The Dialtones (Queens, New York)
Personnel :
Rosalie Calindo (Lead)
Dominick Safuto
Frank Safuto (First tenor)
Eddie Scalla
Discography :
The Dialtones
Single :
1960 - 'Till I Heard It From You / Johnny (Goldisc 3005/3020)
Unreleased :
1960 - 24 Hours
1960 - Why Don't You Write Me
1960 - Bohemian Daddy (demo)
1960 - Johnny (demo)
1960 - 'Till I Heard It From You (demo)
Billie Daye bb The Dialtones
1961 - Twenty Four Hours / When A Girl Gives Her Heart To A Boy (Bliss 1002)
Biography :
In 1959, 12-year-olds Dominick Safuto, his brother Frank, cousin
Eddie Scalla, and Rosalie Calindo on lead formed the Dialtones. They
managed one obscure single, "Till I Heard It from You," for George
Goldner's Goldisc label in 1960. The highlight of that session might
have been the period the Dialtones spent sitting in the studio waiting
room with idols Little Anthony & The Imperials awaiting their turn
to record.
In 1961 Goldisc tried again, releasing the Dialtones single for
another shot at the charts. It didn't work. Dom (lead) then joined up
with friend Mike Zero (baritone) to form a new group with Mike's brother
Sal (second tenor) and Ken Arcipowski (Bass) as The Encores. When the
Grover Cleveland High School quartet decided to fill out their sound as a
quintet, Dom convinced his brother and ex-Dialtone member Frank (first
tenor) to join, and they renamed themselves Junior and the Counts.
The Dialtones
Junior and the Counts
The
Counts started playing church festivities, sweet sixteens, and the like
until they came to the attention of Fran Carrarie, who became their
manager and introduced them to songwriter Neil Levenson. Neil brought
them to Bright Tunes Productions, which was really the creative base of
singing-group-turned-producers THE TOKENS. The Tokens produced the group
on two songs written by Levinson titled "Denise" and "Come Back," but
before they could issue them on Rust subsidiary Laurie Records, a more
commercially acceptable group name had to be chosen. The Schwartz
brothers, owners of Laurie, renamed them Randy and the Rainbows. Dom became Randy and "Denise" became a monster hit.
Songs :
The Dialtones
'Till I Heard It From You Johnny
24 Hours Why Don't You Write Me Bohemian Daddy (demo)
'Till I Heard It From You (demo) Johnny (demo)
Billie Daye bb The Dialtones
Twenty Four Hours When A Girl Gives Her Heart To A Boy
