GAYLORDS - IMPERIALS (2) - AMBASSADORS (1)

 

The Gaylords (Newark, New Jersey)

aka The Imperials (2)  Maybe The Ambassadors (1)

 

Personnel :

George Copes

Rudy Copes

James Morris

Earl Thomas

Louis Van Dyke

 

Discography :

The Gaylords

1953 - Get Mad, Baby / Go On, Baby (Savoy 852)

The Imperials (2)

1953 - My Darling / You Should Have Told Me (Savoy 1104)

1954 - Why Did You Leave Me / Hard Workin' Woman (Derby 858)

The Ambassadors (1)

Single :

1954 - Darling I'm Sorry (I Made You Cry) / Willa Bea (Timely 1001)

Unreleased :

1954 - Calling For love  (Timely)

1954 - Moanin'  (Timely)

 

Biography :

Vocal group from Newark, New Jersey, The Gaylords consisted of George Copes, Rudy Copes, James Morris, Earl Thomas, Louis Van Dyke. May 23, 1952, the group recorded four sides in the same session : "Get Mad Baby","Go On Baby", "My Darling" and "You Should Have Told Me". Savoy released "Get Mad Baby" b/w "Go On Baby" as the Gaylords (# 852).  Because there was a pop group at mercury also called the Gaylords, Savoy changed this group's name to the Imperials and released " My Darling" b/w "You Should Have Told Me". The same Imperials, in July 1954, had a release on Derby (# 858): "Why Did You Leave Me" b/w "Hard Workin' Woman". Louis Van Dyke was part of the Ambassadors  that recorded for Timely in Sept '53, maybe the imperials became the Ambassadors…??? 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Gaylords

  

       Go On, Baby                                  Get Mad, Baby      

The Imperials (2)

   

              My Darling                      You Should Have Told Me    

   

Why Did You Leave Me                    Hard Workin' Woman

The Ambassadors (1)

  

Willa Bea  / Darling I'm Sorry.....                       Calling For love       

Moanin'

 

SHORT TWINS

The Short Twins (Hollywood, CA)

Personnel :

Robert Labnon

Ray Labnon

Discography :

1958 - Take A Look / I'm Gonna Love You More And More (Apex 76428 /Eagle 1005)

1960 - Love Is Just A Game To You / We Are In Love (Apex 76652/Jewel 1656)

1961 - Lover Boy / Plymouth Rock (20th Fox 283)

Biography :

Robert Labnon and Ray Labnon, twin brother, were living out in Hollywood, California after Robert had traveled all around out in Hollywood, California. They decided to come back home and visit and go to New York City and audition, audition for the Godfrey. Arthur Godfrey and his whole entourage liked the twin brothers, so they we were on the show. They won the grand prize and performed the first week with two other acts and they won. That entitled the twin brothers to come back three weeks later to compete with the three winning acts and they won that which was the grand prize of five thousand dollars.  They finished that and get a phone call from Jimmy Dean. Jimmy Dean calls them up and says "I would love to have the boys in Washington D.C. on my TV show next Wednesday or whenever, if they can make it.” They “We will Make it. "So they went out there and they had a national hook up with Jimmy Dean's TV show .

   

So they did that and came back to New York on completion of that and started living in New York City now. they had rented a nice apartment and started going to all the various offices, agents, writers, music writers, and they were looking to try to get some recordings going.  One thing led to another and they met another set of twins in New York. They were from Canada and they said  “Boys why don't you come with us to our Office. They are looking for some talent to record.” So, they went and met these writers , they sang and  auditioned for them. They liked the twins very much and said “OK, we will record you.” . The first record was released in 1958 :  "Take A Look" b/w "I'm Gonna Love You More And More" on Apex. This was the first record that they put out, and then they went out on a thirty-one day tour with the company sending the Short-Twins to Boston, Chicago, Detroit, New York, New Hampshire, for thirty-‐one days going to all the radio stations, all the disc jockeys getting that record going. They went back to New York and recorded  “Love Is Just A Game To You" b/w "We Are In Love” for Apex. The Short Twins recorded a third single in 1961 for 20th Fox "Lover Boy" b/w "Plymouth Rock". In 1962, Ray met a beautiful lady named Donna, They became Donna & The Short Twins. They used to do songs in French, Italian. They traveled. They got hooked up with the shows in Europe and went to Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, Tripoli entertaining all the military bases, a state‐side contract, all the Military Bases for some years.

Songs :

   

Love Is Just A Game To You

 

SAVOYS (4) - SAVOY"S - KINGSMEN (3) (CINDY ADAMS & THE)

 

The Savoys (4) (San Jose, CA)

aka The Savoys's aka Cindy Adams & The Kingsmen (3)

 

Personnel :

Albert Richie (lead Vocals, Piano)

Beverly Soares (Vocals, Percussion)

Chris Ray (Lead Guitar, Vocals)

Bruce Hird (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals)

 

Discography :

The Savoys (4)

1959 - The Mortal Monster Man / Watching The Sea ‎(Bella    2212/13-58)

1960 - You're The Beating Of My Heart / You Heartless One (Christy 130)

The Savoy's

1959 - I Love My Baby / You And I (Bella 18)

Marguerite Trina & The Savoys (4)

1959 - The Rocking Tree / The Brat (Bella 19)    

Cindy Adams & The Kingsmen (3)

1960 - You And I / Baby Pie (Shelby 1)

Pat La Rocca & The Savoys (4)

1959 - Rowena / Don't Do Me Wrong (Bella 15)    

 

Biography :

This group hailed from San Jose, CA and played throughout the bay area during the late 50s and early 60s.. The Savoys were composed by Albert Richie (lead Vocals, Piano), Beverly Soares (Vocals, Percussion), Chris Ray (Lead Guitar, Vocals) and Bruce Hird (Rhythm Guitar, Vocals). In 1959 The Savoys signed a recording contract with Bella Records.  The Bella label was created by John Pusateri out of San Jose, California.  John, a native of Franklin, Louisiana, had moved to San Jose in the 1920s but kept close contact with musicians in south Louisiana.  He produced and created a wealth of great music, mostly doo-wop in the 1950s. He was also a prolific writer and composer for other labels as well.

