CHANTERS (2) - VOICES FIVE (BUD JOHNSON & THE)

The Chanters (2) (Queens, New Kork)

aka  Bud Johnson & The Voices Five 

Personnel :

Larry Pendergrass (Lead)

Fred Paige (First & Second Tenor)

Bud Johnson, Jr. (Second & First Tenor)

Elliot Green (Baritone)

Bobby Thompson (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Chanters (2)

1958 - My My Darling / I Need Your Tenderness (Deluxe 6162)

1958 - Row Your Boat / Stars In The Skies (Deluxe 6166)

1958 - Five Little Kisses / Angel Darling (Deluxe 6172)

1961 - I Make This Pledge / No, No, No (Deluxe 6191)

1961 - At My Door / My My Darling (Deluxe 6194)

1963 - Over The Rainbow / No, No, No (Deluxe 6199)

1963 - Row Your Boat / No, No, No (Deluxe 6200)

Bud Johnson & The Chanters (2)

1958 - No, No, No / Over The Rainbow (Deluxe 6177)

Bud Johnson & The Voices Five

Singles :

1959 - For Sentimental reasons / All alone (Inst.)(Craft 116 )

1959 - You're driving me crazy / On the Alamo (Stereo craft 111 A)

 

Lps:

1959 - Big Beat Dance Party (Lp RCS-509 )

Lover Come Back To Me  / For Sentimental Reasons  / You're Driving Me Crazy / On The Alamo

 

Biography :

Bud (sometimes spelled as Budd) Johnson was a jazz and R & B tenor sax player who did a lot of session work in New York throughout the forties and fifties. His son Bud Jr. along with a few of his neighborhood friends soon began singing notes and trading riffs which the father thought might show some promise. So Bud Johnson along with Bob Thompson, Fred Page, Elliot Green, and lead singer Larry Pendergrass soon solidified the group. Their influence was the top sound of the day - the young high tenor lead made famous by Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers.  Bud and his group who were managed by his mother soon were put in contact with one of the leading independent record companies of the day, the King-Federal-DeLuxe combine located in Cincinnati, Ohio and headed by Syd Nathan.

 Nathan who was looking for just that kind of sound in a vocal group, quickly signed them to his DeLuxe label and set up their initial recording session. The first release for the group was "My My Darling" and "I Need Your Tenderness" on # 6162 in April of 1958.  The record did not do much in sales or airplay and the group was soon ready for another try. In June "Row Your Boat" and "Stars In The Skies" was released on DeLuxe #6166. This time the results were a bit better for the group but still certainly not a big national, or even a regional hit. "Row" was an up tempo tune very much in the mold of the Lymon brothers groups. September saw the third DeLuxe release on the tunes "Angel Darling" and "Five Little Kisses" on # 6172. Once again the group just did not seem to capture an audience for their music.

   

The Chanters had one last effort in the year. The songs were the pop standard "Over The Rainbow" and "No No No" and this time Bud's father gave the session his experience in arranging and orchestrating the takes. Probably because of this the group was identified on the label as "Bud Johnson & The Chanters" leaving many listeners to assume that Johnson was the lead singer rather than Pendergrass. In 1959 Page left to military service and his place was taken by Fred Johnson another member of the Johnson family - this time a cousin. That year the group moved to the Craft label and recorded "All Alone" and "For Sentimental Reasons" and released on # 116. This time the lead singer was Fred Johnson and the group had changed their name to The Voices Five. A bit of confusion came about as the label released a side as by the Budd Johnson Orchestra (Bud Jr.'s father) on # 113. Unfortunately for the group now The Voices Five, the end result remained the same. 

