RUNAROUDS (3) (RITCHIE & THE)

  

Ritchie & The Runarounds (3)  (Franklyn, Pittsburgh)    
 aka The Tammy

Personnel :

Corinthian "Kripp" Johnson (Lead)

Lou Christie

Gretchen Owens

Cathy Owens

Linda Jones

 

Discography :

1963 - Lost In The Crowd / Don'tcha Backtrack (Ascot 2136)

Biography :

Ritchie & The Runarounds consisted of Kripp Johnson, Lou Christie, and the girl group the Tammys, and put out one single for Ascot in 1963, "Don'tcha Backtrack"/"Lost in the Crowd." Johnson, formerly in the Del Vikings, takes the lead on both sides, which were written by Christie and Christie's songwriting partner Twyla Herbert.

   

                    Kripp Johnson                                                                                                            The Tammys

The flipside is a typical, and typically dreary, early-'60s bridge between doo wop and teen idoldom, while the more frantic A-side is an up-tempo pop/rocker without much of a melody or idiosyncratic drive to make it stand out from so many other releases of the time. Richie Unterberger, Rovi

http://egyptianshumba.com/

Songs :

 Lost In The Crowd / Don'tcha Backtrack 

PARAKEETS (1)

The Parakeets (1) (Washington DC.)

Personnel :

Homer Saunders (Lead)

John Burt (First Tenor)

Charles Hockaday (Second Tenor)

Leroy Wright (Baritone)

Leo Griffin (Guitar)

Harold Brodgins (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :

1954 - Give Me Time / I'm Losing My Mind (Gem 218)

1973 - Give Me Time / Candy Bar Boogie (Roadhouse 1005)

 

Unreleased :

1954 - Don't Leave My Broken Heart

1954 - Looking For You

1954 - My Love Is True

Biography :

After school ended at 3 p.m, everyone headed for the corner of Georgia Avenue and Lamont Street in Northwest Washington, where many groups could be found harmonizing together to the latest tunes of the day. One such group to come out of this area was the Parakeets. Originally formed in 1952 at Banneker Junior High, the group consisted of the late Homer Saunders, John Burt, Charles Hockaday, Leroy Wright, Leo Griffin and the late Harold Brodgins.

The Parakeets performed at may shows around town and traveled to New York for an audition with Atlantic Records. While there, they made an amateur appearance at the famed Apollo Theater. Returning To Washington, the group took top billing on Frank Motley and his Crew's Big Revue of 1954. The Group cut one single for the Gem label. Their songs was recorded on March 3, 1954 (for Lillian Clairborne of DC Records). The master was obtained by Les Moss, who released it in 1973 on ROADHOUSE 1005.

Songs :

updated by Hans-Joachim)       

      

Looking For You                      Candy Bar Boogie                 My Love Is True 

      

      Give Me Time               Don't Leave My Broken Heart        Candy Bar Boogie (alternate take)

GALES (1) - QUESTION MARKS (1) - VIOLINAIRES

 

The Gales (1) (Detroit)

aka The Question Marks (1) aka  The Violinaires

 

Personnel :

Isaiah Jones (Lead)

Calvin Fair (Lead)

Bob Gandy

Wilson DeShields (Baritone)

Leo Coney

Discography :

The Violinaires

1954 - Another Soldier Gone / Joy In The Beulah Land (Drummond 4000)

The Gales (1)

1955 - Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying / My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble (J.V.B 34)

1955 - Darling Patricia / All Is Well, All Is Well (J.V.B 35/J.O.B. 3001)

The Question Marks (1)

1954 - Another Soldier Gone / Get Some More (Hollywood Flames) (Swing Time 346)

 

Biography :

Calvin Fair, along with Isaiah Jones, Wilson DeShields, Leo Coney, and Dempsey were the Violinaires singing "Another Soldier Gone." The Pressing plant personnel at Drummond misspelled the Group's name on the label as Voilinaires. The same group of people recorded the four (4) songs attributed to the Gales.  Los Angeles label Swing Time issued 'Another Soldier Gone'  with the credited artists as The ? Marks. In fact "Another Soldier Gone" seems to be an alternate take by the Violinaires. The group who sing on the flip of the record featured here is in fact The Hollywood Flames.

