The Passions (1) (Brooklyn, New York)
Personnel :
Jimmy Gallagher (Lead)
Tony Armato (First Tenor)
Albee Gallone (Second Tenor)
Vinnie Aceierno (Baritone)
Discography :
Biography :
One of the best of Brooklyn's white doo wop groups, the Passions helped to further the careers of two top writer/artists. The group members were among those vocalists whose harmony haven was the alley of Loew's Oriental Theatre in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. The nearby Kelly's pool room served as an occasional rehearsal hall.
1958 - The Sinceres
When five of the bunch formed the Overons (who later became the Mystics), the remaining members became the Sinceres. They included Tony Armato, Albee Galione, Vinny Acierno, Nicky Lombardi and John Pangi.The quintet recorded a few demos in 1958, at which time Tony, Albee and Vinny began looking for replacements who were more career-minded.
Another group in Bensonhurst had what they needed; when the three Sinceres heard Runarounds lead singer Jimmy Gallagher, they knew he was the one for them (Jimmy’s previous group, the Palladiyms, included Joe DiBenedetto, who later formed "The Four-evers".)
The Sinceres weren’t sure how to approach Jimmy, so they followed him home one night and knocked on his door. After convincing his mother that they only wanted to sing with her son, not mug him, the foursome went to a nearby park and ended up harmonizing for hours. They were now a quartet, with Jimmy on lead, Tony on first tenor, Albee on second tenor, and Vinnie on baritone. In 1959, while the Mystics were recording "Hushabye" at their first session, their friend Tony Armato was there cheering them on promoting his own group to their manager, Jim Gribble. Gribble soon signed the Sinceres and renamed them the Passions. He gave them a demo by a duo of studio singers who called themselves the Cousins. The song was "Just to Be with You" written by Mary Kalfin. The Cousines were Paul Simon and Carole King.
Released in August 1959 on Sol Winkler’s Audicon label, the Passions’ impeccable harmonies and Gallagher’s impassioned lead put "Just to Be with You" on radios across America. It was a top 20 hit in many eastern cities and it charted nationally, rising to number 69. The follow-up out of Audicon’s 1674 Broadway digs was twice as good. Both sides—the harmony filled "I Only Want You" and the beautiful Billy Dawn Smith ballad "This Is My Love" –vied for radio play and sales throughout the states.
The group recorded a few more sides for Audicon which were leased to Jubilee and Octavia.By 1962, Gallagher had joined the navy and Gribble had died. The group signed with producer Teddy Vann, ABC Records and drafted Joey O’Neal for the lead. Before Joey could sing, however, Jimmy returned on leave and joined with the Passions to record "The Bully" (ABC, 1963) and an up-tempo version THE CRESTS’ "Sixteen Candles" (Diamond, 1963).
This is My Love