The Brooklyn vocal group know as The Impacts started as an interracial mixed group( 3 black,1 white and one female) by Steve Liebowitz,Horace Brooks,Robert Barber,Kenneth Seymour and Helen Powell.
In 1958 this formation recorded one single for Watts Records_Soup/Now Is The Time.
Peter"Anders"Andreoli and Vince Poncia Jr. were present in the Jeff Kreiter Vocal Group Record Guide as Pete & Vinnie on Big Top Records.
Pete and Vinnie were part of the Providence,Rhode island vocal group The Videls(see in this blog) in this group they singing and written their own compositions and in the summer of 1960 charted #73 with their tune_Mister Lonely.
Above;The Videls 1959 (left to right): Bobby Calitri, VINNIE PONCIA, PETER"ANDERS" ANDREOLI, Dino Amaral, Norman Marzano.
Above;The Videls 1960: (left to right): Norman Marzano, PETER"ANDERS" ANDREOLI, VINNIE PONCIA, Bobby Calitri, Herbert Rickey.
When the Videls broke up in late 1961 Pete and Vinnie joined forces with Allie Contrera and George Galfo of The Mystics and for a brief time they perfomed live as both The Mystics and The Videls.
In 1962 Anders recorded one single for Corvair records and Vinnie on Elmor Records as Vince Parelle but without any success.in 1963 the writting team signed with famed writer Doc Pomus and writing several songs as_Why Can't We Try It Again/Laughing Fool/Remember Me/Why Does The Dance Have To End/Laughs Laughs/ Hand Clappin Time/Ballad Of The Willow Three/After The Party's Over/What'll Do With The Pieces/She's The Girl Who Stole My Baby/Understand Me. All these sides were recorded in 1963 as Demos by Pete & Vinnie .
Finally the New York based label Big Top Record was interested in one side of the duo_Hand Clappin' Time. Peter and Vinnie with Allie Contrera,George Galfo,Albie Cracolici and Phil Cracolici of The Mystics recorded again the song on two parts and finally the label released these two sides in late 1963 as_Hand Clappin' Time (part 1) and (Part 2).
Above left to right; Allie Contrera,Phil Cracolici,George Galfo and Albie Cracolici of The Mystics who recorded with Pete and Vinnie.
After this recording the team signed with Phil Spector and writing songs for The Ronettes and singing on spector's short-lived Shirley label as The Treasures.the duo continue writing several songs for other artists and for their own group The Tradewinds(see in this blog) until 1967.
The Happenings( aka The Four Graduates) were present in the Jeff Kreiter's Vocal Group Record Guide with...
-Girls On The Go/Go-Go. B T Puppy Records-1966. -See You In September/He Thing He's A Hero. B T Puppy Records-1966. -Go Away Little Girl/ Tea Time. B T Puppy Records-1966. -Goodnight My Love/Lillies By Money. B T Puppy Records-1966. -I Believe In Nothing/My Mummy. B T Puppy Records-1967. -Why Do Fools Fall In LOve/When The Summer Is Through. B T Puppy Records-1967.
In the summer of 1966 charted # 3 nationally with _See You In September. originally by The Tempo's(see in this blog).
In 1959 Jerry Landis aka Paul Simon with Carole Klein(King) forming the studio group know as THE COSINES(Paul;Guitar,Bass,Lead Vocals.Carole;Piano,Drums,back up Vocals) they sang all the parts on various doo wop demos as_Ask Me Why. or_Just To Be With You.
In 1992 Chance Records release one 45 with these two doo wop demos sides under the name of Jerry Landis.
LISTEN...
Additional Note.
-Just To Be With You. was written by Marv Kalfin for The Passions but first recorded as a demo by The Cosines.
The Passions charted #69 nationally in late 1959 with the final released version of_Just To Be With You.
LISTEN...
Also in 1959 Rudy West of The Five Keys recorded his version for King Records and in 1963 The Paramounts for Laurie Records.
The UK Monotones were a band from Southend-on Sea in Essex, about 45 miles directly east of London PRESENT in all the US doo wop guides with their single_ What Would I Do/Is It Right. released in 1964 by Hickory Records(originally on the UK label Pye Records) but...
THEY DON'T HAVE A DOO WOP OR HARMONY VOCAL GROUP SOUND.
In 1961 Brooklyn songwriter/producer team of Bob Feldman and Jerry Goldstein recorded an answer song to Barry Mann's _Who Put The Bomp. with the title of _We're The Guys.
