ROB-ROYS (NORMAN FOX & THE) - TRADEWINDS (4)

 

Norman Fox & The Rob Roys (Bronx, New-York)

aka The Tradewinds (4)

 

Personnel :

Norman Fox (Lead)

Bob Trotman (First Tenor)

Andre Lilly (Second Tenor)

Robert Thierer (Baritone)

Marshall "Buzzy" Helfland (Bass)

 

Discography :

The Rob-Roys

1957 - Tell Me Why / Audrey (Backbeat 501)

Norman Fox & The Rob-Roys

1958 - Dance Girl Dance / My Dearest One (Backbeat 508)


1959 - Dream Girl / Pizza Pie (Capitol 4128)

1988 - Lover Doll / Little Star (Backbeat 499)

1988 - Rainy Day Bells / That's Love (Backbeat 500)


1990 - Do Re Mi / Lover Doll (Backbeat 501)

The Tradewinds (4)

 Unreleased:

1962 - Aggravation  (Time)

1962 - Lonely Boy (Time)

 

Biography :

One of the earliest interracial quintets, Norman Fox & The Rob-Roys were also one of the most underrated and overlooked groups ever to cut a 45.  With his distinctive lead voice, Norman Fox (16) of the Bronx hooked up with DeWitt Clinton High School friends Robert Thierer (17, baritone), Marshall "Buzzy" Helfand (17, bass), Bob Trotman (16, first tenor) and Andre Lilly (16, second tenor) in 1956 to form a dynamic vocal mix with their Jewish/black coalition (Trotman and Lilly were originally members of the Harmonaires on Holiday.) Early in 1957 Bob Trotman met Don Carter, New York agent for the Duke/Peacock organization, at Buddy's Record Shop on 167th Street in the Bronx, and told him of their group.  After a live audition in that very same record store, the Bronx boys found themselves contracted to the Texas-based record label. Originally called the Velvetones, they changed their name to the Rob-Roys (after the drink) and recorded their first single for Peacock's new Backbeat affiliate in April 1957 at Bell Sound Studios.

  

Tell Me Why" came out in the summer of 1957.  The single was well received by East Coast radio stations (particularly in New York and Philadelphia), but it was obvious that the gospel conglomerate had no idea of how to market rock and roll. The Rob-Roys turned out to be Backbeat's first integrated group (Fox, Helfand and Thierer were white, Lilly and Trotman black), but they performed at Harlem clubs to the surprise and delight of patrons lucky enough to see them.  For the most part they played New York area record hops with deejays like Jocko while waiting for their next release, the Robert Thierer-Bob Trotman dance doo wop classic, "Dance Girl Dance."

In late 1958 the group, weary of lost records, brought two Norman Fox originals to Capitol Records.  They signed the group and issued "Pizza Pie" b/w "Dream Girl" in January 1959.  Paul Schneller (another white Jewish bass) replaced Helfand on bass just before the Capitol sides were recorded. On January 19th, Billboard reviewed "Pizza Pie," stating "a rocker slightly dated in sound and approach, but the side is well made, the boys handle it nicely and the novelty interest is there.  It ties the story of a lifetime in with a pizza pie.  This could catch a spin."  The minute the record came out, Don Robey of Backbeat showed up waving a still-valid contract with the Rob-Roys.  Capitol chose to pull the single before it reached most radio stations. In 1962 Fox and company did two sides, Aggravation" and "Lonely Boy under the name of the Tradewinds," for Bob Shad's Time label, but they were never issued.

http://robroys.homestead.com/Welcome.html

Songs :

Norman Fox & The Rob Roys

        

   

           Tell Me Why / Audrey                             Dance Girl Dance / My Dearest One

   

   Dream Girl / Pizza Pie                                  Lover Doll / Do Re Mi 

 Rainy Day Bells /  That's love

The Tradewinds (4)

  

Lonely Boy / Aggravation 

STARLITES (1)

 

The Starlites (1) 1957 (L to R) Troy Keyes, Cliff Rice, Sony Eugene, Charlie Saunders & Vic Rice

The Starlites (1) (Brooklyn, New-York)

Ref : Eddie The Starlites (3)

 

Personnel :

Sony Eugene (Lead)

Troy Keyes

Cliff Rice

Charlie Saunders

Vic Rice

 

Discography :

1957 - Missing You / Give Me A kiss (Peak 5000)

1965 - Joannie / My Greatest Thrill (Relic 1001) (Joyce unreleased 1957) 

 

Biography :

Troy Keyes was born in Pantego, NC, on March 13, 1940. A member of his church's choir throughout childhood, from the age of ten he grew up in Brooklyn, New York, there singing in street-corner doo wop groups in addition to studying dance at the Fred Astaire Studio. In 1955 Keyes joined a vocal group dubbed the Starlites with Cliff Rice, Sony Eugene, Charlie Saunders & Vic Rice. The Starlites earned a record deal with Al Browne and his tiny Peak label as a result of winning a local talent contest. Their single "Missing You" went nowhere, and in 1958 he joined the Velours, which cut several singles for the Cub label.

