NOTES (1)

  

The Notes (1) (Philadelphia)

Personnel :

Ray McElwain (First Tenor)

Boyd Beks (Second Tenor)

Dave Wilson (Baritone)

Clarence Beks (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :

1955 - Cha Jezebel / Don't Leave Me Now (Capitol 3332)

1956 - Trust In Me / Round And Round (MGM 12338)

Unreleased :

1955 - That's All There Is To That (Capitol)

1955 - Times Two I Love You (Capitol)

1956 - Clock Of Love (Capitol)

1956 - Let Me Shake The Hand (Capitol)

1956 - I Adore You (Capitol)

1956 - I Never Cared Before (Capitol)

1956 - Louise Louise Louise (MGM) 

1956 - That's Why I Love You (MGM) 

Discography :

The Notes as being from Philadelphia and consisting of Ray McElwain (first tenor), Boyd Beks (second tenor), Dave Wilson (baritone) and Clarence Beks (bass).  The group members all grew up in Philadelphia and went to school together.  They got together in 1953 and were all 23 years old (with the exception of Clarence Beks) in 1955.

  

The Group recorded in 1955 under the name the Four Notes. They recorded twelve songs, four were recorded independently and sold to Capitol in December 1955.  Four more were recorded for Capitol on March 2, 1956.  Four more were recorded for MGM on August 17, 1956.  Of the twelve songs recorded by The Notes, six were written by Clyde Otis!

http://www.classicurbanharmony.net/

Songs :

   

Cha Jezebel /  Don't Leave Me Now         Trust In Me / Round And Round

 

THREE TWINS

 

Top : Al Douglas - Bottom : Art Iwan & Bill Bigger

The Three Twins (Bloomington, In)

 

Personnel :

Al Douglas (Tenor & Bass/Piano/vibes)

Art Iwan (Baritone & Violin/Bass)

Bill Bigger (Tenor/Baritone & Guitar/Bass)

 

Discography :

1955 - Oh Baby Doll / I Want A Shoulder To To Cry On (Kahill 1001)

1955 - You'll Do It Someday / The Willow Weeps (Kahill 1004)

1958 - All My Dreams / His (Banana 512)

 

Biography :

Vocal & Instrumental group from Bloomington, Al Douglas, Art Iwan and Bill Bigger are the Three Twins. These lads hail from the midwest. Art Who plays the violin, drums and bass attended North western University where he got his Masters Degree in Violin. As for Bill, he's the "twin" who plays guitar and bass  Came by his Masters degree in voice and composition at Illinois Wesleyan University. Al is the lad you see at the piano when he is not also playing bass and the He had the same education as Bill.

  

In 1955, They have recorded their arrangements with Kahill records and released "Oh Baby Doll" b/w "I Want A Shoulder To To Cry On" (Kahill 1001). The  record was very popular in the region and The trio make their home in Chicago when they aren't playing the states "live". They appeared on television and radio. In 1957, The Group won an Arthur Godfrey Talent Show.

  

(L to R) Al Douglas, Bill Bigger and Art Iwan                                                              

A few months later, armed with their success kahill released a new single: "You'll Do It Someday" b/w "The Willow Weeps" on Kahill 1004. For nearly four years the trio toured throughout the country and cut another singles in 1958 "All My Dreams" b/w "His" on the Banana Label.

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)   

All My Dreams / His 

CORVAIRS (4) - WEST SIDERS

 

 The Corvairs (4)  (Newport News, Virginia)

aka  The West Siders

Personnel :

Joe Shepard (Tenor)

Nelson Shields (Second Tenor)

Prince McKnight (Tenor)

Ronald Judge (Baritone)

Billy Faison (Bass)

Discography :

The Corvairs (4)

Singles:

1962 - True True Love / Hey, Sally Mae (Comet 2145)

1963 - I Don't Wanna Be Without You Baby / Girl With The Wind In Her Hair (Leopard 5005)

1966 - Swinging Little Government / Love, Love My Friend (Columbia 43603)

1966 - Ain't No Soul (In These Old Shoes) / Get A Job (Columbia 43861)

Unreleased:

1966 - The Grass Will Sing For You (Columbia)

1963 - Because I Love You (aka Don’t You Know) (Leopard)

The West Siders

1963 - Don't You Know / No Tears Left For Crying (United Artists 600/Leopard 5004)

 

Biography :

When The Leaders split ,Burton, Alston, and Simpson continuing on as the Three Voices while Judge and Shields relocated to New York City, forming the Corvairs with tenors Joe Shepard and Prince McKnight along with bass Billy Faison. In 1962 the Corvairs signed to the Comet label to release their Dave "Baby" Cortez-produced debut single, "Hey, Sally Mae". The record quickly disappeared, and a year later the group resurfaced on Leopard with "No Tears Left for Crying," mistakenly credited to the Westsiders. When the single was subsequently licensed to United Artists, the label further muddied the waters by calling the group the West Siders, and for reasons no less mysterious, their next Leopard release, "I Don't Wanna Be Without You Baby," restored the Corvairs moniker.

