The Contels (Albion, PA)
Personnel :
Gene Vito "Lyon" (Lead Singer)
George A. Nopio, Jr.(Tenor)
Loren "Bugsy" Cope (Bass)
Anthony "Tony" Mezzacapo (Second Tenor)
Michael K. D'Amico (Guitar)
Gary Miller (Drums)
Discography :
1959 - Hey You / Lover's Dream (Warwick 103)
Biography :
After attending a performance given by the "The Four Coins" Loren
"Bugsy" Cope and George A. Nopio, Jr. decided to start their own group.
Loren knew a younger singer and asked him to join the group. His name
was Gene Lyon. He became their lead singer. They then added Michael K.
D'Amico a guitar player. They were practicing when a gentleman by the
name of Donald Hubert approached Nopio's parents and asked if he could
manage the group . They were on their way. Doing hay rides and record
Hops. their manager talked them into entering a talent show in
Cleveland, Ohio. they were called "The Contenials". they took first
place. They returned back to Erie and still felt their group needed
another voice and while performing at the Tech Follies they met a man
then doing comedy and asked him to join The Contenials. His name was
Anthony "Tony" Mezzacapo and he provided the group with the sound and
the harmony they were looking for.
Gene Vito The Contenials (Gene,George and Bugsy)
They then had to return to Cleveland, Ohio Talent Contest as
finalists. they piled into their managers vehicle and off they went.
they took first place and received a recording contract. As they were
leaving they received a call that a gentleman wished to see them so they
went to his home. He told them that they could not call themselves "The
Contenials" because he had a successful group in Florida that had that
name. So they worked all the way home trying every form of the name and
came up with the "THE CONTELS". The next day George called Cliff
Shilling of the local radio station, WICU told him to please announce
"The Contenials" were now "The Contels".
Gene Vito
The Contels recorded on Warwick Label. They wrote their own songs
"Hey You" and "Lovers Dream". Which Cliff played often on his show, as
well as, booked them into the "Let's Be Friends Show" on TV and Sock
Hops. Along the way they met a drummer named Gary Miller and added him
to the group. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra came to town and they toured
Erie with them. On Saturday of that week they played Rainbow Gardens and
while they pushed their record, they pushed ours. they returned to
Rainbow Gardens to do a show with "The Five Jets" and "The Monotones".
Then off to the Warner Theater to do a Rock Show with Paul Anka, Frankie
Avalon, "The Monotones", and Bobby Freeman.Their record was being heard
and they were busy when they received word that their lead singer Gene
would be moving to Kane, Pennsylvania and because he was only 13 years
old, he had to go with his parents. If that wasn't bad enough, Tony was
drafted and went to serve his country. they parted friends and all went
our separate ways.
Songs :
Hey You / Lover's Dream
