The Del Pris (Pittsburg, PA.)
Personnel :
Billy Cyrus (Lead)
Wilson Rue (First Tenor)
Jack Derbish (Second Tenor)
Harold ”Cowboy” Shields (Baritone)
Dan Carr (Bass)
Discography :
Single :
1961 - The Time / Womp (Varbee 2003 / Restored 1001)
Unreleased :
1961 - I Don’t Want To Cry (Varbee)
1961 - It Must Have Been Love (Varbee)
Biography :
At
the beginning of the 60s in Pittsburg, Jack Derbish and Dan Carr was
part of a vocal group named the Del Pris, But after a few months, the
group disbanded. Not discouraged, Jack and Dan form a new group named
The Legends. The group then consists of three black and two white
members. In 1961, Billy Cyrus (Lead), Wilson Rue (First Tenor), Jack
Derbish (Second Tenor), Harold ”Cowboy” Shields (Baritone) and Dan
Carr(Bass) contacted O’Dell Bailey, owner of Varbee and Millage Records
Records in Pittsburgh. Bailey send the group to the Glen Campbell’s
united recording service where recorded four sides : The Baby
Washington’s 1959 hit "The Time", The Chuck Jackson side "I Don’t Want
To Cry", "Womp" and "It Must Have Been Love". Because the name "The
Legends" was already being used "The Time" b/w "Womp" was released In
November of 1961 under the first group name of Jack Derbish & Dan
Carr, The Del Pris. The disc have a big local acceptance and the group
have appearances with DJ’s personalities as Bill Powell, Walter Raleigh
or Porky Chedwick, also appear on the TV show “Teen Time” and for a
brief time were the back up singer for Little Maxine Simmons. In the
summer of 1962 the group want release a second record and looking for a
new label, but without luck, Harold ”Cowboy” Shields leave the group and
Billy Cyrus join the army and The Del Pris finally broke up.
Songs :
The Time Womp