Songs :

The Chanters (2)

   

      My My Darling / I Need Your Tenderness              Row Your Boat / Stars In The Skies    

       

Five Little Kisses / Angel Darling                           I Make This Pledge          

    

No, No, No                                                         At My Door

Bud Johnson & The Voices Five

       

        Lover Come Back To Me                 For Sentimental Reasons       

You're Driving Me Crazy  / On The Alamo

BARONS (6) - CROWNS (5)

 

Richie Giordano

The Crowns (5) (Stamford, CT.)

aka The Barons (6)

 

Personnel :

Jimmy Ienner (Lead / Bass)

Tommy Fowler (Lead Tenor)

Richie Giordano (Falsetto) 

Joe Mattera (Baritone)

Pete Esposoto (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Barons (6)

Singles :

1964 - Pledge Of A Fool / Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl) (Epic 9586)

1964 - Lucky Star / Remember Rita (Epic 9747)

1966 - Since You're Gone / My Smile Is Bigger (Than Your Smile) (RCA 9034)

Unreleased :

1966 - When You Dance (Acappella)

1966 - Traveling Stranger (Acappella) (as the Kooltones)

1966 - Pennies From Heaven (Acappella) (as the Pretenders)

The Crowns (5)

1964 - Possibility / Watch Out (Old Town 1171)

 

Biography :

In 1962, Jimmy Ienner and Richie Giordano formed the the Majestic Lads in  Stamford Ct. area. The group then consisted of Jimmy Ienner (Lead/Bass), Tommy Fowler (Lead Tenor), Richie Giordano (Falsetto), Joe Mattera (Baritone) and Pete Esposoto (Bass). in 1963, Stan Vincent became the manager of The Majestic lads and composed "Pledge Of A Fool" and "Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl)". Stan Vincent changed the original name by The Barons. Stan Vincent began his music industry career as a teenager working as a gofer at the Brooklyn-based offices of Jim Gribble who managed several doo-wop groups including the Mystics and the Passions, sometimes assisting on the recordings on Gribble's clients: by 1959 Vincent was himself recording his output including two singles backed by the Del Satins.

   

Stan Vincent                                                                                                                                      

Vincent's releases were overlooked but a recording he produced for the Del Satins of his composition "Teardrops Follow Me" became a regional success in the summer of 1962 and Vincent was afforded his first major success as the producer of the Earls hit "Remember Then" recorded in 1962 which reached #24 in January 1963. Some of the artists he's worked with include (but are not limited to): The Passions, The Earls, Connie Francis, Lou Christie, The 5 Stairsteps, The Brooklyn Bridge, Cher, Ronnie Dyson, the Edwin Hawkins Singers, The Del Satins, Larry Finnegan.

   

                                                                                                           Jimmy Ienner

Considered by many as one of the most wonderful doo wop, "Pledge of a Fool" was released in March 1963 on Epic and charted locally. The record became popular and the group make many appearances throughout the area. in 1964, Ron D'Angelis replaced Joe Mattera. At the end of 1964, the Barons returned to the studio and record two new songs composed by Stan Vincent : "Lucky Star" and "Remember Rita" released on Epic 9747. Some months later, they recorded "Possibility" b/w "Watch Out" released on Old Town records as the Crowns because they were still under contract with Epic.

Jimmy Ienner (Left) with the Raspberries

The Crowns sounded like Larry Chance & the Earls and "Possibility" was composed again by Stan Vincent and this is where the Larry Chance rumor was started. There is no connection to Larry  Chance with either the Barons or the Crowns. The Larry Chance connection to the Crowns on Old Town was one of several/many BS stories started by Gus Gossert. After this Billy Neilson replaced Richie Giordano. In 1966, Jimmy Ienner composed & produced the last single of the Barons "Since You're Gone" b/w "My Smile Is Bigger" on RCA. They also had 3 accapella sides on Relic 101 (Best of Acappella Vol 1). These came from Slim Rose who found them in the back of Times Square Records on reel to reel. They are: When You Dance, Traveling Stranger (as the Kooltones) and Pennies From Heaven( as the Pretenders). Jimmy Ienner will become an American music producer, best known for producing albums for such artists as Bay City Rollers, The Raspberries and Three Dog Night.

