1958 - What Will I Tell My Heart / If You Can’t Rock Me (Not Them) (APT 25027)
Biography :
Curtis Campbell, Parnell Shaw, Donald Taylor and Willie Jones on Lead
formed a singing group called the Blenders when they were in 7th or 8th
grade. At that time, the Blenders were singing songs like the Dells’
“Why Did You Have to Go,” and “Oh What A Night,” the Danderleers’ “Chop
Chop Boom,” the El Dorados’ “At My Front Door,” “There In The Night” and
“A Rose For My Darling,” the Spaniels’ “Peace Of Mind,” the Robins’
“Smokey Joe’s Café” as well as tunes by the Moroccos. The Blenders had
been together for two or three years when troubles within the group
started to surface. Willie Jones was a guy who was always in trouble and
just kind of self-destructed. James “Zeke“ Brown, a member of the
Calvaes who cut two records for Cobra in 1956 & 57 replaced Willie
Jones on Lead.
Donald Taylor
The
Blenders put together two songs to record, “Two Loves” and “Soda Shop.”
They recorded the two songs at Univeral Studios, down on East Walton
Street. Zeke Brown sang lead on “Two Loves” and Donald Taylor led on
“Soda Shop.” The record was released on the Aladdin label out of
California. The Blenders association with Jim Lounsbury led to their
second recording. Lounsbury was married to singer Reba Jeanette Smith
who’d previously recorded as Penny Smith and was now using the stage
name Debbie Stevens. In December 1958, Stevens was scheduled to record
for the ABC- Paramount subsidiary, APT. The blenders backed Debbie
Stevens on “What Will I Tell My Heart“. Uncredited on the Debbie Stevens
record and not invited to sing with Buddy Holly and Richie Valens, the
Blenders broke up sometime later.
