(1961) The Titantics (L to R ) Roy Smith, LeRoy Harper, Tommie Shannon & Paul Weeden Jr.
The Titantics (Indianapolis, In.)
Personnel :
Roy Smith (Lead)
LeRoy Harper
Tommy Shannon
Paul Weeden Jr.
Discography :
The Cassidy Sisters & The Titantics 1958 - Rockin' At The Hop / Stardust Waltz (Hop 505)
Biography :
The
Titanics were one of the many groups that were part of the R&B
scene in Indianapolis in the 1950s. Members of the group are: Raymond
Smith, LeRoy Harper, Tommy Shannon and Paul Weeden. Formed in 1956, they
received their big chance while appearing on the Matt Dickerson Teenage
Talent Shows back in the early 50s on stage at the Walker Ballroom.
(1957) The Titantics
They
have performed for Milt Nixon, Ted Mack, Terminal Bar of Music, Indiana
Fairgrounds, Flamingo Supper club, Carver Center, Kokomo, and have
wailed with Sam Cook, vocalist; the combos of Cy "Floor Show" Jones,
Willis "Mr. Hammond" Dyer, Harry Farlen, Count Fisher, Jimmie Coe,
Cantrell Mitzs and Duke Hampton, and have done background singing for
the Cassidy Sisters on the Hop label in Cincy in January, 1958.
The Cassidy Sisters
The
Cassidy Sisters including Shari, Patsy, and Anita Cassidy. The Cassidy
Sisters recorded two singles at Solid Gold and Hop Records, two labels
of Indiana.
1954 - How Could You Hurt Me So / I Was A Fool To Let You Go (Checker 800)
Biography :
Singer Bill Cox was an original members of the “Four Kings and A
Jack,“ a singing quintet that “wowed” patrons at New York’s La Ruben
Blue a few year ago. Bill organized The "Five Teasers" in 1953 with Al
"Eggie" Parran, Bob Hyde, Pete Merril and Henry Gooch. The band
performed in the area and its surroundings and quickly became popular in
Indianapolis clubs they occur throughout the years 1953/56. During
these four years, some other members were part of the group, Eddie
Green, Turner Robinson and Eddie Williams.
In
1956, The Teasers Dot Record Artists????
The Teasers make appearance on TV programs in East Chicago, Detroit
and Milwaukee. The Teasers appeared at Tony’s Supper Club on North
Meridian in 1954 and signed a recording contract with Checker Records.
Checker Records is a record label that was started in 1952 as a
subsidiary to Chess Records in Chicago, Illinois. The label was founded
by the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil. The group will record one
single in 1954 "How Could You Hurt Me So" b/w "I Was A Fool To Let You
Go ."
Songs :
Was A Fool To Let You Go / How Could You Hurt Me So
1962 - This Love of Mine / We'll Reach Heaven Together (Verve 10252)
1962 - See You in September / Summertime Goodbyes (Verve 10261)
1964 - In The Night / Oh No I Still Love Her (Admiral 753)
Demos :
1959 - Time Was
1959 - Sunday Kind Of Love
1959 - September In The Rain
1960 - Imagination
1960 - We'll Reach Heaven Together
1962 - Why Not, Why Not You
Mike Regal bb The Quotations (1)
1963 - Too Young / Is It True What They Say About Barbara? (Kapp 506)
Biography :
The
Quotations, best known for their 1961 smash hit "Imagination", were
first formed in late 1958 in Barney's pool room on Kings Highway and
East 14th street in Brooklyn, N.Y. Richie Schwartz (First tenor), Lew
Arno (Second Tenor) and Harvey Hershkowitz (Baritone) were harmonizing
when Larry Kassman asked if he could sing with them. Larry instantly was
asked to join the group as lead singer. The group took their name from a
song "Quotations Of Love" that a friend Mike Rose had written and the
group often sang.