Richard A. Giordano,74, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, October 7, 2016.

 

Songs:

(updated by Hans-Joachim)   

The Barons (6)

  

Pledge Of A Fool                                  Lucky Star       

   

            Remember Rita                   Don't Go Away (Pretty Little Girl)

  

     Since You're Gone                    When You Dance (Acappella)

The Crowns (5)

   

Possibility                            Watch Out (Inst) 

CASUALAIRS - CASUAL-AIRES

 

The Casualairs (Staten Island, NY)

aka The Casual-Aires

 

Personnel :

Pete Habild (Lead)

William Comforti

Thomas Manzo

Russell Delbe

Charlie Notabartolo

 

Discography :

The Casualairs

1962 - At The Dance / Satisfied (Mona Lee 136)

The Casual-Aires

1963 - Cruising  / Bossa Nova Twist (Craig 5001/CB 5001)

 

Biography :

The Casualairs hail from Staten Island, NY. The group then consists of Pete Habild  on lead, William Comforti, Thomas Manzo, Russell Delbe and Charlie Notabartolo. The group recorded "At The Dance" & "Satisfied" released in 1962 by Mona Lee Records. Mona Lee Records was incorporated on April, 4 1960 in New York by Samuel Kaufman, Esq., 507 Fifth Avenue. 

  

President was Leonora "Lee" Rupe,  ex-wife of Arthur Goldberg, better known as Art Rupe owner of Specialty Records. In 1963, the group recorded "Cruising" and "Bossa Nova Twist" . The single was released the same year by Craig Records and CB Records, both from New Jersey under the name of The Casual-Aires.

Songs :

The Casualairs

   

At The Dance                                        Satisfied    

The Casual-Aires

  

     Cruising                                      Bossa Nova Twist

THREE FRIENDS (2) - HAMMOND BROTHERS

 

Clay Hammond

The Three Friends (2) (Compton, California)

aka The Hammond Brothers

 

Personnel :

Clay Hammond (Lead)

Walter Hammond (Baritone)

Julius Brown (Tenor)

 

Discography :

The Three Friends (2)

1961 - Walkin' Shoes / Blue Ribbon Baby (Cal-Gold 169)

1961 - Dedicated (To The Songs I Love) / Happy As A Man Can Be (Imperial 5763)

1961 - Go On To School / You're A Square (Imperial 5773)

The Hammond Brothers

1962 - Thirty Miles Of Railroad Track / I Told You (Abner 7005)

 

Biography :

Black doowop trio from Compton, California. Comprised of Julius Brown and brothers Clay and Walter Hammond.  Clayton Hammond Jr. was born in Groesbeck, Texas. He was an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter and in 1956 he became a founding member of the gospel group The Mighty Clouds of Joy in Los Angeles, with Little Johnny Taylor and others. His younger brother, Walter Hammond, became a member of vocal group The Olympics.  Clay Hammond made his first recording in 1959 for the Tag label, and then formed a trio, The Three Friends with Walter Hammond and friend Julius Brown. They recorded for the Cal-Gold and Imperial labels in 1961, with little success. Their only charted single was "Dedicated (To The Songs I Love)", which peaked at #89 in July of 1961. The Next year, he also recorded with his brother Walter as the Hammond Brothers. In 1963, his song "Part Time Love", recorded by Little Johnny Taylor, reached the top of the Billboard R&B chart and no.19 on the pop chart. He continued to write songs, but with much less success, as well as recording singles for a variety of small labels.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Three Friends (2)

     

        Blue Ribbon Baby                     Walkin' Shoes         Dedicated (To The Songs I Love)

  

Happy As A Man Can Be              Go On To School / You're A Square

 

The Hammond Brothers

   

Thirty Miles Of Railroad Track                        I Told You                   

TEEN-TONES (2) - RADIANTS (2) (LITTLE JAN & THE)

