1955 - Sing To Me / I Swear By All The Stars Above (Mercury 70558)
1955 - Bad Little Girl / Scheming (Mercury 70650)
1956 - Forever More / Leave It To Me (Wing 90067)
1956 - Why Must You Go / My Baby's Gone (Mercury 70913)
The Warblers
1973 - Is This The Real Thing / It’s Wrong (The Ontarios) (Baron 101)
1973 - Love Me Baby (The Ontarios) / Scheming (Baron 106)
1974 - She's Too Tall For Love / Lonesome Again (The Serenaders) (Outhouse 102)
Marie Knight (bb The Griffins (1)) (not credited)
1956 - As Long As I Love / Tell Me Why (Wing 90069)
Biography :
Lawrence Tate and William Ross joined the Griffins in 1953 from the
RCA Heartbreakers, who had disbanded in 1953.The Griffins were
previously known as the Warblers. The tunes shown below as by the
Griffins on Mercury, Entitled "Scheming", was earlier cut by the
Warblers.In February of 1955 Mercury Records signs The Griffins to their
label.
Marie
Knight
The Griffins (1)
In less than a month Mercury # 70558 is released featuring the
group's versions of the songs "I Swear By All The Stars Above" and
"Swing To Me".In July "Bad Little Girl" and "Scheming" on # 70650. In
March of 1956 The Griffins are moved to the Wing label from Mercury . In
April "Forevermore" and "Leave It To Me" are released on Wing # 90067.
In August The Griffins are back on Mercury with "Why Must You Go" and
"My baby's Gone" on # 70913.
1958 - Love Is Love / All The Tears Is Gone (Fraternity 811)
Biography :
A notable St. Louis vocal group, the doo-wop oriented El Torros was
Formed by singer Lloyd Lockett in 1951, the group signed to a record
contract with Duke/Peacock Records company in 1956. El Torros made
several discs but had no hits and went through many changes. At the same
time, there was another El Torros group, that had a single record on
the Fraternity label, out of Cincinnati, Ohio. The quintet from
Alliance, Ohio, Akron-Canton area, consisted of Chester D. Boone, Lonnie
McLeod writer of "Love Is Love ", Richard Franklin, Virgil Banks and
Fred Terrell, writer of "All The Tears Is Gone".
The El Torros signed a recording contract with Fraternity Records.
Fraternity Records was a small record label based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
It was started by Harry Carlson and silent partner Dr. Ashton Welsh in
1954. Fraternity's biggest-selling hit was Lonnie Mack's 1963 guitar
instrumental, "Memphis", which rose to #5 on Billboard′s Pop chart and
#4 on Billboard′s R&B chart. The El Torros recorded at Fraternity
Records a Syd Nathan King Records division. Mr. Johnny Otis had worked
with them while producing for Mr. Nathan they'd hit harder.
1956 - Evening Shadows Falling (I Think Of You) / I’ve Got Plenty Of Love (Tetra 4446)
1959 - Ah Sweet Mystery Of Life Young / Rock And Rolly (ESV 1016)
1960 - I've Lived Before / Hello, Mr. Robin (Decca 31112)
1961 - When Will I Fall In Love / Baby, Say The Word (Decca 31244)
Carl Dobkins, Jr. & The Seniors (2) (instru. The Orbits)
1958 - If You Don't Want My Lovin' / Love Is Everything (Decca 30656)
Ronnie Neat With The Four C-Notes And The Orvits
1957 - Have Mercy On Me, Baby / Mister Rock And Roll (Four C-Notes) (Bramble 3003)
Ron Neat with The Janet Shay Trio
1960 - Ronnie / Say I'm The One (Alcar 1501/ Pelpal 1502)
Biography :
Carl
Dobkins Jr. was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in January 1941. He was
raised in a musical family. At the age of nine Carls’ mom and dad bought
him a ukulele with a plastic Arthur Godfrey attachment that played
chords by pushing buttons. He soon took off the attachment and learned
over fifty hillbilly songs as a child. At the age of sixteen, young Carl
made a demo of two songs he wrote with his backup group, The Seniors.
The Seniors first met with a common interest in singing at Nast Memorial
Methodist Church in Cincinnati. The group sang together for
approximately eight years.
Carl Dobkins, Jr. & The Seniors (2)
The
group was formed in the early 50's in the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati
area and consists of Paul Powers, Keith Ross, Ray James & Harry
Clifton. The seniors will have several staff changes over the years,
Bill Smith, Marv Lockart, Mike "Froggy" Bridges... In 1956, the group
recorded "Evening Shadows Falling (I Think Of You)" b/w "I’ve Got Plenty
Of Love" on Tetra. They toured the East Coast when “Evening Shadows
Falling” climbed to the top of the local charts in Philadelphia.
