The Ventures/Days of Doo Wop

memory master said:
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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  Sadly, Nick Santo passed away a couple of years ago after a long illness.  Emil Stuccio is still singing today.    The Eternals have three former NYPD members, two who were Aviation Unit pilots. I know them personally and one of the funniest things about them was the sound of them putting away and securing their firearms in their dressing rooms before a performance.
 
Thanks guys. Nick Santo of the Capris was the individual I was referring to and I wasn't aware that he had passed away. I wasn't aware of the other Doo Wop singers who were also NYC Police Officers.
 
Willy ... in your reply # 98 above... you are right about Larry Chance doing "I Believe" i have seen him do it live more than once ...very impressive each time.
 
memory master said:
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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I think it was Herman Velez
 
JOR176 said:
memory master said:
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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I think it was Herman Velez
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JOR, I think you are correct.
 
RIP Sir. Great group with a great sound. The were formerly known as Biil Haley & The Saddlemen prior to "The Comets."
 
Is that Bill Haley singing in those videos or a young Bill Dennis aka Willie D. Resemblance is uncanny......lol.
 
I wish I was that skinny and had that much hair. "fdce54' must be hitting the booze again. About the only resemblance is if you look at the picture that "mack" posted, you'll see a large fries and a big mac. That does present some resemblance.
 
Just a little tidbit. Today in the State Of Washington is "Ventures Day." It was established in 2008 as the group was being inducted into the "Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame."
 
mack said:
Bill - these are a few years back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrVbawRPO7I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pwgswchPDo
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  Yes Joe, these do go back a few years. But so do we. In fact they go back even before the FDNYs War Years. Before bunker gear, MDTs, FAST Cos., Rac Units, air conditioned rigs, rear mount ladders, tower ladders, maybe even before fire ground portable radios and air packs. I really didn't want to get into it but I guess that makes a few of us on here pretty old.

  As I remember, Dion and The Belmonts" got their name because they sang and grew up on Belmont Ave in the Bronx, not far from the quarters of Engine 88 and Ladder 38.

The Ronettes grew up in Manhattans Spanish Harlem. And I don't think I was alone when I say I had a "crush" on their lead singer, Ronnie Spector. My very first 33 1/3 record album was from a live show at the Brooklyn Fox Theater with "Murry the K" as the MC. Be My Baby was one of the songs on it. Also Gene Pitney-Town without Pity, The Tymes-So much in Love, The Drifters-Under the Boardwalk, The Angels-My boyfriends back, Randy and the Rainbows- Denise, Jan and the Americans-She cried, and a few others.

  As I remember those years, there weren't too many window bars sold then. Or dead bolts, fox locks or car alarms. In school, we would Pledge Allegiance to the Flag every day. We would get in trouble for chewing gum, not for carrying a gun. We watched television for free, played stick ball on the street and touch football in an empty lot. Gas was 29 cents a gallon and a twelve cent McDonalds hamburger was still in the planning stages.

  We didn't have cell phones or computers. But anybody who was around then will probably tell you that we had great music and a great time.
 
Ronnie Spector still very active both on PBS Broadcasts as well as performing at Oldies Concerts & solo Restaurant/Club appearances in the NYC area...always a great performance.....also Kenny Vance as well as far as appearances & great performances....."Looking For an Echo" is THE song of all time ...i have seen them many times live ....it may be hard to see on the YouTube Video but the square lapel pins they are wearing are replicas of the postage stamp depicting the FDNY Members raising the Flag @ the WTC on 9-11.....i had posted awhile back that Kenny's Belle Harbor, Rockaway house right on the Atlantic Ocean beachfront in the 130s was completely washed away during Hurricane Sandy.
 
"I think I still got a thing for that Ronnie Spector".

  Thanks Chief for the info about Kenny Vance and the guys wearing the 911 pin. I don't think too many of us were aware of that.

  From across the pond out of the projects of Newark, NJ came a group who called themselves "The Four Seasons". In 1962 their first hit song was called "Sherry". Later to be followed by more hit songs like; Big Girls, don't cry, Walk like a Man, Ragdoll, Marianne, Opus 17, Let's Hang On, Bye Bye Baby, Dawn, and on and on. Later came hits like; Can't take my eyes off you, Grease.

  A Broadway play came out called "Jersey Boys" that focused on the life of the lead singer named Franki Valli.

  Do you remember ?
    The Four Season & Frankie Valli hits live Sherry, Rag doll, Walk

  And Four or Five Decades later:
    Frankie Valli & TFS Sherry 
 
68jk09 said:
Ronnie Spector still very active both on PBS Broadcasts as well as performing at Oldies Concerts & solo Restaurant/Club appearances in the NYC area...always a great performance.....also Kenny Vance as well as far as appearances & great performances....."Looking For an Echo" is THE song of all time ...i have seen them many times live ....it may be hard to see on the YouTube Video but the square lapel pins they are wearing are replicas of the postage stamp depicting the FDNY Members raising the Flag @ the WTC on 9-11.....i had posted awhile back that Kenny's Belle Harbor, Rockaway house right on the Atlantic Ocean beachfront in the 130s was completely washed away during Hurricane Sandy.
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Chief, a firend of mine down here in Florida(who was a lead singer of a group in NY) told me that Kenny Vance and the Planetones have cancelled all performances due to Kenny having major problems with his vocal cords. he told me that one of the Planetones is now singing with The Tokens as a replacement for Jay traynor.  Sad
 
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