Music Hall of Famer Phil Levitt Lit Up LHS’s Graduating Class Of 1953 Published by LeasideLife.com February 1, 2020 by Susan Scandiffio With Leaside High School’s 75th anniversary being celebrated this year, Leaside Life will be profiling a number of notable members of the school in various positions, as students, teachers, and more, to mark the milestone.

With   Somerville   now   singing   in   the   band,   The   Diamonds   hired   Nat   Goodman   as   their   new   manager.   Between Goodman’s   connections   and   the   talent   of   the   band,   The   Diamonds   landed   contracts   with   Coral   Records   (a   subsidiary of Decca Records) and subsequently Mercury Records. The   Diamonds’   recordings   climbed   the   charts   rapidly.   Songs,   including   a   doo   wop   version   of   Why   Do   Fools   Fall   in Love,   and   The   Church   Bells   May   Ring,   earned   the   group   multiple   live   shows,   TV   appearances,   and   nightclub   gigs across the U.S. and Canada.

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Phil   Levitt   was   one   smart   kid.   In   his   Grade   11   yearbook,   a   classmate   (perhaps   not   so)   eloquently   penned,   “A brilliant   lad   is   our   Phil   Levitt.   When   it   comes   to   algebra   he   sure   has   it.”   And   beside   his   graduation   photo,   it   was noted that “Philip is our studious classmate who loves to get high marks.” Levitt   ultimately   did   become   a   high   achiever   and   ended   up   as   an   electrical   engineer.   But   little   would   he,   or   his Leaside   graduating   class   of   1953,   imagine   that   Levitt   would   also   go   on   to   become   a   member   of   a   band   that   would be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. While   he   did   love   math   and   science,   he   also   developed   a   love   of   music   at   Leaside   High.   Levitt   recalls   that   in   his Grade   9   homeroom,   teacher   Mr.   Bennett   would   have   the   students   put   their   heads   down   on   their   desks   for   the   first five minutes of class while he played “classic classics,” such as Moonlight Sonata. He   was   especially   inspired   and   encouraged,   though,   by   his   music   teacher,   Evelyn   Wharram,   who   organized   and led   choirs   and   the   boys’   ensemble.   Levitt   remembers   the   excitement   of   participating   with   the   choir   in   the   Kiwanis Festival in the Eaton Auditorium. He   also   recalls   with   great   fondness   the   day   when   Wharram,   speaking   quietly   to   him,   said,   “You’ll   do   well,   Phil. You’ll do well.” Although   quite   nervous   to   sing   in   a   quartet   in   the   school’s   final   show   in   Grade   13,   he   had   nothing   to   fear   as   the audience gave him a hearty standing ovation. In   the   summer   after   Grade   13,   Levitt   and   his   best   friend   Stan   Fisher   visited   popular   Crystal   Beach.   One   evening while   walking   home,   the   two   started   harmonizing   to   the   tune   I’d   Rather   Die   Young,   by   The   Hilltoppers.   Four   girls ran   squealing   at   them   asking   them   to   sing   more.   From   that   moment   on,   the   boys   were   hooked   on   the   attention and harmonized a lot more that summer.

Striking a new chord with The Diamonds Entering    the    University    of   Toronto    in    the    fall    of    1953,    Levitt    met   Ted Kowalski,   who   then   introduced   him   to   his   friend,   Bill   Reed.   With   Fisher   as the   lead   singer,   Levitt,   a   baritone,   Kowalski,   a   tenor,   and   Reed,   a   smooth bass, the guys began harmonizing and developing their distinctive sound. With   five   songs   ready   to   be   performed   publicly,   the   group   entered   the CBC’s    Pick    the    Stars    talent    show.    A    CBC    sound    engineer,    David Somerville,    heard    the    group    practising    nervously    in    the    hall    and persuaded   them   to   hold   off   performing   until   they   had   more   material   to sing.   Interested   in   their   talent,   he   also   asked   to   be   their   manager.   When Fisher   ultimately   decided   to   continue   with   university,   Somerville   stepped   in as the lead singer. Thus    began    the    career    of    The    Diamonds,    the    Canadian    band    that successfully   brought   rhythm   and   blues   vocal   group   music   to   audiences around the world.

The    group’s    biggest    hit    came    in    1957,    with    a    cover    of    the Gladiolas’   Little   Darlin’.   The   Diamonds’   version   skyrocketed   to No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100. By   the   spring   of   that   year,   Levitt’s   enthusiasm   for   show   business was   waning.   While   he   loved   the   band’s   success,   he   was   falling out   of   love   with   the   musician   lifestyle.   Knowing   that   he   would want   to   ultimately   finish   school,   Levitt   left   The   Diamonds   and returned    to    university    to    complete    his    electrical    engineering degree. In   1984,   The   Diamonds   were   inducted   into   the   Canadian   Music Hall of Fame, and in 2004, the Doo Wop Music Hall of Fame.

The final performance of the original Four For   Levitt,   it   was   one   thrilling   ride   that   he   would   never   trade.   From   the   school   choir   and   boys’   ensemble,   to   a standing   ovation   in   the   Leaside   High   auditorium.   From   four   girls’   adulation   at   Crystal   Beach,   to   radio,   TV,   night clubs, and multiple appearances on billboard charts. “You’ll do well, Phil. You’ll do well.” Mrs. Wharram clearly had it right.