(L to R) Joey, Jessie, Ron, Johnny and Jackie
The Monograms (3) (Brooklyn, New York)
Personnel :
Ron Friedman
Joey ...
Jessie ...
Johnny ...
Jackie ...
Biography :
Vocal group from Brooklyn consisting of five guys. Formed in 1957, the Monograms were Joey, Jessie, Ron, Johnny and Jackie. In 1958, the Monograms recorded "Old Rock And Roll" written by the group, which was an acapella group. The record was recorded at Bell Sound Studio in New York City.
The Five Trojans (Hollywood, CA)
aka The Trojans (5)
1962 (At the Apollo) Jerome Butler, Green McLaurin, Wallace Sampson, Leonard Caston Jr. and Maurice McAlister
Personnel :
Maurice McAlister (Lead)
Wallace Sampson (Baritone)
Jerome Brooks (Second Tenor)
Elzie Butler (Bass)
Charles Washington (First Tenor)
Discography :
Biography :
(From Doo Wop To Soul) - The story of the Radiants began in 1960, when Maurice McAlister distilled a vocal group from the members of the Greater Harvest Baptist Church youth choir. He sang the lead and first tenor, and rounded out the group with Wallace Sampson (baritone), Jerome Brooks (second tenor), Elzie Butler (bass), and Charles Washington (first tenor). The group sang gospel and toured the local churches, but the singers were also working on secular material. After a few months, Green McLauren, also a member of the youth choir replaced Washington.
By 1961, the Radiants had given up gospel completely and had recorded a demo of McAlister- written songs. They sent it to a number of recording companies, including Chess and Motown, but none expressed interest. "We had been trying, walking up and down Michigan Avenue, which was Record Row then, going to companies. They went to Chess four or five times, but they never did have the time for The group. Fortunately, Lee Jackson, their manager, knew Leonard Chess. Lee was a supervisor for a meat-packing company, and he used to go to Chess Records and talk to Leonard. A lot of time he would bring him a thing of bologna or salami, so they got pretty tight. Then he introduced The Radiants to Leonard by the way of the demo. They signed the group who recorded their first session in May of 1962. They had a release out in August of the same year, "One Day I'll Show You" and "Father Knows Best"
The Radiants' first release, though no blockbuster, was a solid double-sided hit. "Father Knows Best," which the company deemed the A side, was essentially a Miracles-styled variation of the group's big hit, "Shop Around," but several steps down from the original. It did well in Chicago and a few other locales. "One Day I'll Show You" was a medium-tempo cross between doowop and soul, with McAlister's forceful lead strongly supported by full-bodied chorusing. The song ranks with the Radiants' best and is McAlister's all-time favorite. In February 1963 the Radiants followed up with "Heartbreak Society." The song was first-rank Radiants' material, but the record failed to make an impact in the market. McAlister's arresting timbre, plus a great hook of a refrain, in which the rest of the guys riffed behind his chanting of "heart...breeaaak," combined to make the record a richly rewarding listening experience. "Shy Guy," a fast rocking tune, was the group's next release, in October 1963.
In Chicago, it made the top-forty radio stations and became a hit in the city's dance halls. "Shy Guy" introduced a new member of the group, Frank McCollum, a replacement for McLauren, who entered the Army in the latter part of 1963. In 1964 the Radiants began experiencing internal difficulties, fell into disarray, and broke up. Only McAlister and Sampson were left to continue the group. At that time, however, a fellow choir member and organist at the Greater Harvest Church, Leonard Caston, Jr., had just gotten out of the Army. The three got together and formed a new Radiants ensemble...
Tony Valla & The Alamos (Detroit, Michigan)
Personnel :
Tony Maldonado (Lead)
Jessie Maldonado (Drums)
Shelby Walker (Bass/Guitar)
Discography :
Biography :
Tony Maldonado "Valla" arrived in Detroit in 1955 fronting Los Tres Cavalleros. Going on to form The Orbits who provided backing instrumental for Doctor Ross "The Harmonica Boss". They signing a contract with Fortune Records in 1960. Eventually landing as leader of The Alamos, alongside his brother Jesse on drums recording hits "La Bomba" and "Maria Christina."
From top : Kenny Vance, Howie Kane, Sandy Yaguda and Jay Traynor.
Personnel :
John "Jay" Traynor (Lead)
Howard "Kane" Kirschenbau"
Kenny "Vance" Rosenberg
Sandy "Deanne" Yaguda
Discography :
Biography :
Six high school classmates from the Belle Harbor neighborhood on Long Island formed the Harbor Lites, named after their neighborhood, in 1959. Among the six were Kenny Vance (nee Rosenberg, December 9, 1943), Sandy Yaguda (born January 30, 1943) and Sydell Sherman. Also living in the neighborhood was Irving Feldman, owner of Ivy Records. They sought out Feldman for an audition, but were turned away after being told they needed more practice. At that time the other three members left. After a few months of practice, they auditioned for Feldman again and were signed.
In April 1960, their first single "Is it To Much To Ask" was released. It might have come out on Ivy, but was soon purchased by Jaro a small label run by the J. Arthur Rank Organization, a huge British entertainment complex. With help from New York deejay Cousin Brucie it became a minor hit locally. Rank soon closed Jaro to concentrate on releases by its Top Rank subsidiary and the Harbor Lites were dropped. In 1960, the groups other single "Tick-a Tick-a Toc," which may have been released briefly by Jaro, came out on Mala label, a struggling, medium size New York company.
In 1960, the group auditioned for Terry Phillips, a Belle Harbor songwriter and producer for Golden Records. With his connections, Phillips got them an audition with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Leiber and Stoller decided to sign the group, had second thoughts and didn't. Upon learning that the group wasn't being signed Vance's mother ordered her son to go back, give Leiber and Stoller a piece of his mind and tell them they must live up to their agreement. Shocked, but pleasantly surprised they signed the boys to a contract. Leiber and Stoller built on the group's natural doo wop ability attempted to broaden their appeal by emphasizing Traynor's lead and the pop flavor of the sound. United Artists decided to rename the group Binky Jones and the Americans. A compromise changed it to Jay and the Americans.
The big movie at the time was Westside Story, in which United Artists had a stake. The record division needed some artists to record songs from the film and Jay and the Americans were given "Tonight." In the late summer of 1961, the group cut "Tonight" at its first United Artist recording session. At the same time two other U.A. acts, Ralph Marterie and Ferante and Teicher, also recorded "Tonight." Though most of the promotion money was spent on the two better known acts, the single sold 40,00 copies in the New York area.
The second single "She Cried" headed straight up the charts and reached #5 in the spring and early summer of 1962. The next single "This Is It" charted but was not the hit that everyone expected. At this time Traynor decided to leave to pursue a solo career that began in 1963 with Coral Records. His first single "How Sweet It Is" was a minor hit in Japan. His last last single "The Merry Go Round Is Slowing Down" recorded three years later for ABC-Paramount Records was a Northern Soul hit in the UK.
Meanwhile, David Blatt (who called himself David Black, born November 2, 1938) and Marty Sanders (Born February 28, 1941) were also trying to record on the Ivy label. They recorded :Forgive Me" on the Atlantic label as the Two Chaps. Then in the spring of 1962, they sang with the Empires from Tilden High in Brooklyn, on the Epic label release of "Time and a Place." Marty was also playing guitar for Jay and the American sessions. While working on their album he asked to become a member.