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.

Never    has    so    much    charm    been    packed    into    126    seconds    as    when    the    Diamonds recorded   "Little   Darlin':   Originally   conceived   as   your   basic   lightweight   love   song,   the Diamonds   transformed   it   into   a   sparkling   catalogue   of   Fifties   doo-wop   in   all   its   beauty   and excess.   While   neither   they   nor   anyone   else   has   done   anything   quite   like   that   since,   the Diamonds carved many other gems, as this collection attests. The    Diamonds'    story    began    in    Ontario,    Canada,    when    David    Somerville,    an    audio engineer   for   the   Canadian   Broadcasting   Corporation,   encountered   a   vocal   quartet   who wanted   to   audition   for   a   CBC-TV   talent   show.   The   then-unnamed   group   consisted   of   bass singer   Bill   Reed,   tenor   Ted   Kowalski,   baritone   Phil   Levitt,   and   lead   singer   Stan   Fisher. Somerville   had   sung   in   a   quartet   in   high   school   and   was   eager   to   re-enter   the   music   field. Since   this   quartet   had   no   shortage   of   members,   he   offered   to   coach   the   members   and help refine their act.

After   Somerville   had   been   rehearsing   the   quartet   for   a   month   and   a   half,   they   received   an   offer   to   perform   at   a Christmas   party   at   the   Toronto   church   that   Kowalski   belonged   to,   St.   Thomas   Aquinas.   However,   there   was   one problem.   Lead   singer   Fisher,   had   a   college   exam   the   day   after   the   proposed   gig.   Somerville,   never   one   to   turn   down   an opportunity   to   sing,   saved   the   day   by   offering   to   fill   in   The   group   didn't   have   a   name   until   Ted   Kowalski   suggested   one while they were on the way to the church The Four Diamonds. The   Four   Diamonds'   first   gig   was   an   unqualified   success. Afterwards,   they   went   to   a   restaurant,   where   they   resolved   to go   professional. All   the   members   were   in   agreement   except   one.   Stan   Fisher,   contacted   by   telephone,   opted   to   continue his   studies. The   group   decided   to   continue   with   their   professional   aims,   which   was   fortunate   for   Somerville   (and   perhaps for   Fisher   too   —   he's   now   a   lawyer).   In   1955,   after   over   a   year   of   rehearsals   and   gigs   in   Canada,   the   quartet   set   out   to capture   the   more   lucrative   market   south   of   the   border.   Their   name   shortened   to   the   Diamonds,   they   began   building   a reputation   at   American   nightclubs.   It   wasn't   long   before   they   were   picked   up   by   Decca   subsidiary   Coral   Records,   who released two singles by them that year. Neither   of   the   Diamonds'   Coral   singles   fared   well,   so   by   January   1956   they   were   once   more   left   to   their   own   devices. Having   heard   that   their   fellow   Canadians   the   Crew   Cuts   were   discovered   by   Cleveland   disc   jockey   Bill   Randle,   the Diamonds   decided   to   try   for   a   shot   in   the   dark.   They   aimed   for   and   got   —   a   two-week   gig   in   Cleveland,   in   the   hope   that Randle would attend. The   Diamonds   lucked   out.   On   the   last   night   of   their   Cleveland   gig,   they   were   contacted   by   Randle's   office,   Randle   met them,   liked   what   he   heard,   and   in   no   time   got   them   a   deal   with   the   Crew   Cuts'   label,   Mercury   Records.   He   even   turned them on to the song that would become their first Mercury single, the Teenagers' "Why Do Fools Fall In Love." At   the   time   that   Randle   played   the   Teenagers'   single   for   the   Diamonds,   the   disc   was   just   beginning   to   make   noise. Randle   felt   that,   just   as   the   Crew   Cuts   hit   with   "Sh-Boom,"   the   Diamonds   could   do   a   saleable   "white"   version   of   a budding   R&B   hit.   To   the   Diamonds'   credit,   they   did   not   attempt   to   make   their   arrangement   of   "Why   Do   Fools   Fall   In Love"   identical   to   the   Teenagers'   version.   