       

            John Pusateri                                                                              Pat La Rocca             

The Savoys cut two singles for Bella , "The Mortal Monster Man" b/w "Watching The Sea" and "I Love My Baby" b/w "You And I" and backed Pat La Rocca and Marguerite Trina.  In early 1960, They recorded "You're The Beating Of My Heart" b/w "You Heartless One" at Christy Records of Los Gatos (California). "I Love My Baby" and  "You And I" on Bella Records by The Savoys were released under Cindy Adams (Beverly  Soares) & The Kingsmen on Shelby Records. The Doo Wop intro to "You And I" was removed from this release and "I Love My Baby" was renamed "Baby Pie". Albert Richie married Beverly and formed a new group in the late sixties called Beverly Rich & The Poor Boys with a different lineup. 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

The Savoys (4) / The Savoy's

   

You're The Beating Of My Heart                 You And I                  

  

The Mortal Monster Man                  Watching The Sea   

Pat La Rocca & The Savoys (4)

  

       Rowena                             Don't Do Me Wrong

 

Marguerite Trina & The Savoys (4)

   

The Rocking Tree                                The Brat        

CAMEOS (1)

 

Vernon Green

The Cameos (1) (Los Angeles)

Personnel :

Vernon Green (Tenor)

Frankie Marshall (Tenor)

Kenneth Williams (Tenor)

Discography :

1955 - Only for You / Craving (Dooto 365)

Discography :

The Medallions were formed by lead singer Vernon Green  in Los Angeles, California, USA, after record company boss Dootsie Williams commented on the quality of his voice as he was walking down the street one day. The rest of the group were built around Green’s strong vocal abilities, and took their collective name from their leader’s fondness for jewellery. They released three singles for Dootone’s Dooto subsidiary between 1956 and 1957 in this manner.

   

                                                                         Dootsie Williams

Green responded by putting together a new group featuring Kenneth Williams and Frank Marshall, issuing "Only For You" b/w "Craving" on Dootone in June 1955. Billed as the Cameos, this formation did not last, however, and Dootsie Williams then placed Green as singer with another of his groups, the Dootones (who shared the name of the label).

Songs :

   

Only for You                                            Craving     

GRACE NOTES - PAIR OF KINGS - TOKENS (3) (JOHNNY & THE) - KINGS (4) (JOHNNY & THE)

 

A Pair Of Kings   

A Pair Of Kings (Brooklyn, New York)

aka Johnny & The Kings (4)

aka Johnny & The Tokens (3)

aka The Grace Notes

 

Personnel :

John Guiffre (Lead)

Jimmy "Sims" Smith

Jerry Vance

John Truscelli

 

Discography :

The Grace Notes

Unreleased :

1957 - Send Me An Angel / First Love

A Pair Of Kings

1959 - Once / The Monster (RCA 7659)

1960 - Just Two Guys / I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight  (Warwick 608)

1961 - Ev'rytime / Just Two Guys (Warwick 647)

Johnny & The Tokens (3)

1961 - The Taste Of A Tear /  Never Till Now (Warwick 658)

Johnny & The Kings (4)

1961 - The Taste Of A Tear /  Never Till Now (Warwick 658)

Biography :

Jerry Vance attended James Madison H.S. with Barry Mann. Jerry played alto sax in the H.S. dance band. In 1956 his senior year, Jerry joined a group called the Grace Notes. Jimmy "Sims" Smith sang lead and two other members were John Guiffre and a girl. The group wrote, produced and arranged their session at Nola Studios. The demo was unmarketable and the group soon broke up. Jimmy and Jerry stayed together and met an independent producer who recorded them at Long Island studio, doing two songs which were unreleased; On both sides, singing background was a young girl named Ellie Greenwich.

      

                               1959 -    A Pair Of Kings                                                                  1960 - Johnny & The Kings                            

The fellows were becoming disenchanted when they met Howie Epstein, John McCarthy and Terry Phillips. Howie got the group an audition with RCA. As "A Pair Of Kings", Jerry and Jimmy recorded "The Monster". A pair Of Kings moved to Morty Craft's Warwick label, keeping their RCA Name. After two releases, John Guiffre rejoined the group after getting out of the service. With a four member named John Truscelli, they released "The Taste Of A Tear" b/w  "Never Till Now" as Johnny & The Kings.

  

                     1961 - Johnny & The Tokens At the Palisades Park                                                                                                    

In 1961, The Tokens were one of the hottest and most talented groups in early 60s. kicking things off with "Tonight i Fell In Love" on the Warwick Label. Big boy RCA-Victor came up with a big money offer, and the Tokens jumped over There, immediately hitting #1 with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". their phenomenal career took all from there.

1961 - Johnny & The Tokens At the Palisades Park

 Morty Craft of Warwick was not happy about losing these moneymakers and reacted by changing the Name of Johnny & The Kings into Johnny & The Tokens (his label had done extremely well with Johnny & The Hurricanes) . They were good enough to make a brief appearance on the national chart. This name was never used again.

 

Songs :

(updated by Hans-Joachim) 

 A Pair Of Kings

   

     The Monster                                         Once                

 

Ev'rytime

Johnny & The Tokens (3) / The Kings (4)

   

       Never Till Now                                The Taste Of A Tear