Rickie & The Hallmarks (Queens, New York)
Personnel :
Ricky Lisi
Bixie Boyle
Denis McMahon
Jack Scandura
Discography :
Rickie & The Hallmarks
Single :
1963 - Joanie Don't You Cry / Wherever You Are (Amy 877)
Demos :
1963 - This I Swear
1963 - When I Fall In Love
1963 - That Lucky Old Sun
1963 - My Man The Moon
Ricky Lisi
1963 - The River / Don't Go Now (Roulette 4511)
Biography :
Ricky Lisi grew up in Queens, New York and was in his first group
"The Pharo's" when he was only 12 years old. In 1959, The Pharo's cut
four sides, "Gloria", "Lorraine", "Sunday Kind Of Love" and the original
"Mama Twist". After the group broke up Ricky formed the Original
Hallmarks with Bixie Boyle, Tommy Oliveri, Tony DeFeo and the lovely
Beverly Warren. Ricky really liked the Skyliner's at this time and on
the back of their album was written hallmark of their style, he liked
the word so much he christened the group the Hallmarks.
Beverly Warren Ricky Lisi
One
night while singing under the "El" (an elevator train line) on Queens
Blvd. and 43rd St in Woodside Queens, they were discovered by Tony
Powers on his way to the movies. Tony was a writing partner at this time
with Ellie Greenwich. Tony took the group into Bell Sound where they
would record "Like A Million Years". The next step was the Brill
Building where Leiber & Stoller pass on the group. Ellie liked Bev
and pulled her from the group to do background vocals and eventually had
her record "Like A Million Years" released on the United Artists label.
Ricky Lisi
At
this time both Tony and Tommy exited the group as well. Replacement
were Denis McMahon first tenor and from the Starlings, Jack Scandura.
With a much better Knowledge of how things worked and now knowing about
the Brill Building the group went into variety studios and once again
cut some demos : "This I Swear", "When I Fall In Love", "That Lucky Old
Sun" and the original "My Man The Moon". They would end up at the door
of Wemar music where Johnny Brandon decided he would record the group.
The group was brought into Mira Sound Studio as the Four Seasons were
leaving. The two side recorded that night were "Joanie Don't You Cry"
and "Wherever You Are". The songs were placed with Amy records a
division of Bell. At the sessions, Paul Simon played guitar. The records
didn't do much and the group broke up after they recorded "Don't Go
Now". The Powers to be decided they didn't like the way the recording
came out and shelved it. In the meantime the Concords would record it
and Ricky himself would have a 45 release of the tune with the Concords
on Back Up.
Songs :
Rickie & The Hallmarks
Wherever You Are Joanie Don't You Cry
When I Fall In Love This I Swear
That Lucky Old Sun My Man The Moon
Ricky Lisi
Don't Go Now The River