VELVETS (2)

 

The Velvets (2) (Odessa, Texas)

Personnel :

Virgil Johnson (Lead)

Mark Prince (Bass)

Clarence Rigsby (Lead Tenor)

William Solomon (Baritone)

Bob Thursby (Tenor)

Discography:

Singles :

1961 - That Lucky Old Sun / Time & Again (Monument 435)

1961 - Tonight (Could Be the Night) / Spring Fever (Monument 441/515)

1961 - Laugh / Lana ( (Monument 448)

1962 - Love Express / Don't Let Him Take My Baby ( (Monument 458)

1962 - Let the Good Times Roll / Light Goes on the Light Off (Monument 464)

1963 - Crying in the Chapell / Dawn (Monument 810)

1964 - Here Comes That Song Again / Nightmare ( (Monument 836)

1964 - If / Let the Fool Kiss You (Monument 861)

1966 - Baby the Magic Is Gone / Let the Fool Kiss You (Monument 961)

Unreleased :

N/A - Be Ever Mine

N/A - You Done Me Bad

N/A - Kiss Me

N/A - Alicia

N/A - Bird Dog

N/A - My Love

N/A - Who Has the Right

N/A - I'm Trusting in You

N/A - Almost But Not Quite

N/A - Husbands & Wives

N/A - I Can Feel It

N/A - Poison Love

N/A - That's Out of My Line

 

Biography:

Virgil Johnson was the lead singer of the Velvets, a vocal quintet from Odessa, West Texas. They are best remembered for their 1961 hit "Tonight (Could Be The Night)", which peaked at # 26 on the Billboard pop charts. On that song the Velvets can be heard chanting "doo-wop" behind lead singer Johnson, one of the first uses of the phrase in a song. Still, the Velvets were not really a doo-wop group. Their sound was highly polished and the backing usually included strings.

Virgil Johnson was a teacher at Blackshear Junior High School in Odessa, where he taught English to eighth grade pupils. It was at this school that he heard two students, Mark Prince and Clarence Rigby, singing as a duo. He recruited two more students, adding Robert Thursby's first tenor and William Solomon's baritone to Rigsby's tenor and Mark Prince's bass. The quintet began to perform at school sock-hops and campus functions, with Johnson as lead singer.

     

In 1960 they impressed Roy Orbison, who heard them whilst visiting Odessa, and recommended the group to Fred Foster, the owner of Monument Records and the producer of Roy's big hit at that time, "Only the Lonely". Foster signed the group and came up with the name The Velvets. In fact, he decided it should be the Velvets featuring Virgil Johnson because there was another group called the Velvets, years before. They had a song out called "I" on Bobby Robinson's Red Robin label.

  

The group's first session was held in late 1960, at Nashville's RCA studios and produced four tunes, which would be issued on their first two singles: "That Lucky Old Sun"/"Time And Again" and "Tonight (Could Be The Night)"/"Spring Fever". The two B-sides were from the pen of Roy Orbison, while "Tonight" was written by Virgil Johnson. The accompaniment came from some of Nashville's finest session players, including Boots Randolph and Floyd Cramer. After the success of "Tonight", the group's next release was "Lana"/ "Laugh", both written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson. "We should never have put those two songs out together", says Johnson."

Part of the country was playing one side and another part of the country was playing the other side". "Laugh" stalled at # 90, but "Lana" (soon also recorded by Orbison himself) was # 1 in Japan. Monument continued putting out Velvets' singles, nine in all, until 1966. Some of them were quite good, but there were no further chart entries and the group called it a day and went back to a Texas they had never really left. Johnson kept on teaching, and in 1993, he retired from his job as principal of Lubbock's Dunbar-Struggs Junior High School, a post he had held for 25 years. In Lubbock he also was a deejay on Radio KSEL. Clarence Rigsby died in a car crash in 1978. Johnson is adamant on the reasons for the group's relatively short chart life. "You got to realise, in the early sixties there were two music markets in the US. You had a black market and you had a white market. We were extremely popular with whites, but we were never extremely popular with blacks. We were black and we didn't sound like it. People didn't know we were a black group. We couldn't tour and that really hurt us."

