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

Lee & The Leopards (1)

Posted on December 26 2017 by dion1

(l to r) Prentiss Anderson, Lee Moore & George Miller Ross

Lee & The Leopards (1) (Toledo, Ohio)

Personnel :

Lee Moore (Lead)

George Miller Ross

Prentiss Anderson

James Porter

Discography :

Lee & The Leopards (1)
Singles:
1962 - Come Into My Palace / Trying To Make It (Gordy 7002/Laurie 3197)
1964 - What About Me / Don't Press Your Luck (Fortune 867)
Unreleased :
1964 - The Beatle Slide (Fortune)

The Rivieres (Lee & The Leopards backed by The Rivieres)
1964 - The Gypsy Said / Knock On Wood (K-Zee 811K-5218)

Biography :

Lee and the Leopards, like many Toledo groups, were swept up in the explosion of the Motown powered Detroit R&B/soul explosion of the early 1960s. The group started around 1961, and included Lee Moore as the namesake and lead singer, George Miller Ross, Prentiss Anderson, and James Porter. Anderson had been in the Del-Rios (with William Bell) who recorded for the early Stax records. but had moved to Toledo, where he performed with a self-contrained group called the Gayhawks.. He was recruited to join the group and after a few weeks, they auditioned for Berry Gordy at Motown, who Anderson had met when he was touring with the Del-Rios.

Lee & The leopards (1)

The group had brought some of their own songs, but Gordy wanted them to sing some of the in-house songs. The group went back to Toledo and they reworked one of the songs "Come Into My Palace". The group returned to Detroit a few days later and within a day, they had the song recorded at Motown. James Porter was not able to make the session, so Prentiss Anderson sang Porter's part, with Eddie Kendricks singing Anderson's tenor part. The 45 was the first chronological release on Gordy, although it was the second assigned catalog number. Porter was not included on the contract.

Lee & The leopards (1)

The record was a big hit on WOHO and WTOD in Toledo and also on Detroit stations. The group did some promotonial shows with WTOD. The record was picked up by Laurie records because the Motown operation did not have a full scale national promotional system. The group recorded a second 45 at Fortune, and a final 45 for K-Lee label from Adrian, MI. For the last record, the group recorded their own song "The Gypsy Said" backed by a band called the Rivieres from Adrian. When the record came out, the label credited the Rivieres instead of Lee and the Leopards. Some of the copies had stickers for Lee and the Leopards. After the group ended, Prentiss Anderson spent many years backing up various Motown related groups.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Lee & The Leopards (1)


Come Into My Palace                   Trying To Make It


Don't Press Your Luck                          The Beatle Slide


           What About Me           Don't Press Your Luck (alternate take)

The Rivieres


The Gypsy Said Knock On Wood

…

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The Nu-Tones (1) aka The Nutones (1)

Posted on December 24 2017 by dion1

The Nu-Tones (1) aka The Nutones (1)
The Nu-Tones (1) (Los Angeles, CA)
aka The Nutones (1)

Personnel :

Don Ballard (Lead Tenor)

Joe Green (Lead vocals)

Lionel Dawson (Tenor)

George Webster McNeil (Baritone)

Ed Turner (Bass)

Discography :

The Nu-Tones (1)
1955 - Goddess of Love / Niki Niki Mambo (Cutie Girl) (Hollywood Star 797)
1955 - Annie Kicked The Bucket / Believe (Hollywood Star 798)
1955 - Believe / You’re No Barking Dog (Johnny Dragnet Hill) (Hollywood Star 798)

The Nutones (1)
1956 - At Midnite / Beans ‘N’ Greens (Combo 127)

Biography :

In 1951, Jake Vernon Haven Porter (Jake Porter), a jazz trumpeter founded the label Combo Records, which was active until 1961 and released R&B and doo wop releases in addition to some jazz. Much of the material released on the label was recorded in Porter's basement, and he did a fair bit of songwriting for the releases in addition to recording duties.

