Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 230

 

The Corlettes. Girl group managed/supported by Big Al Downing (piano), Vernon Sandusky (guitar) and Bobby Poe. They released two 45s, on their own small labels, composed 3/4 tracks.

Genifer Glenn. Teen Pop singer - one single for Ford Records (label from New York City).

Lloyd McNeil. Country and Rock musician from Phoenix, Arizona. One single for Stacy Records (label from Chicago, Illinois).

Stan Mitchell. Teen Sound singer. One single for Gone Records (label from New York, NY).

The Nightingales. Teen Sound girl group. One single for Ray Star Records (label from Los Angeles, California).

Phil Soffos. Teen Rock singer. One single for MEM (label from Baltimore, Maryland), Soffos composed both songs.

Jim Solley & The Lubocs. Teen Pop singer from Lubbock, Texas. Recorded for local labels (Deb Records, Luboc).

Paul Taylor. Detroit white teener Doo-Wop vocalist. One single for Go-Gee (local label from Detroit), songwriting of both songs credited to Paul Pesick (probably real name of Paul Taylor).

Judy Layne. Rockabilly singer from New Jersey. She recorded one single for Wren (label from Jersey City, NJ). Music by The Rumblers (rock instrumental group from New Jersey, see Q80).

The Grads. An early version of The Sandpipers. Founding members Jim Brady, Mike Piano and Richard Shoff first performed together in the Mitchell Boys Choir, before forming The Four Seasons with friend Nick Cahuernga. Because of the rising popularity of a group with that name from New Jersey, they changed their name to The Grads and continued as a trio. Although The Grads did not enter the charts with their early recordings, they performed well enough to secure a residency at Harrah's Lake Club (now Harveys Lake Tahoe) where a friend brought them to the attention of Herb Alpert of A&M Records. Alpert was impressed with The Grads, but after one single without success the group agreed to a name change, choosing The Sandpipers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sandpipers

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 229

 

Little Floyd. Soul and Doo-Wop singer. One single for Arlen (label from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).

Lover Boy. Pop singer - one single for Crystalette Records (label from Hollywood, CA).

Jonny Lynd. Doo-Wop vocalist from New Jersey - one single for ARC Records (label from Elizabeth, New Jersey).

Miss Toni Magestro. Teen Pop singer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. backed on her only 45 (USA Records, from Milwaukee) by The Noblemen.

Billy Marsh. Pop singer from New York City – one single for Arrow Records (NYC label).

Mason, Ronnie. Teen Rock singer - one single for Crystalette Records (label from Hollywood, CA).

Susan Lynne. Born Susan Lynne Koskowitz in 1946 - died 2004), Teen Pop singer. Released on Duel (label from New York City) and Capitol.

Robbie Montgomery & The Ike-Ettes. Soul singer from St. Louis, Missouri. She is noted for being one of the original Ikettes in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_Montgomery

Richie Marsh aka Dick Marsh. Rock singer, better known as Sky Saxon, leader and singer of garage rock band The Seeds. Born 1937 in Lake City, Utah - died 2009 in Austin, Texas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_Saxon

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 228

 

Carol Lee. Teen Pop singer from California. Recorded for California labels, Triumph Records and Tru-Sound.

Dave Lee. Country performer - one single for Nugget (label originally from Tampa, Florida).

Denny Lee. Teen Rock singer. Born Dennis Lee Frey in1945; Marshfield, WI. Recorded for Owl Records (label from Wausau, Wisconsin, co-owned by his father).

Dewitt Lee. Pop and Country singer from Arizona. - one single for MCI (label from Phoenix, Arizona).

Brad Leeds. Pop singer - one single for Signature (jazz and pop label from New York City), recorded with Chorus and Orchestra directed by Milton Delugg.

Tennie Leonard. Teen Doo-Wop singer. Recorded for New York labels, Coral and Abel Records.

Linda & The Del Rios. Doo-Wop and Soul group formed in 1959 by John Tavares. They were signed at Crackerjack Records (label from NYC), released one single and disbanded. L-R: Peter “Boo” Nicholaus, Chubby Tavares, Linda Steele, John Tavares, Pooch Tavares and (in back) Ralph Tavares.
https://www.ripopmusic.org/musical-artists/musicians/tavaresturnpikes/

Linda & The Epics. Born Linda Roth in 1942, in California, Country and Rockabilly singer. Linda was a youngster when she started her career in 1956. She was recording mostly country music during her four year stint with IntraState (see Tcxx),

before she appeared as Linda & The Epics in October of 1959 on Blue Moon (label from Santa Clara, California).

By 1961 Roth went solo again and signed with Vogue International in Los Angeles (see Tcxx).

 

Linda Lou & The Hitmakers. Linda Lou is Mary Sperling, Dee Dee of Dick & DeeDee. with some L.A. studio musicians -one single for Lama (label from Hollywood, CA).

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 227

 

The Impalas. Rock band from Austin, Texas - one single for Echo (local label from Austin).

The James Boys. Vocal group. They recorded one single for Colpix Records, Gerry Goffin co-wrote and produced both tracks.

