Johnny Aladdin

Johnny Aladdin (bb unknown group) (Brooklyn, New York)
aka The Pageants (3)

Personnel :

Johnny "Aladdin" Amplo

Unknown Girls Group

Discography :

Johnny Aladdin
1960 - Why Did You Go /  Happy Together (Chip 1001)

The Pageants (3)
1960 - Why Did You Go /  Happy Together (Goldisc 3013)

Biography :

From 1959, The Mystics and The Passions were invited to do many show . Manager Jim Gribble would use the popularity of his two group to get his other acts in show. Al Contrera from The Mystics had introduced Johnny Amplo to Jim Gribble. Johnny Amplo was sixteen years old and lived down the block from Al on 84th Street in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn and although a few years younger, would hang out with the group at Frankie and Johnny’s. One day Al suggested that he meet their manager, Jim Gribble, and audition for a recording contract. Johnny was extremely handsome, and he thought he was just what Jim was looking for. Jim Gribble became his manager and arranged a recording for him in 1960 with the songs "Happy Together" and "Why Did You Go" written by Stan Vincent and released  bu Chip Records as Johnny Aladdin. Johnny in that recording was backed by an unknown group of girls. In November 1960, the single was re-released by Goldisc records under the name of The Pageants. although he didn't have any major success, he was bitten by the show business bug. Years later, Johnny Amplo changed his name to John Roper and went on to have a successful acting career in Hollywood with roles in several Alfred Hitchcock movies.

Songs :

  
Why Did You Go                           Happy Together

...

The Octaves (2) (Detroit)

Personnel :

Joe Arcilesi

Dick Applin

Chuck Mills

Dominic Chiaravalli

?

Discography :

1958 - Mambo Carolyn / Your Too Young (Val 1001)

Biography :

Joe Arcilesi formed the group in 1954, while they were all attending Cooley High School, in Detroit. The Octaves consisted of Joe Arcilesi, Dick Applin, Chuck Mills, Dominic Chiaravalli & another guy. Most of their were involved with the vocal music classes and select groups, of the music department. They were very interested in the most if the black vocal groups that were singing the Detroit Doo-Wop, Blues and spirituals. Motown, was just starting at the time and they would not welcome a white group, singing the black sound. they were instrumential in introducing that sound as we sang the sock hop's in the Westside of the city.

They were also influenced by the close harmony sound of The Four Freshmen and they would include that close harmony, in their Doo-Wop sound "You're Too Young". In 1958 they recorded the single "Mambo Carolyn" / "Your Too Young" on Val Records. The record was written and produced by the Octaves. They also distributed it. The Octaves had six wonderful years, after they graduated high school, singing throughout the mid-west, and if they only had met the people that knew the record business, they may have gone further.
Joe Arcilesi

Songs :

  
Mambo Carolyn                              Your Too Young

...

Richie & The Royals (5) (Philadelphia)


Personnel :

Richie Benatti (Lead)

Rob Shaner (First Tenor)

Al Marrone (Second Tenor)

Norm Shaner (Baritone)

Bob Beato (Bass)

Discography :

Singles :
1961 - And When I'm Near You / Goody Goody (Rello 1)
1962 - Be My Girl / We're Strollin' (Rello 3/Golden Crest 573)

Unreleased :
1961 - Glad You're My Girl (Rello)
1961- Oh What a Nite (acap) (Rello)
1961 - What Chance Have I  (Rello)
1961 - Glad You're My Girl  (Rello)
1961- I Only Want You (acap) (Rello)

Biography :

Richie & the Royals were from South Philly and raised on the same corner as Anthony Maresco, 20th &Moore. Anthony was Anthony & Sophomores, Tony & Dynamics & Twilighters. Richie Benatti adored the older Maresco and tried to copy his style in singing. Richie didn't have the voice that Anthony had but Richie had the better look. The group went to South Philly High and used to sing in the halls and bathrooms of the school, they were heard by one of their teacher's, Steve Toderello. Steve felt they needed a manager and producer so he signed the group and got them into a recording studio. The group's first release was "And When I'm Near You" b/w "Goody Goody"on Steve's Rello label. The group appeared at record hops and the girls screamed for the five good looking guys and the record began to climb the charts in Philly.