The Quotations could often be found singing under the Rainbow Store
by the Kings Highway train station, Manhattan Beach, The Brighton Beach
boardwalk and at Sid Gordon's Bowling Alley. Most Members attenuated
James Madison High School. In 1959 they recorded their first demos "Time
Was", "Sunday Kind Of Love" and "September In The Rain". Lew Arno sings
lead on "September In The Rain". A songwriter who worked for Don
Kirshner and whose brother was a friend of the Quotations heard the
group and decided to become their manager. The songwriter, Helen Miller
took the group on various auditions but the group was always told o come
back with original Material.
In 1961, the Marcels had a number one hit with "Blue Moon" and this
gave the idea to take another old standard and give it some outrageous
treatment. In 1961, the Quotations first release "Imagination" on Verve
Records a division of MGM brought the group Success. Concert appearances
followed as far away as Detroit and in the southern states. The flip
side "Ala Men Sy" caused problems because many disc jockeys decided to
play this side rather than "Imagination". In 1962 the Quotations
follow-up release "This Love of Mine" b/w "We'll Reach Heaven Together"
received some airily. In April 1962 the group recorded "See You in
September" and "Summertime Goodbyes". The Quotations felt that "See You
in September" was going to be a big hit for them. Verve Records planned a
late spring release for this record but somehow the record didn't get
released until the last week in August. Disc Jockeys decided to not play
this summer song because the summer was all but over.
1964 - (L to R) Larry Kassman, Sandy Sonner, Richie Schwartz and Harvey Hershkowitz.
The Quotations rarest record was released on Admiral Records in early
1964. These two sides "In The Night" and "Oh No I Still Love Her" were
recorded in 1962 and the group themselves were never aware that this
record was released. Admiral records was owned by Richard Wolfe who was
also the producer and arranger for the Quotations Verve Releases. "Why
Not, Why Not You" is a demo recorded by the Quotations in 1962. Hellen
Miller brought this tune and the Quotations arrangement of it to the
attention of the Dovells and they released their own version of it one
of their albums.
"Too Young" and "Is It True What They Say About Barbara?" were
recorded on Kapp Records in 1963 under the artist name Mike regal. Mike
Previously was the lead singer for Bobby Roy and The Chord-A-Roys who
came from the Brighton Beach and the Sheepshead Bay Sections of Brooklyn
and recorded for JDS Records. Mike also was the lead of the Romeos who
recorded the answer to the Token's "Lion Sleeps Tonight" on Amy Records,
"The Tigers Wide Awake". In 1964, Sandy Sonner replaced Lew Arno and
the group recorded some acappella sides for Relic Records and finally
the group broke up.
The Fabulous Fremonts formed in the early 1960’s and were headed up
lead singer and bass guitar player (and table steel guitar player) Irene
Chavez. Irene started playing guitar at the age of 7 and would
occasionally join her mother as a duet performing on local radio in
Pueblo. Irene – with help from her mother – assembled the Fremonts which
included Henry Garcia on lead guitar, Vic Macheto on saxophone and John
Rivera on drums. They took their name from a Las Vegas night club ash
tray “The Fremont”. They usually performed as “The Fabulous Fremonts”
but would also go by “The Fremonts”. In 1961, while attending Central
High, Irene entered the GI Forum competition which was a talent and
beauty contest. She won the Pueblo competition, the state of Colorado
competition and placed third in the national competition in Las Vegas.
Vic Macheto and John Rivera both departed the band with Rivera being
replaced by drummer John Trujillo.
The Fremonts continued as a trio performing at Pueblo’s Honey Bucket
and Tony’s Danceland. Next came the opportunity to cut a record, the
Fremonts asked their manager (Irene’s mother) if they could cut a
record. A session was scheduled with Valerie Records (the Band Box
subsidiary) and the band made the long drive north to Denver accompanied
by Irene’s soon-to-be-husband, Tano Roybal. After recording several
songs on tape, “Gee Whiz” and “Watermelon Man” were deemed the best and
pressed as a record. For around $500 the band received the master tape
and 300 records. “Gee Whiz” received local airplay and did chart #38 on
the local charts.
