MOONBEAMS (1) (JEANNIE STERLING & THE)

 

 Jeannie Sterling & The Moonbeams (1) (Los Angeles)

Personnel :

Jeannie Sterling (Lead)

Discography :

Singles :

1957 - It's Too Soon To Know / Star Of Love (Glen Jones) (Capitol 3802)

Lps :

1958 - The Johnny Otis Show (Capitol T-940)

It's Too Soon To Know / A Story Untold

Biography :

Johnny Otis started his own label, Ultra Records (which he changed to the name Dig after five single releases). Continuing to perform and appearing on TV shows in Los Angeles from 1957. On the strength of their success, he signed to Capitol Records.

In the two short years that The Johnny Otis Show recorded for Capitol, they managed time and again to come up with some of the most eternal sides in rock'n'roll. The legendary Mr Otis adopted the role of ringmaster, whilst the members of his revue took turns to show off their many talents. Marie Adams, the Three Tons of Joy, Mel Williams, Jeannie Sterling and Jackie Kelso all featured on the recordings, backed up by some of the very finest musicians Johnny could assemble.

The Moonbeams a vocal group with 16-year-old Jeannie Sterling perform in the "The Johnny Otis Show". "It's Too Soon To Know " by Jeannie Sterling & The Moonbeams was recorded in 1958 in Hollywood. Johnny Otis & his band can be heard backing the group. This version was over shadowed by Pat Boone's version on the Dot Records label.  The group also recorded an up-tempo'd version of The Nutmegs "Story Untold".

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

Jeannie Sterling & The Moonbeams (1)

  

It's Too Soon To Know                           Story Untold

Glen Jones & The Moonbeams (1)

Star Of Love 

SPRINGERS

 

The Springers (1) (Cleveland, OH)

 

Personnel :

Jeff Crutchfield "Jeff Dale" (Lead)

James Dodson

James McClain

Tyrone Henry

Frankie Suber

Carl Lipford

 

Discography :

1964 - I Know Why / I Know My Baby Loves Me (Way Out 2699)

1965 - Why / Last Heartbreak (Way Out 2799)

1965 - It's Been A Long Time / You Can Laugh (Way Out 5696)

 

Biography :

Way Out records was established by Lester Johnson and Bill Branch in the early 1960s as a outlet for Cleveland's large African-American music scene, primarily R&B. The Way Out operation included a recording studio and office located on East 55th Street in Cleveland. As the music scene moved toward soul, Way Out started releasing records in that style, with the Springers and the Sensations as their lead acts.

The Springers from Cleveland, OH (there was a Philadelphia group with the same name) started recording in the mid-sixties for Way Out records but had a dated sound. Their first (Way Out Records) single "I Know Why," was a minor R&B hit in 1964; the slow, dripping doo-wop was the labels' biggest record and earned the Springers a week long gig at New York's famed Apollo Theater.  Lester Johnson and Ike Perry, of Ike Perry & the Lyrics, produced the harmonic ballad written by Johnson, and Tyrone Henry, one of the Springers. The other members were Jeff Crutchfield, who became Jeff Dale with the Springers, James Dodson (Sahibs, Crown Imperials), James McClain, Frankie Suber and Carl Lipford. They resided in Cleveland's Wade Park area, Crutchfield was born in Memphis, TN but moved to Cleveland with family when he was 12.

      

Way Out issued a second single, similar to the first, "Why," written by Henry & McClain, in 1965; A third and final single appeared later in '65, but "It's Been A Long Time" b/w "You Can Laugh," didn't generate much action and no more singles were issued. The Springers kept going, gigging at places like the Spaghetti Inn on Wade Park, the Red Carpet, the Circle Ballroom, and occasional treks to a club in Lorain, OH. There are some unreleased tracks laying around somewhere, a female who lived on Ansel Road, wrote songs that the Springers recorded but that remains unreleased.

Songs :

     

       I Know Why                                Why                            It's Been A Long Time

     

    Last Heartbreak               You Can Laugh          I Know My Baby Loves Me

DERRS

 

Leon and Dale Derr

The Derrs (Berwick, PA.) 

Personnel :

Leon Derr

Dave Derr 

Discography :

1961 - You Are My Happiness / Eighteen's Not Teenage (Murecord 104/105)

1962 - The Blues Come Back / The Mary-Ann Twist (Murecord 194/195)

Biography :

In 1961,from Berwick, PA. Leon and Dale Derr, two brothers known on entertainment circles as the Derrs Have recorded "You Are My Happiness" and "Eighteen's Not Teenage". They recorded the songs for Murecord Records of Mountaintop. Dale is the songwriter of the duo. In the spring of 1962, the boys recorded another single with "The Blues Come Back" and "The Mary-Ann Twist".

 

Songs :

???

ASCOTS (2)

 

left to right Billy Owens, Richard May, James Haughton, Eddie King and Johnny Blanton

The Ascots (2) (Victorville, California)

 

Personnel :

Richard May (Lead /Second Tenor)

Billy Owens (First Tenor)

James Haughton (Bass)

Eddie King (Baritone)

 

Discography :

1962 - I'm Touched / Perfect Love (Ace 650)

 

Biography :

Vocal group from AFB airmen in Victorville, California. Billed as the Ascots the group includes Richard May as Lead singer and second tenor, Billy Owens first tenor, James Haughton bass, Eddie King baritone and Johnny Blanton, manager composer. The group made itself known by participating in a Air Force singing contest, the Ascots finished in second spot. The competition carried them through more than 30 states.

 The Ascots with Friends

 

 They have also appeared in shows headlining Hollywood stars Annette Funicello, Tab Hunter and Pat Boone In 1961, The Ascots  recorded "I'm Touched" backed by "Perfect Love". Both songs were written and arranged by May & Blanton and released on the Ace label.

Songs :

   

I'm Touched                                     Perfect Love

DUKES (2)

 

The Dukes (2) (Oklahoma)

 

Personnel :

Don Nero (Lead)

Billy Armistead

Everett Edwards

Willie Moon

Richard Williams

 

Discography :

Singles :

1956 - Teardrop Eyes / Shimmies And The Shakes (Imperial 5401)

1956 - Wini Brown / Cotton Pickin’ Hands (Imperial 5415)

Unreleased:

1956 - Bad Luck Blues (Imperial)

1956 - The Last Ride (Imperial)   

1956 - Lost Dreams (Imperial)

1956 - Baby Please (Imperial)

 

Biography :

Oklahoma harmony group was the Dukes, a Douglass high school students  consisting of Don Nero, Billy Armistead , Everett Edwards, Willie Moon and Richard Williams. The Dukes recorded a couple of sessions in 1956, both at Cosimo Matassa’s new studio on governor Nicholls street and At Radio Recorders on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood which produced  "Teardrop Eyes" released in July and "Cotton Pickin’ Hands" some month later.

 (L to R) Richard Williams, Jerry Sanders, Don Nero, Willie Moon, Billy Armistead, Everett Edwardsand John Stone KOCY DJ     

Cosimo Matassa who ran a legendary recording studio in New Orleans. At the age of 18 in 1945, Matassa opened the J&M Recording Studio at the back of his family’s shop on Rampart Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. In 1955, he moved to the larger Cosimo Recording Studio. As an engineer and proprietor, Matassa was crucial to the development of the R&B, rock and soul sound of the 1950s and 1960s.

  

                               The Dukes                                                                                                     Cosimo Matassa    

 

Songs :

       

Teardrop Eyes             Shimmies And The Shakes                 Wini Brown

      

       

Cotton Pickin’ Hands                  The Last Ride                       Lost Dreams