CAMEO-PARKWAY RECORDS: The Vocal Groups, Vol. 6

Cameo Records was founded in December 1956 in Philadelphia by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann (it has no connection to a 1920s record label also called Cameo Records). Parkway, initially a subsidiary label, was formed in 1958...
...Mann and Lowe had been a successful songwriting team prior to the start of label, with Mann writing lyrics and Lowe the music; their biggest hit prior to starting the label was Elvis Presley's "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear". Dave Appell joined the label from its inception as A&R director, and the three worked together as a production team on many early Cameo releases. Mann and Lowe wrote many of the label's early singles, while Mann and Appell also became a successful songwriting team that was responsible for many of the label's hits, particularly after Lowe cut back on his songwriting (c.1961/62) to attend to the business of running the label. In addition, Appel's group The Applejacks functioned as the de facto Cameo house band for the first few years of the company's existence, serving as backing musicians for the label's vocalists as well as issuing a handful of instrumental singles on their own. Lowe, also a musician, played piano on many early tracks.
The first hit for Cameo was "Butterfly" by Charlie Gracie, which reached #1 nationally in early 1957; it was also Cameo-Parkway's first of five chart toppers. Throughout the remainder of the decade Cameo continued to have hits by groups like the R&B group the Rays, who had a #3 hit with "Silhouettes" later that year. In 1958 the label had further hits with "Dinner With Drac", a novelty record by John Zacherle in the top 10, and "Mexican Hat Rock", an instrumental by The Applejacks, in the top 20.
A major factor in Cameo-Parkway's success was its relationship with the Philadelphia-based TV program American Bandstand. Being located in the same city where this popular nationally-broadcast music show was produced meant that Cameo-Parkway artists were always available to perform on the show—especially in the event any other act should cancel. Bandstand host and producer Dick Clark has spoken of the "warm relationship" the program had with Cameo-Parkway, and the of the label's willingness to ensure that quality musical acts were always available to the program on short notice. The label benefited tremendously from the arrangement, as the exposure many Cameo-Parkway artists received on American Bandstand helped propel them to stardom.
Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameo-Parkway_Records
Read more about this legendary label here:
http://aln2.albumlinernotes.com/Cameo_Parkway_1957-1967.html
trax:
1. The Vow - The Philadelphians 2. Tears On My Pillow - Bobby Paris & His Group 3. I Love You Conrad - Little Cheryl & Her Group 4. Remember Me Baby - Billy & The Essentials 5. New Years Eve - The Cameos aka Universals 6. I Don't Want Your Love - Rick & The Masters 7. Don't Leave Me Baby - The Camelots 8. Don't Cry - Irma & The Larks 9. Why Don't You Love Me - Johnny Greco & the Epics/ Masters 10. Hm-MM-Baby-Hm MM - Johnny Stevens & His Group 11. I Care About You - Johnny Maestro & The Crests 12. Surf City - The Tymes 13. Sunday Kind Of Love - The Roomates 14. Memories - The Scott Brothers 15. Soldier Baby Of Mine - Candy & The Kisses 16. Island Of Love - The Defenders 17. Keep It Up - Pete Antell & His Group 18. Heartburn - Johnny Maestro & The Crests 19. No More Love - The Possessions 20. Tears In My Heart - The Impacs 21. I Found Someone New - The Prizes 22. I Waited For You(Unreleased) - The Skyliners 23. You're Not Welcome - The Hollywood Producers 24. Turn Out The Lights - Pookie Hudson & The Spaniels 25. I Found Love In A Dream - The Turbans 26. For The First Time - The Twilights 27. Come And Dance With Me - Billy Abbott & The Jewels 28. Debbie - Joe Graves & His Group 29. A Sad Goodbye - The Four Exceptions
...originally served by Gyro1966...