Harold Webb, Wally Osborne, Bernard Johnson, Bobby Holland & William “Lefty” Wright
The Starfires (2) (Philadelphia, PA)
Personnel :
Wally Osborne
Bobby Holland
William “Lefty” Wright
Bernard Johnson
Harold Webb
Discography :
Singles :
1958 - Yearning For You / Do Ko Icke No (Bernice 201
1961 - These Foolish Things / Let’s Do The Pony (D&H 200)
1961 - You’re The One / So Much (Bargain 5001)
1961 - Love Will Break Your Heart / The Dances (Bargain 5003 / Atomic 1912)
Unreleased :
1959 - Get Myself A Girlie (Cameo-Parkway)
Biography :
Wally Osborne went to Ornstein School of Music in Philly, becoming
proficient on guitar, bass and piano. It didn’t take long for him to
team up with Bobby Holland again, both of whom would join & leave in
and out of different groups until they met William “Lefty” Wright,
Bernard Johnson and Harold Webb who had been from another broken up
group. The five decided to sing together as the Starfires (from the
Oldsmobile 98 Starfire convertible) and it was that group who recorded
for Richard Barrett. Osborne only sang lead on their first record
“Yearning For You / Do Ko Icke No” (Bernice 201) a subsidiary of End
Records. After no success with their “End” experience, Osborne left the
Starfires as a singer to manage them. He got them to record “Get Myself
A Girlie” for Cameo-Parkway Records which was never released.
For the next few years Osborne made many connections and
collaborations, wrote songs and managed groups. In 1961 Osborne got
D&H records (Dixson & Hodge) to record the Starfires. “These
Foolish Things / Let’s Do The PonyY” was the first and only Starfires
release for that label. Both songs were written by Wally Osborne. When
the D&H label disbanded, partner Steve Hodge continued to produce
records on his own Bargain label and released The Starfires’ next
record, “You’re The One" / "So Much”. “You’re The One" got some airplay
on the East Coast and in Cleveland. Next was “Love Will Break Your
Heart ” (co-written by Osborne and Jimmy Bishop) with flipside “The
Dances” (written by Osborne). All four songs were recorded at Tony and
Don Luisi’s Sound Plus Studio in Northeast Philadelphia.
