Doo-Wop Genre Backing Groups Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dion DiMucci

Carlo Mastrangelo sang bass and baritone behind Dion while Fred Milano and Angelo D'Aleo provided tenor voices. Dion and The Belmonts formed in 1957 and released an unsuccessful record for the Mohawk label. They switched to Laurie Records and after appearing on American Bandstand singing "I Wonder Why" they had their first US Top Forty single. They followed with other successful hits including "Don't Pity Me" and "No One Knows". In 1959 "A Teenager in Love" became their first US Top Ten hit.
The following year Dion wanted to pursue Rock and Roll while The Belmonts preferred to keep recording harmony-based songs so Dion became a solo artist. He released "Lonely Teenager" backed by a female chorus and launched a successful solo career.
The Belmonts continued to release recordings but never matched Dion's success. Freddie Ferrara and Johnny Maestro sang with The Brooklyn Bridge. Stan Zizka worked with The Del-Satins.

Answer: Kathy Young

The Innocents were recording under the name The Echoes when Herb Alpert arranged to have them signed with Andex Records. When they left Andex and began recording for Indigo Records they changed their name to The Innocents. Kathy Young had signed with Indigo and The Innocents were asked to provide backing vocals for her.

They agreed providing they were billed as Kathy Young and the Innocents. They released "A Thousand Stars" as Kathy Young with The Innocents. The song became a Number Three hit in the US. Annette Kleinbard sang with Phil Spector and Marshall Leib as The Teddy Bears. Brenda Lee and Etta James used studio bands on recordings and toured with various backing groups.

Answer: Huey "Piano" Smith

Huey "Piano" Smith was 15 years old when he started his career as a session player and club performer. Early in his career he backed Little Richard and other artists at the Specialty Records studios. Huey formed Huey "Piano" Smith and The Clowns in 1957 and landed a recording contract with Ace Records through connections he made while doing session work at Specialty Records.
When "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" broke nationally they followed up with "Don't You Just Know It" in 1958. When Smith left Ace records to join Fats Domino at Imperial Records the hits dried up and Smith left the recording industry to join the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Huey "Piano" Smith was influenced by New Orleans legends Professor Longhair and Jelly Roll Morton. Huey worked with Eddie Jones early in his career. Eddie would go on to take the stage name Guitar Slim.

Answer: Don Covay and The Goodtimers

Don Covay was born Donald Randolph in Orangeburg, South Carolina. His father was a Baptist preacher. He sang in his family's group, The Cherry Keys, then went on to sing secular music with a group called the Rainbows that featured Billy Stewart and Marvin Gaye as members. By 1957 Don was part of Little Richard's ensemble. With Little Richard's guidance he was signed to various labels and also began composing songs including Chubby Checker's "Pony Time" and Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools".
In 1964 he released "Mercy! Mercy!" on the Rosemont label with with The Goodtimers and a young Jimi Hendrix playing guitar on the recording.
The Collegians biggest hit was "Zoom Zoom Zoom" (1958). The Cuff Links had a U.S. Number Nine hit with "Tracy" in 1969. Based in Massachusetts, the G Clefs had a 1961 hit with "I Understand (Just How You Feel)".

Answer: I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight

"I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight" was the only US Top Forty single for the California based group Barry and the Tamerlanes. Barry De Vorzon co-wrote "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight" with Bodie Chandler. The group made one album for Valiant Records before disbanding in 1964. Barry De Vorzon went on to compose music for films.
In 1968 Boyce and Hart composed and recorded a different song with the same title that reached the US Top Ten.
"Baby Don't You Weep" was a 1963 Top Forty by Garnet Mimms and The Enchanters. The Tymes had a 1963 hit with "Wonderful! Wonderful!". "Young and in Love" by Dick and Deedee reached Number 17 in the US in 1963.

Answer: Joey Vann

The Duprees was formed by a group of Jersey City high school students in the early sixties. Joey Canzano became the lead vocalist when they released "You Belong to Me" on Coed Records in 1963. The group followed up with "My Own True Love" and "Have You Heard?". When they released "Why Don't You Believe Me" Joey Canzano had changed his name to Joey Vann and was featured in the band's name on the single.
Mike Kelly replaced Vann the following year. Joey Vann passed away in 1984. Michael Kelly left the group in 1977 and later sang with The Chaperones.
Don Hogan sang lead for The Dreamlovers. Fred Parris fronted The Five Satins and Herb Rooney became the male member of The Exciters.

Answer: Randy and The Rainbows

The Safuto brothers were members of The Dialtones when they left to form Randy and the Rainbows. The Tokens introduced them to their producer and the group recorded and released "Denise" in 1963. The song made the US Top Ten but was their only US hit.

They followed up with "Why Do Kids Grow Up" but the song barely dented the Top 100. Despite having one hit they toured with the The Four Seasons, The Spinners, Little Anthony and the Imperials and The Beach Boys. Randy and Frank Safuto later reformed the group as Randy Safuto's Randy and The Rainbows and continued to perform. Ronnie and the Hi-Lites formed in Jersey City and reached the US Top Twenty in 1962 with "I Wish That We Were Married". Ruben and the Jets released two albums in the early seventies.

Answer: True

Donald "Dante" Drowty fronted Dante and The Evergreens when the group formed in 1959. Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean fame arranged for them to meet Herb Alpert which led to the band recording a cover of The Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop". The cover recording became a hit, reaching Number 15 on the US charts. They toured and played venues such as New York's Apollo Theatre and the Howard Theater in Washington DC.
The group disbanded in 1964 and Donald reformed the group as Dante and His Friends.

Answer: Little Caesar and the Romans

Little Caesar and the Romans decided that The Cubans was not an appropriate name during the political unrest in Cuba at the end of the fifties. They then changed their name to The Upfronts and finally listed member David Caesar Johnson as Little Caesar before recording "Those Oldies but Goodies (Remind Me of You)" as Little Caesar and the Romans. The song reached the Top Ten in the US. At the height of their popularity the group would frequently appear in togas on stage.
The group followed up with "Hully Gully Again" then disbanded in 1962.
Rosie and The Originals were known for their 1960 single, "Angel Baby." In 1963 Ruby and the Romantics found chart success with their first recording, "Our Day Will Come". Otis Williams and the Charms were originally called The Charms.

Answer: Daddy's Home

"Daddy's Home" was recorded for Hull Records in February, 1961. The song went to Number Two in the US. James Sheppard and Clarence Bassett hailed from Queens County, New York. Charles Baskerville was a Virginia native. The group formed in Queens in 1960 as Shane Sheppard And The Limelites.
Shep and The Limelites along with Hull Records lost a court battle over publishing rights in 1966 and the group disbanded when the record company folded. Shep died after being beaten and robbed in his car in 1970.
"I Only Have Eyes for You" was a 1959 release by The Flamingos. The Five Sharps were best known for their Doo-Wop rendition of "Stormy Weather" and Shep sang with The heartbeats when they recorded his composition, "A Thousand Miles Away".