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.
The Definitive Collection Of The Diamonds
Released 1982
Containing
19
titles,
this
was
the
first
of
the
larger
compilations.
Not
much
information
can
be
found
on
the
Ebenezer
label.
Sample
of
the
titles
listed
on
this
collection
can
be
heard
on
the
Diamonds’ Jukebox
The
photo
represented
what
lead
Dave
Somerville
referred
to
as
“Diamonds II”. Dave was only original Diamond left.
Personnel: Lead-David Somerville. - Tenor-Ted Kowalski - Evan Fisher.
Baritone-Phil Levitt - Mike Douglas. Bass-Bill Reed - John Felten
(Ebenezer EB-01)
Album Notes
"LITTLE
DARLIN'
—
one
of
the
all-time
classics
of
the
rock
&
roll
era
and
a
song
synonymous
with
THE
DIAMONDS.
A
record
which
established
sales
of
almost
four
million
and
today
ranks
in
popularity
with
"IN
THE
STILL
OF
THE
NIGHT"
and
"EARTH
ANGEL"
whenever
group
records
of
the
50's
are
discussed.
It
established
this
Canadian
group
as
hit
makers not only in America but in every country around the world where rock & roll was played.
But
what
of
THE
DIAMONDS
before
and
alter
"LITTLE
DARLIN'”?
The
statistics
tell
the
story;
From
1956
to
1961,
THE
DIAMONDS placed an incredible 14 records on the American Billboard charts.
This
figure
does
not
include
some
B
sides
which
also
made
the
charts.
Strange
to
say,
there
has
never
been
an
LP
issued
which
included
all
their
biggest
successes.
This
record
fills
that
void.
Only
three
of
their
chart
makers,
-SOFT
SUMMER
BREEZE"
(56),
-WORDS
OF
LOVE"
(57)
and
'ONE
SUMMER
NIGHT"
(61)
have
been
left
off
this
LP
as
it
would
have
meant
deleting
some
of
their
better
non-hit
records
such
as
"SNEAKY
ALLIGATOR"
and
“STRAIGHT
SKIRTS".
NOW
THEIR
STORY.
In
the
fall
of
1954,
Ted
Kowalski,
Phil
Levitt.
Stan
Fisher
and
Bill
Reed
formed
a
pop
group
to
audition
for
a
TV
show
called
"NOW
IS
YOUR
CHANCE”.
The
boys
had
all
met
whilst
studying
at
the
University
of
Toronto.
Their
audition
however,
never
got
off
the
ground
and
things
looked
bleak
until
they
met
another
young
singer,
Dave
Somerville.
They
began
rehearsing
and
practicing
harmonies
and
eventually
did
their
first
show
in
the
basement
of
St
Thomas
Aquinas
Church
In
Toronto
(minus
Stan
Fisher
who
was
involved
with
exams).
Dave
Somerville
sang
lead
that night, a position he was to hold throughout the group's career of hits.
It
was
Ted
Kowalski
who
came
up
with
the
idea
of
calling
the
group
"THE
DIAMONDS.
In
actual
fact,
there
was
already
another
group
with
the
same
name
at
the
time
recording
for
Atlantic
records,
however
this
latter
group
were
then
on
the
decline.
By
now,
THE
DIAMONDS
had
their
own
manager,
Nat
Goodman,
and
in
1955
Goodman
succeeded
in
winning
them
a
contract
with
Coral
Records
where
they
recorded
their
first
disc,
a
cover
version
of
the
Cheers—BLACK
DENIM
TROUSERS AND MOTOR CYCLE BOOTS". Both this and the follow-up flopped dismally.
However,
in
late
'55
Bill
Randall,
a
Cleveland
D.
J.,
introduced
them
to
Mercury
Records,
the
label
they
remained
with
throughout
their
successful
career.
The
change
brought
immediate
success.
By
January
1956,
they
had
recorded
and
released
their
first
cut
for
the
label,
a
cover
of
Frankie
Lymons'
"WHY
DO
FOOLS
FALL
IN
LOVE".
The
record
peaked
at
No 16 on Billboard's Top 100 and although outsold by the original. THE DIAMONDS were on their way.
It
would
be
pointless
at
this
stage
to
speak
at
length
on
all
their
successes
—
the
accompanying
discography
with
Billboard
chart
positions
tells
that
story,
however,
before
concluding
these
notes,
it
is
interesting
to
reflect
on
and
indeed
analyses their contribution to rock & roll.
It
would
be
very
easy
to
write
a
put-down
story
on
their
achievements.
It
is
true
that
nearly
all
their
major
successes,
including
"LITTLE
DARLIN'
"
were
cover
versions.
However,
one
cannot
ignore
the
fact
that
their
versions
in
most
cases
were
as
good
as,
if
not
better
than
the
originals.
It
is
doubtful
in
fact
that
"LITTLE
DARLIN'
"
by
the
Gladiolas
would
ever
have
gone
beyond
the
R
and
B
charts,
where
it
had
been
before
THE
DIAMONDS
cover.
THE
DIAMONDS
were
to
the
group
scene,
what
Bill
Haley
and
Pat
Boone
were
to
single
black
artists,
catalysts
for
bringing
rhythm
and
blues
songs
to
the
white
masses.
The
facts
themselves
are
inescapable
—
From
1956
until
their
demise
in
the
early
sixties.
THE
DIAMONDS
sold
millions
of
records
which
reached
both
young
and
old,
and
to
coin
a
phrase
—
"They
can't
ALL
be
wrong''.
Researched by Tony "Columbo" Circles