The 1950’s Fabulous Foursome! This   is   a   fan   site   of   the   original   Diamonds   of   the   1950s. All hailing   from   Canada,   they   made   their   way   to      the   U.   S., and   with   their   songs   and   energy,   endeared   themselves   to their fans forever.

ROCK AND ROLL DIAMONDS: CANADA'S VERY OWN - PAGE 1 By Andy Merey - 2004 (The following article is from Discoveries Magazine by Andy Merey and is presented here by permission) Buddy   Holly:   "How   long   will   rock   and   roll   last   Dave?"   Dave   Somerville:   "Six   months?"   Buddy   Holly:   "I   hope you're wrong Dave. I think rock and roll is good for a year." In   early   1955,   the   rhythm   and   blues   Diamonds,   noted   for   their   landmark   single,   "A   Beggar   For   Your Kisses"   (Atlantic   981),   one   of   three   they   had   on   the   label,   disbanded.   Enter   four   white   budding   singers from   Toronto,   Canada,   a   hub   of   talented   singing   quartets,   who   at   about   that   time   adopted   the   same   name and   called   themselves The   Diamonds.   Ironically,   they   would   end   up   "covering"   black   R   &   B   groups   like   the defunct Atlantic Diamonds. (Click photo for larger view) Formative   beginnings:    The   group   formed   in   Toronto   in   1953.   When   they   were   ready   for   the   big   time,   which   took   them to   Cleveland   (due   to   the   enormous   national   influence   of   Bill   Randle,   a   disc   jockey   stationed   in   that   city),   New   York   and Chicago,   the   first   notable   set   of   group   personnel   included   David   Somerville   (lead),   Ted   Kowalski   (tenor),   Phil   Levitt (baritone)   and   Bill   Reed   (bass).   From   the   second   set   on,   beginning   in   late   1957   when   Mike   Douglas   replaced   Phil   Levitt and   the   following   year,   Evan   Fisher   bumped   Ted   Kowalski,   while   John   Felten   replaced   Bill   Reed,   The   Diamonds   went through   various   changes   in   membership   over   the   years.   Fisher   and   Felten   were   Californians;   this   then   obscured   the Canadian   origins   of The   Diamonds. After   lead   singer   David   Somerville   left   the   group   towards   the   end   of   1961,   there   were many   different   installments.   They   had   very   little   resemblance   to   the   group   that   existed   during   the   Mercury   years   (1956- 1961).   Along   with   other   famous   Canadian   groups   from   the   1950s,   namely   The   Crew-Cuts,   The   Four   Lads,   The   Four   Emcees, The   Rover   Boys,   etc.,   The   Diamonds   at   first   sang   in   the   same   pop   vocal   style   as   the   other   groups.   The   vocal   sound   of The   Four   Freshmen   or   The   Four   Aces   best   describes   the   style   of   music   they   were   emulating   at   the   beginning   of   their career.   Also   at   this   time,   in   the   early   1950s,   increasing   exposure   to   the   music   of   black   groups   markedly   left   a   strong imprint   on   their   musical   taste. The   Diamonds,   it   could   be   said,   brought   somewhat   closer   together   two   very   different   forms of music by blending and combining pop vocals with rhythm and blues. The   Diamonds'   connection   with   legendary   DJ   Bill   Randle   gave   them   a   leeway   to   success.   Randle   was   also   responsible for   helping   to   promote   The   Four   Lads,   Bill   Haley   &   His   Comets   and   the   early   career   of   Elvis   Presley   during   1955-56.   He was   the   first   to   write   about   Elvis,   who   later   became   a   fan   of   The   Diamonds,   in   an   article   that   appeared   in   the   Cleveland Press,   October   1,   1955.   Randle   also   had   the   honor   to   first   introduce   Elvis   to   the   world   of   national   television   via   the Dorsey   Brothers'   "Stage   Show"   which   was   broadcast   by   CBS   on   January   28,   1956.   This   was   his   introduction:   "We'd   like at   this   time   to   introduce   to   you   a   young   fellow,   who   like   many   performers,   Johnnie   Ray   among   them,   come   up   out   of nowhere   to   be   overnight   big   stars.   This   young   fellow   we   met   for   the   first   time   while   working   on   a   movie   short.   We   think tonight   that   he's   going   to   make   television   history   for   you.   We'd   like   you   to   meet   him   now   —   Elvis   Presley.   And   here   he is!" "Cover"   artists:    The   Crew-Cuts   led   the   way   for   The   Diamonds,   also   with   a   little   help   from   their   friend   Bill   Randle.   They were   responsible   for   helping   to   usher   in   the   rock   and   roll   era   with   their   big   national   hit,   a   "cover"   of   "Sh-Boom"   (The Chords   on   Cat   Records).   