1963 - Lost In A Dream / This Makes Me Mad (Merry-Go-Round 103)
Biography :
"The
Charters" were from NY's Lower East Side (Lillian Wald and Riis
Projects in Manhattan). The members were Eddie Lebron & Bobby
Dominick from Jacob Riis and David Rosenberg, Richie Molina and Richie
Rios from Lillian Wald.
The Charters (1961)
From 1959-1963 The Charters would practice on 6th St nearly every
night. In 1962, The group cut their first single : " My Rose" b/w "El
Merengue" released on the Tarx Labelin early 1963. Tarx Records was part
of Ben Smith's stable of New York labels, including : Tra X, TraX, TriX
& X-tra. Joe Webb, their manager, wrote "El Merengue"k and have
idea to combine Doo Wop with latin
Richie Rios The Charters (1963)
Their
second single " I Lost You" b/w "My Little Girl" was produced in New
York, and written by New Yorker, Jimmy Bailey. The single was released
on Alva. A third single was released by the Charters on the
Merry-Go-Round Label in December 1963, "Lost In A Dream" b/b "This Makes
Me Mad".
The Charters (1961)
According to Richie Rios, the charters recorded a fourth single, but
which one ?. It would seem, The Charters on The Mel-o-dy label (Motown)
was from Toledo, Ohio. Their Mel-o-dy cuts were produced and recorded
in Toledo.
1954 - Fine Fine Baby / T.J. (by Jake Porter) (Combo 66)
1955 - Tis The Night / Truly, Truly (X 0143)
Bobby Relf & The Laurels (2)
1955 - Farewell / Yours Alone (Flair 1063)
Bobby Relf (bb The Laurels uncredited)
1956 - Our Love / The Shuck (Ernie Freeman instrumental) (Cash 1019)
1956 - Little Fool / I’m Not Afraid (Dot 15510)
Jesse Belvin bb Bobby Relf & The Laurels (uncredited)
1955 - Gone / One Little Blessing (Speciality 550)
1955 - Where's My Girl / Love Love Of My Life (Speciality 559)
1956 - Betty My Darling / Dear Heart (Hollywood 1059)
Biography :
Born
in Los Angeles in 1937, Robert Relf assembled a doo-wop group called
the Laurels while attending Fremont High School. The Laurels Consisted
of Ronald Brown, Ted Brown, Sam Jackson and Bobby Relf. They released
three singles between 1954 - 1955. They had one release each on the
Combo (1954), Flair (1955) and "X" (1955) labels. Bobby Relf & The
Laurels, though uncredited, provided background vocals for Jesse Belvin
on Speciality & Hollywood Records
Jesse Belvin
The
following year Relf released two 45s probably accompanied by the
uncredited Laurels, "Our Love" and "Little Fool", before spent short
stints with the Crescendoes, the Upfronts featuring Barry White on
baritone vocals, Valentino and the Lovers (Donna Records) The Hollywood
Flames and Bobby Day and the Satellites. With the Crescendos, he
recorded "Finders Keepers", "I'll Be Seeing You" and "Sweet Dreams" for
Atlantic Records in 1956, alongside Prentice Moreland, Young Jessie of
The Flairs, and Bobby Byrd of The Hollywood Flames.
Bob & Earl : Bobby Relf & Earl Nelson
The
Hollywood Flames, a group that had previously featured Bobby Byrd, as
well as Earl Nelson. Byrd had formed the original Bob & Earl with
Nelson in 1957, and when he went solo in 1962, Bobby Relf proved the
natural replacement. They recorded Harlem Shuffle in 1963 a song
part-arranged by the keyboards player, Barry White.
