The Sputniks (1) (North Richmond, CA.)
aka The Greats
Personnel :
Curtis Stanton (First Tenor/Lead)
George Peeples (Tenor)
Robert Beale (Lead Tenor)
Lawrence Wydermayer (Bass)
Discography :
The Sputniks (1)
1957 - Hey Maryann / My Love Is Gone (Class 217)
1958 - Johnny's Little Lamb / Wait A Little While (Class 222)
1958 - My Love Is Gone / My Baby Twist (Pam Mar 601/602)
1958 - Clap Your Hands / Get Your Kicks (Pam Mar 607/608)
The Greats
1958 - Marching Elvis / Fiddler's Rock (Ebb 145)
Biography :
The
Sputniks were originally The Four Doves of North Richmond, California
who flowered briefly during the late Fifties. The group included Curtis
Stanton, first tenor and lead, George Peeples, tenor, Robert Beale, lead
tenor, and Lawrence Wydermayer, bass. Two years would pass before they
made a record, Nathan "The Magnificent" Montague getting them signed to
Class records in Los Angeles. In the Meantime Wesley Mitchell had
replaced Peeples and they made the long trip to L.A for their sole Class
recording session.
Nathan
"The Magnificent"
Montague
Four sides were cut and such was the label’s confidence
that it took a national trad ad to promote "Hey Maryann" in early 1958.
Montague thought it was a good gimmick to change the group’s name,
given the current media coverage of the Russian Sputnik satellite. Bur
despite this and Montague’s heavy airplay of a very infectious and
commercial record, it called to sell. Even so, Class already put out the
other sides in the can in February "Johnny's Little Lamb" b/w "Wait A
Little While". The Sputniks cut a session at Ebb Records, "Marching
Elvis" b/w "Fiddler's Rock" released in April 1958 as The Greats .
Shortly before The Sputniks disbanded they cut some songs at Sierra
Sound in Berkeley for the L.A.-based Pam Mar record company. When the
Sputniks (1) decided to call it quits, Stanton signed up for barber
school. Beale took up typewriter repair, Mitchell got a job at Chevron,
and Wydermayer ended up working for the BART subway system.
Songs :
The Sputniks (1)
Hey Maryann My Love Is Gone
My Love Is Gone Wait A Little While