Since   Somerville's   grown-up   voice   couldn't   hit   Frankie   Lymon's   high   notes,   he and   the   other   Diamonds   created   an   arrangement   that   best   displayed   their   own   talents.   Today,   when   asked   how   he managed   to   stretch   the   word   "why"   over   an   amazing   four   measures,   Somerville   chalks   it   up   to   his   vocal   training:   "I studied   for   a   couple   of   years   with   Dr.   Ernesto   Vinci   of   the   University   of   Toronto,   who   taught   opera   and   was   Robert Goulet's   teacher,   so   I   got   a   lot   of   technique.”   It   certainly   paid   off.   "Why   Do   Fools   Fall   In   Love"   gave   the   Diamonds   an impressive chart debut, reaching #16 on the Hot 100 (although the Teenagers' original beat it into the Top Ten). After   "Why   Do   Fools   Fall   In   Love,"   the   Diamonds   largely   stuck   to   their   proven   formula   for   success:   cover   versions.   Their hits   followed   in   rapid   succession:   the   Willows'   "The   Church   Bells   May   Ring,"   the   Clovers'   "Love,   Love,   Love,"   and   the double-sided   hit   of   Eddie   Heywood's   "Soft   Summer   Breeze"   and   the   G-Clefs'   "Ka-Ding-Dong."   By   the   end   of   1956,   the Diamonds   had   already   racked   up   four   Top   40   hits   an   incredible   feat   considering   that   few   other   doo-wop   acts   had   gone beyond   the   one-hit   wonder   stage. As   Somerville   accurately   observes,   "We   were   to   R&B   what   the   Kingston   Trio   were   to folk music." While   purists   may   bristle   at   the   sight   of   a   white   group   scoring   with   black   groups'   songs,   there's   no   question   that   the Diamonds'   hits   expanded   the   audience   for   such   music.   Those   same   purists   may   also   be   surprised   to   learn   that   the majority   of   R&B   fans   judged   the   Diamonds   only   by   what   was   in   the   grooves.   As   a   result,   many   Diamonds   songs   were bigger   R&B   hits   than   they   were   pop   hits.   "Ka-Ding-   Dong,"   for   example,   which   hit   #35   on   the   Billboard   pop   chart,   went all the way to #8 on the R&B chart (where it was one point higher than the G-Clefs' original version). As   the   Diamonds   became   more   successful,   they   were   increasingly   under   pressure   to   tour.   "My   Judge And   My   Jury"   and "Every   Minute   Of   The   Day"   (the   B-side   of   their   version   of   the   Heartbeats'   "A   Thousand   Miles Away")   were   both   done   in quickie    sessions    sandwiched    between    tour    dates.    After    both    of    those    singles    failed,    the    Diamonds    and    their management realized that more effort would have to go into both their sessions and their song selection. During   the   short   time   since   "Why   Do   Fools   Fall   In   Love,"   the   Diamonds   had   seen   their   recordings   become   less   and   less distinguishable   from   those   of   other   groups.   Not   only   were   others   emulating   the   Diamonds,   but   the   Diamonds   themselves were   becoming   more   like   the   rest   of   the   crowd.   David   Somerville   and   the   other   members   decided   that   their   next   release had to be an original. On   an   afternoon   in   February   of   1957,   the   Diamonds   were   in   a   Chicago,   Ill.   studio,   rehearsing   four   original   numbers   for   a planned   midnight   recording   session.   By   dinnertime,   they   felt   prepared   and   went   back   to   their   hotel   to   relax.   It   was   then that   their   manager,   Nat   Goodman,   telephoned   them   to   summon   them   back   to   the   studio.   He   had   just   heard   the Gladiolas'   "Little   Darlin'"   (written   and   sung   by   Maurice   Williams,   who   would   later   hit   with   the   Zodiacs'   "Stay")   and decided   that   the   Diamonds   had   to   cut   it.   