Top :Tommy Nelli, Billy Shelly & Dominick Scretti - Bottom : Jan Perolla

Little Jan & The Radiants (2) (Syracuse, NY)

aka The Teen-Tones (2)

Personnel :

Jan Perolla (Lead)

Billy Shelly (First Tenor)

Dominick Scretti (Baritone)

Tommy Nelli (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Teen-Tones (2)

1958 - Miss Sweet / Darling I Love You (Dandy Dan 2)

Little Jan & The Radiants (2)

1960 - If You Love Me / Heart And Soul (VIM 507)

Jan & The Radiants (2)

1960 - Is It True (I Still Believe In You) / Now Is The Hour (Clock 1028)

1961 - If You Love Me / Is It True (I Still Believe In You) (Queen 247)

Biography :

Syracuse vocal group Little Jan and the Radiants were formed in 1958, when three male members of the Teen-Tones : Billy Shelly (1st tenor), Dominick Scretti (baritone) and Tommy Nelli (bass) replaced Billy Sanders, who went into the service, with Carl Irvine (2nd tenor), and added none other than the departed Billy’s girlfriend, 17 year old Jan Perolla. Originally christened Little Jan & the Orients, their infectious sound crossed cultural lines and the group quickly became a local favorite. Sports-o-ramas, sock-hops, house parties and high school dances gave way to the big time.

The Teen-Tones (Sam Furco, Tommy Nelli, Billy Sanders, Billy Shelly and Dominick Scretti)

When a producer representing Syracuse University graduate and SAMMYS Lifetime Achievement Award winner Dick Clark came to Syracuse to audition Jeff & the Notes, their friends Little Jan and the Radiants were also there and invited to “sing a few bars of Earth Angel”.  Shortly thereafter, the group got a call from the producer, met at The Orange at Syracuse University, signed a contract with CLOCK Records, and the renamed Little Jan and the Radiants were on their way.

  

                                                                                                                                          Jan Perolla

“Heart And Soul” b/w “If You Love Me” was recorded in Buffalo NY in 1959, and “Is It True” b/w “Now Is The Hour”, recorded in Rochester, was released the following year, both garnering significant radio airplay across the United States, rumored to have hit the top 10 in some major markets. The discs were so popular that they were later re-released nationally on Queen Records in 1961. In their heyday, the group shared stages with such notables as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Gene Pitney and an early lineup of the not yet famous Four Seasons.

Songs :

The Teen-Tones (2)

  

Darling I Love You                                   Miss Sweet       

Little Jan & The Radiants (2)

  

If You Love Me                                  Heart And Soul

Jan & The Radiants (2)

  

Is It True (I Still Believe In You)                      Now Is The Hour     

JACKAELS (J.J JACKSON & THE) - KILLERS (HANK BLACKMAN & THE)

 

June Jackson 

J.J. Jackson & The Jackaels (San Diego, Ca)

aka The Jackals aka Hank Blackman & The Killers

 

Personnel :

William E. 'June' 'J.J' Jackson (Lead)

Hubert Richardson (First Tenor)

James Famber (Second Tenor)

Hank Blackman (Baritone)

 

Discography :

J.J. Jackson & The Jackaels

Singles :

1959 - A Lifetime From Today /  That Look In Your Eye (Storm 501)

1959 - Oo-Ma-Liddi / Let The Show Begin (Storm 502/ Prelude 502)

Unreleased :

1962 - Port of Happiness (Brent)

1962 - Don't Let Her Make You Cry (Brent)

J.J. Jackson & The Jackals

1962 - False Face / Ring Telephone (Everest 2012)

Hank Blackman & The Killers

1962 - Everyone Has Someone /Itchy Koo (Brent 7030)

Bertha Tillman bb J.J. Jackson & The Jackaels

1962 - Oh My Angel / Lovin' Time (Brent 7029)

J.J. Jackson bb The Jackaels

1963 - Time / Shy Guy (Crescent 632)