Songs :

      

      That Lucky Old Sun               Time & Again            Tonight (Could Be the Night)    

     

Spring Fever                                   Laugh                                        Lana      

     

Love Express          Don't Let Him Take My Baby            Let the Good Times Roll

   

   

Crying in the Chapell                Dawn              

     

Here Comes That Song Again                 Nightmare                               If                          

     

Let the Fool Kiss You       Baby the Magic Is Gone

EBBTIDES (5) - EVERGLADES (1) - GO-TOGETHERS

 

    Charles Henderson, Johnny Johnson & Dave Bell - Top : Johnny Banks

The Everglades (1)  (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

aka The Go-Togethers ref The Ebbtides (5)

 

Personnel :

Johnny Banks

Charles Henderson

Dave Bell

Johnny Johnson

 

Discography :

The Ebbtides (5)

1956 - Only Be Mine / What's Your Name Dear (Teen 121)

Johnny Banks & The Everglades (1)

1961 - While Sitting In The Chapel / Do You Miss Me (BPV 112277)

The Everglades (1)

1962 - I Went To The S&S / Tell Me Pretty Baby (Brenne 502)

The Go-Togethers

1963 - Train / Time After Time (Coast 100)

Biography :

Charles Henderson began singing with fellow Ben Framklin High Scool. In 1955, Charles Henderson with Johnny Banks, Horace Adams, Robert Lee and Betty McCann formed a group, Following a year of tedious practice, Johnny Banks made the connection with Teen/Sound Records in 1956. At The Reco-Arts Studio , they cut " What's Your Name Dear" with "Only Be Mine". Appearances ensued, most arranged by manage rRobinson. The Baby Grang in Harlem, another in Reading, Pensylvania, the O.V Catto hall at 16th & Fitzwater near Center City, the Ice House in South Jersey, a sleek show at the uptown theater accompanying the Blue Notes the Channels & The Continentals..…

WDAS concert - Uptown Thheater (ca 1960)

Some years later, Dave Bell and Johnny Johnson replaced Horace Adams and and McCann. This reformed aggregation was christened the Everglades by Johnny Banks. Six years or so following their dustup with teen records, they found themselves on the doorstep of BVP Records.  The Everglades cut "While Sitting In The Chapel" /" Do You Miss Me". But the BVP platter wended its way to nowhere and the group cut another record for Brenne "I Went To The S&S" and "Tell Me Pretty Baby". The group have two other songs: "Train" and "Time After Time" released one year later on the Coast Label under the strange name "The Go-Togethers".

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Ebbtides (5)

  

Only Be Mine / What's Your Name Dear

Johnny Banks & The Everglades (1)

  

While Sitting In The Chapel / Do You Miss Me 

 The Everglades (1)

I Went To The S & S / Tell Me Pretty Baby

The Go-Togethers

Train / Time After Time

  

YOUNGSTERS (1) - PRELUDES (1) - THEM - TEMPTERS

 

 The Youngsters (1) (Los Angeles)

aka The Preludes (1)  aka Tempters aka Them

 

Personnel :

Homer Green (Lead)

Charles Everidge (Second Tenor)

Donald Miller (First Tenor)

Harold Murray (Baritone)

James Monroe Warren (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Youngsters (1)

1956 - Shattered Dreams / Rock'n Roll'n Cowboy (Empire 104)

1956 - Counterfeit Heart / You're An Angel (Empire 107)

1956 - Dreamy Eyes / Christmas In Jail (Empire 109)

1956 - Dreamy Eyes / I'm Sorry Now (Empire 109)

The Preludes (1)

1956 - Don't Fall In Love Too Soon / I Want Your Arms Around Me (Empire 103)

The Them

1956 - Shattered Dreams / I'm Sorry Now (Heg 501)

The Tempters

1956 - I'll See You Next Fall / I'm Sorry Now (Empire 105)

 

Biography :

The Youngsters had one good sized hit on the west coast, several records under different names, and members that were involved in other fine groups.  The group formed at Manual Arts High School on Vermont Street in Los Angeles in 1955. Group members originally included Homer Green, Don Miller, Charles Everidge, Harold Murray and James Warren.

 Their first recording was issued as the Preludes and was with the newly formed Empire record label, owned by George Motola and Jack Hoffman. Backing them on the session was noted pianist Ernie Freeman. "Don't Fall In Love Too Soon" was actually recorded at the same session as "Shattered Dreams" and "Rock And Roll Cowboy". Besides the Preludes and Youngsters, they also had the name of the Tempters. 

  

Their next release stalled, and the group made a personnel change. Homer Green joined the service, and Herman Pruitt jumped aboard. He had sung with another fine LA vocal group, the Calvanes. And, coincidently, was also from Manual Arts High School. "Dreamy Eyes" became their best selling record and earned them spots on a few local tours and some great gigs.

