SHEIKS (2)

 

Jesse Belvin

The Sheiks (2) (Los Angeles, CA)

 

Personnel :

Jesse Belvin

Mel Williams

Harold Lewis

 

Discography :

1955 -   So Fine / Sentimental Heart (Federal 12237)

 

Biography :

Johnny Otis was an American singer, musician, composer, bandleader, record producer, and talent scout. He was a seminal influence on American R&B and rock and roll. He discovered numerous artists early in their careers who went on to become highly successful in their own right. One day while fooling around in his garage studio, Johnny Otis had Jesse Belvin, Mel Williams, and Harold Lewis record a song he had composed titled “So Fine.”

  

Johnny Otis                                                                                                                                                 

Otis released the recording under the group name he gave them on the spot, the Sheiks. It did not sell well, so he recorded it again with Mel Williams alone, but that version did not sell either. Five years later, the song became a hit on an East Coast label forthe Fiestas, a Newark, New Jersey, quartet. The Fiestas' cover version was far more commercially successful than the Sheiks' original (which failed to chart), being a #3 rhythm & blues and #11 pop hit in 1959. Following the success of the cover version, the Sheiks' record was re-released on Federal in 1959, strangely as by the Checkers and again without any chart action.

Songs :

  

      So Fine                                       Sentimental Heart

 

SHADES (4) - KNOTT SISTERS

 

The Shades (4) (New York)

 & The Knott Sisters  

 

Personnel :

Mort Shuman

Willi Burke

Linda Laurie

Susan Yellin 

Discography :

1958 - Sun Glasses / Undivided Attention ((Big Top 3003) 

Biography :

The Shades was a fictitious label credit masking the lead singing of co-writer Mort Shuman with Willi Burke (aka Mrs Doc Pomus) and a couple of friends who may or may not have been Linda Laurie and Susan Yellin. "Sun Glasses’ was one of the earliest releases on New York's Big Top label, owned by publishers Hill & Range, for whom Pomus and Shuman were signed as staff writers. The flipside, written by Linda Laurie and Susan Yellin  from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, NY. was credited solely to the Knott Sisters, who were called that because they were not sisters.

   

They did get their picture on the sheet music of ‘Sun Glasses’, though, posing with two male models as the Shades. Another attempt to ride the coattails of the smash pop hit ‘Short Shorts’, this one did not do a lot of business, but in 1958 Pomus and Shuman had a long and successful career ahead of them. The next release on Big Top would be "White Bucks And Saddle Shoes’ by Bobby Pedrick Jr, also penned by the duo. Linda Laurie recorded solo sides from 1958-64 for a number of labels. 

Songs :

The Shades (4) & The Knott Sisters         The Knott Sisters                 

  

 Sun Glasses                                Undivided Attention

 

GEE-TONES - CADILLACS

 

Ray & The Cadillacs

The Gee-Tones

aka Gregory Howard bb The Cadillacs

 

Personnel :

Gregory Howard (Lead Tenor)

Ray Brewster (Baritone)

Bobby Spencer (Baritone)

J.R. Bailey (Tenor)

Roland Martinez (Baritone)

Ronnie Bright (Bass)

 

Discography:

Gregory Howard bb The Cadillacs

1963 - When In Love (Do As Lovers Do) / Sweet Pea (Kapp 536)

The Cadillacs

1962 - White Gardenia / Groovy Groovy Love (Capitol 4825)

Bobby Ray & The Cadillacs

1963 -  I Saw You / La Bomba (Capitol 4935)

The Gee-Tones

1975 - When In Love (Do As Lovers Do) / Sweet Pea (Gee 1013)

 

Biography :

Gregory Howard… The Gee-Tones…??? "When In Love (Do As Lovers Do)" b/w "Sweet Pea" was released on Kapp in '63. It was under the name Gregory Howard, 12 years old , a Friend of Irwin Levine (writer & producer).  There were no Gee-Tones credited. In fact, thats pretty much the Cadillacs singing backup with Ronnie Bright former Bass of the Valentines singing the bass (same guy who sang the bass part on Mr. Bass Man).  Originally released on Kapp 536 but only as a demo/DJ/promo, no regular issue. When the record was heard and its scarcity realised by the doo-wop fraternity the record was soon, in the 70s, bootlegged.