 

Biography :

There is much confusion about J.J. Jackson.  Jerome Louis 'J.J' Jackson (B. 4/8/41) was a Soul Artist who did 'But It's Alright".  He was in a doo wop group called 'Cordials'. William E. 'June' 'J.J' Jackson (B. 1931) from San Diego, Ca is the lead singer of The Jackaels  with Hubert Richardson (First Tenor), James Famber (Second Tenor) & Hank Blackman (Baritone) . In 1959, the group recorded  four songs released by Storm Records .  In 1962, June Jackson & The Jackaels recorded four songs for Brent records. Because they had two releases under that name, the company decide to re-brand them and use the two song sung by group member Hank Blackman rather than the two June Jackson sang lead on. 

The group was renamed Hank Blackman & The Killers. the two songs left in the can were June Jackson sung and penned numbers "Port of Happiness" and "Don't Let Her Make You Cry".  During the same session the Jackaels also recorded with Bertha Tillman.  Bertha Tillman was working as a department store salesgirl in San Diego when she was discovered by Hank Blackman . June Jackson had written "Oh My Angel" and the Jackaels were the uncredited group that backed Tillman on this tremendously soulful tearjerker. There were two more 45s with the Jackaels :  "False Face" b/w "Ring Telephone" on Everest and "Time" b/w "Shy Guy" on Crescent. June Jackson will continue to record for Imperial, Bell and Musette in the 60s and 70s.

 

Songs :

J.J. Jackson & The Jackaels

     

A Lifetime From Today             That Look In Your Eye                   Oo-Ma-Liddi       

   

Let The Show Begin             Port of Happiness 

 

J. Jackson & The Jackals

  

False Face                           Ring Telephone

Hank Blackman & The Killers

  

Everyone Has Someone                             Itchy Koo             

Bertha Tillman bb J.J. Jackson & The Jackaels

   

Oh My Angel                                 Lovin' Time

 

J.J. Jackson bb The Jackaels

Time

FEATHERS - UNFORGETTABLES (3) - GLADIATORS (1) - GLENS (2)

 

paste up picture, Johnny Staton, John Harris, Mitchell Alexander

The Feathers (Los Angeles)

ref : The Unforgettables (3) - The Gladiators (1) - The Glens (2)  

 

Personnel:

Johnny  Staton (Lead)

Louis Staton (Tenor)

John  Harris (Tenor)

Don  Harris (Baritone )

Mitchell Alexander (Bass) 

Discography :

June Moy (bb The Feathers)

1954 - Desert Winds / Castle Of Dreams (no group) (Show Time 1103)

Jesse Belvin (bb The Feathers)

1956 - Betty My Darling / Dear Heart  (Hollywood 1056)

Unreleased :

1956 - (This Is My) Love Song (Hollywood)

The Feathers

1954 - Johnny Darling / Nona (Show Time 1104)

1954 - Johnny Darling / Shake 'Em Up (Aladdin 3267)

1955 - I Need A Girl / Standing Right There (Aladdin 3277)

1955 - Why Don't You Write Me / Busy As A Bumblebee (J & L Staton) (Show Time 1105)

1955 - Why Don't You Write Me / Where Did Caledonia Go (5 Stars) (Show Time 1105)            

1955 - Love Only You / Crashing The Party (Show Time 1106)

1956 - Lonesome Tonight / Dear One (Hollywood 1051)

1989 - Charlene / Irene My Darling (Classic Artists 109)

1989 - More Than Enough For Me / Happy Holiday (Jaguars) (Classic Artists 117)

1989 - At The Altar / A Girl Like You (Classic Artists 125)

1993 - Ride On Santa (Clifton 3004) (CD)

Unreleased :

1956 - Golden Vow (Hollywood)

1956 - Church Steps (Hollywood)

1956 - When I Lost You (Hollywood)

The Unforgettables (3)