The Nu-Tones (1) aka The Nutones (1)
Jake Porter

The Nutones came from West Los Angeles and local distributor Sid Talmadge did pretty well with their only Combo platter "At Midnite" b/w "Beans ‘N’ Greens". The single sold well in the immediate Los Angeles area but was not too much to talk about elsewhere. Before their Combo recordings,the Nutones under the name of Nu-Tones also recorded for the elusive Cholly Williams, their legendary "Annie Kicked The Bucket" on Hollywood Star recently reportedly fetched the highest price ever for a rock and roll group.

Songs :

The Nu-Tones (1)

Goddess of Love / Niki Niki Mambo

Believe Annie Kicked The Bucket

The Nutones (1)

Beans 'N' Greens At Midnite

…

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The Del-Tones

Posted on December 23 2017 by dion1

The Del-Tones (?) (Pittsburgh, PA)

Personnel :

William "Billy" Cox (Second Tenor / Baritone)

Tommy

Winston

Bobby

"Boo Boo"

The Del-Tones from Pittsburgh in 1959. Have they recorded ??? William "Billy" Cox (born October 18, 1941) is an American bassist, best known for performing with Jimi Hendrix.

Discography ?????

1959 - Best Wishes / Walkin Out The Back Door (Ro-Ann 1001)

...

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The Majestics (3)

Posted on December 23 2017 by dion1

The Majestics (3)
Bottom : Eddie Rogers & Steve Catallo - Top : Richard Steene, Joe DiVergilio, Tom Pascarella

The Majestics (3) (Everett, MA)

Personnel:

Tommy Pascarella (Lead)

Steve Catallo (Bass)

Frank “Junior” Sanfilippo

Tommy Guanci

Eddie Rogers

Discography :

Singles:
1959 - Lone Stranger / Sweet One (20th Fox 171/Sioux 914/ Foxie 7004)
1973 - Symbol Of Love (1961) / Two Purple Shadows (1961) (Vintage 1002)  

Unreleased:
1959 - Rose Ann (Unreleased)

Biography :

The Majestics were actually formed by the fusion of two other groups – the “Cresents” from the far end of Ferry Street, near the Malden Line, and the “Tempo’s” from the area of Orange Court. When the dust settled the “Majestics” were born. Tom Pasacarella did most of the leads, and the harmony was filled out by Frank “Junior” Sanfilippo, and Tom Guanci. They, too, experienced personnel changes, other members at various times were John Falzone (from the Spindrifts), Ritchie Steen, Jackie Neider, and Joe DiVirgilio (all former Emeralds).

The Majestics (3)
(Original Majestics 1956) Tom Guanci, Steve Catallo, Tom Pascarella , John Falzone & Eddie Rogers.

They also had one commercial release “Lone Stranger/Sweet One” in 1959 (Sioux #91459), picked up (too late, however) by Twenty Century Fox (#171). This record had a good chance of “breaking out,” as it was beginning to, as they say ”Make some noise” in California, and Twentieth Fox showed some interest in distributing it.

The Majestics (3)
(Original Majestics 1956)

The group’s manager, and/or the original label “stalled” a bit in an effort to work a better deal, but this tactic apparently backfired. When they did finally get the rights to distribute the record, initial interest had past, and it was too late. One other 45 was released on Vintage (#1002) in the Seventies by an edition of this group. “Symbol of Love/Two Purple Shadows” was recorded in about 1961 by a group consisting of members of both the Majestics, and the Emeralds.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Lone Stranger                         Sweet One


Symbol of Love                                 Two Purple Shadows

Rose Ann

....

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The Sheppards (1)

Posted on December 17 2017 by dion1

Top : Oscar Boyd, James Denis Isaac, Georges Parker - Bottom : John Pruit , Nathaniel Tucker.

