1960 - Who Will Be The One / She's Gone (Minit 610)
1961 - Close To You / Got You On My Mind (Minit 620)
1961 - Always Naggin' / I Fell In Love With You (Minit 637)
Calvin Lee
1962 - Valley Of Tears / I'll Be Home (Wait And See) (Minit 655)
1963 - You / Daddy's Going Home (Minit 663)
Biography :
The Del Royals were not a working unit but merely an in-studio
combination of Calvin Lee and Willie Harper. Their line-up featured
Willie Harper, who became a virtual fixure on Minit's recording
sessions, providing backing vocals to innumerable acts, as well as
recording several singles on his own. Their sound was jaunty and filled
with robust humor--"Always Naggin'" was a good representative track.
Benny Spellman Irma Thomas
Both
Calvin Lee and Willie Harper sang on the "Mother-in-Law" session along
with bass singer Benny Spellman and Irma Thomas provided background
vocal on a number of the Minit recordings. In fact the artists formed a
miniature repertory group, singing on each other’s sessions and grouping
around Toussaints’s piano in his parent’s house. Calvin LeBlanc cut a
couple of solo 45s for the same company as Calvin Lee, including a
jaunty version of Fats Domino's big hit “Valley Of Tears”.
Allen Toussaint
Minit Records was an American independent record label, originally
based in New Orleans and founded by Joe Banashak in 1959. Ernie K. Doe,
Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas, and Benny Spellman were early artists on the
label. Later artist included Bobby Womack and Ike & Tina Turner.
Allen Toussaint was responsible for much of the label's early success,
he wrote, produced, arranged and played piano on a number of tracks.
The Techniques (Georgia Tech University, Atlanta, GA)
Personnel :
Buddy Harold (Lead)
Jim Tinney (First Tenor)
Jim Moore (Bass)
Jin Falin (Baritone)
Discography :
1957 - Hey! Little Girl / In A Round About Way (Stars 551 / Roulette 4030)
1958 - (Why Did I Ever) Let Her Go / Marindy (Roulette 4048)
1958 - Moon Tan / The Wisest Man in Town (Roulette 4097)
Biography :
Four
Phil Sigma Kappa Fraternity brothers with time on their hands started
singing "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing", slightly off keys and just
for fun. Students passing by stopped to listen, and the Techniques had
their first audition. A listener suggested the boys - Jim Moore, 22,
Knoxville; Jim Falin, 21, Corcoran, Calif; Jim Tinney, 22, Greenville,
SC., and Buddy Harold, 21, Louisville, Ky. - sing at rush parties. The
boys agreed it would be a lark. Sosing they did.
That was in fall of ’55. a few weeks later the boys tagged themselves
The Techniques, and sang their lucky song, "Love Is A Many Splendored
Thing »,to win local talent contests. They appeared on local TV and
Radio shows, including several telethons for charity. They got star
billing on a tV afternoon show for three months.In July 1957, The
Techniques decided to give up their singing and concentrate on their
studies. Not that their grades were suffering noticeably, but, after
all, they were singing just for fun. At his home in Knoxville, Buddy
took "about three minutes" our to write down a song "just to see how it
would sound."
When he returned to College, a classmate asked the Techniques to
sing at a party. The Boys gathered in the library to rehearse, and sang
Buddy’s song. They taped the tune "Just for the heck of it." Buddy
thought a record of the song would make a nice keepsake, so he took it
to a local recording studio. The manager, after listening to the tune,
"doctored it a bit," with echoes and sound effects. Lowery produced a
session with the techniques, with back up musicians Ray Stevens, Jerry
Reed, Joe South and Chet Atkins…. "He only charged what it cost to make
the records," Buddy recalled, "but it took my last ten dollars to pay
for it." That investment has paid off handsomely.
