THE ESCORTS - by Al Kelly I'm sending one of the 2000 versions of "Gloria!!!!!!!! I've always liked this different version by this group. It's a shame this group never reached the heights of the Belmonts, DelSatins, Channels,Crests & other NYC groups that we hold high regards as far as oldies go. The Escorts were from Brooklyn and all went to the same high school. The group all played instruments too which helped get them several appearances in the area. They got serious about singing in '60 and one of the group went to summer camp with a son of an exec at Coral Records. They got an interview and audition and recorded this record in late '61. The record got off to a slow start but caught on in several areas of the US, that Coral ordered another pressing of the record. . Their second release, though a good record, didn't get above #70 on the charts. Coral felt they didn't give the group a fair shake in promotion. Rodney Garrison was the lead on the first two releases and on the third, Genya "Goldie" (Goldie Zelkowitz) Ravan was replaced as the new lead, Goldie sang lead on the group's first two releases. Due to a difference of opinion with DJ Murray the K and the handling of a situation while the group members were away at college, she was replaced by Bobby Lance, where Lance did the lead on the last two Coral releases. In '65 the group disbanded.