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 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.
Jerry Marcellino Mel Larson Lani Woodd
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.
Jerry Marcellino Lani Woodd Mel Larson
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.
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.
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.
