The Ventures/Days of Doo Wop

memorymaster said:
Willy, sorry, "Diana" 1957 not '63. It was first played on 1010 WINS By "Cousin" Bruce Morrow who had Paul and his dad in the studio. (WINS was a top 40 station until it went all news in 1965.)
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Yes Charlie, you are correct
Paul Anka’s hit Diana was in 1957 not 1963

I guess I messed that up with the Chiffons One Fine Day
 
mack said:
We are mixing different music genres of the late 40s, 50s and 60s - but it's OK because very few of our members are familiar with R&B, soul music, pop ballads and what used to be called "doo wop music". There is much overlap to begin with and you really have to search for venues which still play these old oldies, sorry to say. I think doo wop would usually: "feature a tenor lead vocalist singing the melody of the song with a trio or quartet singing background harmony", be "characterized by simple syllables, beats, and lyrics", "feature both a cappella vocal harmonies and full swing-like beats throughout a song", and use "the off-beat to keep time". I had to look that up, but it's really music primarily from the 50s that - if you hear it, you will know it is "doo wop".
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Others might disagree with me, but I think one more distinguishing feature of a Doo-Wop group is a really deep bass voice [think Bowser of Sha Na Na or Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys (Ooom Papa Mau Mau)]. Made the songs distinctive. Pardon the reference to the Oak Ridge Boys . . . Ooom Papa Mau Mau or no, they're DEFINITELY not a Doo-Wop group. ;)
 
mack said:
We are mixing different music genres of the late 40s, 50s and 60s - but it's OK because very few of our members are familiar with R&B, soul music, pop ballads and what used to be called "doo wop music". There is much overlap to begin with and you really have to search for venues which still play these old oldies, sorry to say. I think doo wop would usually: "feature a tenor lead vocalist singing the melody of the song with a trio or quartet singing background harmony", be "characterized by simple syllables, beats, and lyrics", "feature both a cappella vocal harmonies and full swing-like beats throughout a song", and use "the off-beat to keep time". I had to look that up, but it's really music primarily from the 50s that - if you hear it, you will know it is "doo wop".

Paul Anka, by the way, is 80 years old now. He was born in Canada, became a US citizen in the 90s, had a very lengthy music and acting career, overcame COVID and wrote over 500 songs. In addition to hit songs which he recorded, he also wrote Frank Sinatra's "My Way" and Johnny Carson's Tonight Show theme song.

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These days a much younger generation is keeping songs like Paul Anka's, "Diana" Alive.

Here is Chris Ruggiero singing that hit song "Diana", which was first sung by a young Paul Anka on the Ed Sullivan Show way back in September, 1957.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyoHCsCs2LI
 
This definitely not Doo-Wop, however I thought I'd pass it on....C.W. McCall (William Fries) who recorded that great song "Convoy" and "Wolf Creek Pass" among others passed away on April 1st, 2022 at the age of 93. "Convoy" seemed to spark the C.B. Radio craze in the late 70's.
 
Always great to see Gman on our site. He is in sunny Florida - no longer on SI. Stay safe, Tom!

Tom - a man of many talents and a great FDNY buff and historian - has been a gifted guitar player.

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memorymaster said:
Robert Ridarelli (Bobby Rydell) at the age of 79. I liked his music and his last charted single "Forget Him" was the best in my opinion.
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Good guy, I got to play behind him a couple of years ago as part of the house band at a concert in Amsterdam, NY. Other artists on that show were Jimmy Beaumont & the Skyliners, Shirley Alston-Reeves of the Shirelles, Frankie Lymon's Teenagers, and the Fleetwoods.
 
If you were looking for doo-wop records in the 1960's, you had to go to Manhattan and talk to "Slim" Rose at Times Square Records. Now, you have to go to Upper Darby, Pa. and talk to Val Shively of R & B Records. There are an estimated five million vinyl records there (reportedly, the Library of Congress may buy the joint). The place is a true dump and only he and his assistant of 45 years know where anything is. Still, collectors from all over the world fly into Philly to shop (No browsing allowed!).
Top dollar finds (five figures): "Can't Help Loving That Girl of Mine" by the Hide-A-Ways, "Rosemarie" by the 5 Chimes, and "Love Is a Vow" by the Mello-Harps from the 1950's Brooklyn.
Lastly, unless you want to be booted onto the sidewalk, don't say 'doo-wop'. 'Group harmony records' or 'group records' are the correct terms.
 