1961 - Daddy Must Be A Man / Oh, Wishing Well (Pamela 204)

The Gladiators (1)

1957 - Girl Of My Heart / My Baby Doll (Dig 135)

The Glens (2)

1960 - A Little Less Talk / Cherish My Love (Laitini 6666/Sudden 104)

 

Biography :

In 1953 , Johnny Staton was in an air force singing group that was quite successful , winning several amateur talent contests . When Staton was discharged to Los Angeles in 1954 , he continued vocal group singing with his three brothers and a sister . Having little luck , most of the siblings abandoned the group singing . Johnny and Louis Staton stayed with it .They eventually teamed up with the rest of the performers who would eventually become the Feathers. They practiced with them until they felt ready for live performances. Ultimately they ran into Johnny Otis , who advised them to look into the Showtime music organization. They followed Otis's advice and signed a contract with Showtime. They recorded “ Johnny Darling ” for Showtime. When it began to move, Otis once again intervened, telling the Feathers that Showtime was not properly supporting or promoting their record. He suggested that perhaps they should go to the other big Los Angeles R & B label : Aladdin. Again, the group followed his suggestion. In 1954, both Aladdin and Showtime claimed the Feathers. A lawsuit followed , as both had released  their own version of “Johnny Darling". Eventually Showtime won the suit and the Feathers remained with them .

Karl White & Renee Beard

After the group's breakup, John Harris joined the Lamplighters; then he teamed with Carl White and the Ebbtides and with Carl Ell and his Buddies . Then the Sharps and eventually the Rivingtons . Jesse Belvin's session , which produced  “Dear Heart”, “Betty My Darling“ and "(This is My) Love Song ” was backed up by Johnny, Louis, Isaiah, and James Staton. Johnny Staton told Belvin, “no money, just put our name on the label". This tune was released in the 1960s and for some unknown reason the label read “Jesse Belvin and the Five Keys." On “Crashing the Party"the group was a family affair — Johnny, Louis, James, and Isaiah Staton with Ray Anderson at bass. For their last recording on Showtime, Anderson was dropped and sister Lenora was added. 

Paste Up Picture : Karl White, Billy Mann, Rene Beard

In late 1955, with no success or money, the existing group broke up and Johnny Staton formed a new Feathers with Roy Allen (tenor), Renee Beard (second tenor), Carl White (baritone), and Carl's brother, Cleo at bass. With out Johnny Staton  they became the Gladiators, releasing "My Baby Doll"/"Girl Of My Heart" on Johnny Otis' Dig label in March 1957 . In 1960, with second tenor Billy Mann in place of Roy Allen, they recorded as the Glens for Laitini ("Cherish My Love"/"A Little Less Talk". That record was re-released on Sudden in the following year. Without Beard, this group recorded as the Unforgettables for Pamela and their recording was done in 1957 and released in 1961.  In 1959 Johnny Staton had abandoned the name " Feathers " and formed a group called the Individuals. As incredible as it may seem , they recorded for Showtime , a label with which they had previously been involved in litigation .

https://www.uncamarvy.com/Feathers/feathers.html

IVIES - SENSATION-IVIES

 

The Ivies (1) (Detroit, Mi)

aka The Sensation-Ivies

Personnel :

Aaron McCray (Lead)

Odel Logan

Jimmy Davis

Conley Griffin

Arnold Johnson

Discography :

The Ivies

1958 - Sunshine / Come On (Ivy 110 / Brunswick 55112)

1959 - Voodoo / I Really Want You To Know (Roulette 4183)

Arron McCray & His Sensation-Ivies

1960 - I’ll Have The Last Laugh / Inter Santum (Reel 111)

The Sensation-Ivies

1961 - Tell Me / God Bless The Child (Willow 23003)

Clarence Paul (bb The Ivies)

1959 - I Need Your Lovin' / I’ll Be By Your Side (Hanover 4519 )

1959 - Falling In Love Again / May Heaven Bless You (Roulette 4196 )

Biography :

From Detroit, the Ivies included Aaron McCray, Odel Logan, Jimmy Davis, Conley Griffin, and Arnold Johnson. In 1958, The group Recorded  "Sunshine" b/w "Come On"  for Ivy Records. Ivy Records was set up in Sept 57 by Stan Feldman & Ed Portnoy. It was based out of 1697 Broadway, New York. The single was reissued on Brunswick 55112 in June 1959.