The
songs Buddy wrote and the record his last ten dollars bought was "Hey
Little Girl," one of the nation’s top hit in November 1957. Although
they "thought it sounded pretty good," The Techniques didn’t fully
appreciate the potential selling power of the record until their friend
Jerry Vandeventer of WSB heard the song, played it over the air. A local
music publisher went into action, released the record nationally on
Roulette. Overnight, in New York, "Hey Little Girl" jumped "from
nothing" to a listing among the top 20 tunes. On the heels of their
triumph on American Bandstand, The Techniques opened at the Paramount
theater in New York for a week’s engagement over the thanksgiving
holidays. Roulette released two others singles in 1958, but "Hey Little
Girl" is the only Billboard chart entry for the group.
1959 - Everybody Knows / Hand Jivin' Baby (Plaid 101)
Jerry Sharell
1960 - Everybody Knows / That's My Business (Alanna 560)
Biography :
Jerry Stiftinger , sophomore radio-speech major from Farrell, Pa., is
a member of the Velvets. He sings lead on "Everybody Knows", a ballad
written by Ed Daniel, former “Velvet” who had to leave for the army. The
flip side, “Hand Jivin’ Baby” is a rock ’n roll number written by Jim
Repas, also a “Velvet” and a sophomore at Indiana State Teachers
college. Besides being a member of the » “Velvets,” the 19-year-old
baritone, whose stage name is Jerry Sharell, also works as a single. He
sings on week-ends at the Pines nightclub in Youngstown with Lenny
Esposito’s band. Jerry has won several variety shows, among them the
Gene Carroll TV show in Cleveland. He has also made appearances in
numerous other variety shows and has done radio and TV work in
Cleveland, Youngstown, Farrell, and auditioned for Arthur Godfrey’s
Talent Scouts in 1958. On the KSU campus, Jerry appeared as an
in-between act at Pork Barrel and is on the WKSU-FM staff.
The Velvets were composed of five boys, all from Farrell, which
organized five years ago, other members of are Bruce Williams, Lawrence
Thomas, apd Steve Novosel, Youngstown university freshman. Cut early in
January 1959, the record was released in February on the Plaid label.
It has made the top 40 in Cleveland, according to KYW disc jockey, Wes
Hopkins. It received a “B” rating in Cashbox magazine. It has also been
the WAKR “Pick of the Week” hit. The record has been distributed in New
York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio, and later be distributed to DJ’s
in other states. The following year Jerry Sharell re-recorded "Everybody
Knows" b/w "That's My Business", released by Alanna Records.
(l-r) Rod McBrien, Bob Musac, John Giametta and Benny Palmeri (bottom)
The Valrays (Long Island, N.Y.)
Personnel :
Rod McBrien
Benny Palmeri
Bob Musac
John Giametta
Discography:
1963 - Get Aboard / Pee Wee (Parkway 880)
1964 - Yo Me Pregunto / Tonky (Parkway 904)
1967 - I'm Walkin' Proud / It Hurts, Doesn't it Girl (United Artists 50145)
Biography :
John Giametta and Rod McBrien have been the best of friends for about
many years, they were so close back in the early years of The Valrays,
they joined the U. S. Coast Guard Reserves together under the "buddy
plan." Some buddy plan! Rod went to boot camp two months before John
did. But they did finish their tour of duty together because they were
both in the Coast Guard Band.
Rod
McBrien (top), John Giametta and Bob
Musac
The Valrays released two singles for Parkway, the Beach
Boys-flavored "Get A Board" and "Yo Me Pregunto (I Ask Myself)". "Yo Me
Pregunto" made significant inroads into the charts. John Giametta had
been influenced by Spanish music while playing at The Copa. The decision
for Spanish lyrics was a result of that influence and Pete's
dissatisfaction with the sound of the English words. Their first two
singles as The Valrays on Cameo Parkway were written and produced by
John Linde and Pete Antell.
1967 - Rod Mcbrien, Phil Tano, Johnny Giametta, and Meco Menardo
Phil Giarratano (Lead singer of the Escorts on
Taurus) and Meco Menardo joined the group in 1967 after Palmeri and
Music left the group. For their next release on United Artists Records,
Rod McBrien and Johnny Giametta wrote "I'm Walkin' Proud" and "It Hurts,
Doesn't it Girl" and Produced it. After this, they formed Salt Water
Taffy. John and Rod also produced all releases by The Casualeers and
Salt Water Taffy together, as well as writing almost all of the songs
recorded.
