Billy & Mickey - "You Are" b/w "Rock And Roll Baby" (1958)

(Photo courtesy of Mickey Carroll)

Billy & Mickey are a Delaware Valley duo consisting of two gentleman who would go on to have very successful solo careers.  Billy is Billy Harner and Mickey is Mickey Carroll.  Today's featured 45 is the first of the three releases the duo would have before parting ways.

Billy and Mickey met at a Battle of the Bands.  Although Billy started his own career as a singer, he was playing drums for one band in the contest and Mickey was playing guitar and singing for another.  After the show, Billy tracked down Mickey and expressed interest in wanting to sing again.  At that moment, the musical duo was born.  Their first stop was Red Top records, on which today's release was issued in 1958.  The a-side was a doo-wop styled, two part harmony ballad and the flip was an uptempo rocker with an introduction clearly lifted from the popular "Short Shorts" by The Royal Teens.  The twosome had two more releases, one for Riff records and one for Franny Williamson's Impala label.  That was the end of Billy & Mickey, however just the beginning for Billy Harner and Mickey Carroll.

Billy Harner, the Godfather of Blue Eyed Soul, would go on to have monster hits with "Sally Saying Something," "She's Almost You" and "Homicide Dresser."  "The Human Perkulator," as Hy Lit dubbed him, also has the distinction of being the first white singer signed to Atlantic Records for his release "A Message To My Baby," which featured The Raelettes, Ray Charles' backup singers.  Billy recorded an impressive body of work over the years for many different labels and often had some of the greatest session musicians playing behind him.  In the 70s he was often found doing backup work on sessions with John Davis and The Sweethearts of Sigma.  For my disco friends, he's one of the two male voices heard on all of the John Davis and the Monster Orchestra hits as well as most of Phyllis Hyman's Buddha recordings.  Billy is still performing today.  For a full bio and all the twists and turns of his career, check out the bio on Billy's Website written by his friend Nelson Trout.

(Photo courtesy of Mickey Carroll)

Following Billy & Mickey, Mickey Carroll teamed up with another band and with the help of original Cotton Club owner, Herman Stark and his son Steve, played many of the upscale hotels in Miami throughout the 60s.  He was signed solo to Solar Records in 1974 and has the distinction of making the first album to be recorded at sea.  He had some of the strongest session musicians behind him on all of his work and was even nominated for a Grammy for his 1978 release, "Love Life."  In 1984 he received a Gold Record for penning The Whispers #1 R&B hit "Love Is Where You Find It" and, like Billy, is still performing today.  For his full bio and goings on, check out Mickey's Website.

RED TOP RECORDS #101

1958

A - Side

"You Are"

(H. Gillespie)

B - Side

"Rock And Roll Baby"

(H. Gillespie)

Lynn Mason - "Some Of These Days" b/w "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" (1959)

On Wednesdays we will feature a Philly 45 that has very little, if any, background information.

Today's single comes from Lynn Mason.  It was released in 1959 on Best Records.  There were only 4 releases on this label, two by The Dialtones (formerly The Kids on RCA), one by The Premiers (also on Mink and Parkway) and this one by Lynn Mason.  The label is based out of South Philadelphia and was owned by Frank Alper, Lynn Mason's husband.  It's been assumed by local record collectors for years that she is also Marilyn Mason on Penn, a 45 that I've yet to run across in travels.  Both sides here feature arrangements by Russ Faith, a highly respected band leader, arranger and vocal coach.  Russ would take over the musical duties at Chancellor Records, which we heard about with Mona Carol and Jodie Sands, when Pete DeAngelis departed the label a few years after this release.  These two sides are rounded out with a nice male quartet backing Mason up.  No pictures are known to exist of her.

