Left to right : Jimmy Jett, Don "Curtie" Davis, Billy Perkins & Warren McCowen
The Drakes (2) (Richmond, Indiana)
Personnel :
Don "Curtie" Davis (Lead)
Jimmy Jett (Tenor)
Bill Perkins (Baritone)
Warren McCowen (Bass)
Discography :
1958 - Oo Wee So Good / Kitty (Conquest 1001)
Biography :
Vocal group from Richmond, Indiana composed of Don Davis (lead),
Jimmy Jett (tenor), Bill Perkins (baritone), and Warren McCowen (bass).
In 1958 they recorded "Oo Wee So Good" for Conquest, a small
Indianapolis label. While normally an a cappella group, the Drakes were
backed up by drummer Harold Jones and an unremembered guitarist. The
flip was an instrumental called "Kitty," by the strangely-cited "The
J.J. Macambo."
1959 - Born To Love / Oo-La-La (DR 1001 / Warwick 634)
The Echotones (1)
1959 - So In Love / My Baby Doll (Dart 1009)
Biography :
Tony D'Andrea was a Student from Holy Cross High School, a
co-educational Catholic high school located in Flushing in the New York
City borough of Queens. In 1955, Under the direction and encouragement
of Brother Paul Schweyer, the school’s first music director, Tony joined
the Marching Band, the Concert Band (where he played Clarinet and tenor
sax), and the Dance Band, where he was the percussionist.All through
high school Tony D'Andrea belonged to a budding four-member rock band
called “The Echotones,” from Bayside. Two of whom were students at Holy
Cross – Tony and his close friend Tom Zminkowski. The Echotones was
managed by Jim Gribble who also handles The Fiestas, The Mystics, The
Passions, and others.
Tony
D'Andrea
They became nationally famous during these high school
years, signing a record contract with Warwick Records and playing all
over the tri-state area. Their four original records on Warwick and Dart
labels made the Top 40 list in 1959 to 1961. In fact, the songs were in
every Juke Box in the tri-state area. The band played in all the famous
venues of the time, including the Apollo Theater. They appeared on
Cousin Brucie’s show, worked with Allen Freed and Paul Sherman, and even
opened for the Everly Brothers. Their song “Born to Love” was included
on the cover of Nashville’s Music City News as “rising in the charts” in
1959 and in Billboard Magazine through 1960.
Neith Anderson, Wilmore Pitcher JR, Randoph Baker (rear) Harvey Lee Everhardt (Center) and David Hill (Kneeling)
The Tamaneers (Poughkeepsie, New York)
Personnel :
Kenneth Anderson (Lead)
Harvey Lee Everhardt (Lead)
Wilmore Pitcher JR
Randoph Baker
David Hill
Discography :
1961 - Be Anything But Be Mine / Searching (Bramley 102)
Biography :
Harvey Lee Everhardt was educated in the New York City School
District. In 1952, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. While in
the USAF, he formed the Sentinals, a singing group, who appeared on
Television thru-out England. After serving his country for four years he
received an Honorable discharge. After his tour of duty he was employed
at New York University. In 1958, he relocated to Poughkeepsie, NY and
was a long time resident.
Harvey was also in the entertainment business. He formed a singing
group, The Tamaneers, who preformed primarily in New York City area,
including such clubs as : Marie's, Tropical Inn, and the world famous
Apollo Theatre. In the 1960's The Tamaneers recorded a single entitled
"Be Anything But Be Mine" b/w "Searching" on the Bramley label...
Songs :
Be Anything But Be MineSearching
(feat Harvey Lee Everhardt) (feat Kenneth Anderson)
1962 - Puppet Beat (The Big Three) / Puppet Bop (The Big Two) (Wren 150)
Biography :
Peter Moscatiello have been in and around the music since 1958.
While attending P.S. 15 in Jersey City, New Jersey, he met Dennis
Skipper (Skip), through his friend Louis Contey. Skip was into vocal
harmony and was teaching Louis and his brother Jerome how to harmonize.
They asked Peter if he wanted to sing and as Skip taught him the basics,
he became hooked. But the driving force, the thing that lit the fire
under him was hearing the song that launched Laurie records: "I Wonder
Why" by Dion and the Belmonts.
Dennis
"Skip" Skipper & Louis Contey
They called themselves the Majestics and were together for two years.
they parted ways when they went off to different high schools. In those
two years they sang at dances and even performed at the "Teenage World
Fair" at Freedomland in New York. In 1962, They recorded one song :
"Puppet Beat" under the name the Big Three. The Big were The Majestics,
The Bongo Walers & The Beachcombers. The other side is an
instrumental "Puppet Bop" as the Big Two. The Big Two were the same
minus The Majestics.
1962 - I Wish That We Were Married / Twistin & Kissin (Joy 260)
1962 - Send Me Love / Be Kind (Joy 265)
1962 - Valerie / The Fact Of The Matter (Raven 8000)
1963 - A Slow Dance / What The Next Day May Bring (Win 250 / Reo)
1963 - The Fact Of The Matter / You Keep Me Guessin' (Win 251)
1963 - High School Romance / Uptown-Downtown (Win 252)
1965 - Too Young / High School Romance (ABC 10685)
1982 - For Lovers / What A Pretty Bride You'll Be (U.G.H.A. 16)
Biography ;
Ronnie & The Hi-Lites were a vocal group, formed in Jersey City,
New Jersey, United States, in the early 1960s. On March 31, 1962, their
song "I Wish That We Were Married", a slow ballad sung from the point of
view of a young boy expressing his wishes that he and his sweetheart
would stay together, charted and rose to number 16 on the Billboard Hot
100 chart, spending twelve weeks on the chart.
Selling over half a million copies, the song put 14-year-old Ronnie
Goodson and company on the map, paving the way for performances
alongside Stevie Wonder, Major Lance and Ronnie's girlfriend Eva Boyd,
better known as Little Eva. They subsequently appeared on American
Bandstand, at The Apollo and numerous venues throughout the east coast.
"I Wish That We Were Married" is perhaps known for Ronnie's emotional
sobbing, adding to the theme of the song. The group was originally
called the Cascades, not to be confused with a different group of the
same name that recorded "Rhythm of the Rain". Initially consisting of
tenors Sonny Caldwell and John Whitney, bass singer Kenny Overby and
baritone Stanley Brown, the group added 12-year-old Ronnie Goodson as
their lead singer.
Ronnie Goodson
They
were soon introduced to songwriter/producer team Marion and Hal Weiss,
who offered them "I Wish That We Were Married". The small independent
record label, Joy Records, picked up the group's recording and renamed
the ensemble Ronnie & the Hi-Lites. They subsequently released the
single and the group went on to record many more singles without
troubling the chart compilers again.Ronnie Goodson died 4 November 1980.