   

                                                                     Clarence Paul

Clarence Otto Pauling (March 19, 1928 – May 6, 1995), better known as Clarence Paul, was a songwriter and record producer for Detroit's Motown Records. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, and was the brother of the "5" Royales guitarist/songwriter, Lowman Pauling Jr. In 1958, he had one of his first major songwriting credits. He co-wrote and recorded "I Need Your Lovin'" for the Hanover label. It was covered less than a year later, in 1959, and became a #14 R&B hit for Roy Hamilton.

  

The Ivies were the back-up group for Clarence Paul on the Hanover "I Need Your Lovin' b/w "I’ll Be By Your Side" . Clarence Paul brings the group for his appearance and sings even on their singles. The     Ivies' next single is on the Roulette Label with "Voodoo" b/w "I Really Want You To Know". Probably The Ivies were again the back-up group for Clarence Paul on his Roulette Records.  The group next recorded on Johnnie Matthews' Reel label around 1960 under the name "Sensation-Ivies " and had a  release the next year on Willow, a subsidiary of the Cincinatti-based King labelowned by Mickey Guitar Baker & Syliva Robinson in New York.

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Ivies

   

Sunshine                                  Come On

  

            Voodoo                           I Really Want You To Know

Arron McCray & His Sensation-Ivies

   

Inter Santum 

The Sensation-Ivies

  

        Tell Me                                     God Bless The Child

Clarence Paul (bb The Ivies)

  

I Need Your Lovin'                        I’ll Be By Your Side

  

Falling In Love Again                    May Heaven Bless You

MELLO-HARPS - MELLOHARPS - LEVEE SONGSTERS - TEEN-TONES (1) - TEENTONES - LEOPARDS (1)

 

The Mello-Harps  (Brooklyn, New-York)

aka The Levee Songsters

aka The Teen-Tones (1)

aka The Melloharps

aka The Teentones

Ref The Leopards (1)

Personnel :

Arnold "Johnny" Malone (Lead)

Vernon Staley (First Tenor)

Joe Gowder (Second Tenor)

Daniel Elder (Baritone)

Ossie Davis (Bass)

Discography :

The Mello-Harps
1955 - Love Is A Vow / Valerie (Do-Re-Mi 203)
1956 - Searchin' / Love Is A Vow (Rego 1003)
1958 - Gumma Gumma  / No Good (Casino 104)

The Melloharps
1955 - I Love Only You / Ain't Got The Money (Tin Pan Alley 145/146)
1956 - What Good Are My Dreams / Gone (Tin Pan Alley 157/158)

Teacho Wiltshire & The Melloharps
1956 - My Bleeding Heart / I Couldn't Believe (Tin Pan Alley 159/160)

The Teen-Tones (1)
1956 - Love Is A Vow / Walkie Talkie Baby (Rego 1004)

Lee and Larry & The Teentones
1956 - Have A Happy (The Dedications Song)/ Oh Yes (Rego 1005)

The Levee Songsters
1959 - Our Love Is A Vow / Walkie Talkie Baby (Karen 1004)

The Leopards (1)
1963 - Valerie / Mah Mah Chicken Pot Pie (Leopards 5006)


Biography :

Brooklyn-based R&B vocal group the Mello-Harps formed in 1955. According to Marv Goldberg's profile in the April 1990 issue of Record Collectors' Monthly, co-founders Arnold "Johnny" Malone (first tenor), second tenor Joe Gowder, baritone Daniel "Bunny" Elder, and bass Ossie Davis were longtime friends from the borough's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. After adding a fifth member, high tenor Vernon Staley, the Mello-Harps began touring the local nightclub circuit, and while performing at Brooklyn's Club Baby Grand they negotiated a management deal with musician Larry Lucy, who quickly landed them a record deal with the Do-Re-Mi label.  The Mello-Harps beautiful debut, "Love Is a Vow," followed in the autumn of 1955. One of the scarcest singles of the doo wop era, it earned little attention upon its original release but later achieved cult classic status among R&B aficionados.