Al Browne (Piano) with his band

Al Browne had several different groups which he called the Starlites. The story of Scepter Records starts with Florence Greenberg, who was a thirty-something housewife in the New Jersey suburbs of New York in the mid-1950s.  The first single on the label (Scepter 1201) was "Why Why Why"/"Ugly Duckling" by Don Crawford & the Escorts. When Al was producing for the Scepter Label on some early releases, he took the Starlites with him.  Here, They became Eddie & Starlites for their release in Late December 1958 - cut in October at a split session with the Criterions/Kents.

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

  

Missing You                                    Give Me A kiss

 My Greatest Thrill  / Joannie

 

STARLITES (3) (EDDIE & THE) - WHIPPOORWILLS (2)

  Eddie & The Starlites (3) (Brooklyn, New-York)

aka The Whippoorwills (2)       Ref : The Starlites (1)

 

Personnel :

Eddie Jenkins (Lead)

Robert Honey

Teddy Odes

Vel Miller

Archie Price

 

Discography :

Eddie & The Starlites (3)

Singles:

1959 - To Make A Long Story Short / Pretty Little Girl (Scepter 1202)

1963 - Come On Home / I Need Some Money (Aljon 1260/1261)

1972 - Three Steps To Go / Nobody But You And Me (Bim Bam Boom 102)

1973 - I Can Dream / You Told Me So (Vintage 1004) 

Unreleased

1959 - I Love You (Scepter)

1960 - Come On Home (alt. version)

Lp :

1964 - Al Browne Presents Dyno Sounds (Moon AB 1)

To Make A Long Story Short

 

The Whippoorwills (2)

1961 - Deep Within / Going To A Party (Josie 892)

Biography :

 In 1955 Keyes joined a vocal group dubbed the Starlites with Cliff Rice, Sony Eugene, Charlie Saunders & Vic Rice. The Starlites (1) earned a record deal with Al Browne and his tiny Peak label as a result of winning a local talent contest. Their single "Missing You" went nowhere, and in 1958 he joined the Velours, which cut several singles for the Cub label. Al Browne had several different groups which he called the Starlites. The story of Scepter Records starts with Florence Greenberg, who was a thirty-something housewife in the New Jersey suburbs of New York in the mid-1950s.  The first single on the label (Scepter 1201) was "Why Why Why"/"Ugly Duckling" by Don Crawford & the Escorts.

Al Browne (Piano) with his band

When Al was producing for the Scepter Label on some early releases, he took the Starlites with him.  Here, They became Eddie & Starlites for their release in Late December 1958 - cut in October at a split session with the Criterions/Kents. At that time the group has been much change members, completely different than the group on Peak and consists of Eddie Jenkins, Robert Honey, Teddy Odes, Vel Miller and Archie Price. Al Browne must have recorded them many times, because of the material that appeared years later on various labels. He Used "Three Steps To Heaven" on his "Dyno Sounds" Moon LP. Five years later, the group’s next record was issued on Al’s reactivated Aljon Label.

  

The group made appearances at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre with Murray the K, with Alan Freed at Brooklyn Paramount Theatre, the world famous Apollo Theater, the Majestic Theatre in Pennsylvania, the Howard Theatre in Washington, DC, and the Uptown Theatre in Pennsylvania. They have made numerous tours arounds the country. In 1961, not seeing their careers take off, lead singer, Eddie Jenkins and Robert Honey and probably the other members of the group recorded as The Whippoorwills for Josie records the titles "Deep Within" (wrote by Eddie Jenkins and Robert Honey) and "Going To A Party ".