http://www.vocalgroupharmony.com/another.htm

Songs :

The Violinaires

   

  Another Soldier Gone                      Joy In The Beulah Land

The Gales (1)

   

      

My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble                Darling Patricia     

   

   All Is Well, All Is Well      Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying  

  The Question Marks (1)

Another Soldier Gone

 

SHEIKS (1)

 

The Sheiks in 1961

The Sheiks (1) (Norfolk, Virginie)

 

Personnel :

Kenneth Kimball  (Lead)

Johnny Wilson

Horace Jenkins (Second Tenor)

William Collins

Alton Parker

 

Discography :

1954 - Give Me Another Chance / Baby Don't You Cry (EF-N-DE 1000)

1954 - Walk That Walk / The Kissing Song (Cat 116)

1960 - Come On Back / Please Don't Take Away The Girl I Love (Amy 807)

1961 - What I'd Do For Your Love / Why Should I Dance (Legrand 1013)

1962 - Cocoanut Woman / Twist That Twist (Legrand 1016)

 

Biography :

The Sheiks (aka the Five Sheiks) of Norfolk, VA were an R&B harmony vocal group, originally called the Five Pearls. In 1954, the quintet -- consisting at that time of Kenneth Kimball, Johnny Wilson, Horace Jenkins, William Collins, and Alton Parker -- crossed paths with aspiring producer Frank Guida, who had lately relocated to Norfolk from New York City.   He liked their sound enough to set up a recording session at a local radio station, which yielded a pair of songs, "Give Me Another Chance" and "Baby Don't You Cry," released as the Five Sheiks but label pics say Sheiks only. As it turned out there was already a group using the Five Pearls name.

     

Producer Frank Guida                                                                 Gary U.S. Bond

Guida released it on his own, newly founded Ef-En-De label, and it did well enough that Atlantic Records ended up releasing the group's second single, "Walk That Walk" b/w "The Kissing Song," in December of 1954. The group went on to enjoy a solid recording career in association with Guida. A couple of members became part of The Sheiks group who had a couple of singles on  Legrand records in 1961-62. The Sheiks were the vocal backing group on many of Gary US Bonds' early Legrand Records

 

Songs :

         

Give Me Another Chance                      Baby Don't You Cry                       Walk That Walk     

                The Kissing Song                      Why Should I Dance                       Twist That Twist              

Cocoanut Woman

 

 Videos :

Quarter to Three - Gary US Bonds bb The Sheiks ?

...

HOLIDAYS (8)

 

The Holidays (8) (Washington, D.C.)

 

Personnel :

Charles Mac Bogdonoff (Lead)

 

Discography :

1962 - Big Brown Eyes / Cold Shoulder (Colt 45 - 106)

 

Biography :

Charles Mac Bogdonoff was born and lived most of his life in the Washington, D.C. area.  At 21, he was the lead singer for The Holidays. The Holidays cut one single for a A small Washington based label owned by Ted & Jim Pedas.

Their recording company, Colt 45 Records, that launched the musical career of Don Covay (who wrote "Chain of Fools" and "Mercy Mercy" among others).   The Holidays had a #8 hit with Charles' composition "Big Brown Eyes."

Charles Mac Bogdonoff

Songs :

   

Big Brown Eyes                                     Cold Shoulder

DYNAMICS (8) - SWEET SICK TEENS - DELLWOODS

 

The Dynamics (8) (New York)

aka The Sweet Sick Teens aka The Dellwoods

 

Personnel :

Victor Buccellato (Lead)

Mike Ellis (First Tenor)

Andy Ventura (Second Tenor)

Amadeo Tese (Baritone)

Saul Zeskand (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Sweet Sick Teens

1961 - The Pretzel (Lead Mike Russo) / Agnes, The Teenage Russian Spy (RCA 7940)

The Dynamics (8)

1963 - Chapel On A Hill / Conquistador (Liberty 55628)