1959 - I'm Still In Love With You* / That's The Way The Ball Bounces (Alanna 555)
1959 - Don't Sweat It Baby / That's The Way The Ball Bounces (Alanna 555)
1960 - Love Knows No Season / Hot Water Bottle (Alanna 558)
1960 - Mirage / Nancy's Trampoline (Robbee 106)
*printers' mistake
Biography :
Four grads of Baldwin High hung together in the summer of 1959. Not
satisfied with loafing in the parking lot of the Big Boy and watching
the waitresses skate by (one of Old Mon's fav pastimes in his Highlander
days), they formed a group. The singers were Bill Stammer (first
tenor), Ched Mertz (second tenor), Dan McGinnis (lead tenor) and Don
Fanzo (bass). They didn't have a name, but they did have a song they
wrote - "Don't Sweat It, Baby." Mertz had an in with local music
impressario Bill Lawrence, and he agreed to let the guys audition for
him at Lenny Martin's Carlton House studio in town. They sang "Don't
Sweat It, Baby." Lawrence and Martin weren't keen on the arrangement,
but liked the lyrics and the singing. They had the group rework the
music, and they did. The second audition was a success.
Lawrence offered them a contract, and a deal was struck. In October,
they traveled to New York City with Martin and Lawrence to record the
song at Capitol Recording Studios. They backed it with "That's The Way
The Ball Bounces." And they also picked up their name during the
process. That same week, the Four Seasons Restaurant opened in New York
and Lawrence proclaimed, "That will be the name of the new group." The
guys dug it too, and The Four Seasons were born, a year ahead of those
falsettos from Jersey. They did more with that slab of wax than launch a
song; they launched a label. "Don't Sweat It" was the first release of
Lawrence's new Alanna impress. Both got off to a flying start. The
Billboard "Review of New Pop Records" of November 23rd, 1959 posted "The
Four Seasons bow on the new label with a cute rhythmic reading of a
rocker that moves. It has a chance." And it did take off, albeit in
Pittsburgh.
It entered the KQV charts in mid-November and stuck in the Top 40
until mid-January of 1960. It reached #4 locally, and was in the Groovy
QV's Top Ten for five weeks. They toured in support of the song,
traveling through the midwest with Bob Kobert (aka Bobby Shawn of the
Donnybrooks, who had the 1958 hit "Everytime We Kiss") taking the lead.
Alanna's second pressing of the record was retitled "I'm Still In Love
With You Baby," which as we understand was "Don't Sweat It Baby" with a
different name. Whatever the reason for the old switcheroo, the Four
Seasons moved on and followed with "Love Knows No Season" b/w "Hot Water
Bottle"," but the ballad didn't catch on. In July of 1960, Mertz
married and left the group; Chuck Isler replaced him. The Four Seasons
signed with Lennie Martin's new Robbee Records label and as one of his
first handful of acts recorded "Mirage" b/w "Nancy's Trampoline." The
doo-wop/novelty combo didn't move, and the disc was the final platter
the Four Seasons cut. After that last record, Stammer left the group to
answer Uncle Sam's call, and the rest of the gang called it a day
shortly thereafter.
Girls quartet from the Collyer High Schoolin composed by Mary
Ziegler, Marilyn Mclntosh, Paula Rajak and Janie Berger. Accompanied by
their pianist, Kenny Lewis, The Chord-Elles performed in the area and
its surroundings and quickly became popular.
The Chord-Elles With Larry "Green" Hester
Managed by James Wiggins, The Girls signed a recording contract with
Ran-Dee records and cut three songs "Farewell", "New Love" & "An
Angel". Unfortunately, it seems that these titles were never released.
