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.

This page is from the Canadian Music Hall of Fame website that was written in 1984, the year of the Diamonds' induction.

Paul    Myers    wrote:    The    success    of    Canadian    talent    is    not something    that    has    occurred    since    the    creation    of    Canadian content   regulations,   as   beneficial   as   they   have   certainly   been.   It's a   fact   -   believe   it   or   not   -   that   30   years   ago,   Canadian   vocal groups   dominated   the   charts,   not   only   in   Canada   and   the   United States,   but   also   in   Europe.   All   the   groups   -   the   Crew-Cuts,   The Diamonds,   and   The   Four   Lads   -   came   from   Toronto,   and   between them   they   had   a   total   of   38   Top   40   hits   on   the   Billboard   charts,   a success   record   that   has   yet   to   be   equaled   by   any   other   Canadian artists.   The   Diamonds   had   the   longest   track   record   of   all,   although   they hit   the Top   10   only   three   times   (with   "Little   Darlin",   "The   Stroll"   and "Silhouettes").   But   there   were   a   total   of   fifteen   Top   40   hits   -   a string   that   ran   from   March   1956,   right   through   to   August   1961. Now   the   Canadian   Academy   of   Recording   Arts   and   Sciences   is honouring   the   original   members   of   all   three   groups   with   the   Hall   of Fame   Award   -   and   at   the   same   time   bringing   together   singers who,   in   some   cases,   have   not   met   each   other   in   more   than   a decade.   The   Diamonds,   similarly,   haven't   sung   together   for   years   -   Dave Somerville,   the   group's   main   spokesman   figures   it's   been   twelve or   thirteen   years   since   they   worked   together.   Somerville   remains in    the    music    business    in    Los    Angeles,    doing    voice-overs    for commercials    and    writing;    he    recently    completed    a    co-writing assignment   for   the   theme   for   The   Fall   Guy,   and   a   movie   project. Bill   Reed   runs   a   one-stop   record   distribution   company   in   Florida   - and   the   other   two   members,   Phil   Levitt   and   Ted   Kowalski,   both work   as   engineers   in   Toronto;   they   are   the   only   two   of   the   12 singers   being   honoured   at   the   Junos   who   still   live   in   Canada.   The members   of   these   groups   are   excited   about   the   Hall   of   Fame Award;   the   chance   to   meet   each   other   again   after   years   is   a remarkable   reunion.   The   music   the   made   -   three   decades   ago   - helped   pave   the   path   for   rock   and   roll   in   North   America;   their achievements    merit    the    highest    honour    the    Canadian    music industry can bestow. - 1984

1984 - The Diamonds

L - R: Ted Kowalski, Dave Somerville, Bill Reed, Phil Levitt