The Dellwoods

1963 - Don't Put Onions On Your Hamburger / Her Moustache (Big Top 3137)

Lps:

1962 - Mad "Twist" Rock'n Roll (Big Top LP 1305)

(She Got A) Nose Job / Please Betty Jane (Shave Your Legs) / Agnes (The Teenage Russian Spy) / Let's Do The Pretzel (And End Up Like One) /  (Even If I Live To Be 22) I'll Always Remember Being You

1963 - Fink Along With Mad (Big Top LP 1306)

I'll Never Make Fun Of Her Moustache Again / Don't Put Onions On Your Hamburger / When The Braces On Our Teeth Lock / The Neighborhood Draft Board

 

 

Biography :

Mad, the American humour magazine, was founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952. Widely imitated and hugely influential, although a lot of the 'humour' is probably lost on us Brits, it has satirised all aspects of life, from pop culture and politics to entertainment and public figures

Saul Zeskand, Mike Ellis, Andy Ventura, Victor Buccellato & Amadeo Tese

The 1962 album MAD Twists Rock 'n Roll, a 12 track lampoon of then-current rock and roll styles and stars. The material on the album was written and produced independently of MAD, as a parody album, by Norm Blagman and Sam Bobrick, two men who had already scored a couple of hits between them with Elvis Presley's The Girl of My Best Friend and Ral Donner's top 10 US hit To Love Someone.  Failing to attract much interest in their rock and roll parody it wasn't until MAD became involved that the duo get managed to this released - on Big Top records in 1962. Sure they were on to a winning formula, they followed this up with the similar Fink Along With MAD a year later.

  

                                                                                                                                  Mike Russo

Incidentally, the Dellwoods - who recorded the majority of the tracks on both albums both under their original name and as the Sweet Sick Teens - were a real group, consisting of Saul Zeskand, Mike Ellis, Andy Ventura, Victor Buccellato and Amadeo Tese. Unfortunately, before the release of Fink Along... group member Mike Ellis overdosed on drugs. The group went on to change their name to The Dynamics, releasing the 45 Chapel On A Hill/Conquistador for Liberty Records.  http://worldsworstrecords.blogspot.fr/2010/02/its-mad-mad-world.html

Songs :

The Sweet Sick Teens

   

Agnes, The Teenage Russian Spy         The Pretzel (Mike Russo)      

The Dellwoods

      

Don't Put Onions On Your Hamburger       Please Betty Jane (Shave Your Legs)       (She Got A) Nose Job 

      

I'll Always Remember Being You     I'll Never Make Fun Of ...            When The Braces On Our Teeth Lock

The Neighborhood Draft Board

The Dynamics (8)

Chapel On A Hill / Conquistador

....

CAMEOS (4)

Dorlan Nelson, Bernard Spencer, Donald Carter, Fred Wynn and Alex Spencer

The Cameos (4) (Coraopolis, Pa.)

Personnel :

Donald Carter (Lead)

Dorlan Nelson (First Tenor)

Fred Wynn (Second Tenor)

Bernard Spencer (Baritone)

Alex Spencer (Bass)

 

Discography :

Singles :

1960 - I Remember When / We'll Still Be Together (Matador 1808)

1960 - Never Before / Canadian Sunset (Matador 1813)

1963 - Can You Remember / He (Gigi 100) 

Unreleased :

1960 - Wondering (Matador)


1960 - We Were Young (Matador)


1960 - Broken Hearted Limbo Guy (Matador)

Biography :

