About Us
E verything comes to
those who wait.
Like most vocal groups of the late fifties, The Laurels opted to carve a rock
and roll niche, they carved theirs out of the black wax of a 45. Something to
preserve their sound. Something to show the grandkids. An album? Well, maybe
someday.
Nearly three and a half decades later, after a number of visits to single-ville,
someday arrived. The laurels had stood " The Test of Time ". Roots of there
long-awaited albums can be traced back to U.S. Steel's National Tube mill, where
McKeesport's Dick Muse labored with a friend of the manager of the city's R&B
group The Condors. Muse would drop in to hear Lonnie Brown, Julius Davis, Eli
"Buttermilk" Sim, Junior Barber (brother of recording artist Cecil Barber) and
Buddy Belton rehearsing upstairs at the American Legion, at the Swing Club, or
at somebody's house. Those rehearsals were Muse's primer, where learned harmony
and showmanship. Then came that night.
History
At
the legendary White Elephant when the Condor's manager Eddie Fuchs invited Muse
to stand in with the troupe to sing the Heartbeat's "Your Way" A bond had been
forged, but college called. West Liberty College in 1956, where Muse, his head
still filled with the rhythm and blues that Pittsburgh deejays like Porky
Chedwick were pushing, ran into a like-minded quartet of West Virginians whose
radios, likewise, had been tuned to Porky and his peers. The vocals fell into
place: Bobby Gaynor, lead; Fred Hulme, first tenor; Muse, second tenor; Noel
Schwertfeger, baritone; and multi-instrumentalist Nick Ticich, bass. College
functions led to the non-campus world, including a bunch of gigs in Muse-s old
stomping grounds. First visit to the Pittsburgh market marked Muse's return to
White Oak's Elephant. It was there in 1958, that deejay Tom Nee introduced the
group to manager Harry Latanzio, who ran in to Harry's Danceland in Latrobe. The
Laurels would open there for national acts like The Coasters and Freddy Cannon.
Same deal at the Veterans Club of McKeesport, where they paved the way for the
likes of Pookie Hudson and The Spaniels. Latanzio hooked the guys up with
songwriter/promoter Elmer Willet, on whose self-named label his own group, later
to be known as The Vogues, first recorded. The Laurels never came out on
Willett, although they cut "Every Minute of the Day" and "Lips of Fire." But
before the fifties ended, the students harmonists made it to vinyl, though they
didn't quite get the recognition they expected. Somehow or other, the folks at
World label attributed their "Working Man/Don't Go" to the Pennants. Oh well,
that's how collectibles are made. Graduation, military service and other
interests brought and end to Round One of the Laurel's saga. Before and after
his stint with Uncle Sam, Muse returned to The Condors. Line between two groups
was blurry, anyway' Davis and Sim had sung with The Laurels on occasion.
Gradually, that music, too, faded away. Family demands. Daytime jobs. Enter Ray
Bishop, who, in 1982, was looking for something to release on his self-names
record label. Bishop contacted Muse to see if he had anything on the shelf.
Better than that, Muse called Gaynor, Hulme, Schwertfeger and Ticich, and the
original Laurels, more than two decades after their hayday, were back in the
studio. No thought of a return to the limelight. Just for fun. Resulting in
Bishop release was "I Wonder," backed with a re-recorded version of "Every
Minute of the Day," followed by "A Little Romance" and Ticich' "Summer' Gonna Be
a Ball" on Bishop's other label, Alexis. When his original partners returned to
their established grooves, Muse refilled the group with a number of different
voices over the intervening years, including Richie Merrit, who would go on to
sing with The Clovers, and former Condors Julius Davis and Lonnie Brown.
Laurels' discography grew with the single "Honey I Love You," backed with the a
cappella "So Much In Love," the EP "Barbara/Lonely/Summer/Hydrogen Bomb/Crying
in the Chapel," and final single, "When I'm With You/Truthfully." End of Round
Two in 1988, with Muse moving over to Pittsburgh oldies acts The Memories and
The DeVilles. Bell Rang for the present round four years later. Laurels tracks
had graced a couple of "They All Sang in Pittsburgh" compilation albums, but
time had come for the nearly-end-of-the-millennium Laurels - Muse, Lonnie Brown,
Jeff King, Jim Baker and Larry Davis - to blend on a full package of classics
that, indeed, have stood "The Test of Time." Couple of the songs have strong
links to the early days. "Lundy Dundy," for example, which The Laurels sang at
sock hops in the golden era. Same with Little Richard's "True Fine Mama," Shep
and The Limelight's "Daddy's Home" and The Five Satins' "In the Still of the
Night." "Woke Up This Morning" was popularized by Chuck Jackson in his pre-solo
stardom period. Muse used to trek up the Monongahela River to Clairton, where
Jackson, before his turn with the Dell-Vikings, would accompany himself on
piano. In the beginning, The Laurels carried their own band. Tyrone Price on
sax, Jim Braccio on drums, Peter Goodwin on guitar, The Laurel's sidemen today
are something of an all-star unit - Johnny Vann, 37 years in the business, can
be heard on tenor sax, alto, flute, keyboards and vibes, after touring with the
Billy Earl Trio, he returned to Pittsburgh to join Joni Wilson and The Debonairs,
then led his own bands The Counts, High Society, Top Shelf and Junk-It, the
latter represented by the album "Straight Fish." Drummer Chuck Malloy once
powered Jamfest, while keyboardist Jack Slagel, lead guitarist Frank Janos and
Divis, who doubles as bass player, worked together before in various
combination: Slagel and Divis wrote and recorded with award-winning polka band
leader Jack Tady' Janos and Slagel's compositions can be found on the Tasz album
(they also appeared together in Razzle). Lots of history. Lots of sound. A
pipeline to the days when rock and roll was fresh, when singing under the
streetlamp didn't draw the cops, when the boys room was the place to hang out
(best reverb). The Laurels were there at the start and have never been satisfied
to rest on their... their laurels, that is. "The Test of Time" has been passed,
they've earned an "A," though should they prefer the occational C minor or B
sharp, we'll understand. And enjoy.Dave Sallinger, Entertainment Editor,
McKeesport Daily News
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