The Sheppards (1) (Chicago)

Personnel :

John Pruit (Lead)

James Denis "Brother" Isaac (First Tenor)

Oscar Boyd (Second Tenor)

Georges Parker (Baritone)

Nathaniel Tucker (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1955 - Love / Cool Manbo (Theron 112)
1956 - Sherry / Mozelle (United 198 / B&F 198)
Unreleased :
1956 - Pretty little girl (United)
1956 - Just Let Me Love You (United)

Biography :

The group as originally formed was known as the Cavaliers. They got together in late 1953 and were organized by Andre Williams (who later won renown for his novelty numbers "Bacon Fat" and "Jail Bait" and for his work as a producer). The rest of the group came out of DuSable and Tilden Tech high schools on the South Side and consisted of John Pruitt (first tenor and lead), Albert "Pee Wee " Bell (baritone), Nathaniel Tucker (bass), and James Dennis "Brother" Isaac (second tenor and lead). Williams sang baritone, but his principal contribution was to devise various choreographed routines for the group. He was considered the group's "clown.

The Sheppards (1)
Andre Williams

The Cavaliers regularly got together at the corner of Fifty-second and Indiana to rehearse and to compete against other vocal groups. This went on for more than a year, and then Williams left the group. He was replaced by Oscar Robinson, a baritone. Robinson had come out of another Chicago ensemble, the Five Thrills, who had already recorded for Parrot. By 1955 the Cavaliers had graduated from being street-corner harmonizers to being real professionals. They were playing teenage hops and such clubs as Martin's Corner, Joe's Deluxe Club, the State Lounge, and the Trianon Ballroom. Eventually a relationship with the pianist Earl Washington and the independent producer Bill Sheppard was established. Then Albert Bell and Oscar Robinson were replaced with George "Sonny" Parker and Oscar Boyd, respectively, and the Sheppards were born. In 1955 they put out "Love" backed with "Cool Mambo" on Connie Toole's Theron label. "Love" flopped, but a second opportunity for the Sheppards came in February 1956, when they recorded "Mozelle" and "Sherry" for United.

The Sheppards (1)

"Mozelle" garnered considerable local radio play, so the group enjoyed a degree of celebrity in the Midwest. The Sheppards translated their recording success, such as it was, into an engagement at Club Delisa. They also parlayed a tour from the songs, playing numerous cities in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee with a group of chorus girls and the blues singer Tiny Topsy. Two other songs at the "Mozelle" session were recorded but not released. Around 1957, after Pruitt and Tucker were drafted and Boyd dropped out because he was going blind from a cataract condition, the Sheppards broke up. Isaac eventually drifted into another South Side group called the Bel Aires, a group that did one record and then was forced to split. Three of the Bel Aires, including Isaac, then became a part of yet another group, in 1959. The group? It was the Sheppards, of "Island of Love" fame.

Doowop: The Chicago Scene (Robert Pruter)

Songs :


Love / Cool Manbo                                    Sherry


     Mozelle                                            Pretty Little Girl

Just Let Me Love You

…

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The Nuggets (1)

Posted on December 11 2017 by dion1

Frank Sinatra & The Nuggets

The Nuggets (1) (Hollywood, CA)

Personnel :

Herman McCoy

Handel Sutton

O'Reese Corporal

Charles Patillo

Arvel Johnson

Discography :

The Nuggets (1)
Singles :
1954 - Quirl Up In My Arms / So Help Me I Love You (Capitol 2989)
1955 - Anxious Love / Shtiggy Boom (Capitol 3052)
Unreleased :
1954 - No Mama...No Papa (Capitol)
1954 - Ring A Ding A Ding (Capitol)

Frank Sinatra & The Nuggets (1)
1955 - Two Hearts Two Kisses / From The Bottom To The Top (Capitol 3084)

Dean Martin & The Nuggets (1)
1956 - I’m Gonna Steal You Away / Street Of Love (Not Them)(Capitol 3468)

Big Dave & His Orchestra (with The Nuggets)
Eps:
Arthur Murray - Rock 'N' Roll Part 1 (EAP 1-640)
1955 - Hearts Of Stone (The Nuggets) / Let's Bop / Night Train / That's The Beat

Arthur Murray - Rock 'N' Roll Part 2 (EAP 2-640)
1955 - Tweedlee Dee (Bernice Gooden & The Nuggets) / Shake, Rattle And Roll (The Nuggets)/ Gibraltar Rock / Smilin' Al