1965 - On The Other Side Of The World / I Just Want To Know (Clarity 106)
1966 - Gone Away / Louie Louie (Clarity 108)
Unreleased:
1966 - Lucky Old Sun (demo)
1966 - You Make Me Feel So Good
Biography :
The Notations were a vocal group out of Bayonne, N.J. composed by
Joseph Riccio (Lead), Tommy Zenda (Second Tenor), George "Tiny"
Slivocka, and Raiph "Butch" Feuker (First Tenor). The Group performs
locally and opened for groups like The Drifters and Duprees. In 1964,
they recorded some demos in N.Y.C. 45s pressed on 78 vinyl..
Front Row : Tom Zenda, Raiph Feuker, George Slivocka and Joe Riccio.
Finally,
in 1965 in the midst of the Vietnam War, The Notations recorded "On The
Other Side Of The World" b/w "I Just Want To Know" released by the
Clarity Records label out of Union City, New Jersey. In 1966 Clarity
released their latest single with "Gone Away" and "Louie Louie"
Songs :
On The Other Side Of The World I Just Want To Know
1960 - Ain’t Cha Ever Coming Home / Silver Lining (Fury 1045)
1961 - I Found Out Too Late / I’m Coming Home (Fury 1057)
1964 - Valarie / Lonesome Boy (Lana 120)
1965 - Seven Day Fool / Don’t Be Afraid (Sphere Sound 705)
Jackie & The Starlites (4)
1962 - For All We Know / I Heard You (Mascot 128)
1962 - You Keep Telling Me / Sha Pobo Baby (Mascot130)
1963 - I’ll Burn Your Letters / Walking From School (Mascot 131)
1964 - I Still Remember / I Cried My Heart Out (Hull 760)
Unreleased :
196? - Let Him Go (Fury)
196? - No More Heart (Fury)
196? - They Laughed At Me (Fury)
196? - You Put One Over On Me (Fury)
Biography:
In September of 1960, one of the greatest, and certainly the most
over the top of all doo wop crying records – Valerie b/w Way Up In The
Sky (Fury) by the Starlites was unleashed on the world. While Valerie
didn’t make the national charts, it was a good size hit in New York and
other east coast cities, and it obviously made a big impression on those
who heard it as it would eventually be covered by Frank Zappa & the
Mothers, played on the radio by Lou Reed (when he guest DJ’s on WPIX-FM
in 1979), and became the favorite record of punk haberdasher Malcom
McClaren who had it on the jukebox at Let It Rock (the King’s Row shop
that eventually became Sex, the store where the Sex Pistols were
formed). Jackie Rue tortured vocal delivery, in which he breaks down
into a hysterical, wailing, sobbing, grieving, fit, delivers the
ultimate in teenage pathos.
When they appeared at the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia later that
year, Jackie and the Starlites went from being the opening act on the
first night to headliners by the second, elevated to the top billed over
such hard workin’, crowd pleasing, hit makers as Ike & Tina Turner
and James Brown & his Famous Flames. It has been said that Jackie
and the Starlites were the only act James Brown ever refused to follow.
Jackie La Rue originally started singing with an outfit called the Five
Wings in the early 1950s, and cut a pair of singles with the group for
King Records in 1955 before breaking up that year. Two of their members
went on to form the Dubs, but La Rue wasn't heard from again in music
until 1960, when the Starlites coalesced, consisting of Jackie Rue, as
he was then known, Alton Thomas, John Felix, and Billy Montgomery.
Fury Records was run by Harlem record store owner/producer/hustler Bobby
Robinson (who also ran Fire, Red Robin, Enjoy, Everlast and a few other
labels, why isn’t he in the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame? , a guy who
produced more good records than any other New Yorker, including classics
by Wilbert Harrison, Lee Dorsey, Elmore James, Lightnin’ Hopkins,
Tarheel Slim, Wild Jimmy Spruill and dozens of fine vocal groups (the
Rainbows, the Teenchords, the Kodaks, the Channels, the Charts, et al).
