Velvetones biography of rory
The Velvetones
By Marv Goldberg
Based on an meeting with Madison Flanagan
© 2004, 2009 by Marv Goldberg
There have been several assortments called the Velvetones over significance years. Probably the finest reminiscent of these recorded for Coronet obtain Sonora in the mid- join late 40s.
[Just as upshot aside, I'll bet you receive no idea how many ads there are for "velvetone chenille bedspreads".
The answer is: "easily hundreds of times more prior to references to any singing committee in the 1940s". This material ain't easy.]
The Velvetones, take the stones out of Newark, New Jersey, formed loosen 1943. An article in distinction Baltimore Afro-American dated August 18, 1945, mentioned that the Velvetones were appearing at Newark's Piccadilly Club: "It's the Velvetones who are causing all of distinction feminine swooning and sighing relax at the Piccadilly Club opinion Peshine and Waverly Ave." That is the same club wind had recently given its fame to the Piccadilly Pipers..
Authority gist of the article was that the Velvetones were Enoch Martin, Madison Flanagan, Walter Dawkins, and Sam Rucker.
All exclude Enoch Martin had attended Newark's South Side High School; Comedian had gone to Barringer Elevated. All had been in amusement clubs. In addition, Enoch Histrion had attended Wilberforce University walk heavily Wilberforce, Ohio (he'd been uncorrupted arranger for the Wilberforce Collegians dance band and the Wilberforce Singers) [read carefully, this shambles probably the last time you'll see the word "Wilberforce" pentad times in one sentence].
Moisten the time of the opening, in August 1945, they esoteric been together for about team a few years. John Hammond, identified monkey a "noted talent scout," got Martin to come back eastmost and put together the sort. According to Madison, John Hammond (whom he'd never met) was a music critic from Unusual York and was "a cute good judge of entertainers." Their manager was Mort Browne, whom Enoch knew somehow.
In propaganda, the Velvetones formed as expert chorus with about eight personnel (including three women).
Most make a fuss over them worked at the Business Of Dependency Benefits in City. However, they soon realized lapse there were too many register them to be commercial. Saturate the time the dust confidential settled, the four remaining affiliates were: Enoch Martin (pianist, adapter, and baritone lead on honesty uptempo tunes), Madison Flanagan (tenor lead on the ballads, turf occasional maracas player), Walter Dawkins (second tenor/baritone), and Sam Rucker (baritone and guitar).
A Dec 8, 1945 item in nobleness Baltimore Afro-American says that they were held over "indefinitely" elbow a "Baltimore downtown spot", which impressed the writer so all the more that he didn't bother acquiesce name it (fortunately Billboard bass us it was Doc's, they'd started in November).
They had just finished a 12-week engagement at the Piccadilly Billy (which was probably the investigation of the August blurb). Dignity article claimed that they were ready to record "a pile of hot platters" for Decca that very week. Madison deep-seated that they did have nifty session for Decca (although expert was months before: on Revered 23, 1945), but that goodness songs ("I'm Henpecked" and "I Can't Stay Here By Myself") were never released.
A Feb 2, 1946 article in dignity Baltimore Afro-American, tells us ditch the Velvetones "have cut various late recordings" (whatever that means) for Coronet (at 1650 The theatre in NYC).
The titles were "One Day", "Jason, Get Your Basin", "Easy Baby", "Heybobleebip", "Sweet Lorraine", and "Swing Out, Lot Don't Cost Nothin'".
They were all listed in Billboard's Feb 2, 1946 Advance Record Releases column and were all out in early March, paired whilst follows: "One Day"/ "Heybobleebip" (meant to cash in on goodness "Hey!
Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" craze), "Sweet Lorraine"/ "Easy Baby", and "Swing Destroy, It Don't Cost Nothin'"/ "Jason, Get Your Basin". An girdle appears for all of them in the March 23 makes no difference of Billboard. The list degree was 79 cents (48½ cents dealer's cost, including tax).
Further in March 1946, the Velvetones appeared at the Three Deuces in New York City.
Mid-April found them at the Watering-hole, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, where they were held over for bequeath least another two weeks. Class April 20, 1946 Pittsburgh Courier said: "The Velvetones were unmixed instant hit at Caramela's Haven. This quartet of recording entertainers run the gamut from tender ballads to red hot make fast.
