Personnel :
Jerry Scholl (Lead)
Bob Scholl (Tenor)
Eddie Quinn (Second Tenor)
Neil Arena (Baritone)
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Silver, one of the pioneering R&B label owners, had by this point already recorded and released numerous hit singles by acts , including the Nutmegs , the Five Satins (whose "In the Still of the Night," a smash in 1956, had been leased to Ember; they later scored a hit for the label with "To the Aisle," a Top Ten R&B hit -- number 25 pop -- in the summer of 1957), and the Turbans (whose "When You Dance" was the group's best charter for Herald").
Silver liked what he heard and the group -- with their trademark white jackets (at Levister's insistence, supposedly) - helped them forge an identity with the teenage public. For the Mellotones' first release, Silver chose a tune called "Tonite, Tonite" (Herald number 502), written by Billy Myles (who also penned "All My Love You Were Made For" with Jackie Wilson). It was released during the summer of 1957 and became an immediate regional smash hit.
Unfortunately, Silver discovered too late that there was already a record out that summer on George Goldner's Gee label by a group called the Mello-Tones, (their "Rosie Lee" later climbed into the Top 24 on the pop charts). A quick name change was in order and using Levister's nickname "King," "Tonite, Tonite" (Herald number 502) was quickly re-released as by the Mello-Kings.
The single was a big seller in the Northeast, again having regional ties. They made more than one TV appearance with Dick Clark on both the daily American Bandstand and his weekly Saturday Night show for ABC network. The follow-up single in September 1957, Chapel On The Hill was another lovely ballad while the flip, Sassafras was more of a novelty teen rock ‘n’ roller. Before the year was out Herald released a third single, the uptempo Baby Tell Me Why, Why, Why and the ballad The Only Girl. Despite promotional appearances and national exposure on the likes of American Bandstand and working an Irvin Feld 17 day tour featuring the Everly Brothers, the Crickets, the Rays, the Hollywood Flames, Eddie Cochran, and Jimmy Rodgers, they still couldn’t crack the charts.
In the spring of 1958, the Mellokings became a four-piece when Neil
Arena left. Mot long after, Larry Esposito also left, and the Mellokings
replaced them with Louis Jannacone and Tony Pinto. This was the line-up
that recorded Chip Chip in November 1958. Released in January 1959,
Chip Chip is a great novelty that had hit record written all over it.
The flip Running To You was a nice slowie that had more than a hint of
Dion about it. It was over a year before the next release, another
lovely ballad, Our Love Is Beautiful backed by the neat Dear Mr. Jock.
By the end of 1960 the group was back to being a quartet with Jerry
Scholl, Bobby Scholl, Lou Jannacone, and Tony Pinto. Kid Stuff and I
Promise from September ’60 both have their moments but if Valerie and
Chip Chip weren’t going to hit, these certainly wouldn’t.
With doo-wop enjoying a second coming as early as 1961, the Mellokings could have been forgiven for thinking that they were finally in the right place as the right time. Penny is heavily stringed but the vocals are nice enough but it was their final Herald release in October where they hit their highest artistic heights since Tonite Tonite. Love At First Sight has everything a classic doo-wop record should have, relentless ooh-ah’s behind a lifting lead vocal. It’s a beauty and with Bobby Scholl sublime. Among the autographs he was signing at the time, the biggest was for a certain Uncle Sam, as he was drafted.
