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Norman Fox & The Rob-Roys | |
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| Origin | The Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Doo-wop, R&B |
| Years active | 1956–2000s |
| Labels | Back Beat, Capitol, |
| Past members |
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Norman Fox & The Rob-Roys are an American 1950s doo-wop group from The Bronx, New York, United States.
The group formed in New York in 1956, and were one of the few interracial groups recording at this time. The group takes its name from the Rob Roy cocktail. The members of the group were Norman Fox (lead), Bob Trotman (first tenor), Andre Lilly (second tenor), Robert Thierer (baritone), and Marshall "Buzzy" Helfand (bass). The group signed to the Back Beat label, a subsidiary of Duke/Peacock in 1957, and recorded three singles, generally upbeat doo-wop tracks: "Tell Me Why", "Lover Doll", and "Dance Girl Dance". [1]
The group then signed to Capitol Records in 1958. Helfand left the group at this time, and was replaced by new bass Paul Schneller. One single was recorded, "Pizza Pie", but it was not released until 1959, since they were still on contract with Backbeat. In 1961, the group had, once again, gone to Capitol Records, and recorded as The Temptations, but did not have their songs issued. After having to record more unissued singles (Time Records), the group split in 1963. [1]
The group reunited for a show in 1971, with Fox, Trotman, Lilly, and Thierer. After another gap, the group returned in 1986 with Fox, Thierer, Stuart Morgan (first tenor; he'd toured with a Drifters group and performed with The Channels in the late 1990s-early 2000s), Alex Augustine [2] (second tenor; former member of The Charts), and Leon McClain (bass, of The Quinns). In the early 90s, the group recorded several a cappella tracks for multiple Starlight Records compilation albums. Some featured Norman's daughter Kim on lead vocals. [1] By this time, Morgan and McClain had been replaced by Nelson "Tino" Alvarez and Les Levine. [3] Later, the group was Fox, Thierer, Augustine, Alvarez, and Jay McKnight, a previous member of The Dubs. [4] Levine was a member of The Del Vikings.
As of 2004, the group was Fox, Thierer, Alvarez, the returning Leon McClain, and Warren Tesoro (second tenor; joined 2003). [5]
Robert Thierer Died On January 23rd, 2022. [6]
Bob Trotman Died On March 22nd, 2023. [7]
The Penguins were an American doo-wop group of the 1950s and early 1960s, best remembered for their only Top 40 hit, "Earth Angel", which was one of the first rhythm and blues hits to cross over to the pop charts. The song peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Best Sellers in Stores pop chart, but had a three-week run at No. 1 on the R&B chart, later used in the Back to the Future movies.
Doo-wop is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Detroit, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles. It features vocal group harmony that carries an engaging melodic line to a simple beat with little or no instrumentation. Lyrics are simple, usually about love, sung by a lead vocal over background vocals, and often featuring, in the bridge, a melodramatically heartfelt recitative addressed to the beloved. Harmonic singing of nonsense syllables is a common characteristic of these songs. Gaining popularity in the 1950s, doo-wop was "artistically and commercially viable" until the early 1960s, but continued to influence performers in other genres.
The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with "Searchin'" and "Young Blood" in 1957, their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producing team of Leiber and Stoller. Although the Coasters originated outside of mainstream doo-wop, their records were so frequently imitated that they became an important part of the doo-wop legacy through the 1960s. In 1987, they were the first group inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Teenagers are an American music group, most noted for being one of rock music's earliest successes, presented to international audiences by DJ Alan Freed. The group, which made its most popular recordings with young Frankie Lymon as lead singer, is also noted for being rock's first all-teenaged act. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
The Crows were an American R&B singing group formed in 1951 who achieved commercial success in the 1950s. The group's first single and only hit, "Gee", released in June 1953, has been credited with being the first rock n’ roll hit by a rock and roll group. It peaked at position #14 and #2, respectively, on the Billboard magazine pop and rhythm-and-blues charts in 1954. Although Gee fell into the Doo Wop genre, and "was the first 1950s doo-wop record to sell over one million records" in that genre, some consider it as the first of the "rock n' roll records".
The Wrens were an American doo-wop vocal group from The Bronx, New York City. They are best known for their song "Come Back My Love".
The Persuasions were an American a cappella group that began singing together in Brooklyn, New York in the mid-1960s.
The Harptones are an American doo-wop group, which formed in Manhattan in 1953.
The Dubs are an American doo wop vocal group formed in 1956, best known for their songs "Could This Be Magic", "Don't Ask Me to Be Lonely" and "Chapel of Dreams".
The Jive Five are an American doo-wop group. They are best known for their debut hit single, "My True Story" (1961), the Nickelodeon bumper jingles in the 1980s and 1990s, and the fact that they outlasted most of their musical peers by re-modeling themselves as a soul group in the 1970s and beyond.
The Edsels were an American doo-wop group active during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The name of the group was originally The Essos, after the oil company, but was changed to match the new Ford automobile, the Edsel. They recorded over 25 songs and had multiple performances on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. The Edsels were one of the few doo-wop groups to sign with a major record label, as most groups of that era found success with small independent labels; before their national hit "Rama Lama Ding Dong", songs like "What Brought Us Together", "Bone Shaker Joe" and "Do You Love Me" helped the group land a major recording contract with Capitol Records in 1961.
Lee Andrews & the Hearts were an American doo-wop quintet from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formed in 1953. They recorded on the Gotham, Rainbow, Mainline, Chess, United Artists, Grand and Gowen labels. Managed by Kae Williams, in 1957 and 1958 they had their three biggest hits, "Tear Drops", "Long Lonely Nights" and "Try the Impossible".
The Chords were an American doo-wop vocal group formed in 1951 in The Bronx, New York, known for their 1954 hit "Sh-Boom", which they wrote. It is the only song they created that reached mainstream popularity.
Leon Hughes Sr. was an American rhythm and blues singer. He was the last surviving original member of The Coasters.
The El Dorados were an American doo-wop group, who achieved their greatest success with the song "At My Front Door", a no. 1 hit on the US Billboard R&B chart in 1955.
The Alley Cats are an American doo-wop group singing in a cappella.
The Capris are an American doo wop group who became a one-hit wonder in 1961 with "There's a Moon Out Tonight." They experienced a popularity and performing resurgence in the 1980s, when three members reformed and The Manhattan Transfer recorded their song, "Morse Code of Love," which reached the US Hot 100 and the U.S. AC top 20.
The Charts were an American doo-wop group of the 1950s, most famous for their recording "Deserie".
The Solitaires are an American doo-wop group, best known for their 1957 hit single "Walking Along". Although they never had a national chart hit, they were one of the most popular vocal groups in New York in the late 1950s.
The Students were an American doo-wop vocal group, which formed in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, in 1957. Although they only released four sides, two of them – "I'm So Young" and "Every Day of the Week" – became doo-wop standards. "I'm So Young" in particular became popular and durable, and has been covered by the Beach Boys, Rosie and the Originals, The Ronettes and Kid Kyle and "The Students".
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