Carl Dobkins, Jr. & The Seniors (2) & The Orbits (Instru.)
Friends
in Carls’ neighborhood introduced Carl Dobkins, Jr. & The Seniors
to Gil Sheppard. In Cincinnati Gil Sheppard was a popular deejay, Gil
was taken with young Dobkins Jr. and his musical ability and the demo he
had recorded. Sheppard offered to become his his manager. Carl Dobkins
Jr. was promoted as “The Teenage Rage.” As a result of the buzz that
happened as a result of his singing at dance parties and record hops,
Carl was signed up with Fraternity Records in Cincinnati. His only
release with Fraternity was his 1958 single “Take Hold of My Hand” b/w
“That’s Why I’m Asking.”
The Seniors (2)
Carl
moved over to the Decca label for his next recording. "If You Don't
Want My Lovin" was the plug side. A nice mid tempo outing, it is
credited to Carl Dobkins Jr. and The Seniors. It was recorded at the
King record studios in Cincinnati, and the record did well in a few
markets, including Charleston West Virginia. After recording "If You
Don't Want My Lovin'" at King Records studios, Sheppard sold the master
recording to Decca Records. Dobkins then recorded sessions for Decca in
Nashville, Tennessee, which included "My Heart is an Open Book" in 1959,
which reached No. 3 on the pop chart and number 11 on the R&B
chart.
The Seniors (2) Ray James (Ron Neat)
At
the same time, the Seniors recorded "Ah Sweet Mystery Of Life Young"
and "Rock And Rolly" single for ESV and two for Decca, and signed with
Decca for two records "I've Lived Before" b/w "Hello, Mr. Robin" and
"When Will I Fall In Love" b/w"Baby, Say The Word". Ray Dean James, one
of the Seniors recorded two singles in 1957 and 1960 under the name of
Ron'nie' Neat. He also released a number of singles under his own name,
did some session work as a background vocalist at the legendary King
Records studios and did nightclub performances that included music and
stand-up comedy at dozens of clubs in Greater Cincinnati.
1959 - From Someone Who Loves You / Gotta Pretty Little Baby (Sandy 1025)
The Embraceables
1962 - My Foolish Pride / Don't Call For Me (Cy 1004)
1962 - Sam (The 8th Of May) / (There's A) Wall Between Us (Dover 4100)
1962 - Destiny / Come Back (Dover 4101)
The Implacables
1962 - My Foolish Pride / Don't Call For Me (Kain 1004)
Lorenza Bracy bb The Embraceables
1961 - Miss You Gallion / These Things You Do To Me (Sandy 1038)
Biography :
After an approximate two year stint with the Drifters in 1959 &
'60, John Lee "Johnny" Williams went back home to Mobile, Alabama. In
1961 he joined the Embraceables with Herman Bracey and Lorenza Bracy who
have recorded in 1959 (feat. Herman Bracey) “From Someone Who Loves
You” and “Gotta Pretty Little Baby“ on Sandy Records 1025. The group
backed Lorenza (male) Bracy on “These Things You Do To Me” and ”Miss You
Gallion”on Sandy Records 1038. With John Lee "Johnny" Williams on lead,
the Embraceables, recording two sides for CY Records "My Foolish Pride"
and "Don't Call For Me". Around that time, it was also issued as Kain
1004, credited to the Implacables. From 1962 on Dover Records, Johnny
Williams leads the Embraceables for their two singles.
Songs :
The Embraceables Featuring Herman Bracey
From Someone Who Loves You / Gotta Pretty Little Baby
The Embraceables
Don't Call For Me / My Foolish Pride (There's A) Wall Between Us
1962 - That Lucky Old Sun / A Time For Love (Amy 853)
Biography :
The Ecstasies are from Philadelphia and were originally formed in the
mid 50’s. They were composed by Donnie Ermold on lead, Bobby Cutillo,
Joe Leone, Joe Grimaldi And Jimmy Evans on bass. Their first recording,
"That Lucky Old Sun" and "A Time For Love" was released in 1962 on the
Amy label. "That Lucky Old Sun" is a 1949 popular song with music by
Beasley Smith and words by Haven Gillespie. It wasn’t until the late
70’s that The Ecstasies started recording again with original lead and
baritone, Donnie Ermold and Joe Grimaldi, rejuvenated, they recorded
45’s for both the U.G.H.A. and Clinton labels
