Picture of Mommy Twisting With Santa

 

Little Cori Sings

Picture of Mommy Twisting With Santa

Aromando - Petolino, Jingle Music ASCAP

Arr. and conducted by Marc Federicks

Air-Wave #1301

Bloomfield, N.J.

 

Vocalist, 7, Releases New Yuletide Recording

Woodbridge — During the past week, some of the nation's top vocalists, Doris Day, Dinah Shore and Jo Stafford, took notice when seven-year old Cori Petolino, a former Woodbridge youngster, released her latest recording,  "An Oscar for Santa" which appears destined to become a big hit during the Christmas holidays.

Cori, daughter of Mr. and Mrs Vincent Petolino, now of Bloomfield, has a vibrant personality which practically ear-marked her for early stage stardom, but a prior mysterious throat ailment appeared to handicap her early career, as a vocalist. She suffered repeatedly from a series of colds and sore throats.

The family doctor prescribed the removal of her tonsils and after the simple operation, Cori began to sing like a lark.  At first she harmonized to entertain her family and friends, but her talents were not to be confined when an executive of Air-Wave Records decided to give her a crack at waxing a record.

With the opportunity to make a record, her father, an insurance agent with a theatrical background, decided to dig up a number with suitable lyrics and music for his daughter.  After scrutinizing several songs, he decided to go along with "An Oscar for Santa," written by Joseph Aromando, Nicholas DiNardo and Vincent Petolino.  And, after listening to the recording, it appears as though he made the right choise.

Tonsilitis prevented Cori from appearing at the recording studio until Columbus Day when she was at her best, spinning her two choices, "An Oscar for Santa" and "Picture of Mommy Twisting with Santa Claus".     Her unique voice is sure to catch the fancy of the public because of its unusual quality.

Hopes it Sells a Million

When questioned about the future of her record, Cori lost little time answering.

"I hope it sells a million copies so that I can study dramatics and go to Hollywood to star in the movies.  Daddy was a Newark bandleader so I do have a little show business background."

 To date, Cori's most ardent supporters are her mother, the former Sylvia Gannilla, whose own father was a noted Woodbridge sculptor, four older sisters and her father.   They are all in favor of a professional career for Cori if it doesn't interfere with her education.  Thus far her grades at Sacred Heart School have not suffered to any extent.

Mr Petelino wears a smile whenever he discusses Cori and in a modest manner stated during a recent interview:

"We don't want to push her into anything but if she wants a career in show business, it is best that she starts now.  As of a child she can keep her career a business. An older girl has a much harder time of it."

To date the record has been played in several department stores with territifc response : especially from the younger element who enjoy Cori's melodic one and the catchy lyrics.  The record appears well on its way and it will be interesting to watch the result of a simple tonsil operation which practically transformed a little girl into a promising vocalist.

 Little Cori

Acknowledgments : The RedBoy (for label shot and audio - now unavailable - posted in his blog 6 years ago), BandBox244 (Little Cori picture from the record sleeve), The Independent-Leader, Woodbridge, N.J. Thursday, November 15, 1962 (for the story)

Searchin

Thanks to Darryl Bullock's latest post, I do known now that this tiny Power record label was located in Jonesboro, Arkansas.  This, hum, is the song made famous by The Coasters in 1957. 


"I do not search, I find" said one day Pablo Picasso or Einstein (or both?, but not at the same time).  Well, I can tell you, they certainly never searched for Karen Fellows, otherwise I will able to give you some interesting details, such as who were her parents, where she was born, who was her voice coach, etc.

Searchin

Come Along Santa

Delores Bissette

Come Along Santa

(Vida Nixon)

Nixon Records

(© 19 February 1962)

Vida Lellon Munden Nixon (1894-1988), North Carolina native, was a composer of songs and hymns for children.  See hymnary.org for a list of some of her songs.

A Kay Bank pressing from 1962

Coming soon to this screen*

• The Panthers on D&C
• The US Beatles on DR
• Tiny Morrie (his first on Hurricane)
• Jerry Jaye on the Label label
• Little Brad Williams (awful kid singer, clips only)
• Bill Eagle on Reeta Pass
• A little something on Chuck Nix

*unless I'll found out that they are already blogged, youtubed or butchered elsewhere!

Jungle Rock

The Chimes of Freedom

Jungle Rock

Hamilton - Francis - Pytlovany

Robert Barry Music

Label ? (USS 102)
(1970)

 

Group from Scotia, a village in Schenectady County, New York,

Members : Darrell Francis on drums, Bill Pytlovany, lead guitar, Paul Hamilton, rhythm guitar, Jeff Austin on bass guitar, Chip Vedder, lead singer and Mari Salato, female vocalist.  (obviously not an all girl band, as some believe)

Probably recorded at Vibra-Sound studios on Crestwood Drive, Schenectady.  Most (if not all) music recorded there was published by Robert Barry Music.

The Working Girl

Harriet Savage

 

The Working Girl

Pinnacle Records P-1012

The Bigg Country Talent Agency, Wheeling, W. Va.

1972

Harriet Genevieve Uphold Savage Yanego, 71, Grafton Road, Morgantown, W.Va. passed away July 25, 2003 at home.

