The Ventures/Days of Doo Wop

nfd2004 · Mar 3, 2016

memory master said:
Ah yes, the days of "Submarine Race Watching" with Murray The "K" on 1010 WINS, NYC. Only two short years later (1965) WINS went to an all news format which they still do today.

Yes, "MM", those were the days of "Submarine Race Watching" and 1010 WINS.

He was born Murray Kaufman in 1922. In 1958 he joined 1010 and stayed there for seven years, becoming the most popular D.J. in NYC. He left 1010 in 1965 and later resurfaced on WOR-FM. He was an early supporter of singer Bobby Darin and the hit "Splish Splash". In 1964 he was one of the first Americans to interview the Beatles.

He was married SIX (6) times and passed away in 1982 at age 60.

(I got this info from the app "IMDb")

nfd2004 · Jun 7, 2016

It's been awhile since we heard a little music from those "Days of Doo Wop".

Some of the guys that I know who roamed the streets of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island or the Bronx, during those days are here with us today. Guys like; "memorymaster", "manhattan", "fdce54", "68JK09", "Parkave32", "mikeindabronx", "mack", "69mets", "JOR176", "svd385", "Atlas", and of course "guitarman354". I'm sure I forgot a few, and I sure didn't mean to do that.

Well, as most of us know who were around then, "the boys from New York City just kind of stood out among the crowd". Many Doo Wop singers came from there. Sometimes on a Saturday the DJ known as "Murray the K" would have his Rock and Roll Revue's at the famous Brooklyn Fox Theater. The AM radio stations from NYC such as WNBC, and WABC, would be tuned in by us in the Tri state area to hear our favorite DJs like Cousin Brucie and Wolfman Jack play our favorite Doo Wop music.

Sometimes these NYC guys I mentioned would drive along the Avenue in their shiny custom cars they had. Maybe take their girlfriend on a date to see a movie at the Drive in Theater. Sometimes, those guys were hoping to see more than just the movie though !!!!!

Anyway, those NYC guys were a Classic group. They still are today. Just that what hair they have left has probably turned grey or white. They may not be as skinny as they were then. And they probably just walk a little slower today. The drive in movies are all gone now. But one thing that is NOT gone is the great memories and the great Doo Wop music they all once listened and danced to.

So what better Doo Wop song to listen to than a song written just about these guys. It was released in 1965 and sung by a group called "The Ad Libs". The song is called "The Boy from NYC" and it was all about them. The words to the song actually tell the story much better than I can. So listen close. And for "The Boys from NYC", this one's for you..........

www.youtube.com/watch?v=svztw0okXKY

memory master · Jun 8, 2016

Yes sir, that was a great song and of course was very popular in the NYC area. I'm sure that there would have been more doo-wop sounds produced had it not been for the "British Invasion" which was starting at that time. The "boy" from NYC could be the "group" from NYC such as, the Capris, the Mystics, the Excellents, the Crests,
Dion & The Belmonts, the Elegants and many more. Yes, those were the days. Thanks NFD and as Norm N. Nite would say "Rock On!."

nfd2004 · Sep 25, 2016

Oh yes those Days of Doo Wop. How GREAT they were.

Those who remember those Doo Wop Days are now collecting, or soon to be collecting, Social Security. It was a time of Great looking cars, malt shops and high school dances. Our parents were considered "The Greatest Generation" and we were "The Baby Boomers" as a result.

It was a time BEFORE the FDNY War Years. Before Cable TV, ATMs, Laptops, Cell phones, DVD/CD players, or Walmart stores. But for most of us who were apart of it will tell you these were The Greatest Years of our lives. And we still claim to have the Best Music during more than half this century.

So just who are these guys on this web site that we are talking about. Well, it's guys like;
"guitarman316", "jbendick", "mikeindabronx", "memory master", "*******", "auxlteng225", "68jk09", "johnd248", "JOR176", "mack", "fdce54" and many more here too.

Lets do this for them. Here's one of those Malt Shop Memories. One more from the greatest music of their many years. I believe all of the above members are now retired and we wish them all the best for many more years to come. Today they may NOT be able to do "the Mashed Potatoes", but I can tell you that I know the majority of them and they are super great guys.

So lets all give it up and bring back this "Malt Shop Memory".

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQBKpV9emKc&list=PL469005682F3FC625

memory master · Sep 25, 2016

Thanks NFD for that "blast from the past." The year was 1962 Dione LaRue a.k.a. Dee Dee Sharp had that #2 Billboard Hit. Her follow up to "Mashed Potato Time" was, yes you guessed it, "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes) which went to # 9 on the charts.

memory master · Sep 30, 2016

I'm thinking about selling my vinyl record collection. 45's & LP's from mainly from the 50's and 60's with some 70's, and few 80's. The genre is mainly oldies and easy listening. The 78's are big band etc. I f anyone has any leads on buyers let me know please. Then again, should I or shouldn't I?