The boys have a shoot 1 full of new novelty in profusion that have piled up trim backlog of requests from Pat's patrons."
After the Coronet recordings, Walter Dawkins left and was replaced by William "Pop Willie" Little, a bassist, with practised baritone/bass voice.
The April 20 Billboard reported that Sonora Archives (a Chicago company) had proclaimed the signing of the Velvetones.
In spite of this, Crown released the very pretty "Don't Say You're Sorry Again"/"Georgianna Stranger Savannah" (which was never reviewed). Note that "Don't Say You're Sorry Again" was also prerecorded by the Rivals (Apollo; 1950) and Dinah Washington (Mercury; 1951).
A Sonora Records ad subtract the June 8, 1946 Billboard mentioned the Velvetones' "Pittsburgh Joe"/"It's Written All Over Your Face".
The ad copy reads: "Four boys - a piano - and a guitar blended corner velvet smooth harmony. Featured stars at many popular Eastern darkness spots, the Velvetones now intercede hit tunes for Sonora." Despite the fact that not in that ad, nobleness next Sonora release, "It Steady Ain't Right", backed with glory cute "Reverse The Charges", seems to have come out afterwards that same month (all span titles were listed in Billboard's July 6 Advance Record Releases column).
Both records were think in a subsequent Sonora be foremost (from February 1947) which difficult to understand some additional text: "Four boys - a piano - contemporary a guitar blended in soft smooth harmony, that's the Velvetones. Featured at many famous Asian night spots, the Velvetones, hash up their scintillating rhythm and one of a kind arrangements, have a loyal screen following.
Profit now from their fast-growing popularity."
However, they didn't impress the Billboard reviewer, who tore into the first Sonora release on July 20:
Representation Velvetones are a group allude to four Negro college boys, minute playing the night club method. Their harmonizing tends toward nobleness jivey in the 'Pittsburgh Hoe' [sic] ditty, which details nobility tale of a home-town juvenescence whom [sic] came back touch upon British airs.
[He affects clean British accent.] Song is and over stage material, but it's scruple for jukes requiring strict concentrating attention. Reverse side here ["It's Written All Over Your Face"] is a ballad, crooned legal [that is, not a freshness number] by baritone lead [poor Madison has just had dominion voice lowered]. Lad fluffs wholly on high notes, piano exordium and stanza are badly "miked" and finale is fuzzy.
Sound juke material.
Just tutorial keep things even, the Cash Box review (July 15, 1946) was glowing:
The Velvetones fix a velvet treatment to "It's Written All Over Your Face". They're a quartet with multitudes of close harmony and that song is tailor-made to their smooth vocal manner.
"Pittsburgh Joe" is definitely in the gimcrack line, but the lyrics especially rather clever and should be blessed with good juke box appeal. Leadership Velvetones are a versatile division and this record certainly be obliged boost their reputation.
Have as a feature July, Coronet released one bonus Velvetones record: "Singing River"/"I'm Gettin' Used To Love Again".
Facial appearance possible reason that I've under no circumstances spoken to anyone who's absolutely seen a copy is prowl it was savaged by significance Billboard reviewer on August 10, 1946. The review went affection this:
With little attraction delight their vocal blend and acquiesce lesser quality in their feature vocal timber [sic], the Velvetones, sepia male quartet, show ruin on the ball in that spinning.
"I'm Gettin' Used Cork Love Again" is a listenable rhythm ditty, singing it asset the most part in turn one\'s back on. The solo voice, banked gross sustained harmonies, carries the ditty side, "Singing River." Nothing respecting, either in voice or difficulty style, to hold attention. These sides show no promise call the phono ops [the phonograph operators who would order record office to be placed in their jukeboxes].
Once again, Cash Box chose to differ (July 29, 1946):
Velvet smooth review this interpretation of "Singing River" by the Velvetones. The acceptable, a good ballad well appropriate to the lads' talents, recapitulate done right for the quieter locations as unobtrusive - on the contrary good - music.
"I'm Gettin' Used To Love Again" be obliged score its share in illustriousness same spots. The disk does much to interest customers worry the Velvetones. They're worth copperplate break, and a listening.
The four of them (Enoch Martin, Sam Rucker, Madison Flannigan [sic], and William Little) were named in an October 1946 ad for the Royal Pines in Glens Falls, New York).
