session. The first release for the group was "My My Darling" and "I Need Your Tenderness" on # 6162 in April of 1958.  The record did not do much in sales or airplay and the group was soon ready for another try. In June "Row Your Boat" and "Stars In The Skies" was released on DeLuxe #6166. This time the results were a bit better for the group but still certainly not a big national, or even a regional hit. "Row" was an up tempo tune very much in the mold of the Lymon brothers groups. September saw the third DeLuxe release on the tunes "Angel Darling" and "Five Little Kisses" on # 6172. Once again the group just did not seem to capture an audience for their music.

   

The Chanters had one last effort in the year. The songs were the pop standard "Over The Rainbow" and "No No No" and this time Bud's father gave the session his experience in arranging and orchestrating the takes. Probably because of this the group was identified on the label as "Bud Johnson & The Chanters" leaving many listeners to assume that Johnson was the lead singer rather than Pendergrass. In 1959 Page left to military service and his place was taken by Fred Johnson another member of the Johnson family - this time a cousin. That year the group moved to the Craft label and recorded "All Alone" and "For Sentimental Reasons" and released on # 116. This time the lead singer was Fred Johnson and the group had changed their name to The Voices Five. A bit of confusion came about as the label released a side as by the Budd Johnson Orchestra (Bud Jr.'s father) on # 113. Unfortunately for the group now The Voices Five, the end result remained the same.

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Ev1tiger/chanters.html
http://www.uncamarvy.com/Chanters/chanters.html

 

Songs :

The Chanters (2)

     
No No No                              Five Little Kisses                Row Your Boat

     
I Need Your Tenderness                  My My Darling                          Angel Darling     

      
    Stars In The Skies                   Over The Rainbow             I Make This Pledge (To You)

  
At My Door
 

Bud Johnson & The Voices Five

      
You're Driving Me Crazy         Lover Come Back To Me   For Sentimental Reasons



On The Alamo


...

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The Bon-Aires (2)

Posted on by dion1

   From left to tight, Dennis Diamond, Scot McLearie, Mike Paladino & George Lavatelli

The Bon-Aires (2) (New Jersey)

 

Personnel :

Georges Lavatelli (Lead)

Mike Paladino (Tenor)

Denis Diamond (Second Tenor)

Scotty McLerie (Baritone) 

 

Discography :

Singles :
1962 - Blue Beat / Driving Along (Rust TR3)
1963 - Bye Bye / My Love My Love (Rust 5077)
1964 - The Shrine Of St Cecilia / Jeannie Baby (Rust 5097)
1976 - My Heart's Desire / New Me (Catamount 130)
1976 - Cherry / At Night (Acapella) (Flamingo 1000)
1976 - Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind / I Love You (Acapella) (Flamingo 1001)
1977 - The Angel Sang / What Did She Use (Flamingo 1002)
Unreleased :
1963 - Angel Of Love (Rust)

 

Biography :

"My Love, My Love", "Jeanne Baby", "Bye, Bye", "The Shrine of St. Celia", "Blue Beat", "Driving Alone", "Angel of Love". All songs on the Rust Record label, produced by Neil Levinson ("Denise") and Steve Duboff. The original Bon-Aires were Dennis Diamond, Scotty McLearie, Mike Paladino and George Lavatelli. Scotty and George were members of a group called the Shades from Englewood, New Jersey. A product of St. Joseph's High School, West New York, Mike and a friend Pete Prince formed the Princetones - Pete Prince - wrote the classic tune Guardian Angel outside of Leone's pizza parlor in West New York. The group was the first to record a demo of the song in 1958.


The Princetones

The "Bon-Aires", were originally called "the Difference". The "Difference" auditioned for Bob Hilliard, a prolific song writer, Broadway and Pop, from Leonia, NJ. He wrote all the Ruby and the Romantics songs. Bob paid for their first demo album and introduced the group to Neil Levinson and Steve Duboff. The Name Bon-Aires was given to the group by Steve Venet, an A&R man at Columbia Records. He also arranged "My Love, My Love". They had picked "My Love, My Love" for the group , which was the flip side of "Have You Heard", by Joni James.

The Duprees took "Have You Heard" and the Bon-Aires got "My Love, My Love". The Duprees' recording came out 3 months before the Bon-Aires.  The Bon-Aires received bullets in Cash Box and Billboard Magazines. "My Love, My Love" was Pick Hit of the Week on WINS-AM NY. Then came the Beatles!!!!!


Songs :

     
Blue Beat                   The Shrine Of St Cecilia                  Jeannie Baby

     
My Love My Love                    Angel Of Love                    My Heart's Desire

     
Cherry                            At Night                           Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

  
The Angel Sang                       What Did She Use


….

