UPDATED: 5-25-2002

THE STORYTELLERS

Ruben and Al at Show #39   Nick at Show #39
Ruben and Al sing at Show #39 (3/23/2002)   Nick "oohs" and "ahhs" at Show #39

Since making their Doo Wop Society debut at Show #4 in January 1990, The Storytellers have been a mainstay at our shows and appeared over a dozen times.

Al Sanchez (first tenor), Nick Delgado (second tenor) and Ruben Ochoa got together as a vocal group in 1957 at San Gabriel Mission High School in the San Gabriel Valley, east of Los Angeles. Calling themselves The Pretenders, they began singing at shows around Southern California. They met a black vocalist, Ray Bias, while they were performing at Betty's Barn in Baldwin Park with Joe Houston in 1958, and Bias replaced Ochoa shortly afterward as the lead singer. During a performance at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium, the trio was approached by Norty Beckman, who owned a record store in Hollywood and pressed up singles on his own labels. It was Beckman who changed their name to The Storytellers, says Al Sanchez. They recorded the Nick Delgado-written tune, "You Played Me a Fool," soon afterward. It became a local hit around East Los Angeles, but the group did not record again until 1990. According to Al, they had wanted to record a remake of The Rivileers' "A Thousand Stars," but Beckman nixed the idea. Not long afterward, the song was a major hit for Kathy Young & The Innocents. (Both Kathy Young & The Innocents and The Storytellers appeared together at DWS Show #39 on March 23, 2002.)

When the late Ray Bias left the group soon afterward, Ruben Ochoa rejoined the group. Years later, when The Storytellers regrouped, Nick's brother, Sam Delgado, joined them to make it a quartet. It was this configuration that recorded for Bruce Patch's Classic Artists Records in the early 1990s.

The Storytellers have sung at a dozen DWS shows and also worked with Sandra Johnson, Vicky Tafoya and The Hitmakers. They have also appeared at doo-wop shows on the East Coast. When Sam Delgado quit the group, they continued to perform as a trio, but John Grajeda joined a year ago to bring them back up to quartet strength. More recently The Storytellers have added a tribute to East Los Angeles' favorite hits to their sets. They continue to evolve as a polished vocal group and crowd pleaser.

The Storytellers
The Storytellers at Show #31 (3/4/2000)
Ruben Ochoa (left), Nick Delgado, John Grajeda
and lead vocalist Al Sanchez.



DISCOGRAPHY

Singles
Zenith 101 You Played Me a Fool/Hey Baby 1959
Stack 501 You Played Me a Fool/Hey Baby 1959
Classic Artists 118 Gee But I Like Your Smile/Please Remember My Love 1990
Classic Artists 128 Heaven's For Real / This Is Goodby 1991
Classic Artists 133 Heart For Heart /The L.A. Shuffle 1992
 
CDs
Ace CDCHD 417 Classic Doo Wop
(Contains "Heaven's For Real" by The Storytellers featuring Al Sanchez)
1992
Collectables 5525 Rhythm & Blues Christmas
(Contains "White Christmas" by Al Sanchez and Vicky Tafoya, and "Christmas Time Is Coming" by The Storytellers)
1994
Collectables 5588 Doo-Wop Diner, Vol. 1
(Contains "Please Remember My Heart")
1996
Collectables 5589 Doo-Wop Diner, Vol. 2
(Contains "Heaven's For Real")
1996
Varese Sarabande 1742 The Doo Wop Sound Vol. 1
(Contains "This Is Goodbye," "Please Remember My Love" and "Heaven's For Real")
2000
Varese Sarabande 1752 The Doo Wop Sound Vol. 2
(Contains "Heart For Heart")
2000
Collectables 6325 Doo-Wop Diner, Vol. 3
(Contains "This Is Goodbye" and "Heart For Heart")
2002


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