At The Apollo Theatre
The Starlites, re-christened Jackie and the Starlites as Valerie
picked up momentum, recorded three more singles for Fury– "Ain’t Cha
Ever Comin’ Home" b/w "Silver Lining", "I Found Out Too Late" b/w "I’m
Comin’ Home", both pretty much in the style of Valerie, and their final
disc under Robinson’s tutelage, which may be the most unhinged of all–
"They Laughed At Me" b/w "You Put One Over On Me". They Laughed At Me,
issued as Fire & Fury 1000, was released as Robinson was
experiencing financial difficulties (both labels would go into
receivership soon after They Laughed At Me was released) and is
extremely rare. But oh, what a majestic and unique performance. This
time, Jackie Rue laughs his way through his tale of rejection, cackling
like a constipated hyena on methadrine, Jackie sounds like his esophagus
is turning inside out. It ranks close to the top of the pantheon of
sides as Phil Schaap might say if we were talkin’ jazz. There is no
other record quite like it, and I think we can safely say at this point
in time, there never will be.
After
Fury went bust, Jackie and the Starlites signed with Hull where they
cut a few more discs in the same style, the best being "I Cried My Heart
Out", then were moved to Hull subsidiary Mascot for a few attempts to
merge their unique style with the Latin-esqe sound that the Drifters
were milking all the way to the bank around the same time. None of these
discs sold squat and by 1963 they had disbanded.Our story does not end
here however. On Monday, May 29, 1961– UPI (United Press International),
a now nearly defunct press wire service, sent out a story headlined
Rock ‘N Roll Stars Held For Murder, dateline New York: Two singers
identified as J. Carl Moody and Henry John Hicks had stabbed one Emil
Markussen, age 73, in the hallway of his apartment building on the upper
West Side, killing him. It was a mugging gone wrong. The story
identifies both as members of the “Starlights” (sic) and names their
hits "Valerie" and "Ain’t She Come Home" (sic).
Hicks is quoted as saying that the Doctor made a feeble attempt to
fight back– “Then I had to kill him” he told the cops. Moody and Hicks
were not on "Valerie", the line up on the Starlites recording debut was
Jackie Rue –lead singer, Alton Jones– tenor, George Lassu– second tenor,
John Felix– baritone and Billy Montgomery– bass. Vocal groups, however,
are like baseball teams, with members coming and going with bewildering
regularity, so perhaps Moody and Hicks are on some of the Jackie and
the Starlites recordings, if they are, I don’t know which ones. There
was no follow up story from UPI and I don’t know what happened in court,
or what ever became of the two. No doubt they did some time, New York
was sending perps to the electric chair until 1963– they may have even
been executed. Now they really had something to cry about. Lead singer,
the caterwauling Jackie Rue is said to have died of a heroin overdose
sometime in the late 60’s.
1958 - You'll Always Be Mine and Rose / ---- (Scott 1204)
Biography :
Born July 29, 1942 in Palma Soriano, Oriente, Cuba. Professionally
known as Ray and Ray Milan, Ramón Claveria started his musical career in
Miami, FL at the age of 15. Under the guidance of his mentor, Henry
Stone, He formed the vocal group Ray and The Quarter Notes with his
brother Louis, Joe, Ann and Ed. His first single record, “You’ll Always
Be Mine and Rose,” was released in 1958 under the Scott Record Label.
Next, Ramón moved to New York City with his brother Lou and new
members, Bob, Greg & Dave. He signed on with the Jolly Joyce
Theatrical Agency and was headlined as “Ray Milan and the
Quarter-Notes". ABC Paramount Records signed the group and in 1963
released the album, “Million Sellers Go Bossa Nova,” featuring the
talented group.