The Cameos were from Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. They were put together by songwriter/arranger Bob Vogelsberger. He assembled the Cameos after auditioning groups to sing his material. The band was made up of Donald Carter, Dorlan Nelson, Fred Wynn, Bernard Spencer and Brother Alex Spencer . A New record company had just been formed in Pittsburgh by Walter Meyers under The name of Matador. In the early month of 1960, the Cameos were signed to record four sides for the company.  "I Remember When" immediately took off in the Pittsburgh area upon its release in June, 1960. The song was a fairly decent hit in the Pittsburgh Area, but did nothing nationally with the exception of Chicago. "I Remember When" put the Cameos on the road doing one-nighters all over the Pittsburgh area. The Cameos made appearances with local favorites such as the Dell Vikings and Skyliners. In the latter part of 1960, "Never Before" and "Canadian Sunset" was released. The record did fairly well but did not equal the popularity of "I Remember When".  The Cameos were making personal appearances into 1961, but due to some unfortunate circumstances, the group abruptly disbanded. Alex and Bernard Spencer joined by Edmund Luton and Earl Littlejohn, formed another group who had also been going under the name of the Cameos. This new group of Cameos was recorded by record producer Jules Kruspir. The new Cameos cut "Can You Remember" and "He" for the Gigi Label.

Songs :

updated by Hans-Joachim

 

   

I Remember When / We'll Still Be Together               Canadian Sunset / Never Before            

   

                       Can You Remember / He                           Broken Hearted Limbo Guy / We Were Young / Wondering

FOUR OF A KIND

 

The Four Of A Kind (Philapdelhia)

 

Personnel :

Sal Masi (Lead)

Nick Catucci (First Tenor)

Mike Goida (Second Tenor)

Joe Ardire (Bass)

 

Discography :

1956 - Dedicated To You / (I'm Gonna) Hock My Heart (Melba 110)

1957 - Fools Fall In Love / Dreamy Eyes (Melba 117)

1958 - Buttercup / It's Better That Way (Chancellor 1012)

1958 - You Were Made To Love / Love Every Moment (Cameo 154)

1959 - I Care For You / It's Better That Way (Bomarc 302)

1961 - Next Fall / U-Turn Baby (Rex 104)

 

Biography :

Vocal & Instrumental group Group from Philapdelhia, the Four Of A Kind is first know in 1955 as The Four Clefs with Joe Ardire , Nick Catucci , Sal Masi and Mike Goida. They ventured to New York City where they managed to snare General artists corporation to represent them nationwide.

In New York, The Group auditioned for Melba Records owned by Morty Craft . Bob Slay & Franck Crewe convened with Four Of A kind in the Big Apple where the duo plopped a demo of "Dedicated To You". The Group sculpted their own arrangement and cut the song backed with "(I'm Gonna) Hock My Heart".

Nick Terregian, Tony Percalino (Botom) Joe Ardire, Sal Masi and Nick Catucci

"Dedicated To You" have a little success in New York. In 1957, there was a second issuing from Melba "Fools Fall In Love" / "Dreamy Eyes". The Foursome appeared on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand" a half-dozen times. The following year, In philadelphia the group cut "Buttercup" and "It's Better That Way" for Bob Marcucci, major doom of Chancellor Records.

  

The Four of a Kind had to navigate the next few years with a rotating fifth wheel, usually a Sax man. To explain this odd juxtaposition, they labeled themselves Four Of A Kind (Plus One). The Group performed around the country. With some personnel changes, The group cut two new singles for Cameo and Bomarc and the group had one final outing for Rex Records owned by Russ Faith and Herb Gordon.

 

Songs  :

updated by Hans-Joachim

     

   

         Dedicated To You               (I'm Gonna) Hock My Heart  

   

   Fools Fall In Love / Dreamy Eyes          Love Every Moment           

     

It's Better That Way / I Care For You                            Next Fall / U-Turn Baby           

 

JOHNNY & JACKEY

 

Johnny & Jackey  (Detroit, MI)

Personnel :

Johnny Bristol

Jackey Beavers

Discography :

1960 - Lonely & Blue / Let’s Go To A Movie Baby (Anna 1108)

1960 - Hoy Hoy / No One Else But You (Anna 1120)

1961 - Carry Your Own Load / So Disappointing (Tri-Phi 1002)

1962 - Someday We’ll Be Together / Sho Don't Play (Tri-Phi 1005)

1962 - Do You See My Love For You Growing / Carry Your Own Load (Tri-Phi 1016)

1962 - Baby Don’tcha Worry / Stop What You’re Saying (Tri-Phi 1019)

Biography :

Jackey Beavers was born and grew up in Cartersville, Georgia, and, after leaving high school, joined the US Air Force. While stationed at Fort Custer he won a talent competition, and became friends with one of the other competitors, Johnny Bristol.  They began performing together as Johnny and Jackey, and won a residency at the El Grotto Lounge at Battle Creek, Michigan, where the house band was led by Junior Walker. They soon signed for Anna Records, where they were managed by Berry Gordy's sister Gwen. 