Gary Kay. Teen Doo-Wop singer. Recorded for  Ran-Dee (label from Chicago, Illinois).

Joanne Kay. Teen Pop singer. She recorded one track for Hit Records (Nashville-based budget label), B-Side by The Roamers - they recorded more tracks for Hit Records.

Dave Larry. Rock and Doo-Wop singer. One self-released single (B'n KC) - Dave Larry composed both tracks.

Lou Laurie & The Harlequins. R&B and Doo-Wop group. One single for Essar Records (label from Los Angeles, California), re-released by United Artists.

Bob Lawrence. Pop singer. One single in Novelty style, released by Mark-X Records (label from New York City, owned by George Goldner), recorded with Dicky Doo & Band - Dicky Doo is a nick name of George Goldner.

The Jackson Jills. Studio project of  Chuck Blore, influential American Top 40 radio producer - one single for Dot in novelty style, both tracks composed and produced by Blore.

Jeff & The Gino's. Jeff was Jeff Hooven, with partner Hal Winn wrote and produced numerous sides on a variety of labels, mostly out of LA. The Gino’s were apparently 2/3 of California girl trio also known as the G. Notes.

https://doo-wop.blogg.org/jeff-the-gino-s-a116517162

The Kingtones aka King Tones. Rock band from Grand Rapids, MI. In 1961 they recorded the first single, vocal by Pete Mervenne (see T97).
King Tones went through some personnel changes, the subsequent singles (1962 - 1964) the group recorded as The Kingtones
https://www.thekingtones.com/

Addie Lee. Teen Pop singer. Stage name of Adrienne Lawner. Lawner worked as a secretary at the publishing company Monument Music, owned by Larry Uttal, when she recorded for Roulette Records in 1957. She recorded one more single for Roulette (End) and promo for Kapp.

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 226

 

Judy Harriet. Teen Pop singer and actress. Born Judy Harriet Spiegelman in 1942, in Los Angeles, CA.

Peggi Griffith. Jazz and Pop singer from Seattle (1939 - 2015). Her first professional experience as a singer was at age 10, performing Kay Starr’s "Side By Side" at the Grange Hall in Bothell, Washington. Peggi was soon performing on several local children’s shows. The exposure she was receiving led her to begin recording at some of the local independent record labels of the time such as Celestial (as Peggi Griffiths) Now and Dalton Records.
https://www.alexbairdmusic.com/peggi

Karl Hammel Jr. Teen Pop singer, born (1942) and raised in New Rochelle, NY.

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 225

 

Harold Conner. Pop and Soul singer - one single for Recona Records (mastered at Columbia Recording Studios).

Mary Swan. Teen Sound singer from Philadelphia. Recorded for Swan (Philadelphia based label) in 1958/1959 when she was only 18.

Little Cheryl Williams. Teen Pop singer from Philadelphia, PA.

Susan Silo. Born in New York City. Actress, voice actress, singer, dancer, and pianist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Silo

Barbara Lee Mac. Born Barbara Lee McKenzie in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1938 - died 2003. Country and rockabilly singer.

Robbins & Paxton. Gil Robbins and Gary Paxton.

Ü Gil Robbins, singer and guitarist (1931 - 2011), member of The Highwaymen , arranged both tracks.

Gary Paxton, record producer, singer/songwriter, arranger (1939 - 2016), The Hollywood Argyles. ß

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 224

 

Larry Dowd & The Rock-A-Tones. Rock & Roll singer from Iowa (1940 - 2006). He had formed his own band, The Rock-A-Tones, by 1958. Apart from Dowd, the original members were 24-year old guitarist Ivan Rousseau, 22-year old drummer Ron Fiscel, 21-year old bassist Don Archer and 17-year old pianist Mickey Montgomery. Four tracks were recorded in the spring of 1959, at the Vic Blacketer Studio in Des Moines.
https://tims.blackcat.nl/messages/larry_dowd.htm

Rick Durham & The Dynamics. Rock & Roll singer from Little Rock, Arkansas. He recorded at E&M Recording studio and label from Little Rock and at Razorback Records of Newport, Arkansas.

Rusty Evans. Born Marcus Uzilevsky in New York City, in 1937 - died in 2015. Evans initially recorded in 1958 as a rockabilly singer, before performing as a Greenwich Village folk musician in the early 1960s.

In 1965 he was briefly part of The New Christy Minstrels.

In 1966, Evans assembled a group of New York musicians to record as The Deep.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deep_(band)

Jay Fanning (& The Twilights). Rockabilly musician from Kentucky. Recorded for Acme Records (label from Brightshade, Kentucky).

Ellie Gee & The Jets. Ellie Gee was one of several pseudonyms that top Brill Building songwriter Ellie Greenwich recorded under during her early career. In the summer of 1960, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich recorded Barry's "Red Corvette", which was released as a single under the name Ellie Gee and The Jets.

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 223

 

Jack Lewis & The Americans. West Coast vocal group. Jack Lewis was rockabilly singer and songwriter (1924 - 1964). Billed as "The The Singing Airline Pilot" on RPM Records as he was an American Airlines pilot (see Tcxx). In 1956 he recorded two singles (for Crest) with The Americans - flips of both singles by The Americans.