Born Jan. 2, 1932 in Confluence, Pennsylvania. She was a former employee of Galis in Pleasant Valley.   She opened the Savage Toll House Restaurant on Route 40 in Addison;  Also a partner in the Appalachian Lake Park in Bruceton Mills, W.Va. where she managed and held singing performances at the park. She enjoyed writing music and wrote several songs.

Granny in a Mini Skirt

Corny Critters

Granny in a Mini Skirt

Jesse M. Dyas, Sound Corp. Musc, ASCAP

Produced by Don Lewis

Relco 2096

One of the Caprice Records subsidiaries located at 907 Main Street, Nashville, as were Checkmate and Soundmate.  In a early stage, Caprice Records was closely related to Buzz Cason's Creative Workshop Studios founded in 1970.   Buzz Cason sold his interest in the firm to Charles Pohlman, a Nashville businessman.  Don Lewis presided.

In 1982, Don Lewis was sentenced to six months in prison for wire fraud, and to perform 200 hours of community service in return for his guilty plea of the charge.

 

The wire fraud stemmed from allegations that Caprice, a custom-contract label, bilked some 450 unknown singers around the country out of approximately $3,000 each in return for record "deals."  Lewis falsely promised in the contracts that the singers would get free auditions, have demos sent to Nashville producers and be provided trips to Nashville for recording (Billboard, 25 September 1982)

Two interesting pages about the song-sharking business, which was I believe quite flourishing in Nashville in the seventies  :

•  Beware of the song shark!
• http://www.songpoemmusic.com/shark.htm

Can you name these blues godheads ?

Puzzlers from an old issue of 78 Quarterly

 Cartoonist is Anthony Mostrom.
Anthony Mostrom's strips have appeared in Weirdo, No Mag. and Twist.  He was (is?) also the host of an avant-garde/novelty music show in Los Angeles.

Kiss Kiss Crazy

Janice Smith

"Fats" Johnson Orchestra

Kiss Kiss Crazy

Connor-Fotine, True-Blue ASCAP

Balboa 45-004

1957

(also issued on Brunswick 55018)

"Kiss Kiss Crazy" was penned by Tommie Connor and Larry Fotine, who was the owner of Balboa Records in Van Nuys, California.  Fotine also led the orchestra here under the "Fats" Johnson alias.

Larry Fotine

Larry Fotine was born Lawrence Constantine Fotinakis in Camden, New Jersey on April 27, 1911. Around age 14, he started studying piano and then self taught composition, arranging and orchestration. About 1935, he organized a local youth orchestra and played various engagements in the surrounding cities. He later joined the Sammy Kaye Orchestra as an arranger from 1940 to 1945, and from 1945 to 1947 was arranger for the Blue Barron, and Art Mooney Orchestra. By 1948 he organized his own orchestra, and later joined the Lawrence Welk orchestra in 1958. As an arranger he worked with Mr. Welk for two years. Larry Fotine was a member of ASCAP and said to have written and published many songs. He released in 1959 his own 20th Contemporary Classical work for the Balboa label under the alias “Constantine and His Orchestra” with composer credits to Larry Fotine. He also went under an alias name “Beale Street Buskers”. In the late 1980's, he was still active writing music as background music and tunes for a variety of animated cartoon series. Larry passed away of a ruptured aortic aneurysm on November 25, 1990.  

From http://www.discogs.com/artist/880490-Larry-Fotine

Janice Smith cut several 45s on Balboa, the last as late as 1976. A such extended association (twenty years!) with the same label seems to suggest that she was perhaps very close to Larry Fotine.  There was also a country single on Hall Of Fame, a Nashville label : Candy Kisses / Jealous Heart.  But this is perhaps another Janice Smith?  Anyway, I've not found any info on this singer.

How to Kiss

"Kissing comes by instinct, and yet it is an art which few understand properly.  A lover should not hold his bride by the ears in kissing her, as appears to have been customary at Scotch weddings of the last century. A more graceful way, and quite as effective in preventing the bride from "getting away." is to put your right arm around her neck, your fingers under her chin, raise the chin, then gently but firmly press your lips on hers.  After a few repetitions, she will find out it doesn't hurt, and become as gentle as a lamb."

In the same volume the author condemns the use of rouge by women.

From Henry T. Finck "Romantic Love and Personal Beauty" (1902), quoted by David L. Cohn "The Good Old Days", Simon and Schuster, 1940

Jim Dandy

Anita Louise

Jim Dandy

L. Chase, Raleigh BMI

Hickory 1335

1965

Eddie Gaines on Tri-Tone

Eddie Gaines

I Never Had It So Good

E.Friedlander, Marionette Music BMI

Out Of Gas

Riccitelli-Todris, Samovar Music ASCAP

Tri-Tone TT-3000/1

1960

Believed to be the same Eddie Gaines from White Plains, Kentucky who recorded "Be-Bop Battlin' Ball" for Summit Records.  Eddie had since turned into religion and didn’t want to hear about Devil’s music, according to boppin.org.  This release was also issued on the 20th Fox label in 1961.

The Tri-Tone Record company had very few releases between 1952 and 1960 : The Magichords (1952), Don Bari, Eddy Tone (both in 1955) are the only other known artists on the label which was located in New-York and then in Yonkers, N.Y.