   

                                                          Left to right: marvin gaye and his wife anna gordy gaye, gwen gordy fuqua, and her husband harvey fuqua

The duo released two singles on the Anna label in 1960, before moving to the Tri-Phi label which Gwen Gordy set up with her husband Harvey Fuqua. The duo's second single for Tri-Phi, "Someday We'll Be Together" in 1962, was co-written by Beavers with Johnny Bristol and Harvey Fuqua, but was not a hit at the time. Finding little commercial success, Johnny and Jackey split up, and Beavers began recording with Roquel Davis at the Checker label.

http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/articlejbeavers.htm

http://www.soulmusic.com/index.asp?S=1&T=38&ART=2875

Songs :

   

       

No One Else But You                       Hoy Hoy               Someday We'll Be Together   

        

Baby Don't Cha Worry             So Disappointing           Stop What You're Saying

      

Lonely & Blue      Do You See My Love For You Growing     Carry Your Own Load

Let's Go To A Movie Baby

VISCAYNES - VI-TONES (2) - BISCAYNES

 

The Biscaynes (Vallejo, CA) 

aka The Viscaynes aka The V-Tones (1)

 

Personnel :

Sylvester Stewart "Sly Stone"

Frank Arellano

Charlie Gebhardt

Vern Gebhardt

Charlene Imhoff

Maria Boldway

 

Discography :

The Viscaynes 

Singles:

1960 - Stop What You are Doing / I Guess I'll Be (Tropo 101)


1961 - Yellow Moon / Heavenly Angel (VPM 1006)

Unreleased:

1961 - Just a Fool For Your Love

1961 - You're My Only Love

1961 - Maybe I'm Wrong

The Vi-Tones (1)

1961 - Stop What You Are Doing / I Guess I'll Be (Arleen 1007)

The Biscaynes

1961 - Yellow Moon / Uncle Sam Needs You (My Friend) (VPM 1006)

Jasper Woods (bb The Viscaynes)

1962 - I’m Coming Home / Hully Gully Papa  (VMP 1009)

Sly Stone & The Biscaynes

1976 - Oh What A Nite / You've Forgotten Me (Subarro 489)

Danny (Sly) Stewart

1961 - A Long Time Alone / I'm Just A Fool (Luke 1008)

Sylvester Stewart

1961 - A Long Time Alone / Help Me With My Broken Heart ( G&P 901)

 

Biography :

Sylvester Stewart was the second of five children. After the family moved from Dallas, Texas to Vallejo, California (near San Francisco), he and his brother Freddie and their sisters Rose and Vaetta formed "The Stewart Four" as children, performing gospel music in the Church of God in Christ and even recording a single in 1952.

All of the Stewart children except oldest sister Loretta would later adopt the surname "Stone" and become members of Sly & the Family Stone. Jon Turk a Childhood friend, had watched Sly Perform in Church and in 1958 noticed him playing guitar and keyboards in San Francisco club with local acts like the Webs and Jimmy Terrel. He Got him to join his own band, the Royal Aces.

L-R: Frank Arellano, Charlie Gebhardt, Charlene Imhoff, Ria Boldway, Vern Gebhardt and Sylvester Stewart.

During the same period Sly managed to talk his way into holding down a weekly job as regular fixture on a San Francisco-based television pop show, the Dick Stewart Show.Slay Briefly changed his name to Danny Stewart and tried his luck as a gospel- pop crooner; releasing a song entitled " A long Time Alone" that enjoyed mild popularity within the Bay Area but not enough to convince him to keep the new name.

