Nick is the youngest of six children, four girls and two boys. His mom and dad migrated to Newark, New Jersey from Sicily, Italy. Nick started singing at the very young age of 4 years old. He sang on stage with the great Louie Prima at the age of 6. During the Puccio family summers at the Jersey Shore in Long Branch, on any given night, you would find little Nick singing, dancing, and acting for crowds of people on the boardwalk. In his teens, Nick formed a singing group called "The Rhythm Stars "with Arthur Salicetti & some friends from Newark High School. Nick and Artie wrote and recorded some songs for the Group and the Rhythm Stars recorded two singles for Clock & Corsican Records . They sang Rock and Pop at many of the local night spots and concert halls. When the group broke up, Nick Puccio a Arthur Salicetti decided to form a team named the Nicardi Brothers. In 1960 they wrote and recorded "That Pretty Girl" b/w "Lonely" and "The Ring" b/w "How Come I'M Cry Now?" for ABC H againe later formed a new musical/singing group called "Nick Puccio and the Soft Touch". Nick played a few different instruments like the drums, trumpet, and bass, and he also was a musical composer. He had approximately eight songs that he wrote and that were published and recorded. As he grew older, with the help of his friends Joe Pesci and Frank Vincent (who is like a brother to Nick), he was given a chance to live a dream by playing a small role in the film "Casino". That was the start of his film career. He then went on to do the all time TV hit "NYPD Blue", and films like "The Shadow Conspiracy", "Witness To The Mob", "The North End", "Under Hell Gate Bridge", Life's Decisions", "A Grave Debt", "The Tournament" which Nick also Produced, "Find Me Guilty", "PJ", "The Bakery", and more
Another interracial band present in all the doo wop guides were The Tranells from Lancaster,Pa. first know as The Phoenicians and consisted of Howard Washington (Vocal) Joan Stewart(Lead Vocal),Chet Stewart(Vocal),Dave McPhail(Keyboards),Harold Sheetz(Lead Guitar),Harry Wilkerson(Bass Guitar),Al Gates(Sax) and Buddy Gantz(Percussion).
In late 1963 they recorded at Sound Plus Studios of Philadelphia the sides_The Music Swayed/Come On And tell Me. finally these tunes were released as single in March,1964 by Chelten Records.the record became a huge regional hit and today is considered very rare.
Rockabilly singer John Worthan recorded in 1959 with the girl duo know as The Charmettes on the Jefferson,GA based label Peach Records owened by Slim Williamson the teen doo wop sides_Awake Or Dreaming/Dream Boy Dream.
The Endells were a mixed group-band from the Harrisburg area in Pennsylvania formed by a white band consisting(the group have many personal changes) of the founder Bob Angelucci,Tom Pane,Terry Crousore and Tom Hoover and a black group formed by Larry Settles(Lead),Mit Palmer,John Scales and Art Proctor.
In 1963 recorded for the Hy Fenster's Heigh-Ho label the sides_Vicky/The Monkey Dance.
The Triumphs started in 1957 on Brewer,Maine as a three-part harmony vocal group,Dick Cotter,Stan Pyzynski and Carl Feliciani they singing the classics doo wop songs as Get a Job or At The Hop. but when they signed for the Canadian-based Arc Records this label add intruments and recorded the group as a classic Rock & Roll group of those days and dead the doo wop sound of the group.
1958 in the Bronx Guy Villari,Sal Cuomo,Chuck Fassert and Ernie Maresca started as The Monterays.recorded some demos as_Santa Claus(He Gained More Weight)/Christmas Time Angel. and signed with Seville Records and changing their name to The Desires and recorded the sides_I Ask You/Story Of Love. but the label don't issue the disc until 1962.
Below Ernie Maresca member of The Monterays/Desires and later he had a hit with _Shout, Shout - Knock Yourself Out. and write songs as_No One Knows. for Dion & The Belmonts.
After this recording Ernie left the group and was replaced by Donnie Jacobucci and again changed their name to The Regents(by the Regent studio or the cigarettes Regents) the group recorded a few of demos as_Teenage Love. or_Barbara Ann. written by Chuck's brother and sister.but the group without made another recording broke up soon.
