L to R : Pierce, Russell, Santos, Ingraham, Amitrano
The Tones (2) (Oneonta, New York)
Personnel :
Paul Pierce (Lead)
Larry Santos
Sergio Amitrano
Jerry Russell
Richard Ingraham
Nathon Driggs (accompanist)
Discography :
Single :
1958 - Three Little Loves / We Belong Together (Baton 265)
Unreleased :
1958 - I'm A Lovin' You So (Baton)
1958 - It's Been So Long (Baton)
1958 - I Love The Way (Baton)
Biography :
The
Boys started as members of Willis L. Walley's crack Varsity choir at
Oneonta High Scholl, Where young Santos, Pierce, Driggs and Russel are
seniors. Walley used to encourage his students to enter talent shows at
OHS . Paul Pierce remembers how he and a few of his friends entered a
show and were sponsored by Mosca's Pizzeria. They went by the name "The
Pizzarinos." But there were other bands in competition, and eventually
three of those bands would merge into one called "The Chymes."
L to R : Pierce, Santos, Amitrano, Russell, Ingraham - Bottom : Nathon Driggs
WDOS program director Ed Hyder heard the band and asked them to
record some of their songs at Hartwick College's recording studios. It
was just about every kid's dream during the late '50s to press a demo
record, and these guys did. They got an audition through Baton's lead
producer, Sol Rabinowicz. On the spot, the Oneonta guys were signed to a
recording contract. the Boys heard that another singing group had first
claim to "The Chimes". Baton Records would not last long. It pressed
about 10,000 records by The Tones.
Although these guys never made the big charts, such as Billboard,
they got a significant amount of play and high ratings on individual
radio station charts across the Northeast and Midwestern states (such as
powerhouse WKBW in Buffalo) in 1958. The band would go on to appear on
regional TV teen dance shows for awhile. Larry Santos went on to write
songs for the Four Seasons and Dinae Renay. Through the 60's he often
collaborated with Bob Crewe. In the late 60's he began recording albums
on his own.
Songs :
Three Little Loves We Belong Together