The song was also covered by many groups, including the Squires on Aladdin, the Viceroys, the Sparklers, and others. By 1957, the Youngsters fortunes faded for at least a couple of reasons.Two members of the group left, and Empire records folded. Everidge and Warren eventually joined the Shields touring group, as they were then hot with "You Cheated".

 

Songs :

        

The Youngsters (1)

   

Shattered Dreams / Rock'n Roll'n Cowboy           Counterfeit Heart / You're An Angel      

   
Dreamy Eyes / Christmas In Jail                                   I'm Sorry Now           

The Preludes (1)

Don't Fall In Love Too Soon / I Want Your Arms Around Me 

The Them

Shattered Dreams / I'm Sorry Now 

The Tempters

I'm Sorry Now / I'll See You Next Fall

TWISTERS (3) (JOEY & THE)

 

Joey & The Twisters (3) (Manhattan, New York)

(By Hans-Joachim) 

 

Personnel: :

Joey Villa (Vocals)

Bob Azzara (Piano)

Albert Leonardis (Drums)

Frankie Natale (Saxophone) 

 

Discography :

1961 - Peppermint Twist Time / Silly Chili (Dual 502)

1962 - Bony Moronie / Mumblin’ (Dual 505)

1962 - Do You Want To Dance / Last Dance (Dual 509)

N/A - My Mother's Eyes / Jailer, Bring Me Water (Armour 2244)

 

Biography :

Joey & The Twisters was a Twist group formed from remnants of the original Royal Teens around 1961. The group was led by Teens vocalist Joey Villa (aka Joe Francovilla), along with several other members from the local Manhattan Doo Wop scene. The band played regularly at the Peppermint Lounge in Manhattan, alongside Joey Dee and the Starliters and other acts. The Twisters never released an album, but did release several singles on Duel Records, including remakes of Bobby Darin's "Jailer, Bring me Water," Bobby Freeman's "Do You Want To Dance," and "Bony Maronie," and penned "Peppermint Twist Time" in honor of the club that gave them a home.

  

They did launch on a national tour, the highlight of which was playing the Dream Room in New Orleans. The group dissolved as the Twist fell out of fashion. Joey Villa continued playing as a solo artist. Bob Azzara and Louis Burgio, along with friend Flip Cesario, who briefly played with The Royal Teens, later formed the band Mardi Gras.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_and_the_Twisters 

Songs :

  

Do You Want to Dance                          Bony Maronie    

CORONETS (1)

 

The Coronets (1) (Cleveland)

 

Personnel :

Charles Carruthers (Lead)

Lester Russaw (First Tenor)

Sam Griggs (Second Tenor)

George Lewis (Baritone)

William Griggs (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Coronets (1)

Singles:

1953- Nadine / I'm All Alone (Chess 1549)

1953 - It Would Be Heavenly / Baby's Coming Home (Chess 1553)

1955 - I Love You More / Crime Doesn't Pay (Groove 0114)

1955 - Hush / The Bible Tells Me So (Groove 0116)

Unreleased :

1953- I Want You To Know (Chess)

1953- G.I. Misery (Chess)

1953- Should I (Chess)

1953- Cobella (Chess)

1953- Beggin' And Pleadin' (Chess)

The Bill Reese Quintet & The Coronets (1)

1955 - The Little Boy / Don't Deprive Me (Sterling 903)

Sammy Griggs & The Coronets (1)

1959 - Footsteps  /Long John Silver (Job 100)

 

Biography :

The Coronets were Cleveland second most famous R&B vocal group behind the Moonglows. The group started around 1952 when they were students at Edison High School. The group included Sammy Griggs, brother Bill Griggs, Lester Russaw, and George Lewis. Not long after they started performing, Charles Carruthers joined as primary lead singer. The group made a couple demos to WJW DJ Alan Freed and he was able to get them signed to Chess records, at least a year before the Moonglows. The group wrote "Nadine" and that was the A side of their first 45 on Chess, and it was a big R&B hit. When the record was released, Alan Freed had put his name as writer, not the first and last time that happened. They were backed by the Sax Mallard Combo when they recorded at Chess.

The group returned to Chess and cut some more songs, two of them were released on a second., less successful 45. Meanwhile the success of "Nadine" got them shows at chitlin circuit stops in the Great Lakes and Midwest. Russaw and Carruthers left and the group replaced them with Bobby Ward. By 1955, Chess was no loger interested in them, and Freed and long given them up as both Chess and Freed picked the Moonglows to promote. The Coronets recorded  a bunch of new songs locally (believed to have been done at Schneider), and were signed on to Sterling records, a short lived label run by Shelly Haims and Irving Lief. On the recordings, they were backed by the Cleveland R&B group the Bill Reese  Quintet, who also recorded on their own for Sterling. Other names show up on the Sterling 45, LaMotta and Schroeder.