    
              Teacho Wiltshire                                                             A configuration of the Mello-Harps (or The Leopards)    

By year's end Davis resigned from the lineup, and upon adding bass Bobby Hawkins (the brother of NBA Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins), the Mello-Harps signed to Tin Pan Alley Records to issue their sophomore effort, "I Love Only You." "What Good Are My Dreams" followed in early 1956, and when the group's commercial fortunes failed to improve, Elder exited in the wake of their fourth single, "My Bleeding Heart." Tenor William Brown signed on prior to cutting a re-recorded "Love Is a Vow" for the Rego label.  Credited to the Teen-Tones, the song fared no better the second time around, and Staley was the next to turn in his resignation. Tenor David "Sonny" Forte signed on for 1957's "Gumma Gumma," a novelty tune that restored the Mello-Harps moniker. Despite saxophone contributions from the great King Curtis, the single went nowhere and after an aborted session for Juggy Murray's Sue label, the group split in 1959. In the early 60s, Joe Gowder formed another group, which re-recorded "Valerie" (with Joe himself doing lead). Along with the flip, "Mah Mah Chicken Pot Pie" (also led by Joe), it was released on the Leopard label in 1963, as the "Leopards." David Forte was also in this group.   http://www.uncamarvy.com/MelloHarps/melloharps.html

Songs :

The Mello-Harps

  

Love Is A Vow                                             Valerie

      

 Searchin'                       Gumma Gumma                             No Good

The Melloharps

  

I Love Only You                        Ain't Got The Money

   

  What Good Are My Dreams                       Gone            

Teacho Wiltshire & The Melloharps

My Bleeding Heart / I Couldn't Believe

The Teen-Tones (1) / The Levee Songsters

1959 - (Our) Love Is A Vow / Walkie Talkie Baby

The Leopards (1)

   

             Valerie                              Mah Mah Chicken Pot Pie

D'ACCORDS - DAYCHORDS

 

The Daychords (Philadelphia, Pa.)

aka The D’Accords

 

Personnel :

Branson Bagwell

Luther Cook

John Sims

Earl Washington

Dewey Wilson 

Discography :

The D’Accords

Single :

1961 - Who's Been Lovin' You / Runnin' Around (Don-El 110)

Unreleased :

1961 - Hittin’ on Nothin’ (Don-El)

1961 - Tell Me (Don-El)

Roxy & The Daychords

1962 - I’m So in Love / Mary Lou (Don-El 116)

The Daychords

1964 - One More Time / Too Bad (Don-El 120)

 

Biography :

The Daychords was from the area around 10th Street & Columbia Avenue (now Cecil B. Moore Avenue) in Philadelphia .The group consisted of Branson Bagwell, Luther Cook, John Sims, Earl Washington and Dewey Wilson. The Daychords first recorded for Don-El as the D’Accords: "Who's Been Lovin' You" b/w "Runnin' Around" and then backed Roxy on “I’m So In Love” and ”Mary Lou” as The Daychords. Don-El was owned by real estate man C. Percy White [aka Don White]. Wally Osborne wrote and produced their last single in 1964 “One More Time” b/w “Too Bad” [Don-El #120).

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)  

The D’Accords

  

Runnin' Around                           Who's Been Loving You

Roxy & The Daychords

  

I’m So in Love                                           Mary Lou      

The Daychords

One More Time / Too Bad