CAMEO-PARKWAY RECORDS: The Vocal Groups, Vol. 10

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. Dreaming of You - The Dimples 2. Freddie - The De Vonns 3. As I Watch You Walk Away - Martha Smith 4. Willyam, Willyam - Dee Dee Sharp 5. I Must Have You (or No One) - Christine Cooper 6. Can't Get Him Out of My Mind - Sandra Gee 7. Don't Tell Anyone - The Deltas 8. One Phone Call (Will Do) - Patti LaBelle & Her Bluebelles 9. You'll Go First - The Stylettes 10. The End of This Line - Sandra Barry 11. 4,003,221 Tears from Now - Judy Stone 12. Got to Run - Vickie Baines 13. Every Breath I Take - Roddie Joy 14. Mark My Word - The Bittersweets 15. Take Another Look at Me - The Wemarettes 16. And That Reminds Me - Janie Grant 17. Summer's Here at Last - The Prizes 18. Don't Break My Heart - The Dream Girls 19. Yeh, Yeh, We Love 'em All - Little Cheryl 20. Don't Throw Your Love Away - The Orlons 21. Danny Boy - Patti LaBelle & Her Bluebelles 22. Heartaches Away My Boy - Christine Cooper 23. Ain't Love a Funny Thing - The Jelly Beans 24. Come On Down Baby Baby - The Orlons 25. It's a Funny Situation - Dee Dee Sharp 26. We Belong Together - Honey Love & The Love Notes 27. Tommy's House - Joy & The Sorrows
...originally served by Gyro1966...