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim)

Eddie & The Starlites (2)

      

To Make A Long Story Short          Pretty Little Girl              Come On Home

      

I Can Dream                      I Love You                 Come On Home (alt. version)

     
I Need Some Money        Nobody But You And Me / Three Steps To Go     You Told Me So

The Whippoorwills (2)

   Deep Within / Going To A Party

TRIBUNES (2)

 

The Tribunes (2) (Bronx, New York)

 

Personnel :

Tony Acaron (Lead)

Anthony Vasquez

Junior Vasquez

Sonny Lopez

John Costello

 

Discography :

1962 - The Code Of Love / Now That You're Gone (Derrick 502)

Biography :

It's 1957, and Tony Acaron and his buddies are singing a Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers song on the corner of 138th St. & Cypress Ave. in the Bronx. Taking their name from movie 'The Robe,' where Victor Mature' was made a Roman Tribune. In 1962, Tony Acaron now had four new members:  Anthony Vasquez, Junior Vasquez, Sonny Lopez and John Costello. They recorded "Code Of Love" on Paul Winley's "Derrick" label. The group made in person appearances at The famous "Apollo" theater in Harlem and The Jazz Corner Of The World "BIRDLAND" in NYC.

http://tribunes.homestead.com/Tribunes2.html

Songs :

 

   

       The Code Of Love                     Now That You're Gone 

BLUE JAYS (3) - VALUES

 

The Blue Jays (3) (Venice, California)

aka The Values

 

Personnel :

Leon Peels（lead）

Van Earl Richardson（Tenor）

Alexander Manigo（Baritone）

Leonard Davidson（Bass）

 

Discography :

The Blue Jays (3)

Singles :

1961 - Lover's Island / You're Gonna Cry (Milestone 2008)

1961 - Tears Are Falling / Tree Tall Len (Milestone 2009)

1961 - Let's Make Love / Rock, Rock, Rock (Milestone 2010)

1962 - The Right To Love / Rock, Rock, Rock (Milestone 2012)

1962 - Venus My Love / Tree Tall Len (Milestone 2014)

Lps :

1962 - The Blue Jays Meet Little Caesar & The Romans (Mileston 1001)

Tears Are Falling / Tree Tall Len / The Right to Love / Rock, Rock, Rock / Let's Make Love / Lover's Island / You're Gonna Cry / Venus My Love

 

Leon Peels & The Blue Jays  (3)

1990 - Once Upon a Love / Alice From Above (Classic Artists 111)

The Values

1962 - Return To Me / That's The Way (Invicta 1002/Ember 211'1965')

 

Leon Peels & The Hi-Tensions

Singles :

1964 - A Magic Island / Darlene (Whirlybird 2008)

Unreleased :

1964 - Woe Is Me  (Whirlybird)

1964 - Thats All It Took  (Whirlybird)

Leon Peels

1964 - A Casual Kiss / Cottonhead Joe (Whirlybird 2002)

Leon Peels & Lolly Vegas Trio

Unreleased:

1965 - The Heart You Break May Be Your Own        

1965 - So Long Lovers Island   

 

Biography :

The Blue Jays perfectly represent the transitional era between '50s R&B and the '60s soul era by singing doo wop-styled songs with a gospelly lead vocal. They are best known for their 1961 Top 40 hit "Lovers Island," which many consider to be the last hit record in true doo wop style. The Los Angeles-based vocal quartet — Leon Peels (b. 1936, Newport, AR), Van Richardson, Alex Manigo, and Leonard Davidson (aka "Len" and "Tree Tall Len") — came together in the suburb of Venice, CA, in 1961.

Following an appearance at an amateur show at the Fox Theater in Venice, the group were put in touch with country singer Werly Fairburn, who signed them to his Milestone label. Milestone's roster consisted mostly of rockabilly bands and had already achieved some success with the Paradons ("Diamonds and Pearls"). The Blue Jays' first single "Lovers Island," written by Peels and Manigeault, seemed almost like a throwback to an earlier time in vocal group music.

  

Though it was not a big seller like other vocal act singles of the time by groups like the Jive Five or the Dreamlovers — it charted in the pop Top 40 at number 31 and performed well on the local L.A. R&B charts — it served as a beautiful swan song for the doo wop era.  The group followed their hit with singles like "Tears Are Falling" (1961) and "The Right to Love" (1962), but nothing came of them and the group change their name to 'the Values' and recorded "Return To Me" b/w "That's The Way" on the Invicta label. The group broke up in early 1962. Leon Peels later recorded a number of singles — including "On a Magic Island" — for Whirlybird Records, backed by the Hi-Tensions.

 

Songs :

The Blue Jays (3)

      

    Lover's Island                     You're Gonna Cry                  Tears Are Falling      

      

Tree Tall Len                       Let's Make Love                   Rock, Rock, Rock

       

The Right To Love                   Venus My Love                 Once Upon a Love

Alice From Above

The Values  

   

That's The Way                    Return To Me