Arthur Murray - Rock 'N' Roll Part 3 (EAP 3-640)
1955 - One Mint Julep (The Nuggets) / Ko Ko Mo (The Nuggets)/ John The Rogue / Everybody´s Wailin´

Lp :
Arthur Murray Rock ‘n’ Roll (T 640)
1955 - Let’s Bop / Night Train/ Shake Rattle and Roll / Gibraltar Rock / Ko Ko Mo / John the Rogue / Everybody’s Wailin’ / One Mint Julep /Smilin’ Al / Tweedlee Dee / That’s the Beat / Hearts of Stone

The Nuggets (1)

Biography :

In November of 1954 David Cavanaugh A & R head of Capitol Records, is in New York to announce the signing of a vocal group called The Nuggets to the label. The Nuggets composed by Herman McCoy, Handel Sutton, O'Reese Corporal, Charles Patillo and Arvel Johnson , with Van Alexander conducting the orchestra, recorded four tracks "Quirl Up In My Arms", "So Help Me, I Love You", "No Mama...No Papa" and "Ring A Ding A Ding" in Los Angeles, California. Late in the same month Capitol releases # 2989 - "Quirl Up In My Arms" and "So Help Me, I Love You" by The Nuggets.

The Nuggets (1)

In February of 1955 Capitol releases # 3052 featuring The Nuggets with "Anxious Love" and "Shtiggy Boom". The Nuggets participates in the album of David "Big Dave" Cavanaugh performed as leader of the band on the album "Arthur Murray's Rock And Roll Party" (# 640) . Album on which we find vocal numbers by The Nuggets including an excellent uptempo version of "Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)," "Tweedlee Dee," "Shake Rattle & Roll," "Hearts of Stone" and "One Mint Julep".

The Nuggets (1)

In the spring of 1955 The Nuggets arrive for a very unusual recording session for Capitol. They back up the one and only Frank Sinatra on an R & B cover - The Charms "Two Hearts Two Kisses" and another song "From The Bottom To The Top". In 1956, the Nuggets back up Dean Martin on "I’m Gonna Steal You Away".

Songs :

The Nuggets (1)


Quirl Up In My Arms                                  Shtiggy Boom


Hearts Of Stone                                        Ko-Ko-Mo

Frank Sinatra & The Nuggets (1)


    Two Hearts Two Kisses                 From The Bottom To The Top

Dean Martin & The Nuggets (1)

I’m Gonna Steal You Away

…

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Barney & The Googles

Posted on December 10 2017 by dion1

Nathaniel Lewis

Barney & The Googles (Memphis, TN)

Personnel :

Nathaniel Lewis

Don Lewis

James Wright

Discography :

1960 - Doin' The Shimmy / Fall Is Here (Shimmy 1055)

Biography :

Born July 30, 1943, Nathaniel Lewis was out in south Memphis with little old groups, doowoppin' up under the street post light whose the El Salvadors caught the ear of a local grocery store owner named Shillingstein who ask them if they got a song that they can recorded. They said they got two tunes they wrote.'"Shimmy In The Daytime, Shimmy At Night." and they got another one, "Fall Is Here." They cuttin' these two tunes. "Fall Is Here" b/w "Doin' The Shimmy" emerged in 1960 on Shimmy Records by Barmey & the Googles.

The Ovations

But the El Salvadors were not pleased when Shimmy changed their name to Barney and The Googles. His name was Barney, Barney Shillingstein. So he felt comfortable with Barney.they were all clustered around at the store, and had told the people in the neighborhood to listen. And Bamey got 'em to play it on the radio about one or two times. they thought they were really a real group then!. Nathaniel Lewis, was subsequently to join The Del-Rios, featuring Louis Williams who had previously sung in The Four Kings (Stomper Time). The Del-Rios were to achieve some success in the mid sixties as The Ovations.

