UPDATED: 7-14-2002

DOO-WOP SOCIETY SHOW #39 (3/23/2002)

Photo above by Sylvia Propes. Other photos by Ray Regalado.

The cool, drizzly day certainly didn't keep away the 400+ doo-wop fans who packed the Petroleum Club to full capacity on Saturday evening, March 23, 2002, to see a varied lineup of Southern California artists. Consider that the bill contained six acts: a black and white, boy-girl acappella quintet (The Countdowns, from San Diego), a 1950s Chicano quartet (The Storytellers, from the San Gabriel Valley), two 1950s black groups (The Calvanes and The Robins/Coasters, from South-Central L.A.), and a 1960s white group (The Innocents, from the San Fernando Valley), who performed separately by themselves and with white vocalist Kathy Young, originally from Long Beach.


Together again: Kathy Young & The Innocents		The Storytellers: John (left), Nick, Ruben and Al.		The Robins: Grady Chapman, Bobby Baker, Billy Foster and Bobby Johnson.

The show started just after eight o'clock and lasted until midnight, so nobody can claim they didn't get their money's worth. The evening was broken into two sets. Every group was in prime form. The Storytellers, having added a fourth member, have improved to the point where they can compete with anyone. The Calvanes continue their reputation as a '50s group that has never dumbed down (i.e., mainstreamed) its performances for modern, less-demanding "oldies" audiences. The Robins/Coasters, led by Grady Chapman from the 1953-56 Robins lineup, were snazzy and entertaining in presenting basically two different shows: They were The Robins in their first set and The Coasters in the second, and on their Coasters songs they sounded amazingly like the recordings. So did The Innocents, both by themselves and as Kathy's Young's group. And so did Kathy, who still looks trim and pretty 40 years after her teenage hits.

It was a great evening all around.

Below are the set lists of the groups. Original artists of the songs, plus random comments, are listed in parentheses. An * means the song was originally recorded by the group in the 1950s or early '60s.

SET ONE:

THE COUNTDOWNS
(Carla Smith, Kathy Woiwode, Kevin Thackston, Peter Potter and Jim Carkagis)
1. Come Go With Me (Del-Vikings)
2. I Wonder Why (Belmonts)
3. Countdown to Love (Kenny Vance)

THE STORYTELLERS
(Al Sanchez, Ruben Ochoa, Nick Delgado and John Grajeda)
1. The L.A. Shuffle*
2. I Dream of You (Senders)
3. No More (Uptones)
4. Hearts of Stone (Jewels)
5. Never Forget (Tabs)
6. Mailman Blues (Lloyd Price)

THE CALVANES
(Herman Pruitt, Bobby Adams, Jimmy Corbitt and Freddy Willis)
1. Wonderful (Drifters)
2. Take Me Back (written by DWS Board member Jim Dawson for their 1989 Classic Artists single)
3. Honey Love (Drifters)
4. A Casual Kiss (Leon Peels)
5. Up on the Mountain (acappella; Magnificents)
6. Crazy Over You*

THE ROBINS
(Grady Chapman, Bobby Johnson of The Hollywood Flames, Billy Foster of The Medallions and Bobby Baker)
1. My Baby Done Told Me*
2. Whadaya Want*
3. A Fool Such As I*
4. Ten Days in Jail*
5. Since I First Met You*
6. Smokey Joe's Cafe*
7. Riot in Cell Block #9*

THE INNOCENTS
(Al Candelaria, Darron Stankey and Jim West)
1. Honest I Do*
2. Walking Along* (Solitaires; The Innocents recorded it in 1961)
3 Gee Whiz* (first recorded by Bob & Earl--Bobby Day and Earl Nelson of The Hollywood Flames--in 1958, but The Innocents had the hit)
4. Kathy*

KATHY YOUNG & THE INNOCENTS
1. Happy Birthday Blues*
2. Breakin' Up Is Hard to Do (Neil Sedaka)
3. Magic Is the Night*
4. A Thousand Stars* (first recorded by The Rivileers in 1955, but Kathy had the hit in 1961)

SET TWO:

THE COUNTDOWNS
1. She's My Angel (Randy & The Rainbows)
2. Rainy Day Bells (Globetrotters)
3. Oh Rose Marie (Fascinators)

THE STORYTELLERS
1. Over the Mountain (Johnnie & Joe)
2. Here I Stand (Wade Clemons)
3. Please Remember My Love*
4. Symbol of Heaven (Little Julian Herrara)
5. How Can You Be So Mean (Johnny Ace)
6. You Played Me a Fool*

THE CALVANES
1. Have Love Will Travel (Richard Berry)
2. When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano (Ink Spots, Dominoes)
3. Buzz Buzz Buzz (Hollywood Flames)
4. Dreamy Eyes (The Youngsters, which included Calvanes lead singer Herman Pruitt)
5. Mary Lou (Young Jessie)
6. Sh-Boom (Chords)
7. Don't Take Your Love From Me*

THE COASTERS
(Same as Robins lineup)
1. Cherry Lips (Robins)
2. Poison Ivy*
3. Searchin'*
4. Young Blood*
5. Yakety Yak*
6. Charlie Brown*

THE INNOCENTS
1. Beware* (Jesse Belvin; The Innocents recorded it in 1961)
2. Gee Whiz*
3. Pains in My Heart*
4. Honest I Do*

KATHY YOUNG & THE INNOCENTS
1. Our Parents Talked It Over*
2. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow* (Shirelles; recorded by Kathy in 1962)
3. Happy Birthday Blues*
4. A Thousand Stars*

MORE PHOTOS


The Robins rehearse: Billy Foster (left), Bobby Johnson, Bobby Baker and Grady Chapman	A meeting of legends: disc jockey and impresario Gene Norman chats with Robins' lead singer Grady Chapman, who recorded for his Whippet label in the mid-'50s.	The Calvanes: Jimmy (left), Herman, Bobby and Freddie.


Bobby Adams hits a high note.	Herman Pruitt croons "Take Me Back."	Storytellers Ruben Ochoa and Al Sanchez say we played them a fool.	Al Sanchez does the L.A. Shuffle.


The Calvanes		Kathy Young sings "A Thousand Stars."


Gene Norman introduces The Robins.	Robins Grady Chapman and Bobby Baker.	The Innocents: Jim West, Darron Stankey and Al Candelaria	Lovely Kathy.

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