BEST RECORDS #1003

Orchestra under the direction of Russell Faith

1959

A - Side

"Some Of These Days"

B - Side

"Baby Won't You Please Come Home"

Mona Carol - "(Always A Bridesmaid) Never A Bride" b/w "What Happens Now?" (1956)

Mona Carol is a Philadelphia singer about which nothing has been documented.  I'm not certain if that is her given name or if she is even still with us.  What I do know is that she had a total of 8 songs released from 1955 through 1957 on 3 different labels.  My introduction to her was through today's featured 45.  I found my copy in a box of records that were mostly trash given to me about 15 years ago.  After playing the b-side and personal favorite, "What Happens Now?" for a prominent Philadelphia disc-jockey who will remain unnamed, I was granted the opportunity to speak with one of the song's writers, Bob Marcucci, on the telephone.  Unfortunately Bob was only able to remember that she was very beautiful, had an excellent voice and that she was one of the first people for which he ever wrote and produced a song.  He also claimed to have had quite the crush on her when he and writing partner Pete DeAngelis discovered Carol.  Marcucci admitted that he hadn't thought of her in years and was thankful that someone could jog his memory.  For those of you who are unaware, Bob & Pete would go on to start the Chancellor record label and propel the likes of Frankie Avalon, Fabian and countless others into the international spotlight during the first generation of rock and roll.  Sadly, Mona Carol was not one of those lucky folks.

Carol's first two releases were on the Casino imprint, the first in July 1955 and the second, which Bob & Pete wrote and produced, in March 1956.  Her third record, and today's featured 45, was released twice in 1956.  It appeared for the first time on the local Kent label and was picked up for national distribution by ABC-Paramount.  ABC must have really liked what they heard because they scooped her up from Marcucci and DeAngelis and gave her another release under their watch in February 1957.  That was the last time the musical world would hear from Mona Carol.  To add insult to injury, all of her releases, sans today's feature, were sent out for review by Billboard magazine and every time were deemed nice but average.  I think you'll disagree, however, after you give "What Happens Now?" a solid listen through.  Mona Carol had a great voice and it should've been heard.

-Jimmy DePre

KENT RECORDS #5001

ABC-PARAMOUNT RECORDS #9741

Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Peter DeAngelis

1956

A - Side

"(Always A Bridesmaid) Never A Bride"

(DeAngelis - Marcucci)

B - Side

"What Happens Now?"

(DeAngelis - Marcucci)

Bob D'Fano - "All Of A Sudden" b/w "Baby You Are A Find" (1959)

Bob D'Fano is a pop singer from South Philadelphia.  He began his recording career at a very small label in the neighborhood called Star Satelite (yes, one L) owned by the shop teacher at South Philadelphia High School, Nick Star.  All of his records on this label featured lush orchestrations arranged by the very talented Joe Matt.  Bob, or Bobby as his name sometimes appears on records, was featured on American Bandstand on February 11, 1959 singing one of his Star Satelite etchings but it is unclear which one.  I'd be willing to guess today's featured record.

Following his stint with Nick Star, he moved over to Palette Records based out New York City and recorded once again a handful of very lush, pop songs.  In 1973 he teamed up with the mastermind behind the Russian Jazz Quartet and soon to be disco extraordinaire, Boris Midney, for a tribute to our neighboring state simply entitled "New Jersey."  He worked in clubs with The Bob D'Fano Trio for a number of years following and occasionally does appearances with The City Rhythm Orchestra to this day.

 -Jimmy DePre

STAR SATELITE RECORDS #1004

Music Direction and Arrangement by Joe Matt

1959

A - Side

"All Of A Sudden"

(Joe Matt)

B - Side

"Baby You Are A Find"

(Louis J. Decina)

Jodie Sands - "Hold Me" b/w "What Does It Matter" (1959)

Jodie Sands is the stage name of Eleanor DiSipio, a popular singer from South Philadelphia.  Although little has been documented about her, the world first heard Jodie Sands on record in 1955.  She was one of handful of Philly singers propelled into the spotlight thanks to Bob Horn, the original host of Bandstand.  She was signed to the Teen label he co-owned with Artie Singer, a local voice coach and musician, Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann.  The later two would break off and start the Cameo-Parkway record empire in 1957.

At the time it was customary to have pop artists record cover versions of R&B tunes that were desperately trying to make it onto the charts.  Sands first etching was just that but with a twist.  "Love Me Always," the a-side, was a West Coast song by professional baseball player Arthur Lee Maye and his group, The Crowns.  The twist is that Bob Horn actually played his version on Bandstand and Jodie's cover was, in reality, only a local release.  Her second and final record for Teen, "Let Me Show You Around My Heart," was the b-side of "When You Dance" by The Turbans, another South Philly R&B group.  The next move for Sands would be the biggest and most important one of her career.

