Personnel :
Norman Fox (Lead)
Bob Trotman (First Tenor)
Andre Lilly (Second Tenor)
Robert Thierer (Baritone)
Marshall "Buzzy" Helfland (Bass)
Discography :
Biography :
One of the earliest interracial quintets, Norman Fox & The Rob-Roys were also one of the most underrated and overlooked groups ever to cut a 45. With his distinctive lead voice, Norman Fox (16) of the Bronx hooked up with DeWitt Clinton High School friends Robert Thierer (17, baritone), Marshall "Buzzy" Helfand (17, bass), Bob Trotman (16, first tenor) and Andre Lilly (16, second tenor) in 1956 to form a dynamic vocal mix with their Jewish/black coalition (Trotman and Lilly were originally members of the Harmonaires on Holiday.) Early in 1957 Bob Trotman met Don Carter, New York agent for the Duke/Peacock organization, at Buddy's Record Shop on 167th Street in the Bronx, and told him of their group. After a live audition in that very same record store, the Bronx boys found themselves contracted to the Texas-based record label. Originally called the Velvetones, they changed their name to the Rob-Roys (after the drink) and recorded their first single for Peacock's new Backbeat affiliate in April 1957 at Bell Sound Studios.
Tell Me Why" came out in the summer of 1957. The single was well received by East Coast radio stations (particularly in New York and Philadelphia), but it was obvious that the gospel conglomerate had no idea of how to market rock and roll. The Rob-Roys turned out to be Backbeat's first integrated group (Fox, Helfand and Thierer were white, Lilly and Trotman black), but they performed at Harlem clubs to the surprise and delight of patrons lucky enough to see them. For the most part they played New York area record hops with deejays like Jocko while waiting for their next release, the Robert Thierer-Bob Trotman dance doo wop classic, "Dance Girl Dance."