     

Ronnie Bright  

This release credits the artist as "The Gee-Tones featuring 15-year-old Gregory Howard", and with tongue firmly in cheek was issued on the label most famous for Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Gee 1013. This has caused some confusion -- due to the age of the bootleg many authoritive guides list this record as a legitimate release with a price to match - The Cadillacs. In 1963 Ray Brewster joined the Cadillacs after Earl Carroll left to sing with the Coasters.  Ray Brewster and Roland Martinez brought in former members Bobby Spencer and J.R. Bailey and recorded on Capitol Records through 1964. about the same time they were supplying backing vocals for Gregory Howard, they were doing the same for Bobby Ray on Capitol, "La Bomba" / "I Saw You".

 

Songs :  

Updated by Hans-Joachim

Gregory Howard bb the Cadillacs

   

When In Love (Do As Lovers Do)                  Sweet Pea                 

 Bobby Ray & The Cadillacs 

     

I Saw You                                    La Bomba

The Cadillacs

   

White Gardenia                               Groovy Groovy Love

AMBASSADORS (2)

 

The Ambassadors : Herb Johnson, Lonnie, Charlie, Stan and Weldon

The Ambassadors (2) (Philadelphia, PA.)

 

Personnel

Herb Johnson (Lead)

Lonnie ...

Charlie ...

Stan ...

Weldon ...

 

Discography :

Unreleased :

1957 - Help (Demo)

1957 - Janice (Demo)

1957 - Shang A Lang (Demo)

1957 - Bacon Time (Demo)

1957 - 8My Story Of Love (Acetate)

 

Biography :

              Herb Johnson was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina on December 26, 1935 and moved to Philly with his family when he was nine in 1945. That same year he recorded his first record for a quarter on one ofthose recording machines they had downtown. The song was "I Want To Be Loved By You" — a birthday present for his mom.    As a teenager attending Overbrook HighSchool in 1953, Herb auditioned at the Royal Theater at 15th & South for a radiospot on WPEN| singing The Orioles "You Belong To Me". Later that same year, Herb enlisted in the U.S. Air Force - joining a vocal group that evolved into The Lyrics. The Lyrics performed on USO tours, singing hits of the day like "Stormy Weather", “Sunday Kind Of Love” and The Moonglows "Sincerely". Herb wrote "Guilty" around this time while stationed in Puerto Rico.

The Lyrics

Herb explains: “I was homesick for my girl back home — I hadn't written to anyone in a while and felt guilty about it — that’s how the song came about". Herb was discharged a few years later, joining a West Philly group The Ambassadors who participated in a talent contest at the Leader Theater at 41st & Lancaster Ave. Luckily, someone recorded their material at Herb’s house on 55th & Vine Streets that includes an early version of "Help". The Ambassadors also recorded some demos for Irv Balin’s Gotham label, which have yet to see the light of day. In late 1959 or early 1960, Herb was singing at a local hangout called The Media AA Club at 60th & Media Street in West Philly when he was approached by Larry Kerrin, an a&r/ promo man for V-Tone Records.

 

Songs :

  

    Help                                        My Story Of Love

  

Janice                                          Shang A Lang

Bacon Time

CAROUSELS (4)

 

The Carousels (4) (Cleveland)

Personnel :

Joyce Jenkins

Carl Turner

Ronald Johnson

John Hill

 

Discography :

1960 - Fading Away / Solitude (G.C. 601)

 

Biography :

The Carousels were formed by teenagers from Cleveland's Cedar YMCA. The original lineup included 4 teenagers, Don Baker, Carl Turner, Ronald Johnson, and John Hill. Hill attended Glenville HS and the other three were from East Tech. The group performed at many local functions and teen dances. In 1957 they finished second in a WHK sponsored 'city-wide' talent contest in which 44 groups participated (the Mello-Dee's were the winners). In late 1958 Don Baker left to try his luck in Los Angeles. He got a deal with the small Jay-Tone label and released one 45. His place in the group was taken by a young woman, whose name is not known, possibly Joyce Jenkins. The group recorded one 45 in 1959 for the G.C. label. It has a nice uptempo side "Fading Away", with the flip side a recording of the Duke Ellington song "Solitude". "Fading Away" seems to be an original, based on the the use of the label's Jamigo publishing and credited to Joyce Jenkins, who is possibly the young woman singing.

https://buckeyebeat.com/

Songs :

   

Fading Away                                         Solitude