  

Sylvester Stewart "Sly Stone" ca.1959                                      Sylvester Stewart "Sly Stone" ca.1961

The same year he reverted to his given name, Sylvester Stewart, and released another single, "Help Me With My Broken Heart", that also vanished quickly. Then he joined high school bands The Vicounts. The Vicounts were a Vallejo singing group that was very unique because it was an integrated band. they had a Filipino. Sly was the Afro. There were girls and boys and all different colors. Sly had  a hell of a time back because he was having an affair with one of the white girl in the band - the most beautiful girl - and they had to keep it secret. When they started recording, the group had to change the name to Viscaynes, because the Vicount name was registered to another group.

Left to right: Charlie Gebhardt, Jim Kozier, Sly, Frank Arellano, Mike Stevens, Art Bigornia and Tom Recknagel

The two Gal's are Charlene Imhoff, and Maria Boldway.

They recorded "Stop What You are Doing" for the Trop label in 1960. it xas fooled by "Yellow Moon" and "Heavenly Angel" for VPM in 1961. There was a typographical error on their third record and The Viscaynes was misspelled the Byscanes for "Uncle Sam Needs You". "Yellow moon wasn't a big hit but it got him the attention of Bob Mitchell and Tom Donahue (San Francisco's two most important disc jockeys of the sixties), who hired him to work at Autumn records. In 1961, Arteen Records released "Stop What You are Doing" b/w "I Guess I'll Be " under the name of The Vi-Tones. Then in 1963 he wrote "The Swim" for the black R'n'B singer Bobby Freeman and had his first gold record.

http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/sstone.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sly_Stone_discography

http://www.associatepublisher.com/e/s/sl/sly_stone.htm

Songs :

The Viscaynes

     

   

         Heavenly Angel / Yellow Moon                    I Guess I'll Be /Stop What You are Doing  

      

Just a Fool For Your Love                You're My Only Love                Maybe I'm Wrong       

The Biscaynes

Yellow Moon / Uncle Sam Needs You

Jasper Woods (BB Viscaynes)

   

I’m Coming Home                       Hully Gully Papa

Sly Stone & The Biscaynes

  

 Oh What A Nite / You've Forgotten Me

Danny (Sly) Stewart

A Long Time Alone

ROLLETTES - DREAMERS (3) - GIRLFRIENDS (3) - COEDS (2) - PLAYGIRLS (1) - ANGELS (4) - BLOSSOMS

 

The Coeds (2) (Los Angeles)

aka The Blossons

aka The Rollettes

aka The Playgirls (1)

aka The Angels (4)

aka The Girlfriends (3)

aka The Dreamers (3)

 Ref Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans

 

Personnel:

Gloria Jones (Tenor)

Fanita James (Baritone)

 

Discography :

1961 -  Son In-Law / I'll Wait (Challenge 9109)

 

Biography :

In 1961, the Blossoms signed with Challenge Records. The group was a trio by this time, Darlene, Gloria and Fanita. Unfortunately, the ladies were already running into problems at the new label. Gloria remembers how this chain of events sent everyone scrambling,  “We were all set for our first session for Challenge. Darlene had fought with her husband that morning and he wouldn't let her go to the session, so we had to get someone to take her place.

    

Fanita James  &  Gloria Jones                                                                                           

For the life of me, I can't remember the girl's name who sang lead on the song, but it became a hit. The unknown singer is rumored to be Jennell Hawkins,  but the lead does not sound like her. The Blossoms, with the “unknown” singer on lead had a mild hit with their first Challenge single, an answer record to Ernie-K-Doe's “Mother In-Law” aptly entitled “Son In-Law”. Ironically, the single wasn't even supposed to be a Blossoms single, as original pressings have the group billed as the Coeds.

Girl Groups: Fabulous Females Who Rocked the World Paperback by John Clemente

Songs :

????