Like   The   Diamonds,   they   hold   the   distinction   of   being   one   of   the   first   white   groups   to   "cover"   R &    B    records.    However,    though    the    two    groups    held    many    similarities,    The    Crew-Cuts    missed    the    rock    and    roll bandwagon by which The Diamonds were musically carried away. In   1957,   a   couple   of   respectable   attempts   by   The   Crew-Cuts   to   rock   and   roll   on   vinyl,   such   as   the   fine   "I   Sit   In   My Window"   (Mercury   71168))   and   their   take   on   Dale   Hawkins'   "Susie   Q"   (Mercury   71125),   wasn't   enough   to   catch   up.   Soon after,   a   switch   over   to   RCA   Victor   and   Warwick   did   little   to   effectively   change   their   course.   They   couldn't   match   The Diamonds' musical advantage of being there at the right time and place, when the rock and roll bus happened along. "Little   Darlin"'   by The   Diamonds   is   considered   in   the   annals   of   rock   and   roll   history   as   the   only   record   during   the   1950s   to be   an   improvement   over   the   original.   Also,   "The   Church   Bells   May   Ring",   was   tailor   made   for   an   overall   wider   market than   The   Willows'   original   could   ever   reach.   This   is   not   to   say,   "Church   Bells   May   Ring"   (Melba   102)   by   The   Willows doesn't   remain   a   Doo-Wop   classic,   which   was   true   to   the   strong   and   gritty   up-tempo   rhythm   and   blues   sound   widely made in 1956. The   Diamonds   were   naturals   at   "covering"   and   they   brought   many   of   the   songs   recorded   by   black   artists   to   the   limelight. Coral   Records   and   Dick   Jacobs   in   New York   didn't   know   what   to   do   with   them   exactly.   "Nip   Sip"   originally   by The   Clovers or   "Black   Denim   Trousers   and   Motorcycle   Boots"   borrowed   from   The   Cheers   were   two   sides   issued   on   the   label   but failed   to   make   any   impact   and   consequently   did   not   chart.   A   quick   move   to   Mercury   in   Chicago   proved   to   be   quite   a different   story   and   started   a   string   of   hits   for   them.   David   Carroll,   a   Mercury   Records   mainstay   since   1951,   brought   forth and promoted just the right mix of talent. The Diamonds garnered sixteen hits for Mercury between 1956 and 1961. Mercury   Records:   Their   first   song   recorded   on   the   label   was   "Why   Do   Fools   Fall   In   Love"   and   it   remained   secondary   to Frankie   Lymon   &   the   Teenagers'   original.   But   the   group   was   now   beginning   to   establish   itself   on   the   charts   and   would continue to make headway in record popularity. Next   up   was   the   aforementioned   "The   Church   Bells   May   Ring".   The   Diamonds   scored   with   their   rendition   of   the   song.   It had   a   refined,   somewhat   haunting   sound,   reminiscent   of   its   era.   It   signaled   that   they   were   a   talent   to   be   reckoned   with. They   weren't   just   another   run-of-the   mill   singing   group.   David   Carroll's   rich   production   combined   with The   Diamonds'   fine vocal ensured a bigger hit than the Willows' original. The   year   1957   brought   to   the   forefront   The   Diamonds'   signature   song,   "Little   Darlin'".   It   held   at   the   #2   position   for   an impressive   8   weeks   and   an   overall   total   of   26   weeks   chart   stay.   David   Somerville   quipped,   "We   would   have   been   #1,   if   it hadn't   been   for   that   darn   Elvis   and   his   "All   Shook   Up." Astonishingly   but   significantly,   they   hit   the   #2   position   on   the   R   & B charts as well. In   England,   "Little   Darlin"   was   big   (#3-17wks.)   but   curiously,   that   was   the   only   Diamonds   single   to   ever   chart   there.   Not that   a   shortage   of   vinyl   releases   over   the   years   was   the   problem;   many   were   made   available   to   the   music   buying   public including   one   45   not   seen   in   the   US,   "Straight   Skirts"   (Mercury   MT   286).   Furthermore,   an   intriguing   EP   aptly   titled, "Surprise   Package"   (Mercury   10088)   was   also   only   issued   in   the   UK.   On   the   EP,   The   Diamonds   shared   material   with none other than Ben Hewitt ("I Ain't Givin' Up Nothin'"). Nat   Goodman,   who   managed   The   Diamonds,   had   heard   "Little   Darlin'   "   by   The   Gladiolas.   The   group's   front   man   was Maurice   Williams,   also   the   song's   writer   and   creator   of   all   the   vocal   manoeuvres   and   hiccups.   