Richie Hart with his Heartbeats were present in The Complete Book Of Doo Wop with their oriented doo wop ballad_I Want You. recorded in 1960 on MCI Records.
The Honeys were formed in 1963 by Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys as the world's first all girl surf music group consisting of his girlfriend (and future wife), Marilyn Rovell, her sister, Diane, and their cousin, Ginger Blake. They got their name from the 1962 Beach Boys hit, Surfin' Safari, which contained the lyric : "Early in the morning we'll be startin' out, some Honeys will be comin' along..."
Left to right;Marilyn Rovell,Diane Rovell and Ginger Blake.
The group recorded several singles for Capitol Records, and one for Warner Brothers, in the '60's. During this time, they also served as backing singers for the Beach Boys (Be True To Your School, as well as possibly others), Jan & Dean (New Girl In School), Bruce & Terry, and The Surfaris (I Wanna Take A Trip To The Islands), and cut demos for Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, Hayley Mills, and The Shangri-Las.
-I Love The Way You Walk/That Song. United Artists-1963.
This band from Scarsdale, NY. consisted of Al Torzilli,Richard Schwitzer,Elliot Bean and Ed Smith with Jane Foley and Lynn Constantine as back up female singers.
This group/band from Utica,New York (From left: Guy Vivenzo, Dick Laurey, Gates Intino, Jim Hanna and Jon Hynes) is present in the Jeff Kreiter's Vocal Group Record Guide with...
THE BEL AIRS with Gates Intino (Vocal).
-You're The Greatest/You Left Me. Aegis Records-19??.
(The A Side have a great White Street Corner Doo Wop Sound).
Well know 70's and 80's country singer Kenny Rogers started their professional career in Houston,Texas in 1956 at age 17 with the rockin vocal group The Scholars formed by Kenny and his high school friends at The Jefferson Davis High School.
Above; The Scholars.
Managed by Kenny's brother Lelan the group recorded in February 1956 for the local Cue label_Poor Little Doggie/What Did I Do Wrong. the A side have some success and the label released another single in September_Waddle/Spin The Wheel.
LISTEN...
This "Success" moved to a major label Dot Records from California to purchased the Scholar's masters to Cue Records and released two singles of the group in 1956_Rocky Road/Spin The Wheel. and_If You Listen With Your Heart/Poor Little Doggie.
With the national distribution of their recordings finally in 1957 the group signed with Los Angeles based label Imperial Records where recorded in 1957 the sides_Belowed/I Didn't Want To Do It.
LISTEN...
After this recording the lead of the group Al Eisman(Kenny sang 1st Tenor/Bass Guitar Player) left the group and this broke up.
In late 1957 Imperial Records released another single of the group_Eternally Yours/Kan-Gu-Wa.
Later Kenny recorded his first solo success as Kenneth Rogers_That Crazy Feeling. on Carlton Records and as Lee Harrison(see in this blog).in the 60's he have a big success with their band First Edition and in the 70's and 80's continue in the top of the nationally charts with his know name of Kenny Rogers.
Dean and Marc Mathis from Hahira,Georgia were present in the Jeff Kreiter's Vocal Group Record Guide with their doo wop side_Sioux City Sue. Recorded on Argo Records in 1959 as THE BROTHERS.
In 1959 Dave Burgess original member of The Champs of "Tequila" fame recorded with current Champ's members Jimmy Seals and Dash Crofts as DAVE BURGESS & THE CHIMES.
Above from left Dash Crofts,Dave Burgees and Jimmy Seals.
According to the doo wop guides they recorded...
-Lulu/I Don't Want To Know. Challenge Records-1959.
Hispanic group / band from Detroit formed by Tony Maldonado (Lead) his brother, Jesse Maldonado (Drums), Shelby Walker (Bass and Guitar) and other two unknow members.
They signed with Fortune Records where in 1960 played instruments in the Doctor Ross “The Harmonica Boss” sides_Sugar Mama / I’d Rather Be An Old.
In 1961 recorded their own material with a doo wop and rock sound...
-La Bomba / Jane, Why Did You Do It.
-Love, Boy (Made A Fool Out Of You) / Maria Christina.
In 1963 recorded two instrumeltal sides on the subsidiary Fortune label, Hi-Q Records....
-Donkey Walk/Pork Chops.
And in 1964 played for Nolan Strong & The Diablos sides_Are You Making a Fool Out Of Me / You’re My Happiness.
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.