1962 - (clockwise from top) : Fannie Henderson, Beatrice Johnson, John"Wes"Hayes, Bernard Harris & Maurice Hayes
The Coeds (1) (Philadelphia, PA)
aka The Co-Eds (2)
Personnel :
John"Wes"Hayes (Baritone)
Bernard Harris (Tenor)
Beatrice Johnson (Second Soprano/Alto)
Fannie Henderson (First Soprano)
Barge Hammond (Bass)
Jeanette Taylor (First Soprano/ Lead)
Discography :
The Coeds (1)
1957 - Big Chief / Juke Box! (Swan 4004)
1958 - Big Chief / Juke Box! (Cameo 3129)
1958 - La La (Lessons Of The Cha Cha Cha) / Juke Box!(Cameo 134)
John Zacherle bb The Coeds (1)
1958 - I Was A Teen-Age Caveman / Dummy Doll (no group) (Cameo 145)
Cozy Morley bb The Coeds (1)
1958 - As We're Happy Tonight / I Chicken Out (Cameo 147)
Charlie Gracie bb The Coeds (1)
1958 - Dressin' Up / Crazy Girl (no group) (Cameo 127)
The Co-Eds (2)
1961 - Time After Time / To Be Or Not To Be (Sheryl 337)
Biography :
John"Wes"Hayes & Bernard Harris were members of the Dreams, who
in 1957 had morphed into Kenny Esquire & The Starlites. Following
their dissolution, Wes Rounded up Bernard and other lifelong friends
from the neighborhood to form the Coeds. The Group make appearances all
over the area. The Coeds consisted of John"Wes"Hayes (Baritone), Bernard
Harris (Tenor), Beatrice Johnson (Second Soprano/Alto), Fannie
Henderson (First Soprano), Barge Hammond (Bass) and Jeanette Taylor
(First Soprano/ Lead).
1958 - (top L to R) : B. Harris, B. Hammond, J.Hayes (Top Down - Girls) J. Taylor, F. Henderson, B.Johnson,
All
this practice and rehearsal inspired their manager David King to ferry
his charges downtown to Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann's merging shrine, Cameo
records, then perched at 360 South Broad Street. The Poohabahs were
duly impressed, thus aranging sessions at Reco-Arts in mis 1958 where
the sextet etched three sides, two of which were, well, lackluster, to
put it kindly, "Juke Box" a sublimely silly sketch, matched with
"(Lessons Of The Cha Cha Cha) "were tepid tunes hardly worthy of the
intricate harmonies which were by now inbred in each and very Coed. "Big
Chief " was their particular favorite. Thereafter, the Coeds began 1958
on Safari and on Cameo promoting the dickens out of their first release
"Big Chief" b/w "Juke Box!" in the early spring.
A couple months scudded by which saw Lowe and Mann issue "La La
(Lessons Of The Cha Cha Cha)" once again, but this time paired with "
Juke Box". At Cameo Records, they make plenty of Studio background work.
The Coeds backing John Zacherle, Cozy Morley and Charlie Gracie.
Despite the fact they had no new recording, The Coeds, now tabbed as
John Hayes and the passions, dropped in at bistrosfrom time to time
during relatively period, recording wise, of 1959-62.
1959 - (top L to R) :Barge Hammond & John"Wes"Hayes (Bottom L to R) J. Taylor, B.Johnson & F. Henderson
in
1961, David King marched his troupe into Harold B. Robinson's studio
located at 6600 North Broad Street. Jeanette Taylor led both cuts "Time
After Time" and "To Be Or Not To Be". The Single will be released in
August 1961 as the Co-eds (new spelling). Beatrice Johnson, Fannie
Henderson, Bernard Harris and Wes Hayes accompanied by a bevy of
musicians, circulated for many years under tha new monicker, John hayes
and the Passions. Though they never rrecorded again, they weren't
lollygagging.