Richie & The Royals

The record never got national exposure because Steve's first venture into owning a label  caused him to realize  he wasn't ready for the big time yet. The next record released was this record and getting back to my first line, it was an interesting record mainly because Anthony Maresca recorded this song on the Jalynne label in '60 so Richie felt he had to do thais song. Steve released it in Philly and within two weeks struck a deal with Clark Galehouse to distribute the record nationally on his Golden Crest label.  Another interesting story is the flip side of this record, another Philly record called "We're Strollin'" which is the same song with a change in lyrics as the Philly's Fabulaires "While Walking" and was also recorded by other Philly groups, The Del-Aires and Tony & Raindrops. Al Kelly

Songs :

        
Be My Girl                     And When I'm Near You                  I Only Want You

        
     Goody Goody                        We're Strollin'                    What Chance Have I

      
Oh What a Nite                       I Only Want You                         Glad You're My Girl

...

Ray & Lindy (Owensboro, Ky.)

Personnel :

Ray Wilson

Lindy Estes

Discography :

Ray & Lindy
1957 - Oh Let Me Love You / Misery (Rocket 1957)
1957 - Hey Doll Baby / Love Must Be In The Air (Starday 333)
1958 - Little Miss Love / I Give Up (Starday 348)
1959 - Yes, That's Love / Angel Love (UA 171)
1959 - Big Betty / Jimmy's Got A Girl (Atco 6150)

Lindy Estes
1960 - Maria / Where Will I Go (To Forget You) (Fraternity 872   
1963 - Useless / It Could Happen To You (Exclusive 2273)
1963 - I Still Miss Someone / Do Darlin' (Joni 102)

Biography :

Rock and roll / Country Owensboro duet,  Ray (Wilson) and Lindy (Estes) recorded for a number of labels: Rocket, Starday, United Artists and Atco Records. As a duo, they were active between 1957 and 1959 and released five singles.  First out was "Oh Let Me Love You" / "Misery" on Rocket (#1957) in October 1957, followed by "Hey Doll Baby" / "Love Must Be In The Air" on Starday (#333) à month later. In March the following year, and for the same company, they released "Little Miss Love" / "I Give Up" (Starday #348).

Two month later May 1958, the duo had switched to United Artists where they change their musical style by turning to teenager songs with "Angel Love" / "Yes, Thats Love" (#171).  The topside of this disc was performed by Ray & Lindy on American Bandstand on June 8th 1959. Their final joint release was "Big Betty" / "Jimmys Got À Girl" on Atco (#6150) in November 1959. However, Lindy Estes also recorded for Fraternity as a solo act in 1960Ray And Lindy

Songs :

Ray & Lindy

  
Yes, That's Love                                    Angel Love   


...

Joey Delmar

Joey Delmar ( bb The Lucky-Tones)  (Camden, New Jersey)

Personnel:

Joey Delmar

The Lucky-Tones

Frank "Lucky" Cardone

George Wdzieczkowski

John Zduniak

Lee Wondo

Joe Bruno

Bob Aceto



Discography :

1962 - I Say A Prayer / I've Got It (Bell-Glade 1001)
1962 - Friendship Seven / Happiness (Britone 1001)

Biography :

Musician-producer-songwriters Frank Bendinelli and Leroy Lovett formed a production company, Ben-Lee Music, that generated tracks that were leased to other labels, as well as sides that were put out on their own small Philadelphia labels, like Benn-X and Sonata. They produced two single by Joey Delmar, both produced in 1962 by B & L Productions (Frank Bendinelli and Lee Leroy Lovett) and one of their earliest, before Patty & The Emblems (1964). Joey Delmar, 19-year-old Woodrow Wilson High School graduate have made his first major stage appearance in the "Teen Spectacular” at the Delaware Valley Gardens in Cherry Hillin in march 1962. 

   
                                                                                                                                                   Joey Delmar 

Since graduation from Wilson in June, 1960, Joey has appeared in many South Jersey clubs and shows and has cut a couple of records, ‘But they were never released" His first record tunes, “l've Got It," and “I Say a Prayer” will be released on Bell-Glade 1001. Joey is managed by Dick Gannon of Laurel Springs and Mary Riley, who was one of the first to spot his talents. In mid-1962, he recorded "Friendship Seven" b/w  "Happiness" released.  Several sources assure that the group which backed Joey would be the "lucky tones" a popular Camden's vocal & instrumental group composed of Frank "Lucky" Cardone, George Wdzieczkowski, John Zduniak, Lee Wondo, Joe Bruno and Bob Aceto.

Songs :

  
Friendship Seven                                      Happiness    


I've Got It

...