The   Diamonds   returned   to   the   studio   and   learned   "Little   Darlin'"   in   half   an   hour. The   night's   recording   session   went   smoothly,   until   3:30   a.m.,   when   it   was   time   to   record   the   last   song,   "Little   Darlin'." The   Diamonds   had   forgotten   how   to   sing   it,   so   they   had   to   relearn   it   on   the   spot.   At   the   last   minute,   David   Somerville asked   the   group   if   they   could   raise   the   song   half   a   key   so   that   his   weary   voice   would   have   more   of   an   edge.   By   that time,   the   studio   clock   was   ticking   towards   four   a.m.,   the   point   at   which   the   musicians   would   have   to   be   paid   overtime. The Diamonds polished off "Little Darlin'" in one take and the session was complete. The   Diamonds   were   surprised   to   find   that   it   was   "Little   Darlin',   and   not   one   of   their   originals,   that   was   rush-released   as   a single. A   massive   seller,   it   landed   in   the   #2   position   on   both   the   Pop   and   R&B   charts.   On   the   Pop   chart,   it   stayed   at   #2 for eight weeks, kept from the top by Elvis Presley's "All Shook Up." To   some   listeners,   part   of   the   appeal   of   "Little   Darlin'"   is   in   its   seeming   satire   of   doo-wop   in   all   its   earnestness,   from Somerville's   Italianization   of   words   like   "lov-ah"   and   "wrong-ah,"   to   Bill   Reed's   Ink   Spots-style   declaration   of   love.   Those listeners   may   be   surprised   to   learn   that,   to   this   day,   Somerville   insists   that   the   Diamonds   really   meant   "Little   Darlin'." "We   weren't   putting   anybody   on,"   he   protests.   "It   was   serious   stuff."   He   admits,   however,   that   once   they   realized   people thought it was a satire, they performed it that way on TV appearances, doing a lighthearted choreographed routine. The   Diamonds   followed   up   "Little   Darlin'"   with   the   Buddy   Holly   number   "Words   Of   Love,"   done   in   their   trademark   style, complete   with   a   spoken   part. As   Somerville   recalls,   the   pressure   of   following   up   their   biggest   hit   made   recording   difficult: "We   learned   the   song   from   a   demo   that   Buddy   made. Although   'Little   Darlin'   was   done   in   one   take,   'Words   Of   Love'   we struggled   over   for   two   or   three   sessions;   76   takes   in   all.   That's   more   takes   than   I've   ever   done   on   anything."   Although the   single   failed   to   match   the   success   of   its   predecessor,   it   still   reached   #13   on   Billboards   Pop   chart   and   #12   on   the R&B   chart.   The   Diamonds   followed   "Words   Of   Love"   with   a   song   that   was   actually   recorded   before   it,   "Zip   Zip,"   which again fared better on the R&B chart (#12) than it did in Pop (#16). In   September   of   '57,   after   proving   they   could   succeed   with   singles   that   weren't   R&B   covers,   the   Diamonds   returned   to form   with   what   appeared   to   be   an   unusually   nervy   move. They   released   a   single   that   covered   not   just   one   side,   but   both sides   of   the   debut   single   by   the   Rays,   "Silhouettes"   b/w   "Daddy   Cool." Although   the   Diamonds   made   "Daddy   Cool"   their A-side   and   "Silhouettes"   the   flip,   the   choice   of   material   still   seemed   a   surprisingly   obvious   intrusion   on   an   R&B   act's   turf. In   reality,   the   Diamonds   never   meant   to   cause   such   a   head-on   chart   battle.   When   they   first   heard   the   Rays   songs,   it   was on   an   acetate   that   was   meant   only   as   a   song   publishing   demo.   The   publisher   implied   to   the   Diamonds   that   they   would be   the   first   group   to   release   those   songs.   Then,   while   the   Diamonds   were   in   the   recording   studio,   the   publisher   went ahead   and   had   the   Rays'   versions   released.   The   Rays'   "Silhouettes"   hit   #3   on   both   the   Pop   and   the   R&B   charts. A   few weeks later, the Diamonds brought the song back into the Top Ten on both charts— #10 Pop, #6 R&B. Although   most   rock   literature   lists   the   Diamonds'   "The   Stroll"   as   an   R&B   cover,   the   song   was   actually   written—   and   first recorded   by—   the   Diamonds.   