The Ventures/Days of Doo Wop

Kenny Vance had the greatest rendition of "Looking For An Echo", however there was an earlier recording of that song by an acappella group.."The Persuassions" which was also well done.
 
Along with the music of the Days of Doo Wop and Rock & Roll were the very popular names of DJs and music entertainers.

The late Dick Clark of American Bandstand.
Murray the K and his Brooklyn Fox Theater Music Reviews
"77" WABC radio personality Cousin Brucie
Don Imus of "66" WNBC
And of course, the late Wolfman Jack, also on 66 Radio WNBC.

  Here's a You Tube from Cousin Brucie and the Wolfman Jack era.

  Take it away Cousin;
  77 WABC RADIO - COUSIN BRUCIE (Nov.29, 1967)

  And the Wolfman:
  Wolfman Jack At WNBC

      Rest in Peace Wolfman.
 
nfd2004 said:
Take it away Cousin;
  77 WABC RADIO - COUSIN BRUCIE (Nov.29, 1967)
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  I was a big fan of Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons. I had collected every one of their hit songs and knew all the words. Back in my high school days of Bullard Havens Class of 1967, Bridgeport, Ct, I even thought I could sing like him (Frankie Valle). Like a bird with that high pitched voice. So every once in awhile, me and a couple of other guys would put on a free show in the school hallway. Of course, I'd be the lead singer and the other guys would be the back up.

  I thought I was a great singer, but really I guess I was just "The Class Clown" and didn't even know it. As I tried to hit those high notes, the audience loved it. They encouraged me to keep going, which I did of course. To this day, every once in awhile I will meet up with one of those old classmates, and they still ask me to sing them a song.

  And when I heard that Cousin Brucie theme song on "77" WABC Radio, I had to get it. It was the only song I didn't have by the Four Seasons. So I wrote to WABC asking where or how I could get it. They ended up sending me a FREE record with that Cousin Brucie theme song on it. I was one happy guy and now I could practice singing that. And it wasn't too long after, that Cousin Brucies theme song was being sung in the hallways of Bullard Havens Tech School. Purely for entertainment purposes and of course the audience loved it.
 
memory master said:
nfd..you can get that Cousin Brucie theme on the Four Seasons rarities CD if you wish.
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  Thanks "MM", I didn't know that. I will break out the cash and do it. Thank you.

  With that CD and a little practice, maybe those attending the next Get Together, 2014, might just get themselves a special treat. So Cousins, put on your steppin shoes. Tap your feet and clap your hands. "Get ready to party".

  Here's a sample of what they might get.
  go go song cousin brucie
 
"nfd" the exact title of that CD is.....Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Rarities Vol.1. It was released in 1990. Some great songs on there besides Bruce Morrowitz's, I mean "Cousin Brucies "Go-Go."
 
We all were pretty lucky to have girl groups like "The Angels"-My Boyfriends Back, "The Chiffons"-He's So Fine, "The Shirelles"-Will you still Love me tomorrow, "The Ronettes"-Be My Baby.

  BUT, we didn't have "The Four Quarters". This is our music sung by the younger generation. "FDNY1075k" - this one is dedicated to you. A young gentleman from Iona College who has a strong interest in the fire service. Is a volunteer firefighter in Connecticut. Contributes often to this web site. And I happen to think that he's a pretty good guy.

So enjoy Emmett. Your generation singing our favorite songs of the 50s/60s.

  Live! The Best of Doo-Wop - The Four Quarters

  Stand By Me - The Four Quarters
 
AN EXCELLENT SHORT FIFTIES MEMORY CLIP W/MUSIC.... At 1:02 is a shot of the old Bungalow Bar trucks....a friend drove one of these & would show up at our HS everyday  @ 3 & after selling to the departing students about  six of us would hang all over the truck & he would drive us (at a pretty high speed ) to our local hangout.......also @ 1:30 is a Gilbert Chemistry Set which was a popular Christmas gift back then....could you even imagine giving your child one of those today....i used mine to make gunpowder........ENJOY...... Lost in the Fifties- Another Time, Another Place
 
Just to get you guys motivated this morning.....Who, as a teenager, had a big hit with a "school" song and went on to be a Firefighter in Portsmouth, Virginia?  I'll check back later and see how you're doing. ;D
 
All good stuff fellas. And thanks for that dedication there Willy D.

The era of the '60s was really one of, if not the greatest eras for music in America. Everybody had talent and could really sing (one could argue unlike today), and you had such variety. You could go from singers like Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and Bobby Darin to Motown groups like the Temptations and the Supremes, and girl groups like the Chiffons, to the doo-wop sound of the Duprees, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and the Platters, to the Beach Boys and the Righteous Brothers, to the British rock sound of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Dave Clark Five, and singers like Petula Clark and Dusty Springfield.
 
memory master said:
Just to get you guys motivated this morning.....Who, as a teenager, had a big hit with a "school" song and went on to be a Firefighter in Portsmouth, Virginia?  I'll check back later and see how you're doing. ;D
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Tommy Facenda?
 
Mack, you are the winner! Tommy Facenda with a 1959 hit "High School U.S.A." Tommy recorded 28 versions of that song to fit into many U.S. cities and states. He was raised in Norfolk Va. and later became a firefighter in Portsmouth, Virginia from where he retired.
 
"Jersey Boys", the story of Frankie Valli, who grew up in the projects of Newark, NJ, is now playing in the movies and should be out on DVD in August.

On a side note, as you posted "fdny1075k" earlier, it was a great time for music. We did have it all. We did have great music.

  It was a time when a young guy had a good chance of finding a good job. It was a time when we would Pledge Allegiance to the Flag. It was okay to say a prayer in school and we didn't pass to the next grade unless we earned it. We didn't shoot each other on the street over some crack cocaine.  We were taught to have respect for our elders and our parents didn't have to call the police because they couldn't control us.

  And here's a little story about us. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jitw0tZsEm0

 
For any of you fine folks who have a collection of music (vinyl, cd's, etc.) or videos, DVD's or comic books I have discovered a program which catalogs all of your collections and is really great to use. I use the music one for all of my 33's, 45's, 78's and CD's. Now I hope this allowed here as I am in no way associated with or have anything to do with these programs except for using it. It's not badly priced and I think any collector would like it. Go to www.collectorz.com, give it a look for your specific collection and see what you think.
 
Under the "TMI" tag, I have been taking ballroom dancing lessons at Fred Astaire for a year and a half.  Two weeks ago, my instructor and I danced a swing in front of 200 people and three judges at a competition at the Mystic Marriott hotel.  No pressure.  I picked out the music: "Come a little bit closer" by Jay and the Americans and "That'll be the day" by Buddy Holly and my instructor did the choreography.  Received two 92s and a 94 from the judges.  Great old time music!!
 
memory master said:
NFD, "Runaround Sue" recorded by Dion, had the Del-Satins as the back up group, not the Belmonts. Just an FYI.
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M.M. You're right. It was the Del Satins as the back up group. I also understand that one or two of those back up group members became a part of the Johnny Mastro and the Brooklyn Bridge group. Am I right about that.
 
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