These posts will feature rare and "odd ball" records as well as "low rider" music and songs popular on request and dedication shows hosted by Huggy Boy and Art Laboe. We will also look at songs which I find interesting and caught my attention when I heard them on the radio or in other collectors' collections. These records are also important in understanding "The Eastside Sound" and the Latin/Chicano culture. Each part will feature 10 records/songs.
In part one, I feature songs from of the Los Angeles area. Anyone with more information or better record scans please contact me or leave a comment.
DONNY & THE BI-LANGOS - "I"/"I'M NOT A KNOW IT ALL"
(left to right: Sunny Suchil, Danny Vasquez, Moe Estevene, Lupe "Raider Rivera") circa 1960's
Band out of Colton, California, Donnie & The Bi-Langos (Bi_Lango meaning biligual because they could sing in English and Spanish) privately pressed this single on the Colton label. "I" is a cover version of the 1953 hit by the Velvets and "I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent" is a cover version of the Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers doo wop classic. This record is believed to be released in 1963.
GENTONES - "COUNTING STARS"/(THANKS HER FOR ME) CITY LIGHTS"
Recorded for Casino Records in Hollywood this double sided doo wop rarity "Counting Stars"/"(Thank Her For Me) City Lights' was recorded in 1961 by the Gentones with lead singer Victor Moreno
BIP & BOP - "DING DONG DING"
Bip & Bop were a vocal duo with members Emanuel Perez and Billy Guy who recorded "Ding Dong Ding" in 1955 at L.A's. Capitol studios backed by Johnny's Combo (probably a Johnny Otis group). The record was released on the Aladdin label (Aladdin 3267)
The tune is along the same lines as "Ko Ko Mo" recorded by Gene & Eunice on the Combo label.
Billy Guy would then go on to join the Coasters the following year.
You May Listen To Bip & Bip "Ding Dong Ding" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMuB0FFwWkI
RON & THE EMBRACERS - "YOU CAME INTO MY HEART"
I don't know anything about this group except that they were from East Los Angeles. They recorded "You Came Into My Heart" for the Spectrum label (Spectrum 2) possibly in 1972.
You May Listen To Ron & The Embracers " You Came Into My Heart" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdtqj8GBAbE
YOLANDA & CHARMAINES - "THERE OUTTA BE A LAW"
A girl group out of Los Angeles headed by Yolanda Lee, they recorded "There Ought To Be A Law" for the Smash label in 1962. (Smash 1777)
You May Listen To Yolanda & The Charmaines "There Out To Be A Law" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSk6bOP8E3Y
LARRY & MIKE - "QUEEN OF THE STARLIGHT DANCE"/"WE FELL IN LOVE"
Out of Los Angeles this duo recorded a double-sided doo wop smash with that Eastside Sound for the Picadilly label in 1963 (Picadilly 500)
You May Listen To Larry & Mike "Queen Of The Starlight Dance" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2ybJ0IF5U8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_DJt61gQBY
ROBERT & BOBBY - "GIRL OF MY DREAMS"/"ONCE UPON A TIME"
Another double-sided fantastic record out of the Los Angeles area. Robert & Bobby claimed to be the nephews of the late Jessie Belvin and songwriting credit on both sides of the record are given to the Jessie Belvin Estate.
The record was released in 1962 on the Chart label (Chart 01). Robert & Bobby would go on to record for Capital Records as The Uniques in 1963.
You May Listen To Robert & Bobby "Girl Of My Dreams" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st8sj8GWxSw
You May Listen To Robert & Bobby "Once Upon A Time" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E7q636t_VY
THE RESONICS - "SPLIT PERSONALITY"
The members of this group were Horace "Pookie" Wooten, Charles Jackson, James Warren and Ray Daugherty. The core of this group had previously sang with a group called the Lions of "Two Timing Lover" fame in 1960.
In 1963, The Resonics recorded "Split Personality" for the Unity label (Unity 101). This song with it's duet-styled lead is the Eastside Sound at it's finest and one of my all-time favorites and I played it heavily as a disc jockey on KELA Radio at East Los Angeles College.
You May Listen To The Resonics "Split Personality" Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtm8CBissAk
RICHARD BRACAMONTES - "PLAYING WITH YOUR THING"/CURTIS LITTLE - "DON'T UNDERSTAND"
Whether or not this 45 RPM record has anything to do with Thee Enchantments, a group from Los Angeles, California is up for debate. Their name appears on the label but the singers are other artists. Perhaps they were the band backing up the artists. At any rate the record was pressed on the privately owned Custom Fidelity label on Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles. Same label that pressed "Beggin' You" for the Royal Chessmen.
THE IVORYS - "WHY DON'T YOU WRITE ME"
I don't know anything about the group, The Ivorys, but according to record collector/dealer Jerry Hollicheck from whom I bought my first copy, the group was from the Los Angeles area. This is also noted by Ruben Molina in his book "Chicano Soul - Recordings & History Of An American Culture"
Although writing credit went to Laura Hollis, the song was written by Johnny Staton, a member of the L.A. group, the Feathers. The Feathers recorded "Why Don't You Write Me" for the Show Time label in 1955 (Show Time 1105). The song was promptly covered by another L.A. group, The Jacks for the RPM label (RPM 428) also in 1955. The Jacks had the bigger hit.
It stands to reason that since two L.A. groups had recorded the song that the Ivorys could have been from Los Angeles. Add to that the fact that it was released on the Sparta label (who also released a Rosie & The Originals record). The Ivorys released " Why Don't You Write Me" for Sparta label (Sparta 01) in 1962.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWK5HC5uroc
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Solely for historical, educational & listening purposes.
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