The   Diamonds   recorded the   song   Mr.   Goodman   had   acquired,   transforming   it   into   a   rock   and   roll   classic.   Castanets,   cowbells,   piano   and   Spanish rhythm   guitars   were   used   to   intensify   a   rhumba   feel   to   the   song. The   tempo   and   approach   in   delivery   made   "Little   Darlin" a better record than the original.   The   group   never   intended   "Little   Darlin"   to   be   humorous   but   that's   they   way   it   became   perceived   by   the   public.   The spoken   bass   bridge   on   the   record   must   have   had   something   to   do   with   this.   The   group   then   worked   in   a   routine   to thicken   the   unexpected   reception   by   music   fans.   Wherever   they   appeared,   such   as   on American   Bandstand,   September 9, 1957, they performed "Little Darlin'" with an added fun routine worked into the song. During   the   same   year,   The   Diamonds   made   their   obligatory   appearance   in   the   movies   in   a   quickie   called,   "The   Big Beat",   which   featured   a   dancing   Fats   Domino   performing   the   title   tune.   The   Del   Vikings   sang   "Can't   Wait"   while   The Diamonds   predictably   warbled   their   hit   "Little   Darlin'".   They   can   also   been   seen   singing   "Where   Mary   Go",   a   tune   The Flamingos   recorded   for   Decca.   Dubious   production   and   acting   merits   aside,   the   vocal   groups   shone   with   their   on   screen musical performances, which provided a vehicle that carried considerable exposure. Words   of   love,   learning   the   game:    Buddy   Holly   had   written   a   stellar   song   called   "Words   of   Love".   In   the   spring   of   1957 he   submitted   a   demo   of   his   composition   to   Peer-Southern   Music.   Someone   at   the   company   zealously   forwarded   the demo   to   Mercury   and   The   Diamonds,   who   wasted   no   time   in   waxing   the   tune   and   unbeknownst   to   Holly,   had   the   original recorded   version   of   his   song.   From   then   on,   Holly   quickly   realized   that   in   order   to   maintain   full   control   of   his   work   he needed   to   keep   a   much   tighter   rein   on   his   songs.   Actually,   in   those   days,   it   was   part   of   the   climate   within   music publishing companies to have songs recorded by as many artists as possible, to maximize a profit. As   for   The   Diamonds   and   "Words   of   Love",   their   version   was   quite   different   from   that   of   Holly's   first   and   perhaps,   best solo   single. They   decided   on   a   much   faster-paced   delivery,   and   gave   Holly's   classic   the   full,   appealing   Diamonds   style   of sound,   adding   a   kind   of   "Love   Is   Strange"   guitar   riff   with   spoken   bass   bridge.   It   worked   and   remains,   for   this   writer,   a favourite   from   their   Mercury   catalog. Also,   this   single   and   several   other   originals   that   followed   testify   to   the   fact   that   their reputation for being strictly "cover" artists is a misconception. Exciting   years:   Throughout   1957   and   1958,   a   wonderful   time   in   music, The   Diamonds   were   riding   high   on   some   of   their greatest   chart   successes   as   they   barnstormed   across   North America   on   rock   and   roll   tours   such   as   the   "Show   of   Stars" and   Alan   Freed's   "Big   Beat"   packages.   While   riding   the   "1957   Rock   and   Roll   Greyhound   Bus"*   as   David   Somerville recalls it, they shared many unforgettable experiences with some of the greatest stars of rock and roll. The   records   kept   on   coming,   including   the   peppy   "Zip   Zip"   which   they   performed   on   Bandstand   and   a   Canadian   only release   on   Mercury   entitled   "Wild   Honey"   (first   by   Gordon   Terry   on   Cadence,   also   on   Liberty   and   written   by   Boudleaux Bryant),   backed   with   "Passion   Flower"   (co-written   by   Perry   Botkin   Jr.)   which   wasn't   much   different   than   The   Fraternity Brothers'   45   on   Verve   Records.   "Wild   Honey"   appeared   on   the   US   Mercury   EP,   "The   Diamonds"   (1-3367)   but   as   "Sweet Wild Honey" along with "Passion Flower". There   were   a   handful   of   Canadian   only   releases   of   US   recordings   during   the   first   era   of   rock   and   roll. The   most   prized   of these   is   Buddy   Holly's   "Valley   of   Tears"   I   "You're   So   Square   (Baby   I   Don't   Care)"   (Coral   62283).   Two   label   variations exist.   The   first,   issued   in   1961,   appeared   on   the   familiar   Coral   dull   maroon   label   with   second   pressings   having   a   brighter maroon shading. Continued on page 2.