JOR176 · Sep 30, 2016

memory master said:
I'm thinking about selling my vinyl record collection. 45's & LP's from mainly from the 50's and 60's with some 70's, and few 80's. The genre is mainly oldies and easy listening. The 78's are big band etc. I f anyone has any leads on buyers let me know please. Then again, should I or shouldn't I?

If you find someone let me know I want to sell mine too. I have about 1200 45's all doowop from the 50's and about 150 Albums all Doowop.

memory master · Oct 1, 2016

No problem JOR and vice-versa.

memory master · Oct 25, 2016

Sad to report that Robert Velline, known to us as Bobby Vee, passed away yesterday, 10/24, for Alzheimer Disease. He was 73 years young. You of course remember "Run To Him", "Take Good Care Of My Baby", "Rubber Ball", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" and so many more. Rest In Peace Bobby.

guitarman314 · Oct 25, 2016

memory master said:
Sad to report that Robert Velline, known to us as Bobby Vee, passed away yesterday, 10/24, for Alzheimer Disease. He was 73 years young. You of course remember "Run To Him", "Take Good Care Of My Baby", "Rubber Ball", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" and so many more. Rest In Peace Bobby.

I had the pleasure of working on a couple of Richard Nader shows with him including one at the Brendan Byrne Arena. One I'll never forget was about 25-30 years ago at the Orange County Civic Arena in Orlando where we were taping a big concert show for HBO. Many big stars including Tony Williams & the Platters, Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge, the Shirelles, Chiffons, Crystals, Orlons, Cadillacs, Larry Chance & the Earls, Belmonts, and many more were there but due to contractual issues that show never aired.

guitarman314 · Oct 25, 2016

All his hits, enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVMTjOkuUQk

nfd2004 · Oct 29, 2016

Back in the Doo Wop Days, when your favorite girl turned 16 years old, it was a big deal. It usually was a big Sweet Sixteen Celebration. A birthday cake with 16 candles and all of her friends invited to the party.

It was such a big deal in those days that a few guys wrote songs about it. They were always played on that stereo record player at the party. Here are two of them that I'm sure many of us will have fond memories of.

Neil Sedka's "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen".... www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf13v1jgvQ8

Another group called "The Crest" from NYC with "Sixteen Candles" .... www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdIyuMMjCtM

memory master · Nov 5, 2016

Sad to report the Kay Starr (Katherine Laverne Starks) passed away on 11/3/16 at the age of 94. Some of her hits included, Side By Side, The Wheel Of Fortune, Rock & Roll Waltz and many others. RIP and thanks for the music that was music.

nfd2004 · Nov 5, 2016

memory master said:
Sad to report the Kay Starr (Katherine Laverne Starks) passed away on 11/3/16 at the age of 94. Some of her hits included, Side By Side, The Wheel Of Fortune, Rock & Roll Waltz and many others. RIP and thanks for the music that was music.

Sad news as some of the GREATs leave us.

Recently I just learned of the sad news that singer Lesley Gore passed away at age 68 in 2015. She sang such hit songs as: "It's my party", which I believe was her first hit record, as well as "It's Judy's turn to cry".

Here is another one of her hit records. May they Rest in Peace and thank you so much for making our lives so much more enjoyable with your GREAT MUSIC.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTgLqK1IqV4

memory master · Nov 5, 2016

NFD, sorry I thought you knew about Leslie Gore. As a side note, she was 'discovered' by Quincy Jones.

68jk09 · Dec 12, 2016

We went to the "Winter Doo Wop Explosion" at Queens College today along w/friends including the Legendary FDNY radio personality Warren F. & his Wife ...we saw Jay Siegel's Tokens...The Jarmels...Kid Kyle..Barbara Harris & The Toys...Vito Picone & The Elegants.

memory master · Dec 12, 2016

A good line-up there. Mostly local groups. Elegants are from Staten Island, Toys are from St. Albans, Tokens originally from Queens back in the day. How was the show Chief?

nfd2004 · Dec 12, 2016

Here is one of the groups that played at that Winter Doo Wop Explosion.

As I look back on this group, I think it was November, 1965 as I was playing this 45 rpm record on my phonograph, the song started to slow down. Then the music came to a stop. Then all the lights went out. It was the Blackout of 1965 which affected a large portion of the northeast part of the country.

Nine months later there was a baby boom.

Chief "68jk09" and Mrs J.K., as well as "The Voice of Brooklyn", Mr and Mrs Warren F., and for our friend Charlie T., known here as the Master of Memory, "memory master", WE BRING THIS TO YOU.

Barbara Harris and the Toys.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nme_Gujngyc

memory master · Dec 12, 2016

Thank you sir. I always liked the song. One of the guys that I worked with in Queens dated Barbara Harris for a while.

68jk09 · Dec 12, 2016

memory master said:
A good line-up there. Mostly local groups. Elegants are from Staten Island, Toys are from St. Albans, Tokens originally from Queens back in the day. How was the show Chief?

Good show but missing one of my favorites Kenny Vance...sounds like his career is over due to health but i also heard his Son Ladd Vance is moving up on the scene.....an earlier video,,, https://www.youtube.com/user/lvlove007