  

Sterling was able to get RCA's R&B subsidiary Groove records to release 2 Coronets 45s apparently simultaneously. None of these records got much action, and the group continued to perform in the Cleveland area. Bobby Ward left and was replaced by the returning Charles Carruthers. In 1960 they made one more 45, with Charles singing lead and Sam Griggs writing the songs. The 45 was on the JOB label, a one-off which seems to have been their own. The record was recorded at Audio, with one side using Joe Petito's Big Song publishing.

The group disbanded at the end of 1960.

https://www.uncamarvy.com/Coronets/coronets.html

FOUR COACHMEN (1) - BANNERS

  

The Four Coachmen (1) (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
aka The Banners

 

Personnel :

William Bates

 

Discography :

The Four Coachmen (1)

1959 - My Own True Love / These Golden Years (MGM 12810)

The Banners

1960 - Fortune Teller / Sales Talk (MGM 12862)

 

Biography :

Little information on this group from Allentown in Pennsylvania. According to youtube,  William Bates would be one of the members of the group. They are not related with the four Coachmen on Castle & Adonis records.

  

During the summer of 1959, the Four Coachmen recorded "My Own True Love" and "These Golden Years" which would be released by MGM. Some six months later, the group recorded two good new titles, "Fortune Telle" and "Sales Talk". Mgm released the single changing the name of the group by The Banners. 

Songs :

The Banners

   

Fortune Teller                                  Sales Talk  

WRENS

 

The Wrens (Bronx, New-York) 

Personnel :

Bobby Mansfield (Lead)

George Magnezid (First Tenor)

Francis Conception (Bariton)

Jimmy "Archie" Archer  (Bass)

 

Discography:

The Wrens

Singles :

1954 - Love's Something That's Made For Two / Beggin' For Love (Rama 53)

1955 - Come Back My Love / Beggin' For Love (Rama 65)

1955 - (Will You) Come Back My Love / Beggin' For Love (Rama 65)

1955 - Come Back My Love/ Eleven Roses (Rama 65)

1955 - Love's Something That's Made For Two / Eleven Roses (Rama 110)

1955 - Hey Girl  / Serenade Of The Bells (Rama 174)

1955 - Hey Girl  / Love's Something That's Made For Two (Rama 174)

1955 - I Won't Come To Your Wedding / What Makes You Do The Things You Do (Rama 184)

1956 - C'est La Vie / [C'est La Vie - Jimmy Wright Ork.] (Rama 194)

1992 - Why Can't You / I'm Just The Kind Of Guy  (Classic Artist 131)

Unreleased :

1955 - She's My Everything (Rama)

1955 - Betty Jean (Rama)

Bobby Mansfield backed by the Supremes

Unreleased

1956 - Reckless (Gee)

1956 - House of cards (Gee)

 

Biography :

The Wrens were one of the best of the dozens of R&B vocal groups who recorded in the mid- to late '50s for George Goldner, signed to his Rama and Gee labels in the wake of his success with "Gee" by the Crows. Lead singer Bobby Mansfield, George Magnezid (tenor), Francis "Frenchie" Concepcion (tenor), and James "Archie" Archer (bass) first started singing together in 1954 at a community center in the Bronx, NY. There they were spotted by Fred Johnson, a promoter who organized local talent shows, and he offered to manage the quartet. The Wrens were known best for their smooth, elegant harmony singing, which elevated both their ballads and their jump numbers above much of the competition. They sang R&B, but it tended more toward mature ballads and serious jump songs, rather than teen novelties.

Johnson got the group an audition with George Goldner's Rama Records and a recording contract followed late in 1954, with the group's first session taking place on November 21 of that year. Fred Johnson played piano behind them on that session and Goldner produced; in later recordings, legendary saxman Jimmy Wright led the band that backed them up. The group's first released single was "Love's Something Made for Two" b/w "Beggin' for Love," featuring Mansfield and Concepcion, respectively.It was their second single, "Come Back My Love," however, that achieved some local popularity in New York early in 1955 and put the Wrens on the map for R&B vocal fans.