Dick Farrell. Pop and Country singer. In 1959recorded one 45 for Dot.

Troy Cory (Cori). Born Keith Alden Whitenack in 1934 in Oklahoma City. Troy started out in show business when he was in his early twenties as a singing artist and songwriter. He co-wrote songs with notables such as Sonny Bono, along with his spouse at the time Dorothy. Sonny Bono was his A&R man in the 1950s, in helping to launch his career.

The Dispoto Sisters. White trio know as The Crystalettes, from Reseda, Los Angeles, California. The trio consisted of the sisters left to right: Tina, Patty and Diana Dispoto.

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 222

 

Billy Champ. Teen Sound singer - one single for ABC-Paramount.

Joie Chan. Teen Sound singer - one single for Chattahoochee Records (label from Los Angeles, California).

The Charades. Teen Doo-Wop group - one single for Warner Bros. Several other groups used this name.

Mary Nell. Pop and Country singer - recorded for Eric Records (label from Conroe, Texas).

Jimmy Clarke. Teen Sound singer, probably alias of Teddy Vann who composed and produced both tracks of the only single (Diamond Records, label from NYC).

The Dales. Pop group from California formed by Dale Fitzsimmons (songwriter and bandleader) - one single for Crest (label from Hollywood, CA).

Ray Fa(u)bus &The Strikes. Born in 1943, in Daytona, Florida - died 2014, guitarist and singer. Grew up in Iowa, played guitar in many bands in the Iowa area and taught guitar. Recorded for Soma (label from Minneapolis, Minnesota).

Bobby Elwood. Teen Rock singer - one single for Renor (label from Jacksonville, Florida).

The Fellows. Rock band from New York City - one single for Toto (label from NYC).

Patti Ferguson. Teen Pop singer - one single for Valiant Records (label formed by songwriter Barry De Vorzon), both tracks co-written by Patti.

Jeffrey Allen. Pop and Rock singer - one single  for Sound Stage 7, both tracks arranged and produced by Bill Justis.

Ann Castle. Rockabilly singer - one single for X-Power Records (small label from Millville, PA).

Eddy & The Centuries. Eddy De Silva, Teen Sound singer from Colorado, he composed both tracks of a single released on Sherry Records (indie label created by Eddie De Silva to release his sole offering).

The Bel-Aires. Rock band from New Jersey - one single for ARC Records (local label from Elizabeth, New Jersey).

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 221

 

Fred Bible. Teen Sound singer. Recorded for Alecia Record Company (label from Jacksonville, Florida) and SSI Record Productions (label from Atlanta, Georgia).

The Bush Boys. Teen harmony group, probably from California.
 

Tony Casanova.  Born Jutilio Perez in 1942, in Puerto Rico. His family moved to California in 1960. He bagan playing guitar and singing whilst still at school. He teamed with Maxica-American friend, Richard Valenzuela - the two spent hours jamming in the garage of the Perez’s family house. Later on, Richard became a legend. In 1958, Tony signed his first contract with Crest Records. Between 1959 and 1961 he recorded three singles for different labels.

In 1963 Perez changed his name to Tony Ray and recorded one single for Imperial, one more single in 1969 for Dot. At the age of 27, he ended his recording career.

Shawn Elliott. Born Shawn Elliott Santiago in 1937, in Puerto Rico (died in 2016), actor and singer. He grew up in New York City's East Harlem area.

Elliott had a #1 hit in Europe and South America with a cover of Sir Lancelot's "Shame And Scandal In The Family" in 1965. The cover failed to chart in the UK where English comedian Lance Percival's version did.

Obscure American Artists 1956-1963, Teen 404

 

Dale Jimmerson. Teen Rock singer from California. Recorded one single for Corsair Records (label from Hollywood, California), with girl group backing, written by Beatriz Cleveland, Alex Furth.

Brends Lee (Jones). R&B singer and songwriter born 1938 (Dayton, Ohio), died 2001.

In 1956 she recorded the 1^st single for Apollo (label from NYC), credited to Brenda Lee, she composed the A-side. This single has been classified by Kreiter to Teen Sound.

In 1958 and in the 1960s she recorded numerous R&B singles as part of Dean & Jean duo or as Jean.

In 1966 she released one single on Rust (subsidiary of Laurie, NYC), as Brenda Lee Jones. B-side was a re-release, originally released in 1964 on Rust by Dean & Jean duo.

Jack Carroll. Real Name: Vincent (Vincenzo) Riccio (1921 - 2005). Pop & Jazz vocalist from Belleville, New Jersey. He was featured with Les Brown's Band of Renoun in the 1940s, also accompanied the bands of Tex Beneke and Sammy Kaye, and many more. He was night club entertainer, and singer, including commercial spots for such companies as Progresso Soup and Burger King. He also appeared in a few films.

He started recording in the late 1946.

Between 1956 and 1963 he released numerous singles for RKO Unique, Decca and Laurie, classified by Kreiter to Teen Sound.