The Same year, On Dee-Jay records, the girls cut "My Little Angel", but
again, he will not be released.…
1961 - You Broke My Heart / I Don't Know Why You Sent For Me (Kip 236/237)
Frankie Love
1962 - Save Her Love For Me / First Star (La Rosa 101)
1963 - Stranger At The Dance / Moon Of Love (La Rosa 102)
1966 - First Star / You've Been Wrong (Loma 2033)
Biography :
The Gleams got on the nationwide Bubbling under chart in September
1961 after a month of good regional sales and stayed there for two
weeks. But competition was tough in the vocal group arena. The Cleftones
were breaking big with "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons," and The
Belmonts "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" had jumped on the Charts at
#78.
Frankie "Love" Montanaro
"You
Broke My Heart" was penned by Steve Verroca, who came to the US from
Italy in the late 50s and went on to produce Link Wray's comeback albums
for Virgin, in the early 1970s. One more week at the very bottom, and
the Gleams disappeared under the shadow of such new hits as "Sweet For
My Sweet" by the Drifters and The Dovells "Bristol Stomp". If the Gleams
had a bigger push than that from the Pik/Kip operation, they might have
made the big time.
Ferris & The Wheels (2)
This smooth rockin'doo wop is a classic of the style, spotlighting a
great lead singer know as Frankie "Love" Montanaro. Frankie will join
Ferris & The Wheels (2) and recorded two singles on Bambi &
United Artists before trying his luck solo.
Songs :
The Gleams
You Broke My Heart I Don't Know Why You Sent For Me
Before
recording, the Marquis sang on the street corners of Manhattan's upper
west side. Lomelino's neighbor became their manager. The Marquis cut a
demo for their manager to take with him to record companies on Broadway.
Through this endeavor, he got the group a contract with Onyx label.
Onyx was owned by Jerry Winston who was another of those busy New York
music people. He had several other labels in the '50s including
Mardi-Gras which was taken over by George Goldner's Gone label and
Newport Records. Winston was also A&R at Orbit [NY] which evolved
into MGM's Cub subsidiary. Their first record was released in the fall of 1956. It was
unfortunate that Onyx and Winston were paying so much attention to the
Pearls and the Velours and virtually none to the label's other groups —
particularly the Marquis. Because of this they decided to disband. The
Marquis may have been the first integrated male group with a female
lead.
Featuring Evelyn & Virgie / Art Wheeler (Mello-Tones)
Personnel :
Eugene Anchondo (Guitarist)
Beto Velez (Tenor Sax)
Fernando "Ferny" Pena (Sax)
Adolfo H. Molinar, Sr (Drummer)
Discography :
1959 - Strange World / Cradle Rock (Yucca 105)
Biography :
By
1960 there was Little Joe and the Latinaires up north in Temple, Los
Dinos in Corpus Christi, Junior & The Starlites in Waco, The
Playboys in Seguin, Freddy Frender in San Benito, and the The Rhythmairs
in El Paso. The Rhythmairs who along the way changed to the Rhythm
Heirs. The band was started five years ago when a South El Paso boy
suggested to the Rev. Harold J. Rahin that the Center director organize a
group of musicians.
Virgie and Evelyn Galleges
The
band consisted of two saxophones, two guitars, a trumpet, pianist and
drums. The musicians doubled up for vocals and for a short while Virgie
and Evelyn Galleges, two cute girls from El Paso High added a new
dimension to the group with a flair for dress and good harmony. The
Mello-tones, a quartet of the band led by Art Wheeler also participate
in the show backed by the Band. Competition kept the band practicing to
excel as the Blue Kings, Night Dreamers, Kingsmen and others .
After numerous concerts and performance and growing popularity, the
Band signed a recording contract with Calvin Boles, owner of the label
Yucca Records of Alamogordo (New Mexico). Virgie and Evelyn Galleges
with The Rhythm Heirs sang "Cradle Rock", The other side of the record
is "Strange-World", by Art Wheeler and the Mello-Tones (uncredited)
backing by the The Rhythm Heirs.
The Rhythm Heirs & The Mello-Tones
Ruben Molina places Evelyn and Virgie in
El Paso in his book Chicano Soul, even referring to "Cradle Rock" as one
of the very first doo wop-styled recordings to come out of the border
town. And yet this February 1959 release sounds earlier.
