Annette Lodvico, Carl "Butch" Wetmore, Bob Raci, Fred Mantsch, Dominic Conte & Charles Neff .
The Mon-Claires (Penn Hills, Pittsburgh)
Personnel :
Fred Mantsch (First & Second Tenor/Lead)
Carl "Butch" Wetmore (First & Second Tenor/Lead)
Bob Raci (Falsetto)
Annette Lodvico (Alto)
Dominic Conte (Baritone)
Charles Neff (Bass)
Discography :
1961 - Please Come Back / Baby Sue (Joey 6101)
Biography :
The personnel who billed themselves as the Mon-Claires had previous
stints as vocalizers. Carl "Butch" Wetmore was singing second tenor in a
Penn Hills area quartet named the Montclairs. Also included in foursome
were Bob Raci, first tenor/falsetto, Don Herberle, baritone and Charles
Neff, Bass. Fred Mantsch, the tenor lead, was part of a long forgotten
assemblage of teenage songsters. Annette Lodivico warbled with her two
sisters at family functions.
All
these vocalists were students at Penn Hills High School. Mantsch joined
the Montclairs, and in a short time, Annette Lodvico, his girlfriend,
followed, bringing the group to six. Don Herberle opted to leave the
group and was replaced by Dominic Conte. The restructured group was
renamed the Mon-Claires. The Mon-Claires performed a lot of record hops
throughout the Pittsburgh area and they had been spotted by the operator
of Joey records awned by Joseph R. Tomaino and Joseph LoPresti . On September 11, 1961, the Mon-Claires were inked to a five year recording and management contract. Like the Mon-Claires, the Joey label was also getting started. Tomaino and LoPresti launched their Joey label with an original tune cleffed by the Mon-Claires "Please Come Back" with "Baby Sue" penned by Tomano on Joey 6101 . The Group had been performing everywhere but becoming quite discouraged and broke up.
Songs :
Please Come Back Baby Sue