  

 

DELL TONES - DELLTONES (1) - KINGS & QUEENS

 
 (Top) Gloria Alleyne, Frances Kelly and Sherry Gary (Bottom L-R) Della Simpson

The Delltones (1) (Long Island, N.Y.)

aka The Dell Tones   

 

Personnel :

Della Simpson (Lead)

Sherry Gary

Gloria Alleyne

France Kelley (Bass)

Discography :

The Dell Tones

Singles :

1953 - Yours Alone  / My Heart's On Fire (Brunswick 84015)

Unreleased :

1953 - Why Make A Fool Out Of Me (Brunswick)

1953 - After All I've Been To You  (Brunswick)

The Delltones (1)

1954 - Little Short Daddy / I'm Not In Love With You (Rainbow 244) 


1955 - Don't Be Long / Baby Say You Love Me (Baton 212) 


1956 - My Special Love / Believe It (Baton 223)

The Kings And Queens (Orioles & Delltones)

1957 - Voices Of Love  / I'm So Lonely (Everlast 5003)

Biography :

Della Simpson was born in the South and raised in Jamaica, New York. Growing up listening to the radio she heard all the big bands with Billie Holliday being her idol. It was while at work that she and another girl decided to put together a group. After recruiting two more girls they named the group The Enchanters. A piano player, Chris Townes began working writing and arranging songs for them.

The Enchanters 
(Clockwise from top left) Frances Kelly, Pearl Brice, Della Simpson and Rachel Gist

The Enchanters were among the first female groups to sing R&B in the early 50s. One day Simpson called and asked Jerry Blaine, owner of Jubilee Recordsto come see one of their shows. He did and signed them to Jubilee. The Enchanters first release for Jubilee was "Today Is Your Birthday." The group first began touring locally and later on the Chitlin Circuit.

The Delltones with Their Accompanists

After their two Jubilee recordings and a December 1952 tour, things began to fall apart. Rachel Gist and Pearl Brice left the other Enchanters to stay home with their families and attend to their marriages. Simpson and Kelley wished to continue with their singing. They then raided another local group called the Dorsey sisters, Gloria Alleyne  replacing Rachel Gist and Sherry Gary joined to replace Pearl Brice. In addition, a new name, The Delltones (After Della) was chosen.

  

 (Top) Della Simpson (Bottom L-R) Gloria Alleyne, Sherry Gary and Frances Kelly

Under the new name in 1953 they recorded "My Hearts On Fire" on the Brunswick label. The next single "I'm Not In Love With You"/"Little Short Daddy" was for Rainbow Records in 1954. The Delltones were now performing all over the United States and Canada. They continued to tour and even appeared on The Arthur Godfrey Show. However the group began to encounter problems when they were told they couldn't sing their usual material because they sounded to White.

The Delltones now moved to Baton Records where they recorded two singles. At this time Gloria Alleyne and Sherry Gary left the group. The last  Delltone group included Bunny Foy, Algie Willie, Renee Stewart and Della Simpson. In June 1957, the Orioles & The Delltones combined to record "Voices Of Love" and "I'm So Lonely," for Danny Robinson's Everlast label, as the Kings And Queens.

  

Released around June 1957, the personnel consisted of: Sonny Til, Diz Russell, Jerry Holeman, Tex Cornelius, Billy Adams, Della Simpson (who leads both sides), Bunny Foy, Renée Stewart, and Algie Willie (who doesn't appear in the only photo taken of them).

The Kings and Queens

Della Griffin, Renee Stewart, Bunny Foy, Billy Adams, Sonny Till, Aaron Cornelius, Jerry Holeman and Albert Russell

This group appeared a couple of times at some New York clubs. The Delltones eventually disbanded due to marriages and family. Gloria Alleyne became Gloria Lynn, working as a soloist for years in the jazz world. Della Simpson went out working with her own organ and sax combo.  She later married Paul Griffin The Orioles piano player.

http://history-of-rock.150m.com/delltones.htm

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Enchanters/enchanters.html

Songs :

The Dell Tones

My Heart's On Fire / Yours Alone

The Delltones (1)

   

 Little Short Daddy / I'm Not In Love With You          Baby Say You Love Me / Don't Be Long      

My Special Love / Believe It

The Kings And Queens

Voices Of Love  / I'm So Lonely