At their best, the Wrens sounded a lot like the Moonglows -- Mansfield's singing at times bore a striking resemblance to Harvey Fuqua of the latter group, and both outfits were at their best doing mid-tempo jump numbers and ballads, though the Wrens' records also had a hard edge from Wright's sax and the bold sound of the Rama house band under his leadership. Goldner issued a total of six singles by the Wrens, but they never enjoyed a bigger hit than "Come Back My Love," which became their signature song despite competition from a cover version done by the Cardinals on Atlantic that same year. By 1956, however, Bobby Mansfield had split off from the group for a solo career, during which he made some records for Goldner with the Supremes (the male R&B vocal group, not the Motown trio) backing him.

 

The Wrens disappeared into the mists of R&B vocal group history, while Mansfield remained active into the 1990s, even recording with a new group of "Wrens" in the middle of the decade. The original Wrens all lived long enough to see themselves inducted into the United Group Harmony Association's Hall of Fame in 1998.

https://www.uncamarvy.com/Wrens/wrens.html

CONCORDS (1)

 

Milton Love

The Concords (1) (Manhattan, N Y)

 

Personnel :

Milton Love (Lead)

Joe Willis (First Tenor / Baritone)

Bob Thompson (Second Tenor)

Jimmy Hunter (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Concords (1)

1954 - Monticello / Candlelight (Harlem 2328)

Pearl Reaves & The Concords (1)

1955 -  You Can't Stay Here / I'm Not Ashamed (Harlem 2332)

 

Biography :

Milton Love was born in Chatham County, North Carolina on July 8, 1937. He began singing as a child,  Milton's family moved to New York City where Love, Joe Willis, Bob Thompson, and Jim Hunter formed the Concords as classmates at Seward Park High School in 1952. Two years later, their manager, Morty Shad, arranged a record deal with a local company. They only made one record. Milton Love wrote and sang lead on both sides, the ballad "Candlelight" and the Latin-flavored "Monticello", issued in 1954.  In 1955, the group backed up Harlem artist Pearl Reaves of Roxbury, Mass., on her single "You Can't Stay Here"/"I'm Not Ashamed".

  

                                                                                        Pearl Reaves

However, the Concords were almost history. Herman Curtis, lead of the Solitaires, had been drafted and Monte Owens (their guitarist) brought Milton Love to the audition, held around May 1955. Pat Gaston, Solitaires' bass, said that when the group heard Milton they sent all the other applicants home without even listening to them. As far as is known, no other members of the Concords ever sang with any other groups.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Concords/concords.html

Songs :

The Concords (1)

   

Monticello                                        Candlelight

Pearl Reaves & The Concords (1)

You Can't Stay Here / I'm Not Ashamed

ROCKAWAYS (1) - CHARADES (1)

 

The Charades (1) (Elmont, New York)

aka The Rockaways (1)

 

Personnel :

Lewis Berryman

RobertCarrillo

Alan Richwald

Maurice Iazetta

Joe Pastorelli

 

Discography :

Alicia & The Rockaways (1) - Ken Darrell & Rockaways (1)

1956 - Why Can't I Be Loved / Never Comin' Back (Epic 9191)

1957 - I'm Not Goin' Steady / Faleroo (Epic 9226)

The Charades (1)

1958 - Now I´ll cry / ? (Lancer 101)

1958 - Make Me Happy, Baby / Shang Lang A Ding Dong (U.A. 132)

1959 - Bright Red Shiney Pants / Let Me Love You (U.A. 183)

Jody Lin bb The Charades (1)

1959 - Why Is He Staying Away / Oh Henry (Luxor 100)

 

Biography :

Vocal & instrumental group from New York formed in 1955 and composed by Lewis Berryman, Robert Carrillo, Alan Richwald, Maurice Iazetta and Joe Pastorelli. The band performed in New York and its surroundings for a year before being discovered by Zober & Salmi.

 

The Rockaways with Kenneth Darrell & Alicia Iazetta

Writers Bert Salmirs and Wally Zober were based in New York as was Atlantic Music Corp. They were so impressed with the harmony and performance, They quickly introduced the group to Epic Records launched in 1953 by Columbia Records . The group began their recording careers as the Rockaways, and backed Maurice Iazetta's sister, Alicia and pop singer Ken Darrell on two singles. Both singles written by Bert Salmirs and Wally Zober.

Little success has led the group to change company and name. The Group signing a recording contract with United Artists as the Charades. Formed in New York City in 1956, United Artists not only had their own recording artists, but were used to launch recordings from other labels to the national scene.

