The Ventures/Days of Doo Wop

Jay Traynor was also the lead for the "Mystics" (Hushabye) etc. after one of the Craccolici brothers left the group.
 
Speaking of the Ventures....I just to day received the latest catalog from Collectors Choice Music and they have all of the Ventures cd's on sale. I have purchased numerous cd's from this company and have no complaints whatsoever with their service. If any of you music fans are interested you can also shop them on line at www.ccmusic.com. Music of all genres and catagories. Enjoy my friends.
 
3-4-13....Bobby Rogers a founding member of the Motown group the Miracles & a song writing collaborator w/Smokey Robinson , died yesterday at his suburban Detroit home. He was 73. He had been ill for several years. the Miracles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2012 but Rogers was too ill to attend......RIP. 
 
Frequently I refer to the "Greatest Generation of Firefighters". To me these are the guys that fought a record number of fires day after day, night after night in New York City. Those were considered the War Years for the FDNY. A little later there were other cities that had their share of very heavy fire activity or War Years. Today cities like Detroit, Baltimore, and Camden are having their so called War Years.

As civilians, "The Greatest Generation" as society knows it, were those that grew up during the Great Depression. They had nothing. Then that same group went on to fight World War II. After fighting in WWII, they came home and built America. That was in the 1950s, when America had jobs, and no mattrer what city you lived in, you could leave your doors Unlocked.

  Along that time came some of the greatest music and talent. It became the Rock and Roll era. People sang on street corners. They sang about the girl of their dreams. The music was great. That music and those singers in my opinion will also be known as "Musics Greatest Generation".

  I've gone to a few shows in the past where these singers have played. I'm sure our own G-man was a part of the group on stage. In just a few years we have lost many of Musics Greatest Generation members. Music that was played on the radio some 50 years ago is still very popular today. I know that by the packed audience at some of these shows. I watch the audience sing along as they all seem to remember every word to these songs 50 years later.

  Bobby Rogers of the Motown group called The Miracles was one of those singers. He is a Hall of Famer whos music will live on, at least with my generation. May he Rest in Peace, and I thank him for the gift he shared with many of us.
 
Virgil Johnson, lead singer, of "the Velvets" passed away a few days ago. I'm sure you all remember "Tonight (Could Be The Night)."
That was a great uptempo doo-wop of 1961. Roy Orbison got them the contract with Monument records.
 
memory master said:
Virgil Johnson, lead singer, of "the Velvets" passed away a few days ago. I'm sure you all remember "Tonight (Could Be The Night)."
That was a great uptempo doo-wop of 1961. Roy Orbison got them the contract with Monument records.
Click to expand...

  I was not aware of that. Yes, we remember "Tonight".

  I don't need an expensive car or a built in swimming pool. And if it weren't for the FDNY on line, and Doo Wop music on my CDs (no more old 45s), I wouldn't be listening to anything either.
 
In the recent (March 2013) broadcast on PBS (WNET Chan.13 on Time Warner in NYC) of "MY MUSIC".... "ROCK, POP & DOO WOP" (which i recorded on my DVR & have listened to over & over) one of the of the performances which incidentally is one of my favorite Doo Wop groups Kenny Vance (see reply # 71 above) & The Planetones caught my attention & Respect since they were wearing lapel pins that were made from the Postal Stamp of the three Brothers raising the American Flag at the site on 9-11-01.
 
For some of us, somewhat senior members on this site, we remember those happy days of Doo Wop music. It was even before the FDNY War Years. Many of the groups came out of the New York City/New Jersey area. They started singing on street corners and on front steps of brownstones. Some appeared in places like the Brooklyn Fox Theater with Murray the K. Cousin Brucie was a familiar name. Groups like Dion and the Belmonts, and The Earls from the Bronx. A Brooklyn group that sang a song called "Coney Island Baby". The "Be My Baby" girls from Spanish Harlem. As many of us know. It was a Great time for music.

  Maybe many have seen these. But there's more. These are some of those groups who made it happen. They got together many years later and did what they did best. Here's a few of them and they still have what it takes:

  PBS Doo Wop 51 - Concert May 2000 (Live) Part 2 of 2


 

 
 
Thanks for posting this, nfd2004 - it's perfect background music for reading the "Catholic Schools" thread!
 
Thank you "Truck 4" for adding The Ventures and Days of Doo Wop together. For some of us older folks, you made our day.

"Manhattan" you are right. Some great music to listen to as we read "Catholic School Days".

  For many of us, we were considered "The Baby Boomers". World War II was over and many GIs coming home were ready to good to work and raise a family. That generation was called "The Greatest Generation". They grew up during the Great Depression, fought in WWII and came home to build America. And what a Great Country they built. Our fathers worked hard. Our mothers took good care of us. American cities were booming and people cleaned their front porches. The milk man delivered our milk and we played outside things like stick ball in the street, hide and seek or touch football in an empty lot.

  As we got older we enjoyed what was called Doo Wop music. Groups very often started out just singing on the corners under a street light. The guys sang about the girl of their dreams. The girls sang about the guy of their dreams. Today, some of those groups are still around and they still draw large crowds to watch them sing. Our own site member G-man plays lead guitar for many of these groups. I think he might have been playing in this one too.

  Do you Remember this ?

  Doo Wop '50 Live (Full Album)

 

 
 
    Thanks, I was musical director for Earl Lewis & the Channels from 1975 to 2005. BTW, today is Earl Lewis' 75th birthday. Even though T.J. Lubinsky and I are friends I was not on this particular show (taped March 2005) because I was working with another act the day of the taping so our piano player took the gig. During the years as a "house band musician I have played behind every act on this show except the Brooklyn Bridge.
 
Willy nice job w/the Doo Wop '50 Live clip in reply # 95 above.....i have seen it many times on PBS ...the best part is around 1:35 when Arlene Smith comes on stage and sings w/the current "Chantels" especially when she does the tribute to Jackie Landry. 
 
Thanks Chief. And thanks to Tommy B and Mike M (Admins of this site) for letting us side track a bit off here. When people want to know about the FDNY, "this is where they go". We can also find updates or stories on just about every major incident that happens anywhere. Now, we have Doo Wops, stories of those great years and videos too. It just doesn't get any better.

Many of these groups of the Doo Wop Days are from the NYC area. Dion and the Belmonts (of course from Belmont Ave in the Bronx). One of my favorite Girl Groups often referred to as "The Be My Baby Girls", called "The Ronettes" from Spanish Harlem. I sure had my eyes on their lead singer, named Ronnie.

One member of a group retired as a member of the NYPD. I'm not sure who that was or what group he sang with. But I remember him saying that in one of the live concerts I went to. Does anybody know who that Doo Wop singer turned NYPD member was ?

  Another group born out of the Bronx was a group called "The Earls". Their lead singer, Larry Chance, went through a bout with throat cancer at one time. He also dedicates his song, "I Believe", every time he sings it to one of his friends and member of the group, Larry Palumbo, who was killed while serving with the 101st Airborne Division. Larry Chance talks about that and his throat cancer in the video below at around the 1:09:20 mark. So here is that video called "Rock, Rhythm, and Doo Wop".

  Rock Rhuthm & Doo Wop - PBS Concert 2001
 
That member of the NYPD was Nick Santo who was lead on "There's A Moon Out Tonight" by the Capris. Also, Emil Stucchio who was the lead of "The Classics", that sang "Till Then" was a Sgt. in the Transit Police before it merged with the NYPD. Another NYPD member was with the Eternals who sang "Babalu's Wedding Day." I can't recall his name right now.
 
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