1960 - Letter Of Devotion / Fickle Little Girl (Goldisc 3007)
Neil Stevens & The Temptations (3)
1961 - Ballad Of Love / Tonight My Heart She Is Crying (Goldisc 3019)
Biography :
No, not those Temptations. This Temptations were a vocal group from
New York best known for the 1960 hit "Barbara". Issued on Goldisc
Records, the song peaked on the Cash Box Magazine chart at #38 and on
the Billboard Hot 100 at #29. The flip side song on Barbara was Someday.
The Story of the group begin as the Four Temptations, three years
before. In 1957, Artie Ripp formed a vocal group with some others of his
local neighborhood friends from Flushing, Mario Scarpa, Stu Silverman
and Joe Tedesco. They signed in 1957 with ABC Records as back up group
for ABC. They backed to Paul Anka on their ABC hit "Diana" and released
Cathy as the Four Temptations.
Artie
Ripp had already decided that he liked management more than singing,
and went on to co-found Kama Sutra Records and then manage Billy Joel
during the Piano Man's early career. Artie Ripp formed and managed this
new group know as The Temptations who consisted of Artie Maren, Artie
Schlacman, Larry Schwartz and Neil Stevens also from Flushing,NY. Neil
Stevens had already recorded a single with the Dee-Vines
in 1958, "More And More" and "What Could Be Better" released by
Brunswick Records, and Shortly after "Barbara" became a hit, Neil left
to go solo.
The Remaining Temptations saw three releases before they broke up.
Artie Ripp later became a great arranger and sound engineer. He worked
on a lot of the girls group records and Brill Building sounds that came
out of NYC from 1963-1968 or so.
Songs :
The Temptations (3)
Barbara / Someday Fickle Little Girl / Letter Of Devotion