Songs :

Fall Is Here Doin' The Shimmy

…

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Little Tommy & The Elgins (2) aka T. B. & The Germs

Posted on December 9 2017 by dion1

Little Tommy & The Elgins (2) aka T.B. & The Germs
Top: Arnold Runner, Nate Alston, Curtis Allen James Toland - front:Tommy Bryant

Little Tommy & The Elgins (2) (Coatesville, PA)
aka T.B. & The Germs

Personnel :

Tommy Bryant (Lead)

James Toland (Tenor)

Nate Alston (Bass/Baritone / Guitar)

Curtis Allen (Second Tenor / Guitar)

Arnold Runner (Bass)

Discography :

Little Tommy & The Elgins (2)
1962 - Never Love Again / I Walk On (Elmar 1084 / ABC 10538)

The Elgins (2)
1962 - Jump & Shout (Part I) / Jump & Shout (Part II) (Nite 1004)

T. B. & The Germs
1962 - Jump & Shout (Part I) / Jump & Shout (Part II) (Nite 1004)

Biography :

The group was formed by five young men from Coatesville when they were students at Scott High School – Tommy Bryant, Arnold Runner, Curtis Allen, Nathan Alston and James Toland. They formed the doo wop group because they used to practice music on the streets of Coatesville for fun. The band was originally going by the name, Little Tommy & the Germs, but then they ended up using the Elgins moniker, named after the watches that were manufactured in Elgin, Illinois. Alston and Allen were the guitarists for the band, while Toland, Bryant and Runner performed vocals.

Little Tommy & The Elgins (2) aka T.B. & The Germs

Little Tommy and the Elgins played at many college campuses in Pennsylvania, such as Muhlenberg College and Shippensburg University. Many of the bandstands were at fire stations, so they would play there, and they also played at some venues in New Jersey. One the band’s biggest concerts was at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City in the summer of 1962, and many of their fans from Coatesville made the trip out to the shore to see them play. The concert was also broadcast in black and white on Grady and Hurst’s “Summertime on the Pier” television show.

Little Tommy & The Elgins (2) aka T.B. & The Germs

Little Tommy and the Elgins’ two most well-known hit songs are “I Walk On” and “Never Love Again.” The band had record deals with three companies for these songs: Elmar, ABC-Paramount and Sparton. Their first band manager under Elmar Records was a man named Billy Jackson, from Philadelphia, who was a founding member of another doo wop band called The Re-Vels. The Same years, Nate Alston composed “Jump & Shout“ (Part I & II) released as the Elgins on Nite and as T. B. & the Germs…

Songs :

Little Tommy & The Elgins (2)


   I Walk On                                       Never Love Again

T. B. & The Germs


Jump & Shout (Part I)                     Jump & Shout (Part II)

…

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The Five Dots aka The Counts (2)

Posted on December 9 2017 by dion1

The Five Dots aka The Counts (2)
(top) Bernard Harris, Jimmy Pierson and Jimmy Scruggs (bottom) Harry Blackwell & Dwayne Harris

The Five Dots (Indianapolis)
aka The Counts (2)

Personnel :

Bernard Harris

Harry Blackwell

Dwayne Harris

Jimmy Scruggs

Jimmy Pierson

Discography :

The Five Dots
1954 - The Other Night / Each Night (Dot 1204)
1955 - I Just Love The Thing She Do / Well, Little Baby (Note 10003)

The Counts (2)
1956 - Sweet Names / I Guess I Brought It All On Myself (Note 2000)

Biography :

Harry Blackwell, Bernard Harris, Dwane Harris, Jimmy Pierson, and Jimmy Scruggs had formerly been known as the 5 Dots. The Five Dots formed in early 1954 and recorded one single for Dot Records: "The Other Night" b/w "Each Night". In 1955, they sign a recording contract with Note records. Note was a local Indianapolis label owned by Mel Herman. Mel Herman was a veteran in record retailing and one-time manager of The 5 Diamonds (soon after to become the Counts of "Darling Dear"). From the early 50s onwards, he operated record distribution branches in Indianapolis and Cincinnati, which later became part of his "Mel Herman Enterprises".

