Doo Wop - The Classics & The Earls

Welcome to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I'm Bill Price, and in this episode of the Doo Wop series, we will focus on two groups from the late 1950's and early 1960's, The Classics and The Earls. Interestingly both groups had a hit that had two words in the song’s title, and also used the same second word, “Then”.

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Transcript

In this episode of the Doo Wop series, we will focus on two groups from the late 1950's and early 1960's, The Classics and The Earls. Interestingly both groups had a hit that had two words in the song’s title, and also used the same second word, “Then”.

The Classics were a vocal group formed in Brooklyn New York. Members included Emil Stucchio, Tony Victor and Johnny Gambale. Initially the group sang while still in high school and went by the name of The Perennials.. Two of the members had been part of a group called The Dell Rays, who had recorded a single titled “Cinderella” in 1959, which failed to chart in early 1960. A second single titled “Angel Angela” also failed to chart. The next single “Life Is But a Dream” initially failed to chart, however, when the single was picked up and released by Mercury Records, it did manage to chart on the R & B Charts. The next release was a version of “Blue Moon” with lead vocalist Herb Lance and utilizing the group in a supporting role. The recording climbed to number 50 on Billboard’s Hot 100. In 1963 the group left Mercury and switched to the Musicnote label.

The first release on the new label titled “Till Then” managed to make it on to the Top 20, and remains as The Classics’ best known single. After “Till Then”, The Classics failed to make it into the charts. This was due to the changes that were taking place in Rock and Roll. By 1966 the group disbanded. However due to the “Oldies” revival that took place in the early 1970s, Emil Stucchio along with Lou Rotundo formed a new group called The Passions and recorded for a short period for the Sire label, then changed the name to The Classics. In 2003 Stucchio was also performing with a new version of The Classics.

Here is the number 20 hit from 1962, “Till Then”.

The Earls were a Duo Wop vocal group formed in the early 1960's in The Bronx, New York. They were discovered while singing on a street corner near a subway station. Larry Chance who would become the group’s leader grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended attended high school along with other future Rock and Roll artists, which included Chubby Checker, Danny Rapp of Danny and the Juniors and Frankie Avalon.

After high school Larry and his family moved to the Bronx in 1957. Larry then formed a group called The Hi-Hatters, which later became The Earls. The group’s members consisted of Larry, Bob Del Din, Eddie Harder, John Wray and Larry Palombo. Unfortunately in 1961 Larry died in a sky diving accident.

The group’s first single titled “Life is But a Dream” was released on Rome Records in 1961. The Earls then performed on the Murray the K show and on Dick Clark’s
American Bandstand. The next release was “Looking For My Baby”. In 1962 they
switched record labels and recorded “Remember Then” on the Old Town Record label. By 1963, the single had climbed to number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second Old Town release was titled “Never” and was followed with a third release titled “Eyes”.

Around 1967 Larry Chance had a brief solo career and recorded a song titled “Let Them Talk”. He then rejoined The Earls who at that time had two new members Ronnie Calabrese and Bob Morocco. They recorded two songs titled “If I Could Do It Over “ and “It’s been a Long Time Coming”. During the 1970's, the group continued performing, and in 1977 released a Disco version of “ Tonight”. By 1983 more personnel changes had taken place, with the lineup now consisting of
Larry, Ronnie Calabrese, Colon Rello, Bobby Tribuzio and Tony Obert. Then from 1989 to 1993 there was another change in the group’s lineup, which then included Larry, Bobby Tribuzio, Bobby Coleman, Art Loria and TJ Barbella. In 1993, Loria and Barbella then left the group. Chance, Tribuzio and Coleman remained as the core members with several changes in additional replacements. In 2008, The Earls were honored with a place on The Bronx Walk of Fame.

Here is The Earl’s number 24 hit from 1963, “Remember Then”.

This has been a look back at two vocal groups from the late 1950 and early 1960's,
The.Classics and The Earls. Until next time, I’m your host Bill Price.