Signing to Chancellor records in 1957, Jodie Sands immediately had her biggest hit, "With All My Heart."  Sporting a Mediterranean cha-cha beat thanks to label owners Bob Marcucci and Pete DeAngelis, "With All My Heart" was soon heard on every transistor radio in the US and was featured regularly on the now national American Bandstand with new host Dick Clark.  The song made it all the way to #15 on the pop charts garnering her numerous television appearances and a spot in the 1957 film "Jamboree" singing her next Chancellor release, "Sayonara."  She'd have one more 45 for Bob and Pete reaching #95 on that national charts before saying sayonara herself and moving over to Thor records, on which today's featured 45 was released.  Her stay at Thor was brief, followed by a one off for Paris records and then 3 singles for ABC-Paramount concluding her recording career.  She spent a few years doing nightclub work in the area and then retired, disenchanted and jaded from the cutthroat music world.  Her last known public appearance is on a 1973 Bandstand Reunion hosted by Ron Joseph and Pat Delsea.  She sat for an interview on Bob Horn's original set with Tony Mammarella and Sy "Pop" Singer.

-Jimmy DePre

Left to Right: Ron Joseph, Tony Mammarella, Jodie Sands, Pop Singer

(Photo courtesy of rjdiscousa.com)

 

Left to Right: Pat Delsea, Tony Mammarella, Jodie Sands, Pop Singer

(Photo courtesy of rjdiscousa.com)

THOR RECORDS #101

Arranged and Conducted by Chuck Sagle

1959

A - Side

"Hold Me"

(Schuster - Little - Oppenhein)

B- Side

"What Does It Matter"

(Martin - Kolber)

Joe Valino - "Vesti La Giubba (On With The Play)" b/w "Game Of Fools (1960)

Born Joseph Paolino Jr. on March 9, 1929, he began singing at a club in Philadelphia when he was 11.

Mr. Valino, who once sang with the Woody Herman and the Benny Goodman Bands, enjoyed his best years in the 1950s, when he recorded "Garden of Eden" - his most popular song - "Tenderly" and "MacArthur Park."  He also sang the title song in the John Wayne movie Legend of the Lost.

Though he never took music lessons, he played several instruments, including piano, guitar and drums.

In Philadelphia, Mr. Valino was noted for having discovered a song that Frank Sinatra made popular.  Mr. Valino was the first to record "Learning the Blues," by Philadelphia area composer Vicki Silver.  Unfortunately, it was Sinatra's version, released a short time after Mr. Valino's, that became a big hit.

Mr. Valino was in Hollywood in the 1960s and 1970s, returning to the Philadelphia area for a heart bypass operation in 1977. Through the next several years, he had several heart attacks and a stroke, and underwent a second bypass operation.  He passed away on Thursday, December 26, 1996.

-Andy Wallace, The Philadelphia Inquirer (12/28/96)

In English from the original aria "Vesti la Giubba"…Superbly arranged by Joe Scussa

"ON WITH THE PLAY!"

Down through the years, these words have echoes the great tragedy of Leoncavallo's immortal opera…I PAGLIACCI.

The original aria, VESTI LA GIUBBA, first gained fame when the incomparable Enrico Caruso recorded it in March of 1907.  This version…a direct word-for-word translation of Joe Valino, the gifted artist featured here.

Recording PAGLIACCI in English was first a dream…then became an obsession with Joe.  In a way, the story of the tragic clown closely parallels his life, which is, perhaps, the reason for the depth of feeling…or "soul"…which is so apparent in this magnificent recording.

We feel that this work represents a "first" in the reproduction of really good music for the commercial market.  We hope many more will follow it.

- Steve Buchanan

CROSLEY RECORDS #219

ORCHESTRA UNDER DIRECTION OF JOE SCUSSA

1960

A - SIDE

"VESTI LA GIUBBA (ON WITH THE PLAY)"

(Leonvallo)

B - SIDE

"GAME OF FOOLS"

(Wainwright Churchill)