The   idea   for   it   came   from   Dick   Clark,   who   noticed   how   the   teens   on   his   "American Bandstand" TV   show   loved   to   dance   the   Stroll   to   Chuck   Willis'   R&B   number   "C.C.   Rider."   In   the   spirit   of   Sam   Phillips,   he remarked   to   Diamonds   manager   Nat   Goodman   that,   if   a   white   act   came   out   with   a   Stroll   song.   .   Before   you   could   say Elvis   Presley,   Goodman   spread   the   word   to   Mercury   producer   and   songwriter   Clyde   Otis,   one   of   the   first   blacks   to   reach such   a   position   in   the   record   industry.   He   came   up   with   "The   Stroll,"   which   the   Diamonds   recorded,   backed   by   Fats Domino's   band.   The   session   was   the   first   to   include   new   Diamond   Mike   Douglas,   who   replaced   retiring   member   Phil Levitt.   Another   Mercury   artist,   legendary   vocalist   Brook   Benton,   was   a   Diamond   by   proxy.   David   Somerville   credits Benton   with   teaching   him   just   how   to   sing   "The   Stroll."   True   to   Dick   Clark's   prediction,   the   song   hit   #4   in   early   1958, becoming the group's biggest smash since "Little Darlin'." The   Diamonds   filled   out   1958   with   three   more Top   40   hits;   "High   Sign,"   the   movie   theme   "Kathy-0,"   and   "Walking Along." At   the   end   of   that   year,   they   recorded   the   song   that   would   become   their   only   smash   of   1959,   "She   Say   (Oom   Dooby Doom)."   It   was   the   first   hit   co-written   by   Barry   Mann   of   future   Mann-Weil   fame,   penned   while   he   was   still   learning   where to put the bomp. In   mid-1959,   Ted   Kowalski   and   Bill   Reed   decided   to   leave   the   group.   They   were   replaced   by   a   pair   of   Californians,   bass vocalist   John   Felton   and   tenor   Evan   Fisher.   While   some   fans   argue   that   remaining   original   David   Somerville's   presence kept   the   Diamonds'   sound   intact,   others   believe   that   the   altered   lineup   caused   the   group's   ensuing   commercial   decline. In   any   case,   the   end   of   the   'Fifties   marked   a   difficult   time   for   most   doo-wop   groups.   When   doo-wop   enjoyed   a   brief resurgence   in   the   early   'Sixties,   so   did   the   Diamonds.   Their   1961   version   of   the   Danleers'   1958   hit   "One   Summer   Night" provided them with one last hit, reaching #22. Although   the   master   number   of   "Chimes   In   My   Heart"   indicates   it   was   done   at   the   same   session   as   "One   Summer Night,"   David   Somerville   has   no   memory   of   the   song.   Coincidentally,   he   does   recall   that   the   session   was   the   only   one   at which he ever had a beer. Somerville   conjectures   that   the   reason   that   "Chimes   In   My   Heart"   was   not   released   was   because   he   left   the   Diamonds shortly   thereafter,   desiring   to   enter   the   field   of   folk   music.   While   the   group   soon   disbanded,   Somerville   continued recording throughout the 'Sixties; first under the name "David Troy," and then as a member of the Four Preps. Today,   David   Somerville   sings   numbers   by   the   Diamonds   and   other   groups   in   the   stage   act   of   the   Four   Preps,   whose other   members   are   originals   Bruce   Belland   and   Ed   Cobb,   as   well   as   former   Lettermen   singer   Jim   Pike.   Periodically,   he does   reunion   concerts   with   the   Diamonds'   original   members.   While   those   shows   may   come   close   to   recapturing   the   old magic,   the   Diamonds'   music   itself   seems   as   though   it   will   always   exist   in   a   more   innocent   time,   when   rock   and   roll   was young, "Little Darlin"' burst from transistor radios, and hearts and cigarettes were worn on sleeves. -Dawn Eden, October 1992 / Special thanks to David Somerville and Jeff Tamarkin for assistance.