The Holidays (4) (Manhattan, New York)
aka The Standards (2)
Personnel :
Tony Castro (Lead)
Larry Loeb (First Tenor)
Larry Rizzo (Baritone)
Harry Jay (Second Tenor)
Fred "Duke" Hodgkinson (Bass)
Discography :
Biography :
In the late '50's a group from Manhattan know as the Spirals got their chance to record. The Financial backers were there to choose one of the two groups sharing studio time. The Second Group, Little Anthony's group won and the rest is history.
Larry Loeb (First Tenor) and Larry Rizzo (Baritone) would now join Harry Jay who was just released from the Army. Harry have been singing with the Vibratones. Harry discovered lead singer Tony Castro and along with bass Fred "Duke" Hodgkinson (formally of the Versatiles), Tony & The Holidays were born.
After much practice the group recorded their first demo "Melissa" and "Tick Tock". This soon led to a release on ABC Records, "There Goes My Heart Again" b/w "My Love Is Real".
By the end of 1962 the group moved to Sabina Records and recorded several sides for the Belmonts and Jerry Granaham, under the new name Buddy Sheppard & The Holidays, "Time To Dream", "My Love Is Real", "Now It's All Over" and "That Background Sound" to mention a few. The latter also had Freddie & Angelo of the Belmonts in the Background.
Tony Castro would soon leave the group being replaced by lead singer Richie Tsonos. Along with new lead singer came a group name change. Now the Standards would have two releases on the Magna Label with two sides being picked up and nationally distributed by Chess records.
Throughout their recording years the group or group members lent their talents on the Backgrounds of many '45's, the most important being Larry & The Legends on Atlantic Records backing Larry Santos.