1961 Donnie Jacobucci's brother,Eddie finding the Regent's old demo of_Barbara Ann. around the house and recorded this as a demo with their own group The Darts later know as The Consorts/Chuckles(see in this blog) and present the song to Lou Chicchetti of Cousin's Records he liked the side and want record it but Fred Fassert the original writer give to Lou the original Regent's demo and as result Cicchetti release the original demo(with an overdubbed bass) and as B side_I'm So Lonely. recorded by the new Regent's group Sal Cuomo,Charles Fassert,Tony Gravagna,Guy Villary and Don Jacobucci.
Listen Dart's demo...
Listen Regent's original version...
The recording was an immediate hit in New York and Lou sale the master to Roulette Records and the disc charted #13 nationally and was nº1 in Phylippines.finally the record was re-released on the subsidiary label Gee Records.
The group have big personal appearances and Roulette produce a LP and cut new sides of the group but in this time the group have other personal changes Ronnie Lapinsky of The Tremonts,Bob Falcone of The camerons,Al Reno of The Selections and Sonny Dee were now part of The Regents.
Their next single_Runaround/Laura My Darling. was released by Gee in the summer of 1961 and the first side charted #28 nationally.
LISTEN...
Two more singles were released,in late 1961_Don't Be A Fool/Liar. and in 1962_Oh Baby/Lonesome Boy. but these sides no charting nationally and their final breakup was not long in coming.
LISTEN...
In 1964 Guy Villary,Chuck Fassert and Ronnie Lapinsky recorded as The Runarounds(see in this blog).
Additional Notes;
Sweden issued an EP with four songs from the Regent's album.of this rare EP,only 2000 copies were pressed with blue and red vinyl and one different picture of the group.
In 1961 Lee Mareno(See in this blog) released two sides on New Art Records(reissued on Specter) _Lonely Summer/Goddess Of Love.this recording is suposed backed by the Runarounds or a later formation of The Regents.
Rare picture of Eddie & The Emeralds, an early sixties unrecorded doo wop group from Saint Francis Prep in Brooklyn and consisted of Ed Deschner(Lead),Jim McGreeve(Bass-Baritone),George Taylor(2nd Tenor) and Charley DiVuolo(1st tenor).
They recorded demos as_This is My Love/Juanita,/Warm/Sunday Kind Of Love.
The group got together,on and off,until the early seventies. later Charley recorded with the acapella group Jersey Dream.
In 1957 four members of the black group The Fi-Tones;Reggie Barnes,Lowe Murray,Cecil Holmes and Ron Anderson back up to the white Atlas Recording Artist Vic Donna.
In two songs written by Vic_My Life Is In Your Hands/The Pair Of Heart & Soul.these songs were recorded by Atlas Records but never released.
Above The Idols the an unrecorded group from Rhode Island formed in 1956 by (left to right): Eddie Palmisciano, Richard Mancini & Joe Mancini
In 1960 were know as THE CORALS formed by (left to right): Dino Amaral(1 st tenor), Tommy Ciccone(2nd Tenor), Richard Mancini(Lead), Louie Camp(Bass) & Joe Mancini(Baritone).
They recorded some demos songs as_The Girl I Left Behind/Why Oh Why/Foolish Pride/I'll Always Love You.
In 1963 the Compliments Johnny Lagana,Dennis Ferringo and Leopoldo Gonzalez recorded_Angels Of Mercy/Nobody Knows. for the New York City label Shell Records with Michael Zara on Lead.
LISTEN...
In 1964 Vic Donna replaced Michael Zara ( in this time he was hospitalized) and with the british invasion the group changed their sound add new members Jon prano(Drums),Bernie Lee Goode(Piano) and Jack Dina(Guitar) and recorded in 1965 for Congress Records two Northern Soul singles.
-Shake It Up Shake It Down (Vic on Lead)/You Are My Sunshine (Bernie on Lead).
-Everybody Loves A Lover (Bernie on Lead)/The Time Of Her Life (Vic On Lead).
-The Time Of Her Life.was very popular in the Soul Group Harmony circuit.
LISTEN...
Additional Notes;
Their second single is listed in the Jeff Kreiter Vocal Group Record Guide.
Vic Donna recorded in 1957 with The Parakeets for Atlas Records(See in this blog).
For more Vic Donna information visit; http://www.classicurbanharmony.net/index.htm
A Rhode Island based group recorded on the DASA label, the group members were, Ron Lewis, Ray Wasilewski, Frankie Bianchini and Johnny Wahl, the songs recorded by the group were produced by Bill Goodman also from R.I. "Phylis Beloved" sung by Ray Wasilewski, "The Girl For Me" sung by Ron Lewis, The Desires performed on tv dance parties, and numerous record hops.