A tough several weeks for Doo-Wop.
Lamont Dozier of Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting fame died yesterday at age 81. Originally a Doo-Wop singer, he joined Motown Records in 1962. With Brian and Eddie Holland, they would write nearly 150 Motown hits. Their first was "Locking Up My Heart" by the Marvelettes.
On July 14th William Hart died in Philadelphia. He was 77. Together with his brother and a high school friend in the 1960's he started the group the Delfonics. While working in a barbershop he met Thom Bell. They would become known as the Lennon and McCartney of West Philadelphia. Combining Doo-Wop, orchestral pop, and funk, they wrote 20 songs which reached the Billboard Hot 100. Their best known songs were "La-La (Means I Love You)" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)". RIP
 
memorymaster said:
G-Man, is Bobby "J" (Jeffers) still singing with the "Teenagers?"
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"Bobby J" lives in South Carolina but I believe he still is with the Teenagers. Herman Santiago lives in Tamarac, Fl. so I might give him a call one day. I worked with the Teenagers many times as a member of the SammySax & the MD's band and when I was working in Shirley Alston-Reeves' band. In fact, Shirley's band members often backed up Charlie Thomas and the Drifters, the Chiffons, The Crystals, Marvelettes, Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners, the Duprees, and even the Fleetwoods and one time we did Bobby Rydell.
 
entropychaser said:
A tough several weeks for Doo-Wop.
Lamont Dozier of Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting fame died yesterday at age 81. Originally a Doo-Wop singer, he joined Motown Records in 1962. With Brian and Eddie Holland, they would write nearly 150 Motown hits. Their first was "Locking Up My Heart" by the Marvelettes.
On July 14th William Hart died in Philadelphia. He was 77. Together with his brother and a high school friend in the 1960's he started the group the Delfonics. While working in a barbershop he met Thom Bell. They would become known as the Lennon and McCartney of West Philadelphia. Combining Doo-Wop, orchestral pop, and funk, they wrote 20 songs which reached the Billboard Hot 100. Their best known songs were "La-La (Means I Love You)" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)". RIP
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I knew Lamont died but I missed the fact that William Hart passed. True Legacies that will never be matched.
 
We have so many Doo Wop Greats that are now passing away.

Their songs will live on as many of us were a part of that time.

I would faithfully attend those Bowzer Doo Wop Party's at the Mohegan Sun Arena on a yearly basis.
Bowzer's latest was January 16th, 2021, but I was not able to attend at the time.

Of course over those many 20 years or so, many of the original singers have been replaced because they can no longer perform, or they have since passed on.

There has been other groups that have come along to perform and keep "Doo Wop Music Alive"
The husband and wife team of Arminio Entertainment, or a group called; "The Lovettes", or a young singer named, Chris Ruggiero.
Some of their music can be seen on you tube.

I would also go to live shows where singers like "Johnny Mastro and the Brooklyn Bridge", in which all of the members have since passed away.
Also Ronnie Spector, the lead singer of the Ronettes, as well as Jay Black, the lead singer of Jay and the Americans, who also passed away within the last few months.

I would also go to live shows in which Retired FDNY Firefighter Frank Pizarro, joined as the lead singer of the group The Platters, whose original hits began way back in 1952.
He also performed with The Four Tops, Freda Payne, The Temptations, and Barbra Streisand.

All the Best Frank and THANK YOU for listening to my FDNY buff stories when I had the privilege of meeting you at the Mohegan Sun Casino back in January, 2019.

And YES, many of us here have also had the privilege of meeting, Mr G-man himself, Tom E., who played lead guitar for many very popular Doo Wop Groups

Now for those members who may not have heard Retired FDNY Frank Pizarro singing, or for those of us who just want to hear this great singer again, here is Mr Frank Pizarro.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDu2nGPCeeE
 
"I Believe" was also recorded earlier by Frankie Laine, for those of you old enough to remember him. (Frank Paul LoVecchio)
 
Thank You Chief "68jk09", that is an Excellent video of Chris Ruggierio and Larry Chance of the Earls singing "I Believe".

It shows that the Days of Great Music, lives on.
Chris Ruggierio does numerous other Great Hits such as Paul Anka's "Diana", etc

By the way, Larry has "Still Got It" too as he joined Chris Ruggierio in singing this song.

When Larry Chance would sing that song he always told a story about how he wanted to dedicate it to the memory of his good friend who would sing within the group, but he lost while serving in Viet Nam.
 
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