  

                       (The Corvairs 1961) Top : Faison, Shepard and Shields - Botom : Judge and McKnight

Faison exited the lineup in 1965, with bass Edgar Brown appearing on the Corvairs' next effort, the 1966 Columbia release "Swinging Little Government." When the follow-up, "Ain't No Soul (In These Old Shoes)," flopped, the group split.

http://www.colorradio.com/leaders.htm

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Leaders/leaders.html 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

 The Corvairs (4)

 

   

       True True Love / Hey, Sally Mae      Girl With The Wind .... / I Don't Wanna ....

   

               Get A Job /  Ain't No Soul ...        Love, Love My Friend / Swinging Little Government 

  

Because I Love You  

The West Siders

   

 No Tears Left For Crying                       Don't You Know        

   

VELVETONES (2) - VELVITONES

 

The Velvetones (2) (Los Angeles)

aka The Velvitones

 

Personnel :

Eddie Lewis (Tenor/Lead)

Bryant Whitfield

Vernon Garrett

Tommy Williams

 

Discography :

The Velvitones

1959 - A Prayer at Gettysburg / Little Girl I Love You So (Milmart 113)

The Velvetones (2)

1957 - Glory Of Love / I Love Her So (Aladdin 3372)

1957 - I Found My Love / Melody Of Love  (Aladdin 3391)

1960 - My Every Thought / Little Girl I Love You So  (Aladdin 3463)

   

 

Biography :

Early in 1957, Eddie Mesner of Eddie and Leo Mesner's Aladdin Record Company, decided to cut a vocal group rendition of "The glory of love," a re-worked song dating back to Andy Kirk, made popular in 1949 by Larry Darnell in its original form then entitled "I'll get along somehow."  For the session Mesner rounded up Bryant Whitfield  and four other L.A. singers creating a kind of "thrown together" crew, a practice common in those days.

 Three of the other four singers are Vernon Garrett (the same as had a hit with "Without you" on Ventura in 1969) , Eddie Lewis who sang lead and took care of narration and Tommy Williams. All other Aladdin titles are by a Velvetones group comprised of other singers. However the group released a single on the Milmart label in 1958. The name of the group is spelled differently due to a typo on the Milmart pressing. They are the Velvitones with "Little Girl I Love You So" (from the aladdin 3372) and "A Prayer at Gettysburg" with Eddie Lewis at the narration.

 

Songs :

The Velvetones (2)

 

   

   Glory Of Love / I Love Her So        I Found My Love / Melody Of Love

        

 My Every Thought / Little Girl I Love You So

The Velvitones

A Prayer at Gettysburg

 

BIG "3" TRIO

  

Bobby Davis and The Big "3" Trio (Chicago, IL.)

 

Personnel :

Bobby Davis (vocal)

Jody Williams (guitar)

Bob Walton (bass)

Loretta Taylor (drums)

 

Discography :

Bobby Davis (bb The Big "3" Trio)

1959 - I Was Wrong / Hype You Into Sellin' (Your Head) (Bandera 2505)

Bobby Davis and The Big "3" Trio

1960 - One Love Have I / She's A Problem (Bandera 2508)

Biography :

Bandera was a small Chicago label launched by Vi Muszynski, and her son Bernie Harville, with money Muszynski made off one of her biggest discoveries, the Impressions. The label released a variety of music in the late '50s and early '60s, from hillbilly and rock, to blues and gospel.

  

Vi Muszynski                                                                                                                                                  

Bobby Davis and The Big "3" Trio recorded the song "One Love Have I" and "She's A Problem" in two different styles: once as a blues and once as a Rhythm'blues / Doo wop, but the blues' version were previously unissued track, and only the Rhythm'blues / Doo wop tracks are released on Bandera 2508. This leave another question : were the Big"3" trio the vocal group? Probably not : Jody "Guitar" Williams played just that, Bob Walton played bass and Loretta Taylor Played Drums.

Davis started his career as bassist with ZuZu Bollin, moving on to tour as one of Rosco Gordon's ensemble, before joining up with Albert Collins in Houston touring with him as either drummer or bassist. At The tail end of the 50s he pitched up in Chicago and formed his band. Bobby Davis and The Big "3" Trio had one earlier release on bandera 2505 which coupled the Chicago blues sides "I Was Wrong" and "Hype You Into Sellin'". Bobby Davis would go on to record for M-pac, Firma and as Bobby Cool for Expo

From Bandera Doo Wop

 

Songs :

   

   

One Love Have I                              She's A Problem