Zappa’s early influences: R&B – Doo-wop Vol.29

Frank Zappa often complained by the Eighties that he found it difficult to find musicians who were familiar with the Doo-Wop and R&B records of the Fifties.

So his love of that music could not be featured in his later concerts as much as he would like.

Frank would occasionally mention that he had a sizable collection of 45s from the Fifties.

I now encounter young people who never even heard of this music, not even from their parents.

When I lived in New York City between 1993 and 2008, I would listen to WFUV, broadcasting from Fordham University in the Bronx, almost every Saturday night between midnight and 2am, and record Dan Romanello’s “GROUP HARMONY REVIEW”.

Romanello was one of the most knowledgeable DJs of the music from the Fifties and early Sixties in the world.

https://wfuv.org/content/thank-you-dan

https://wfuv.org/users/dan-romanello

We have now made 45 of his shows available – that’s approximately 90 hours of this incredible music!!!

His commentary throughout the shows is exemplary for its scholarship, including interviews with many of the musicians, who performed in those years on the street corners, since so many of them were still living in the New York City area.

This collection may not interest all Zappa enthusiasts but we are making it available to those who already enjoy this music as well as those who have never experienced it before. Frank showed me this collection occasionally and we would often listen to a few records.

Bob Dobbs

0:00:00 – Robert & Johnny – We Belong Together

0:06:08 – The Scarlets – Kiss Me

0:09:15 – The True Tones – Blushing Bride

0:11:30 – The Counts – Touch Me 

0:14:19 – The Fabulous Three – Cross Every Mountain

0:18:15 – Lee Andrews & the Hearts – Long Lonely Hearts

0:21:00 – Lee Andrews and The Hearts – Long Lonely Nights

0:23:20 – Cornell Blakely – Promise to be True

0:26:45 – The Del Rios – Alone on a Rainy Nite

0:31:37 – Five Echoes – A Lonely Mood

0:34:22 – The Uniques – I Cross My Fingers

0:36:34 – The Contenders – Mister Deejay

0:39:34 – The Majors – At Last

0:49:55 – Mellotones – I’m Just Another One in Love With You

0:50:25 – The Downbeats – Thinking Of You

0:52:13 – The Shadows – Don’t Blame My Dreams

0:56:47 – Marvels – Sonya

1:00:50 – The Falcons – This Day

1:02:57 – Herb Lance – I’ll Always Be In Love

1:05:50 – The El-Darrows – Please Surrender

1:08:22 – King Crooners – Lonely Nights

1:11:41 – ?  

1:14:04 – The Five Tinos – Sitting by My Window

1:17:33 – The Fabulous Flames – I Need You Here

1:20:36 – Nicky St. Claire – Creator of Love

1:23:00 – The 5 Trojans – Lola Lee

1:26:19 – The Victorians – Don’t Break My Heart Again

1:28:36 – The Blues Busters – Little Vilma

1:31:06 – Copasetics – Collegian

1:33:23 – Celeste Stewart – If I Didn’t Have You

1:38:36 – The Flares – This Is the Night for Love

1:41:57 – Joe Van Loan & his Quartet Until I Fell For You

1:45:00 – Thelma Carpenter – My Imagination

1:47:10 – Sue Allen and Oscar Black – I Will Follow You 

1:53:03 – Bill Johnson & His Musical Notes – You’re the Dream of a Lifetime

1:55:57 – Bill Johnson – Elevator Boogie