* New England Spotlight *
Spotlight on New England's Own POP Doo Wop Personalities
Featuring the Goups, Solo perforrmers, DJs, and more from the 50's and 60's who
just happen to be from the New England area.
next show: Harvey Robbins' Royalty of Doo Wop Show coming to Woonsocket, RI 9/26/2009
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More to come ...
I will be adding more New England favorites soon.
Papa Joe's POP DooWop Pit Stop ...
Remembering the classic hits and the misses of popular
music of the 50's, 60's and beyond.
© Copyright 2010 JHF-webSITE.com
Dateline: May 16, 1960
Providence, RI's own, "The Videls" appeared on Dick Clark's
American Bandstand performing their hit single "Mr Lonely".
The original group was a trio comprised of Peter Andreoli, Vincent Poncia,
Jr., and Norman Marzano initially recorded on the Rhody label.
JDS records picked up the group and "Mr Lonely" charted nationally
peaking at #73 on Billboard.
Although the group did not chart nationally after "Mr Lonely", "Now That Summer Is Here" was a
regional favorite for several weeks during the summer of 1960.
Peter Andreoli changed his name to Peter Anders and teamed with Vinnie Poncia to achieve
success as songwriters in association with Phil Spector, penning the Ronettes classics "Do I
Love You?" and "(The Best Part Of) Breaking Up." As the Tradewinds, they released the Top 40
hit "New York's A Lonely Town" . And yet another Top 40 Hit with "There's Got To Be A Word" as
the "Innocents"
Dateline: December 4, 1939
Frederick Anthony Picariello was born in Lynn, MA Twenty years later
... 1959,
Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon "wooo"d his way to TWO
National Top Ten hits "Tallahassee Lassie" #6, and "Way Down
Yonder In New Orleans" #3. Both achieved Gold Record status; each
sold over a million copies!
Freddy's 1960 album, "The Explosive Freddy Cannon" was the first album by a rock
and roll singer to reach the #1 spot in the UK. Yes, BEFORE Elvis!
In 1962 he had another Gold Record with a song written by Chuck Barris (of "Gong Show"
fame), "Palisades Park" , #3 on Billboard in '62.
"Boom Boom" moved from Swan Records to Warner Bros. in 1964 where he scored his 4th
Gold Record with "Action" (the theme song for the TV show, "Where The Action Is"). Follow
up hits include "The Dedication Song" and "Abigail Beecher".
Freddy Cannon is till going strong and continues to do concert gigs at various locations.
Dateline: 1956
Fred Parris and the Five Satins recorded
"In The Still Of The Night" in the basement of St. Bernadette's Church
in New Haven, CT. The "doo wop doo wahs" heard throughout the
song are, some say, what gave the "Doo Wop" music genre its name.
The song was written by Fred Parris while in the Army on guard duty.
The song became a classic, selling millions of copies over the years. "In The Still Of The Night"
was in the repertoire of virtually every performing Doo Wop group for years.
The Five Satins released "To The Aisle" in 1957 which was the only other Top Forty tune for the
group.
The group split up in the early sixties. In 1969, Fred Parris revived the group with some new
members and toured the oldies circuit for several years.
Dateline: 1955
New Haven, CT The Nutmegs' "Story Untold" reached the #2
spot on the R&B charts and was destined to become a Doo Wop
classic. Their follow up that same year, "Ship of Love " made it to the
#13 R&B spot. During the early 60s, a cappella practice versions of
their songs launched a craze for a cappella doo-wop recordings.
The group broke up in 1962. Later, during the 70s, the Nutmegs,
without lead singer Leroy Griffin, who had passed away years earlier,
performed at various venues on the east coast revival circuit.
Ronnie and the Satellites now have their own page ... Check it out!
Don Robinson and Aaaron Clark ... "The Inspirations" ... Now
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