   

Jody Lin                                                                                                          

The Charades recorded two singles and backed Jody lin on "Why Is He Staying Away" and "Oh Henry" on her Luxor single. Again, all the songs are written by Bert Salmirs and Wally Zober . 

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Alicia & The Rockaways (1)

  

Why Can't I Be Loved                   I'm Not Going Steady

Ken Darrell & The Rockaways (1)

  

Never Comin' Back                        Faleroo

 The Charades (1)

      

Now I´ll cry                   Make Me Happy, Baby            Shang Lang A Ding Dong

   

Bright Red Shiney Pants              Let Me Love You     

Jody Lin bb The Charades (1)

   

Why Is He Staying Away                          Oh Henry          

CHARTS

 

Glenmore Jackson, Ross Buford, Leroy Binns, Stephen Brown & Joe Grier

The Charts (Harlem, New York)

Personnel :

Joe Grier (Lead)

Stephen Brown (First Tenor)

Glenmore Jackson (Second Tenor)

Leroy Binns (Baritone)

Ross Buford (Bass)

Discography :

1957 - Deserie / Zoop (Everlast 5001)

1957 - Dance Girl / Why Do You Cry (Everlast 5002)

1958 - You're The Reason / I've Been Wondering (Everlast 5006)

1958 - All Because Of Love / I Told You So (Everlast 5008)

1958 - My Diane / Baby Be Mine (Everlast 5010)

1963 - What's Your Excuse / Keep Dancing With Me(Vel-V-Tone 102)

1965 - Deserie / I Wanna Take You Home (not by the Charts) (Lana 117)

1966 - Desiree / Fell In Love With You Baby (Wand 1112)

1966 - Livin' The Nightlife / Nobody Made You Love Me (Wand 1124)

Discography :

A group of Harlem teenagers had a dream. The dream was to make the charts…  and they did. The Charts were probably one of the only groups in America to get booed off the stage at an Apollo Theatre amateur night and still go on to success. One of those New York City street-gang vocal groups (like the Juveniles on Mode and The Belmonts on Laurie), the Charts must have seemed like a logical next step when street fighting lost its charm. Originally eight gang members from the 115th Street area, the group had pared itself down to a quintet by late 1956, leaving Joe Grier (lead), Leroy Binns (first tenor), Steven Brown (second tenor), Glenmore Jackson (baritone), and Ross Bu- ford (bass).

At The Apollo , July 1961 - Joel Gray, Leroy Binns, Stephen Brown

They practiced on street corners and in hallways until they felt ready for the stairway to stardom that was the Apollo's Tuesday night amateur competition. Always scanning Billboard magazine, the group decided to name themselves after name themselves after Billboards hits list with the intent of one day  seeing themselves on the charts . Joe Grier, the oldest member at 17, wrote a song entitled "Deserie"  that fit the group's raw, free-form style perfectly.  While the first and second tenor and baritone "wah wah-ed" and the bass "aye yah-ed," Joe alternated between a smokey-voiced lead and a soaring falsetto that reminded many of a yodel. It was this sound coupled with "Deserie's" three slow and seemingly endless verses (with no chorus or bridge) that the Apollo crowd heard on that fateful night, and sure enough the combination was too weird to be taken seriously.

The group wah-wahed its way through the boos. Shaken (but not stirred) they barely made it off the stage. Among the onlookers, however, was one Les Cooper , formerly of the Whirlers on Bobby Robinsons Whirling Disc label and a member of the Empires on Harlem, Whirling Disc, and Wing. Cooper felt this unusual sound had potential and immediately introduced himself to the nervous teens. Shortly after the Apollo fiasco, Cooper — now the group's manager — introduced them to Dan Robinson (Bobby's brother), who was  starting his own label. By June 1957, Everlast 5001 was being played all over the tri-state area.By July 15, 1957, it had reached Billboard's Pop chart spending four weeks in the rarified air of success and peaking at number 88.

Joe Grier

"Deserie" became a huge East Coast doo wop cult classic and has been listed among the top 10 oldies of the New York area each year for more than three decades. Such was and is the extent of the record's airplay that in the more than 30 years since its release it's reported to have sold well over a million singles. (Good for the group but not too good for young Joe Grier, who had sold off the writer's share of the song to a photographer of the stars named James Kriegsman .) Meanwhile the B side, "Zoop," an up-tempo, infectious rocker, was getting lots of  play on its own. It was a quality cut in an era when B sides were often throwaways. The group next released "Dance Girl," a "Zoop"-like recording that featured Joe Grier's immediately identifiable nasal rock sound. It saw local activity but neither " Girl" nor its beautiful ballad B side "Why Do You Cry" reached sales levels as high as they deserved. The single "You're the Reason" (arguably their best ballad) closed out 1957 with little fanfare; "their Latin-based "All Because of love" had the same non-effect on the general population during its early 1958 run.

