Post by rooster on Jun 8, 2015 3:09:13 GMT -5
The Valentines US 45 Discography
The group's original name was The Dreamers, but they never had any commercial releases as such. They met Raoul Cita who took them to bruce records where they recorded a demo that was played a few times on the radio, but nothing really came of it. They really had no lead singer until they met up with Richard Barrett. Through Barrett's friendship with Buzzy Willis of the vocal group, The Solitaires, they get an auditon with Hy Weis of the Old Town label. Around this time they change their name to The Valentines.
Old Town #1009
Tonight Kathleen/Summer Love; 1954
The Valentines
(This release didn't make any headway on the charts. The Valentines had a one year contract with Old Town Records and were supposed to record a second single, but according to group member Richard Barret, Old Town owner Hy Weiss neglected to call them back in for a second session before the contract ran out. After this release, 2nd Tenor Donald Raysor was drafted and was replaced by Eddie Edgehill [who was actually a Baritone who converted to Tenor] from the Val-Tones. The Val-Tones later recorded without Edgehill on the Gee label owned by George Goldner.)
Rama #171
Lily Maebelle/Falling For You; 1955
The Valentines
(Rama label owner George Goldner was looking for R&B Vocal Groups and met up with The Valentines who he invited to audition for him. The group auditioned with "Lily Maebelle". Originally, the song was slower and had a weaker beat. Goldner suggested they try it with a beat more akin to the beat used on "Gee" by The Crows. They did and Goldner had them record the song. After the release of "Lily Maebelle", The Valentines got to play Alan Freed's Holloween show in Hartford CT, a week at The Apollo Theater in NYC, Then DJ Georgie Woods Rock 'N' Roll No. 4 Show and other venues in Philadelphia. "Lily Maebelle" never made it to the national charts, but was very popular on the east coast. The song was listed on Cashbox's Hot Ten R&B Charts in Philadelphia for most of December.)
Rama #181
I Love You Darling/Hand Me Down Love; 1955
The Valentines
Rama #186
Christmas Prayer/K-I-S-S Me; 1955
The Valentines
(Once the group returned to NYC, in addition to releasing their second Rama record and this record, "Christmas Prayer" They played Alan Freed's Christmas Holiday Show at NYC's Academy Of Music. This show ran twelve days.)
Rama #194
C’est La Vie/ C'est La Vie; 1956
The Wrens
(the vocal group, The Wrens were suposed to record "C'est La Vie" for label owner George Goldner But Only lead singer Bobby Mansfield and tenor George Magnezid of the Wrens turned up at the studio. The Valentines were already there recording their own songs and Goldner had them back up Mansfield and Magnezid. the "B" side is an instrumental version of the song by The Rama Houseband, The Jimmy Wright Orchestra.)
(Through the rest of the winter and into spring The Valentines Played shows in various theaters for DJs Hal Jackson [in The Bronx, NYC] and Ramon Bruce [of New Jersey] and Alan Freed's Easter Show at Brooklyn's Paramount Theater.)
Rama #196
The Woo Woo Train/Why; 1956
The Valentines
("The Woo Woo Train" is perhaps The Valentines best known and most loved song. One reason for the song's popularity is a great saxophone solo by Rama's Houseband leader, Jimmy Wright.)
Rama #201
Twenty Minutes/I’ll Never Let You Go; 1956
The Valentines
(Around the time of this, the group's fifth record, Raymond Briggs, Tenor left the group and David Clowney joined as a pianist. They got Clowney from a Detroit group named The Pearls who were playing at the Apollo Theater.)
Rama #208
Nature’s Creation/My Story Of Love; 1956
The Valentines
(These songs were recorded while all the personell changes were happening and as a result, this record still has Raymond Brigg's singing and David Clowney is on Piano. Later in 1956, Eddie Edgehill quit the group to go back to philadelphia due to a family emergency. He later recorded with The Del-Knights.)
Rama #228
Don’t Say Goodnight/I Cried Oh Oh; 1957
The Valentines
("Don't Say Goodnight" was the last Valentines' release. Their last appearence was a week at The Apollo In NYC. Richard Barrett [who was the principal songwriter of the group] apparently got fed up with the rest of the group's antics and quit the group. When Barrett left the rest of the group fell apart and moved on.)
Ronnie Bright went on to sing with The Cadillacs and later sang the Bass Part on Johnny Cymbal's huge hit, "Mr Bassman". He also sang with a later incarnation of The Deep River Boys and with Carl Gardner's Coasters group. David Clowney played Piano and arranged songs for The Jesters and later as a solo artist, had hits with "The Happy Organ" and "Rinky Dink" under the name Dave "Baby" Cortez. As stated earlier, Eddue Edgehill went on to sing with The Del-Knights in Philadelphia. Tenor Carl Hogan joined a group called the Miracles on Bobby Robinson's Fury label. Later he got back together with Richard Barrett to write songs. Donald Raysor also later wrote songs and became a record producer with Barrett.