The Five Dots aka The Counts (2)

The Five Dots recorded "I Just Love The Thing She Do" b/w "Well, Little Baby" for Mel Herman and in 1956 "Sweet Names" b/w "I Guess I Brought It All On Myself" released as The Counts. The Five Dots made many appearances at the local area clubs, at the Rhythm and Blues Show at the Walker casino, in Evansville, Ind., for a dance engagement at Club Paradise. They weren't the Counts (1) on Dot (also managed by Mel Herman.

Songs :
(updated by Hans-Joachim)

The Five Dots


     Well, Little Baby                       I Just Love The Thing She Do


The Other Night                                    Each Night

The Counts (2)


              Sweet Names                 I Guess I Brought It All On Myself

...

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The Reflections (4) aka The Illusions (3)

Posted on December 6 2017 by dion1

The Reflections (4) aka The Illusions (3)
1963 - Chuck Tunnah, David Dunn, Pat Baldwin, & Larry Dunlap

The Reflections (4) (Indianapolis, IN)
aka The Illusions (3)

Personnel :

Dave Dunn (Lead)

Pat Baldwin

Larry Dunlap

Chuck Tunnah (Bass)

Discography :

The Reflections (4)
Single :
1963 - Tic Toc / In The Still Of The Night (Tigre 602)
Unreleased :
1963 - Don't Worry Baby

Rick Fortune bb The Reflections (4)
1963 - Running Wild / Sand In My Hair (Ran-Dee 108)

Mona Thomas bb The Reflections (4)
1964 - There He Goes / Just In Between (USA 776)

The Illusions (3)
1964 - In The Beginning / Maybe (I May Be Wrong) (Laurie LR 3245)

Biography :

Larry Dunlap met Chuck Tunnah near the beginning of his Junior year at Shortridge, Indianapolis. Chuck, Hastings Smith, and Pat Baldwin, freshmen at SHS, formed a vocal group with Larry called the Aristocats. Chuck Tunnah and Hastings Smith were already accomplished vocalists and they went on to sing together in the Acappella Choir and Madrigal Singers and the North Methodist Church Choir. After Their school years, Chuck, Pat, and Larry, joined by David Dunn from Broad Ripple continued singing. As the Reflections, They recorded "In The Still Of The Night" & "Tic Toc" released on Tigre Records owned by Jan Hutchins. Hutchins was one of three producers of "Stay" by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and before that, he had been a popular DJ in Florida.

The Reflections (4) aka The Illusions (3)

"In The Still Of The Night" were a version much different from the way it was originally recorded by the Five Satins. Chuck would start it off with a bass run of "De dun-de-dun, dun-de-dun-dun, and etc." and then Dave would sing the lead against the rhythm as Pat and Larry would join into the mix. The record started to break, oddly enough not in Indianapolis but back east and then in the south. Then it started to really take off on the big 50,000 watter, KLS in Chicago, so Jan Hutchins sent the Reflections up to do a sock hop in support of the local DJ's there. By then it was number 5 on their charts with a bullet!

The Reflections (4) aka The Illusions (3)
1965 - Mac Brown, Chuck Tunnah, Larry Dunlap, David Dunn, & Les Silvey

Despite the fact that they were heading up the charts in several major markets and were rising into the top 5 on the hit parade with a bullet in Chicago, they were a "turntable" hit, they weren't selling any records. The distributor rep said the reason was that no records had been pressed because somebody the master recording had been lost and Jan Hutchins hadn't made a backup!. By the time it was pressed, the Reflections who recorded (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet) had hit with their song. They sang backup on Mona Thomas and Rick Fortune’s singles and changed to the Illusions and recorded "In The Beginning " and "Maybe (I May Be Wrong)" released on Laurie Records in 1964. They become Stark Naked & The Car Thieves during the San Francisco-era ones.
http://www.stark-naked.com/gallery.htm

Songs :

The Reflections (4)


In The Still Of The Night                            Tic Toc

Don't Worry Baby

The Illusions (3)

In The Beginning

Rick Fortune bb The Reflections (4)


Sand In My Hair                                   Running Wild

Mona Thomas bb The Reflections (4)


There He Goes                           Just In Between

…

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