The Cleftones › Similar Artists

The HeartBeats - 100% match to The Cleftones

This doo-wop vocal quartet was formed in Queens, New York, USA, in 1954, originally named simply the Hearts. Three of the band members, Albert Crump (lead), Wally Roker (bass) and Vernon Sievers (baritone), met while attending Woodrow Wilson High School. They completed the line-up with Robbie Tatum from a neighbouring school. They acquired a new lead in the shape of James Shepp Read more

The Dubs - 91% match to The Cleftones

The original members of this vocal group from Harlem, New York, USA, were lead Richard Blandon, first tenor Billy Carlisle, tenor Cleveland Still, baritone James ‘Jake’ Miller, and bass Thomas Gardner. They came together in 1957 and were an amalgamation of members of two previous groups. Blandon and Carlisle had previously been with the Five Wings who had recorded for Read more

Shep & The Limelites - 90% match to The Cleftones

R&B vocal group hailing from New York City, USA. James Sheppard (c.1936, Queens, New York City, New York, USA, d. 24 January 1970, Long Island, New York, USA) was lead and songwriter successively for two R&B groups, the Heartbeats and Shep And The Limelites. He created the first ‘song cycle’ (i.e., a string of songs constituting a musical and literary unit) Read more

The El Dorados - 90% match to The Cleftones

This Chicago, Illinois R&B vocal group achieved fame with one of the great jump tracks of the early rock ‘n’ roll era, ‘At My Front Door’, also called ‘Crazy Little Mama’. Members on that hit were Pirkle Lee Moses (lead), Louis Bradley (second tenor), Jewel Jones (first tenor), James Maddox (baritone) and Richard Nickens (d. 1991; bass). The gr Read more

The Nutmegs - 79% match to The Cleftones

The Nutmegs comprised lead Leroy Griffin, first tenor James ‘Sonny’ Griffin, second tenor James Tyson, baritone Billy Emery and bass Leroy McNeil. The group was formed in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, in 1954. The Nutmegs are famed for just two records, ‘Story Untold’ (number 2 R&B) and the follow-up, ‘Ship Of Love’ (number 13 R&B), both fro Read more

The Skyliners - 78% match to The Cleftones

This white vocal doo-wop quintet comprised members drawn from two Pittsburgh, USA-based groups. Jimmy Beaumont (lead vocals), Wally Lester (tenor) and Jackie Taylor (bass) had sung with the Crescents, while Janet Vogel (10 June 1941, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, d. 21 February 1980, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) and Joe VerScharen (b. 30 August 1940, Pittsburgh, Pennsylva Read more

The Spaniels - 77% match to The Cleftones

This vocal ensemble was formed in 1952 in Gary, Indiana, USA. Universally recognized as one of the great R&B vocal harmony groups of the 50s, the Spaniels’ magnificent body of work was not truly reflected in their moderate chart success. The group originally comprised Roosevelt High students James ‘Pookie’ Hudson (Thornton James Hudson, 11 June 1934, Des M Read more

The Crests - 75% match to The Cleftones

Formed in New York City, USA, in 1956, the Crests soon became one of the most successful of the ‘integrated’ doo-wop groups of the period, after being discovered by Al Browne. Headed by the lead tenor of Johnny Mastro (Johnny Mastrangelo, 7 May 1930, USA), the rest of the band comprised Harold Torres, Talmadge Gough, J.T. Carter and Patricia Van Dross. By 1957 they Read more

The Harptones - 75% match to The Cleftones

An R&B vocal group formed in 1953 in Harlem, New York City, New York, USA. The members were lead Willie Winfield, first tenor Nick Clark, second tenor William Dempsey, baritone Bill ‘Dicey’ Galloway, bass Billy Brown and pianist/arranger Raoul J. Cita. The Harptones were one of the smoothest and most polished R&B vocal groups to emerge during the early rock &# Read more

Lee Andrews & The Hearts - 72% match to The Cleftones

The Duprees - 71% match to The Cleftones

A rock ‘n’ roll vocal group from Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. One of the most pop-sounding of the Italian-American groups that were in abundance during the late 50s and early 60s, the Duprees specialized in recording updated versions of old pop hits in a smooth style with a slight rock ‘n’ roll feel. The group was formed as the Parisiens in 1960 from the re Read more

The Mystics - 70% match to The Cleftones

This rock ‘n’ roll vocal ensemble came from Brooklyn, New York, USA. The members were brothers Phil (lead) and Albee Cracolici (baritone), Bob Ferrante (first tenor), George Galfo (second tenor), and Allie Contrera (bass). The Mystics helped popularize the Italian-American doo-wop sound that came out of New York City in the early 60s, but like many such groups they di Read more

The Elegants - 64% match to The Cleftones

Formed in the mid-50s in Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA, the Elegants were a white doo-wop group. They achieved a US number 1 single, ‘Little Star’, in 1958, only to disappear from the charts permanently thereafter. The group was comprised of lead vocalist Vito Picone (17 March 1940), Carman Romano (b. 17 August 1939), James Moschella (b. 10 May 1938), Read more

The Jive Five - 64% match to The Cleftones

From Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA, the Jive Five were one of the last doo-wop groups to have a national hit and one of the few to make a successful transition to the soul era. The group members were Eugene Pitt (6 November 1937; lead), Jerome Hanna (first tenor), Richard Harris (second tenor), Billy Prophet (baritone) and Norman Johnson (d. 1970; bass). Their bigge Read more

The Cadillacs - 62% match to The Cleftones

This vocal quintet, initially called the Carnations, was formed in 1953 in New York, USA, and comprised Earl Carroll (Gregory Carroll, 2 November 1937, New York City, New York, USA), LaVerne Drake, Bobby Phillips, Johnny Willingham and James ‘Poppa’ Clark, who also sang with the Five Crowns. The Cadillac’s debut single, ‘Gloria’, was released by Josi Read more