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The Strangers (1)

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The Strangers (1)
 (L-R) Woodrow Jackson, John Brizant, William Clarke, Pringle Sims and John Grant

The Strangers (1) (Brooklyn, New York)

 

Personnel :

Billy Clark (Second Tenor)

Pringle Sims (First Tenor)

John Grant (Baritone)

Woodrow Jackson (Bass)

Seifert “John” Brizant II (Piano Arranger)

 

Discography :

Singles :
1954 - My Friends / I've Got Eyes (King 4697)
1954 - Blue Flowers / Beg And Steal (King 4709)
1954 - Hoping You'll Understand / Just Don't Care (King 4728)
1954 - Drop Down To My Place / Get It One More Time (King 4745)
1955 - Dreams Came True / How Long Must I Wait (King 4766)
1955 - Without A Friend / Think Again (King 4821)

Unreleased :
1955 - It's Too Bad
1955 - Have Fun

 

Biography :

Considering the popularity of the doo wop genre, this Billy Clark could possibly rate as the most popular, as in widely heard, performer with this name. His competition numbers various performers from early rock, bluegrass, blues, and jazz who, if gathered together, would not be a comfortable size for a dinner party. This Billy Clark was one of many vocally active young men hailing from Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in the '50s; his lead vocals on record with the Strangers include the perceptive "I've Got Eyes," the needy "Beg and Steal," the inviting "Drop Down to My Place," the apathetic "Just Don't Care," the entertaining "Have Fun," and the impatient "How Long Must I Wait."

The Strangers (1)    The Strangers (1)

The Strangers formed in 1952 -- doo wop buffs interested in further subdivisions of local traditions can take note that Clark and accomplices including Pringle Sims, John Grant, and Woodrow Jackson were all pals from the Putnam-Tompkins Avenue homeland. The members were basically all in their late teens, meaning they were still young men in the mid-'50s when their string of record releases on the King label ended. Clark continued performing for decades after this, however. He worked as a drummer in a band accompanying the Spaniels, another doo wop band and not a traveling dog show. But Clark didn't keep his mouth shut on-stage, either, taking on the lead vocal spot in a '70s version of the Flamingos, sobbing through a remake of their hit "Golden Teardrops."





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Brother Zee & The Decades (1) aka The Vice-Roys (2)

Posted on by dion1


The Vice-Roys : (L to R) Al Linde, Paul Robertson, Bob Zoidis, Charles "Pedro" Buford and Henry Truesdale

The Vice-Roys (2) (Phoenix, Az)
aka Brother Zee & The Decades (1)

 

Personnel :

Al Linde

Paul Robertson

Bob Zoidis

Charles "Pedro" Buford

Henry Truesdale

 

Discography :

The Vice-Roys (2)
Singles :
1962 - My Heart /  I Need You Love So Bad (Ramco 3715)
Unreleased :
1962 - Sunday Kind Of Love (Ramco)
1962 - Yancy (Ramco)

Brother Zee & The Decades (1)
1963 - Sha Boom Bang / Smokey The Bear (Ramco 3725)

 

Biography :

Phoenix, Arizona was host to an exciting musical climate in the 1950’s and 1960’s, which included a mix of rock n’ roll, R&B, and country music, along with a small number of recording studios and record labels.  Floyd Ramsey owned Ramsey’s Recording Studio at 3703 N. 7th Street, which he renamed Audio Recorders in late 1957.  He also owned several record labels including Liberty Bell and Ramco, and was a co-owner of Rev.  Local Arizona-area artists who recorded at Ramsey’s studio included the Vice-Roys and Brother Zee and the Decades.


Audio Recorders of Arizona.

The Vice-Roys were a racially integrated group stationed at nearby Luke Air Force Base west of Phoenix. The Aug.8,1962, session was produced by the inimitable Jim Musiln,Jr., one of the great characters in Arizona music history.  The Vice-Roys were Al Linde, Paul Robertson, Bob Zoidis, Charles "Pedro" Buford and Henry Truesdale. they were backed on the record by the mike Metko Combo. Besides "My Heart" and  "I Need You Love So Bad"the Vice-Roys also breathed new life into the old warhorse "Sunday Kind Of Love". A fourth songs "Yancy" also remained unreleased. Ramco Pressed 300 copies of "My Heart".


Brother Zee & The Decades (L to R) Al Linde, Bob Zoidis and Charles "Pedro" Buford

In 1963, Al Linde, Bob Zoidis and Charles "Pedro" Buford regrouped for another Ramco session as Brother Zee & The Decades. For the June 27, 1963, session, Musil was the producer and once again Metko provided themusical back-up. The A-side was an awesome re-imagination of the Rivingtons' iconic "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" and " The Bird's The World" which the group transformed in "Sha Boom Bang". The Sha Boom Bang" acetate got immediate airplay on KRIZ in Phoenix, were it was declared "Champ of The Week" on June 29,1963.  Bob Zoidis soon left music for hair styling and by 1967, Al Linde and Charles "Pedro" Buford had gone hippie in San Francisco and were members of the Salvation Army Bannned, which later recorded as just "Salvation" For ABC records.

 

Songs  :

The Vice-Roys (2)

     
My Heart                     I Need You Love So Bad               Sunday Kind Of Love


Brother Zee & The Decades (1)

  
Sha Boom Bang                     Smokey The Bear


...

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