Ramon performed with the Quarter-Notes throughout the USA, Canada,
and the Caribbean, sharing the stage with such greats as Johnny Rivers
(“Memphis, Tennessee”), Joey Dee and the Starlighters (“The Peppermint
Twist”), and Little Anthony and the Imperials (“Hurts So Bad”). Ramón
also toured with the Tokens as a back-up singer. The group toured
extensively in Las Vegas and throughout the United States. The Tokens
are well known for their 1961 hit, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” which was
revived in the Disney animated film and the play, The Lion King.
1959 - Carol Lee (Eulis Mason)/ Rockin' Santa Claus (The Martells) (Bella 45-B-20)
Eulis Mason & The Martells
1959 - Va Va Voom / Forgotten Spring (Bella 45-B-21-60)
The Martells
1961 - Va Va Voom / Forgotten Spring (Cessna 45-CE-477)
Biography :
The Martells, sometimes spelled The
Martels, were a black Bay Area vocal group built around their lead
singer Eulis Mason. The other members were Joseph Robinson, plus Andrews
and Phillips (their first names are unknown). These Martells not to be
confused with a white Martels vocal group from Nashville on the Nasco
label. Eulis and his Martells had two releases on Gradie O'Neal and John
Pusateri's Cessna and Bella labels.Their first Bella single came in
December 1959, and they were right on time for the Christmas season with
the groovy up-tempo doo wop number Rockin’ Santa Claus, written by
Mason and Robinson and accompanied by The Bella Tones Orchestra.
Eulis Mason
Their second Bella single came a year
later in December of 1960. That both tracks on Bella 21 were reissued on
Cessna 477 in 1961 . Eulis became the lead of Charles Moffitt’s Velours
in the mid-1980’s when they became a mainstay at the United in Group
Harmony shows. After Moffitt was murdered in 1986, Eulis continued to
keep the Velours going, recording some magnificent songs like “C’est La
Vie,” I Wish You Love,” “I Apologize” for labels like Starlight, Clifton
and Classic Artists.
1959 - The Boy For Me / To A Soldier Boy (Madison 117)
1959 - My Guy And I / To A Young Lover (Madison 121)
Biography :
The
Tassels emerged in northern New Jersey among such groups as the
Shirelles, Joey D. & The Starlighters and the Four Seasons. The
Tassels' patriotic hit To A Solider Boy was written by Mary Glen Gaudet,
mother to John Gaudet and Rochelle Gaudet Alessi, the brother and
sister pair who fronted the group. Both siblings were, ironically, born
on patriotic days: Rochelle on Memorial Day and John on Flag Day.
The group worked and toured alongside Neil Sedaka, The Adressi
Brothers, Duane Eddy and Joanne Campbell as well as many other stars of
the 50's rock 'n roll scene. As one of Alan Freed's favorite groups of
the Doo Wop era, The Tassels catapulted to stardom with their hit
recording To a Soldier Boy. As well as climbing the radio charts, the
group made several appearances on Alan Freed's television show worked
with Bobby Darrin, who guest-hosted the show in Freed's absence.
It was after The Tassels' appearance on Dick Clark's Saturday Night
Beechnut Show that To a Solider Boy began to soar. The song was a
recording in its time and of its time. Its poignant sentiment hit home
with many American women, mothers, and wives alike who had loved ones in
military services overseas.
The Tassels on Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show
This song was recorded in 1959 along with other songs such as To a
Young Lover, My Guy and I and its upbeat flipside The Boy for Me, which
appeared with To a Solider Boy on the Billboard's Top 100 list. Today,
with our young people going off to war again, the sentiment of To a
Solider Boy remains as relevant as it was when rock n' roll was born.
Top left to right , Kenny and Tommy, Bottom left to right, Pete, Freddie and Bill.
The Ideals (4) (East Paterson, NJ)
Personnel :
Tommy Kontos aka Thomas Jefferson Kaye
Bill DeMarco
Pete Verelli
Kenny Kerwin
Freddie Schlatter
Discography :
1958 - My Girl / Annie Was A Stroller (Decca 307200)
1959 - Ivy League Lover / Don't Be A Baby, Baby (Decca 30800)
Biography :
Tommy and Bill formed their first acapella Doo-wop band called the
Blaretones with Tommy Traino, from East Paterson, NJ and Chris Oberfel
of Fair Lawn, NJ during the Summer of 1955 to Summer 1956. First show at
East Rutherford HS 1956 as the Blaretones, performed at Allen Freed’s
Easter Show at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater, with Frankie Lymon and
the Teenagers, The Valentines, and The Cadillacs.
