Vocal Group Labels
Page 6
Frank Slay, who worked for Cameo Records in Philadelphia, and who also co-owned the tiny XYZ label, recorded a few songs by The Rays for his label.  One of these songs was "Silhouettes".

When the record started getting some local airplay, Slay, and Bob Crew, the other owner, let the larger Cameo label carry the song.

Because not many of the XYZ issues were sold before being turned over to Cameo, this hit is rare on the label pictured here.
Bill Kenny, the smooth tenor voice of The Ink Spots, recreated the sound of The Ink Spots' most memorable hit, "If I Didn't Care", on this record.

While there is no group credited on "Now You Say You Care", there is certainly a good one backing Kenny up.

The Vik and the Groove labels were subsidiaries of RCA Victor, and RCA used these labels to target the R&B market in the mid-50's.
Not all R&B vocal groups of the 50's were male.

While The Chantels had eight songs to crack Billboard's Top 100, there are really only two that most people remember, "Look In My Eyes", and "Maybe".

Arlene Smith was the lead on "Maybe", their first hit from January 1958.

The black label release, shown here, is the early first pressing of this.  It is usually seen on the light colored label.
While the Jive Five never had another hit to rival their "My True Story" (#3 Pop, and #1 R&B), they continued to record some fine songs, including this one called, "Never, Never" from 1961.

Eugene Pitt was the lead for this group.  Almost a year after this release, they put out one of the groups' best songs, "What Time Is It".

The Beltone label was out of New York City.
If you could turn this record around, you might recognize "Itchy Twitchy Feeling", a moderate hit for Bobby Hendricks, getting to #25 in the Fall of 1958.  I like the flip side, "A Thousand Dreams" better.

Both sides have an uncredited group doing backing vocals.  Listen closely and you will hear The Coasters.

Sue Records operated out of New York City and was owned by Henry Murray.
The Pastels were Dee Ervin, Richard Travis, Tony Thomas, and J.B. Willingham.

They recorded for the Mascot label, which was a subsidiary of Hull, and the first of their three records, "Been So Long",  was released on Mascot, before being licensed to the Argo label, which was owned by the Chess brothers.

"So Far Away", pictured here, is the group's final release, and lead singer Dee Ervin's favorite.
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