A little blurb in depiction October 14, Post-Star (Glens Falls) called them "radio and make a copy of artists", although I can't jackpot any radio appearances at drain. (Note that, at the aforementioned time, Bobbie Wilson, Edward Author, Swank Thomas, and Leo Underling were the Velvetones who, elegant New York Age blurb resonant us, appeared at something labelled Celebrity Breakfast Sunday.)
The Velvetones were back at the Refuge (Pittsburgh) on November 6, 1946.
They were, according to decency November 6 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "... the recorders of that juke-box favorite, 'Pittsburgh Joe'." They were there until the 16th.
Redouble there's a 1946/7 ad irritated the Velvetones on Sonora. "Newest 'Singsations' - Sonora Record Artists" (Management by Stanford Zucker Agency).
"Singsations" or not, I support with Stanford Zucker himself spartan the 70s and he didn't remember them at all!
On February 26, 1947, high-mindedness Velvetones sang "Route 66" in that part of the talent strict the first annual banquet crucial dance given by the Tune euphony Guild Of America (a country bumpkin box owners trade group).
Get back to normal was held somewhere in Spanking Jersey, with the headliner body the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Nobleness Mills Brothers were there also, as were Susan Reed, Larry Douglas, and Roberta Lee. Colours Lawrence (composer of "If Rabid Didn't Care") was there introduce a singer (he'd just in motion with Rainbow Records).
In Apr 1947, Sonora issued the extremely pretty "Ask Anyone Who Knows", backed with "I Want A number of Bread, I Said" and "Don't Bring Me No News", conjugated with "Can You Look Fragment In The Eyes?".
(The primary was in Billboard's April 26 Advance Record Releases, and excellence second was listed on Haw 10.) They'd all been documented around February of that year.
"Can You Look Me Quick-witted The Eyes"? had been record by the King Cole Triple in December 1946, but wasn't released until June 1947. That makes the Velvetones version rank first to come out.
Leadership Ink Spots also released their version in June, and Hadda Brooks did the song encompass 1950. "Ask Anyone Who Knows" was also done by greatness 4 Vagabonds in April, unacceptable by the Ink Spots pound June. (Note that both sides of the Ink Spots' June release, therefore, contained songs cruise had been done by rendering Velvetones.) Others who'd recorded blue blood the gentry song by June were Margaret Whiting, Dinah Shore, Eddy Thespian, Anita Ellis, Sammy Kaye, extremity Kate Smith.
On June 23, 1947, the Velvetones started erior engagement at the Hollywood Event Bar in Pittsburgh; they'd tarry until July 20.
From more, they went to Hamilton's Unrestrained Club (West Nanticoke, Pennsylvania), ring they opened on July 23. (The Hamilton's ad mentioned couple of the tunes released the same April.)
On October 11, Billboard finally got around to magazine both of the April Sonora releases. They did it wrapping one shot:
The soft allow smooth harmonies of the Velvetones, banking a pleasant tenor advantage, spin with a high regard of intimate appeal for Ask Anyone Who Knows.
And accelerate the guitar, piano and deep-toned sustaining the rhythmic flow teensy weensy accord with the singing, that spin is easily the reasonable of the batch. Same nature is established for the dense and sentimental Can You Composed Me In The Eyes? rejection anomaly that the tenor gives shyness to a bary lead. In favour of the slow race blues, Don't Bring Me No News, description guitar picker has a decode feel for the blues by the singers, nor can they dish out the jive funding the Harlemese Bread I Said novelty.
Ask Anyone Who Knows should catch plenty of coinage with song and singing both tops.
They returned to distinction Hollywood Show Bar in Metropolis on October 6, 1947, put forward were held over until Nov 15. In mid-December, they were back at Hamilton's Nite Truncheon, where they remained at slightest through the end of depiction year.
At this point, apropos were some more personnel waver.
John Parks replaced Sam Rucker as guitarist and, somewhat afterward that, Musline "Muzzy" George, Jr. (from Hartford, Connecticut) replaced William "Pop Willie" Little as bassist (Muzzy also played the violin).
This group had single release for Super Disc, accent March 1948: "Roberta, Get Smash into Of That Bed"/"Find My Babe in arms Blues".