The Charts - 1966 - Top : Tonny Harris, Leroy Binns - Bottom Frankie Pierce and Stephen Brown

The group's last Everlast single was a "Deserie" sound-alike entitled "My Dianne" (Spring 1958) which had absolutely no exposure and therefore no chance to chart. Joe Grier joined the service after "My Diane" flopped, and the group disbanded. When Joe returned he hooked up with his old manager to play tenor sax on a composition entitled "Wiggle Wobble." The contagious instrumental became a number 22 hit for Les Cooper and the Soul Rockers. Grier never returned to the Charts, but a revised group (that included holdovers Steven Brown [now on lead] and Leroy Binns [now on bass] along with newcomers Frank ie Fears and Tony Harris) recorded an up-tempo powerhouse version of "Deserie" on Wand Records in 1966. It Flopped. its follow-up ("Living the Nightlife") failed, and the group once again dispersed, only to be reincarnated in 1976 as the Twelfth of Never.

American Singing Groups: A History from 1940s to Today (Jay Warner)

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Charts/charts.html

 

Songs :

     

Deserie                                   Zoop                                   Dance Girl

     

Why Do You Cry                  You're The Reason                 I've Been Wondering

     

All Because Of Love                       I Told You So                         My Diane             

     

            Baby Be Mine               What's Your Excuse                 Keep Dancing With Me    

     

Deserie                   Fell In Love With You Baby                    Deserie

  

   Livin' The Nightlife               Nobody Made You Love Me

SILHOUETTES

 

 The Silhouettes (Philadelphia)

 Personnel :

Bill Horton (Lead)

Earl Beal (Baritone)

Richard "Rick" Lewis (Tenor)

Raymond Edwards (Bass)

Discography :

1957 - Get A Job / I Am Lonely (Junior 391/Ember 1029)

1958 - Headin' For The Poorhouse / Miss Thing (Ember 1032)

1958 - Bing Bong / Voodoo Eyes (Ember 1037)

1958 - I Sold My Heart To The Junkman / What Would You Do (Junior 396/Ace 552)

1959 - Evelyn / Never Will Part (Junior 400/Ace 563)

1960 - Never / Bull Frog (20th Fox 240)

1962 - Wish I Could Be There / Move On Over (To Another Land) (Grand 142)

1962 - The Push / Which Way Did She Go (Imperial 5899)

1963 - Rent Man / Your Love (Is All I Need) (Junior 993)

1967 - Climb Every Mountain / We Belong Together (Jamie 1333)

1968 - Not Me Baby / Gaucho Serenade (Goodway 101)

Biography :

Formed in 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, the Silhouettes recorded one of the classics of the doo-wop era, "Get A Job". The song was written by tenor Rick Lewis (b. 23 September 1933) while he was in the US Army, stationed in Germany.

Upon returning home, Lewis joined a singing group called the Parakeets. He left them to front a band called the Gospel Tornadoes, comprising lead singer Bill Horton (b. 25 December 1929, d. 23 December 1995), bass singer Raymond Edwards (b. 22 September 1922) and baritone Earl Beal (b. 18 July 1924). When the gospel group changed to secular music, it took on a new name, the Thunderbirds. A disc jockey, Kae Williams, signed the group to his own Junior Records in 1958 and "Get A Job" was recorded as the b-side to the ballad "I Am Lonely".

   

The group's name was changed to the Silhouettes (after a 1957 hit by the Rays) and the record was released on the larger Herald-Ember label. "Get A Job" received more attention than the ballad side and ultimately found its way to number 1 in the USA, becoming, in time, one of the best-known up-tempo doo-wop records. The nonsense phrase "sha-na-na-na", part of its lyric, was borrowed in the late 60s by the rock 'n' roll revival group Sha Na Na.  1958 the Silhouettes recorded a number of follow-ups, Bing Bong for example, but never again returned to the charts. With numerous personnel changes, the group managed to stay afloat until 1968, latterly as the New Silhouettes. The four original members reunited in 1980 and carried on working the revival circuit until Horton's death in 1995.