The vocal group sound hit El Paso a bit late, but just as it was in
cities like Los Angeles and San Antonio the Chicanos hung on to the
'oldies' sound loooooong after it had fallen out of favor on radio. The
most interesting thing about "Cradle Rock" is that it was remade by
brothers Benny and Joe Rodriguez who, as members of L.A.'s
Heartbreakers, re-recorded the song for Bob Keane's Donna Records in
1964.
1959 - Lonely Island / You Make Me Wanna Cry (Flip 100)
1965 - Heart Trouble / That Was My Girl (Golden Word-46)
Unreleased :
1959 - Daisy Mae (APT)
1959 - I Know (APT)
1963 - You're Not Hurting Him (Jobete)
Biography :
The Parliaments were a doo-wop quintet from Plainfield, New Jersey,
formed in the back room of a barbershop in the late 1950s and named
after the cigarette brand. After some early personnel changes their
lineup solidified with George Clinton, Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin
Simon, and Grady Thomas. Clinton was group leader and manager, and part
owner of the barbershop where the group convened to entertain customers.
The Parliaments were supposed to be Clinton’s take on Frankie Lymon
& the Teenagers, but as you might expect from something that Clinton
was involved in, they developed their own funky style. Still, hits
weren’t easy to come by. The group had a tough time through most of the
’60s, recording singles that went nowhere for a variety of small labels.
Early efforts included “Poor Willie” on Apt Records, “Lonely Island” on
Flip Records, and “Heart Trouble” on Golden World Records.
Eventually, Clinton gained employment at Motown Records as a
songwriter and producer, making weekly trips to Detroit to produce for
The Pets, Roy Handy, and other acts. In 1967 the Parliaments released
"(I Wanna) Testify" on Revilot and finally achieved a hit single, with
the song reaching #3 R&B and #20 Pop on the Billboard charts.
1959 - Suffering With My Heart / I Got The Feeling (J&S 254/255)
Biography :
Virginia Davis graduated a boarding school in Bordentown, NJ, in the
summer of 1955. When she returned to Asbury Park. Someone told a local
vocal group, the Mar-Keys, about Virginia’s singing experience in the
choir and she was invited to join the group. with the departing of Joe
Major, The Mar-Keys consisted of Lenny Welch, Leroy Brown, Virginia
Davis, Raymond Morris and William Penha. The group just sang at local
places and went to the Apollo theatre where they finished second.
The Mar-Keys (L to R) Raymond Morris, Leroy Brown, Virginia Davis, Lenny Welch, William Penha
Leroy
Brown and Virginia Davis were married in 1957. By then, Lenny Welch,
Joe Major and William Penha were singing with Bobby Thomas as The Vibes.
Virginia Davis Brown now started singing with Arthur Morris’ two
daughters, Eleanor and Constance Morris. This group became the
Endeavors. Rounding out the Endeavors was Kenneth Wilson, a former disc
jockey on WJLK radio. Wilson was also a songwriter and the group soon
was singing many of his songs.
Arthur Morris
The
group would often rehearse at the Morris family home and quickly drew
the attention of Arthur Morris. Arthur booked the Hearts (“Lonely
Nights”) into Asbury Park’s Convention Hall in the late 1950’s and
introduced the Endeavors to the Hearts’ manager, Zelma “Zell” Saunders.
Saunders had formed her own record label, J&S Records, and signed
the Endeavors to record. The Endeavors recorded “Suffering With My
Hearts” backed with “I Got The Feeling” (J&S # 254/255) in 1959.
Virginia sang lead. Both sides were written by Kenneth Wilson. Even so,
the Endeavors’ first record was their last. It failed to chart and the
group did not record again.The Endeavors did continue singing for a
while, opening for big name acts at Asbury Park’s Convention Hall,
including the Miracles.