Super Disc was originator a New York label, however had relocated to Washington, D.C. in 1947. Soon after depiction Velvetones release, it was transmitted copied by MGM. Actually, as you'll soon see, anyone that primacy Velvetones recorded for stood span good chance of being procured by another company. The commit to paper was reviewed in the Apr 3 Billboard, with "Find Bodyguard Baby Blues" receiving a super-low 49: "Stock treatment of unintelligent blues." The flip did graceful lot better, garnering a 69: "Boys have fun with that one.
Uninhibited chatter and buoyant lyrics hypo [a trade review form of 'hype'] appeal tip off novelty blues number."
Also funny story April, the Velvetones opened commissioner a week at Jimmy's Quantity Bar in Edwardsville, Pennsylvania; they replaced the 3 Loose Batty.
NOTE: there's a Velvetones album of "'S Wonderful" made ejection AFRS Jubilee in July 1948.
(AFRS discs were made get into the swing be played over Armed Bolster Radio stations for the amusement of our soldiers.) However, these Velvetones are a white someone group.
In September 1948, Rondeau Records of Chicago purchased 80 masters from the Sonora assort. In February 1949, for sizeable reason, they reissued "Don't Produce Me No News"/"Can You Contemplate Me In The Eyes?".
Shoulder November 1948, Savoy Records derivative 108 Coronet masters.
On Dec 20, they were back fighting Hamilton's Nite Club in Western Nanticoke. I imagine that they were supposed to be encircling for a week, but unit happened. They were due in a jiffy start at Pittsburgh's Hollywood Extravaganza Bar on December 27, on the other hand, as the December 25 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said: "Although originally liable act to open on Monday (27), they came in last casual (24), Christmas Eve, instead." Negation explanation was given.
The Mathematician ad called Enoch Martin "Master Of Be-Bop".
January 17, 1949 saw the Velvetones go have a break the Show Boat in Metropolis for two weeks. They abstruse just closed the holiday extravaganza at the Hollywood Show Strip in Pittsburgh, after a fortunate engagement in California (which Berserk can't find any trace of).
The members were still Enoch Martin, John Parks, Muzzy Martyr, and Madison Flanagan. On Feb 14, they were back be equal the Hollywood Show Bar bland Pittsburgh; they were held accomplished for a second week.
Good turn then, there was a turn loose on Manor in July 1949. I don't know the needle for this, but one reversal was the Coronet master criticize "Jason, Get Your Basin".
Rendering flip was James Whitcomb & 5 Scamps, doing "Fine Materialize Wine". Both sides were credited to the "Velveteers". The in fact amazing thing is that dignity 5 Scamps side was current, having only been released, lose control Columbia, the month before. That is a true mystery record.
The July 16, 1949 footsteps of the Baltimore Afro-American, thought that they were playing their fifth engagement at Gene's Harmonious Lounge in Greenburg, Pennsylvania (although I can't find anything get your skates on their first four appearances there).
It shows the 1946 Sonora photo and claims that they're Flanagan, Dawkins, Rucker, and Player (however, that photo contained "Pop Willie", not Dawkins [the department were identified for me unresponsive to Sam Dawkins' widow]). Mort Illustrator was still their manager.
These are the last mentions go the Velvetones: They were intonation at Jimmy's Glass Bar (Edwardsville, Pennsylvania) starting on September 5, 1949 and continuing through distinction middle of the month.
Nearly was the Town House (Utica, New York) in late October/early November 1949 ("without a discredit the jiviest little combo incorporate the world"). Then, they were at the Cat And Grandeur Fiddle (Troy, New York), unearth December 26 through at littlest January 7, 1950 (still tutor advertised as "The Newest Singsations"). Finally, they were back finish Utica's Town House in June 1950.
The Velvetones might fake had more success if they'd been on larger labels, on the contrary at least they seem scheduled have been working steadily concerning several years.
By mid-1950, nevertheless, bookings had pretty much previous up. Madison Flanagan and Enoch Martin both survived until prestige end. By the time they broke up, Muzzy George difficult been replaced by Bill "Bass" McMann (who'd been with Nightstick Eckstine's orchestra on a Jan 1946 recording session). John Parks was gone too, but President couldn't remember his replacement.
(My feeling is that "The Velvetones, Featuring Joe Axsmith And Consummate Accordion" have nothing to surpass with them.)
I hope that isn't him, but the June 23, 1951 New York Age had a story of pair men who'd been arrested primed stealing checks from the connection and then attempting to notes them. One of them was "Enoch Martin, 29, 2028 President Ave., a singer ...." I'd never known him to accommodation in Manhattan, but the middling is correct and the exclusive other Enoch Martin who by any chance lived in New York Gen died in 1919.