Video :

 Get A Job
 

BOB KNIGHT FOUR

 

The Bob Knight Four (Brooklyn, New York)

Personnel :

Bobby Bovino (Lead)

Paul Ferrigno (First Tenor)

Ralph Garone (Second Tenor)

John Ropers (Bass)

 

Discography :

Singles :

The Bob Knight Four

1961 - So So Long (Good Goodbye) / You Tease Me (Taurus 100)

1961 - Good Goodby / How Old Must I Be (Laurel 1020)

1961 - For Sale / You Gotta Know (Laurel 1023)

1961 - Well I'm Glad (Laurel 1025)

1962 - I'm Selling My Heart / The Lazy Piano (by The Lazy four) (Taurus 356)

1962 - Memories / Somewhere (Josie 899)

1963 - Two Friends / Crazy Love (Jubilee 5451)

Eddie Delmar & The Bob Knight Four

1961 - Blanche / Love Bells (Madison 168)

1965 - Garden In The Rain / My Heart Beckons You (Vegas 628)

Eps :

Acappella - Bob Knight Four (Nemo 009)

1983 - Crazy For You / Mexico / When I'm With You / Shadrack

 

 

Biography :

The Bob Knight Four were one of thousands of doo wop groups whose sounds illuminated the street corners, teen clubs, and local dances of New York and dozens of other American cities from the late '50s through the mid-'60s -- a handful, such as the Belmonts, achieved national fame and even international recognition, while most never got heard outside of their own neighborhoods; the Bob Knight Four were somewhere in between, a Brooklyn-based act from Bedford-Stuyvesant, no less (when Bed-Stuy still had a significant white population), who got their work recorded and released by a major label, but never ascended higher than the lowest region of the Billboard Hot 100. The group's origins go back to an amateur outfit called the Dolphins, based at Franklin K. Lane High School in East New York, formed by Ralph Garrone, Louie Martino, and siblings John Nappier and Joe Nappier.

They got to record an original song of John Nappier's called "Hymn of Love," which didn't do much apart from showing its author and Ralph Garrone some potential for music, though not with that lineup. Soon they were looking for serious local talent to work with and eventually put together a group with Bob Bovino -- already a kind of local celebrity from his stint on a pre-teen talent showcase called Star Time -- on lead and Paul Ferrigno as first tenor, while Garrone took second tenor and baritone and Nappier sang bass, and a fifth member, Charlie Licata, filling the gaps between them; they also took on a new name, the Bobby Dells. They began performing regularly in their neighborhood and building a reputation, and also recording demos, going after a coveted recording deal. There was one major change along the way, with Licata getting drafted and leaving the group in 1959, leaving the Bobby Dells a quartet. With help from a local manager and a local promoter, they were introduced to Tony Sepe, the owner of Laurel Records, who was willing to record them but wanted a new name for the quartet.

Thus was spawned the Bob Knight Four, the name under which they released their debut single, "Good Good Bye," which turned into a regional hit, charting in New York (where it made the local Top Ten on some listings), Philadelphia, and parts of California. Their next two records failed to perform to expectations, in part -- in the case of the initial follow-up -- because of a split in the airplay between the A- and the B-sides. But biggest opportunities were beckoning for the group -- an old friend, Michael Eichner (later a vice president at Columbia Records), who worked for Jubilee Records, got them a recording contract with his label, and in April of 1962 their fourth single, "Memories" b/w "Somewhere," was released. Amid their activity for Jubilee over the next few months, the group suddenly found themselves competing with their older sides as Laurel started licensing their older songs, often with re-recorded backings and unrelated B-sides, to other small labels.

  

They also kept busy recording demos for various songwriters and artists associated with Jubilee, most notably the song "Cara Mia," written by Bob Nemser, which was later turned into a hit by Jay & the Americans. Nemser became the manager of the Bob Knight Four during the mid-'60s, a period in which the original group splintered amid the burgeoning British Invasion and the accompanying decline of interest in harmony vocal music. Former Bobby Dells member Charlie Licata joined Garrone and Nappier in a new version of the Bob Knight Four, with Eddie Delmar and Frank Iovino on lead. They endured into 1966, crossing paths with the Tokens at the time. They hoped to record for the latter's B. T. Puppy label, but that never worked out -- yet a version of the group survived into the early '70s, in time to cash in on the oldies revival. They even got a greatest-hits LP out, issued on the Kape label. The group was still performing on the oldies circuit in the 1990s at the time that Garrone lost his battle with cancer, and they continued performing into the middle of the decade with his younger brother filling his spot.

Bruce Eder, All Music Guide