The
Brooklyn Paramount
Theater
The Blaretones opened for Slim Harper at the Coral Bar in East
Paterson, NJ. The Ideals Opened for the Everly Brothers. at the
Meadowbrook in Cedar Grove, NJ sometime around May 1958. Another group
performing that night was the Rocking Chairs, from Long Island, NY. The
band name changed to the Rock-Abouts, from the Summer of 1956 to Summer
of 1957. Same group the Ideals during the Summer of 1957, recorded at
Decca Records from early 1958 through June of 1958.The
Ideals were often invited to play with Joey Dee when he hosted record
hops at the Passaic Armory, before he was with the Starlighters. They
also performed often at “Sock Hops” at the Passaic Ballroom and other
local venues. Music included their own compositions and their own
doo-wop covers of Buddy Holly, The Cadillacs, and other popular songs of
the period.
Songs :
Annie Was A Stroller / My Girl Don't Be A Baby, Baby Ivy League Lover
Quintones (1956) Leon McClain, Pauline, Gerald Johnson, Johnny Maye & Donald Lawrence
The Quinns (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Quintones (2)
Personnel :
Freddie Brown (Lead)
Gerald Johnson (Baritone)
Leon McClain (Bass)
Donald Lawrence (Tenor)
Richie Brown (Second Tenor)
Discography :
Jimmy Witherspoon & The Quintones (2)
Single :
1956 - Still In Love / My Girl Ivy (Atco 6084)
Unreleased :
1956 - Congratulations Baby (Atco)
The Quinns
1957 - Oh Starlight / Hong Kong (Cyclone 111)
1965 - Unfaithful /Who Stole The Cookies (Relic 1012)
Biography :
Brooklyn-based
R&B group the Quinns formed on the grounds of the Brownsville
Community Center in 1954 -- according to Marv Goldberg's profile in the
February 1998 issue of Discoveries, co-founders Johnny "Dusty" Moye
(second tenor), Gerald Johnson (baritone), and Leon McClain (bass)
rotated through a series of leads before finally settling on tenors
Donald Lawrence and Freddy Brown in mid-1956. Originally dubbed the
Quintones, the group cut its teeth at local talent showcases prior to
auditioning for Atco Records head Herb Abramson, who extended a contract
offer on the spot.
Jimmy Witherspoon
Abramson
first assigned them to serve backing duties on blues legend Jimmy
Witherspoon's "Still My Love," but in the weeks following the session it
seemed the Quintones slipped through the cracks, and with no other
recording opportunities on the horizon, they wriggled out of their Atco
deal in the spring of 1957. Moye left the lineup soon after, and after
adding Brown's brother Richie as second tenor, the group renamed itself
the Quinns to avoid conflict with a pair of rival acts recording under
the Quintones banner. On the advice of fellow Brooklyn act the
Paragons, the Quinns approached Winley Records owner Paul Winley, and in
the summer of 1957 cut their official debut release, "Oh Starlight" --
the record barely registered at radio or retail, although the quintet
played supper clubs across New York City in support. When Lawrence found
himself in hot water with the law in 1958, the remaining Quinns hired
lead Francis "Frenchie" Concepcion as his replacement.
Francis "Frenchie" Concepcion
Frustrated with their lack of success, McClain exited two years later
to take a job as a postal carrier, and with new bass Henry Thomas, the
group cut its final studio session in late 1960. Two songs from the
date, "Unfaithful" and "Who Stole the Cookies?," finally appeared on
vinyl in 1965 via the Relic label -- by that time the Quinns were no
more, although in 1974 Freddy and Richie Brown resurfaced as members of
Final Touch, which issued the single "It's Spinning Love" on the Blue
Thumb label. Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