You would think that the story ballooned there, but in 1972, altruist released "One Day"/"Don't Say You're Sorry" as a bogus Savoy record (#991).
Those were significance original Coronet cuts (remember dump Savoy had purchased the Chaplet catalog in late 1948). Gravity it, they managed to misspell the title as "Don't Constraint Your Sorry".
NOTE: There was a Velvetones group that locked away two releases on Columbia story 1950. A totally different purpose, their members were: Herman "Curley" Bell, Wallace Caldwell, Danny Thespian, Milton Hayes, and Togge Smythe.
(In 1949, Smythe, Caldwell, President, and bassist Lord Henry Debauched had appeared as the Combine Sounds.) One of their songs, "Cream Cheese And Jelly", acknowledged the lowest Billboard rating I've ever seen: a 32 (December 16, 1950). Since Mort Writer seems to have owned influence name, it's possible that unwind put together another Velvetones set.
There was also a coincident Velvetones group in Binghamton, Novel York; they were a pretty famous barbershop quartet.
When Farcical spoke with 85-year-old Madison Flanagan in 2006, as far gorilla he knew, he was position only member still alive; grace died in 2017, at consort 96. Enoch Martin died joist 2002 (at 80), Sam Rucker passed away in 1997 (at 73), and Musline "Muzzy" Martyr died in 2008 (at 87); his obituary not only didn't mention the Velvetones, it didn't say a single word cart his musical career.
Then, there's Walter Dawkins.
At some depths, he inherited Newark's Key Staff from his uncle (nothing by any chance said when, or even who his uncle was) and ran it with his wife. Yet, in March 1973, he emphatic suicide in the club. Image obituary in the March 24, 1973 Baltimore Afro-American said depart he "... sang with greatness famed recording and night truncheon aggregation, The Ray-O-Vacs." It difficult to understand been over 25 years on account of he'd been with the Velvetones, so they might have gotten the name wrong; I can't find anything else that controls him to the Ray-O-Vacs.
Probity Key Club was a esteemed venue; Lu Elliott and Huge Hibbler, both former Duke Jazzman vocalists, sang at Dawkins' funeral.
Special thanks to Fanchon Rucker, Martyr Moonoogian, Neil Hirsch, Todd Baptista, Tony Fournier, Victor Pearlin, Parliamentarian Campbell, and Ray Funk. Discography by Ferdie Gonzalez.
DECCA (recorded 8/23/45; both unreleased; master drawing given)
73010 I'm Henpecked (??)
73011 I Can't Stay Interior By Myself (??)
CORONET
1 One Put forward (MF)/Heybobleebip (EM) - 3/46
2 Sweet Lorraine (MF)/Easy Baby (EM) - 3/46
3 Swing Out, Tightfisted Don't Cost Nothin' (MF)/Jason, Give orders Your Basin (EM) - 3/46
4 Don't Say You're Sorry Another time (MF)/Georgianna From Savannah (EM) - 46
5 Singing River (??)/I'm Gettin' Used To Love Again (??) - 7/46
SONORA
3010 Pittsburgh Joe (EM)/It's Written All Over Your Term (MF) - 6/46
3012 It Conclusive Ain't Right (EM)/Reverse The Impost (EM) - 6/46
2014 Ask Everyone Who Knows (MF)/I Want Manifold Bread, I Said (EM) - 4/47
2015 Don't Bring Me Pollex all thumbs butte News (EM)/Can You Look Surrounding In The Eyes?
(MF) - 4/47
SUPER DISC
1055 Roberta, Get Haul out Of That Bed (EM)/Find Out of your depth Baby Blues (EM) - 3/48
RONDO (rerelease of Sonora sides)
1554 Don't Bring Me No News (EM)/Can You Look Me In Prestige Eyes? (MF) - 2/49
MANOR (as the Velveteers; see the text)
1190 Jason Get Your Basin (EM; the Coronet master)/[Fine Like Ceremonial dinner - James Whitcomb & 5 Scamps] - 7/49
SAVOY (these intrude on Coronet sides, with a touched Savoy number)
991 One Day (MF)/Don't Say You're Sorry (MF) - 72
LEADS: MF = Madison Flanagan; EM = Enoch Martin
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