In 1960 Darlene Yoshimoto from Hawaii recorded for Danco Records(as Darlene & The Jokers) the sides_Frankie/Love Me,Love Me. In this recording Darlene have as back up group to the Hawaiian vocal group The Jokers.
-Frankie. was originally recorded by Connie Francis in 1959 and charted #9 nationally.
In this page you can listen and download a selecction of acetates.
Some of they never were released as an official 45rpm.
Rare acetate with Three songs_Upon The Room / Wind / If I Only Know. recorded in Columbus, Ohio.
Date and name of the group were unknow, as you can see the record only have printed the members name; Jack Thurnas, Mike Pope, Joe Hardy and Gene Cottin.
Claudia & The Blue Jays with "Please Come Back" I suppose that is an unreleased teen doo wop side.
If anyone has information about this group, let me know.
LISTEN...
Unknown singer, song is "Sugar Baby", unknown year.
Does anyone know if this song was published and by whom?
LISTEN...
THE PHAROAHS (Lynn & Frank).
Rare acetate recorded by Lyn Best and Frank Amadeo as The Pharoahs with the side "My Girl" in 1957, but never released.
In 1958 Lynn and Frank as members of The Four Imperials (see in this blog) recorded this song for Chant records.
LISTEN...
Acetate without the name of the group and without the name of the song.
Any information about the group and the song will be appreciated.
LISTEN...
THE MARKEES.
45 rpm acetate record of the Makees from Houston, Texas with the sides "Forever Always / Little Lamb Rock."
A side is a doo wop ballad with an instrumental track on the B side.
LISTEN..
Actually they are THE VEL AIRES " from La Marque, Texas. Sam Corbett, Richard Presley, Roger Stanfield, Charles Lowe, Harry Faust & Gene Ennis. In 1961 they recorded the acetate sides for Dino records.
ACETATE DOO WOP (The Day We Fell In Love).
This is the Ovations song and is different from the released versions. I don't know if they are the Ovations with an alternative take or a different group with a new version.
Two white teen doo wop sides_(My Baby) Still In Love With Me / I Love
You. from a 1/4-inch master tape recorded in 1962 by Texas recording
engineer and A&R man Galyn Shelby who worked with Huey Meaux, Norman
Petty and others.
I unknow if these two sides were released in one 45.
The group name and song can not be read in the label. but as you can hear the title seems to be "Beverly". If anyone knows the group name please put a comment.
This is the Tabby's side "My Darling" on Time records from 1959 BUT from a rare 78 rpm acetate (the group is unknow). this version is more long and with variations also the songwriter is different. maybe this is the original version later copied by the Tabbys.
A 45 rpm studio acetate of a never-released single by a doo-wop group from New Jersey named THE VALATONES. The date listed on the labels is Feb. 15, 1964. The sides were _So Many Precious Things. and_Gemini Baby.
This comes from the collection of a longtime NYC sound engineer and may be one of a kind. It may also be the only existing recording of this music.
Acetate record of a group called The Hitch-Hikers. It is on Nola
Recording Studios Label out of NY. probably released in 1963/64 with 7
songs which are cover songs. They are;
-I Want To Be.
-Have You Heard.
-I Don't Want To Cry.
-Hitch Hiker.
-Love Bond.
-Coming Home.
-Since I Love You.
I do not find information about this group, I did not know if they are white, any information about them would be appreciated.
Unissued white doowop group acetate from Detroit done in 1957-58 by THE PARISIANS (The labels are marked Northwest Sound and Music by the Royalnotes) with the sides_Patricia/You Didn't Care.
The Parisians were the early Tony Micale's group later lead singer of The Reflections of_(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet. fame and member of The Larados from the 70's. The group consisted of Tony Micale (Lead),Dave Adams (Bass), Eddie Kaminski(Baritone) and Dennis Stamkoff(Tenor).
the music files presented are posted for purposes of musical enlightenment only.The intention is to raise awareness of underappreciated artists/songs. If you like what you hear, seek these artists out on CD or get out there and find some of this old vinyl for yourself... If you are the copyright holder and wish any files to be removed, I will do so immediately upon request.
