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Cameo Parkway Records
Cameo-Parkway Records was the parent company of Cameo Records and Parkway Records, which were major American Philadelphia-based record labels from 1956 (for Cameo) and 1958 (for Parkway) to 1967. Among the types of music released were doo-wop, dance hits, popular/rock, rockabilly, big band, garage rock, soul and novelty records. Until 1962, Cameo was also the parent company name for both labels, and Parkway was a subsidiary. In 1962, the parent company was renamed from Cameo to Cameo-Parkway, to give both labels equal status. In some foreign markets, Cameo-Parkway was also a label name, issuing records by artists from both labels. The Cameo-Parkway catalogue is currently owned by ABKCO Records. History Cameo Records was founded in December 1956 in Philadelphia by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann; it has no connection to the 1920s record label Cameo Records. Parkway, initially a subsidiary label, was formed in 1958. Mann and Lowe had been a successful songwriting team prior to the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ABKCO Records
ABKCO Music & Records, Inc. (Allen & Betty Klein Company) is an American independent record label, music publisher, and film and video production company. It owns and/or administers the rights to music by Sam Cooke, the Rolling Stones, the Animals, Herman's Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, Dishwalla, the Kinks as well as the Cameo Parkway label, which includes recordings by such artists as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, the Orlons, the Dovells, Question Mark & the Mysterians, the Tymes and Dee Dee Sharp. Until 2009, ABKCO administered Philles Records and its master recordings, including hits by the Righteous Brothers, the Ronettes, the Crystals and others (via a licensing deal with EMI Music Publishing, which owned the Philles catalog since the mid-1990s). The label is infamous for its management contracts and lawsuits by its founder Allen Klein, the latter of which persisted until his death. ABKCO Records is currently distributed by Universal Music Distribution, which also co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guinness Publishing
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. Hugh Beaver, Sir Hugh Beaver created the concept, and twin brothers Norris McWhirter, Norris and Ross McWhirter co-founded the book in London in August 1955. The first edition topped the bestseller list in the United Kingdom by Christmas 1955. The following year the book was launched internationally, and as of the 2025 edition, it is now in its 70th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 40 languages, and maintains over 53,000 records in its database. The international Franchising, franchise has extended beyond print to include television series and museums. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in ''Guinness World Records'' becoming the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bobby Rydell
Robert Louis Ridarelli (April 26, 1942 – April 5, 2022), known by the stage name Bobby Rydell (), was an American singer and actor who mainly performed rock and roll and traditional pop music. In the early 1960s, he was considered a teen idol. His most well-known songs include "Wildwood Days", "Wild One (Bobby Rydell song), Wild One" and "Volare (song), Volare" (cover of an Italian song by Domenico Modugno, "Nel blu, dipinto di blu (song), Nel blu, dipinto di blu"); in 1963 he appeared in the musical film ''Bye Bye Birdie (1963 film), Bye Bye Birdie''. In the 1980s, he joined a trio called The Golden Boys, with fellow former teen idols Frankie Avalon and Fabian Forte. He continued to tour up until his death in 2022. Early life Rydell was born on April 26, 1942 and was the son of Jennie Ridarelli (née Sapienza) and Adrio "Al" Ridarelli. Both of his parents were of Italian-Americans, Italian descent. He grew up in the Lower Moyamensing neighborhood of South Philadelphia. As a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Clark
Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ''Pyramid'' game show from 1973 to 1988 and ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'', which broadcast New Year's Eve celebrations in New York City's Times Square. As host of ''American Bandstand'', Clark introduced rock and roll to many Americans. The show gave many new music artists their first exposure to national audiences, including The Supremes, Ike & Tina Turner, The Miracles, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, Iggy Pop, Prince (musician), Prince, Talking Heads and Madonna. Episodes he hosted were among the first in which black people and white people performed on the same stage, and they were among the first in which the live studio audience sat down together without racial segregation. Singer Paul A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American Bandstand
''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, producer. The program showcased teenagers dancing to popular songs from the Top 40. Originally broadcast from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it remained there from its debut in 1952 until it relocated to Los Angeles, California, in 1963. Throughout its run, a wide variety of musical acts appeared on the show, typically Lip sync, lip- syncing to one of their latest singles. Music artist, Artists performed for a studio audience, while the original recording played for viewers at home. Freddy Cannon holds the record for the most appearances, with 110. History 1950s ''American Bandstand'' premiered locally in late March 1952 as ''Bandstand'' on Philadelphia television station WFIL-TV Channel 6 (now WPVI-TV). Hosted by Bob Horn (broadcaster), Bob ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Zacherle
John Zacherle ( ; sometimes credited as John Zacherley; September 26, 1918 – October 27, 2016) was an American television host, radio personality, singer, and voice actor. He was best known for his long career as a television horror host, often broadcasting horror films in Philadelphia and New York City in the 1950s and 1960s. Best known for his character of "Roland/Zacherley", he also did voice work for films, and recorded the top ten novelty rock and roll song "Dinner with Drac" in 1958. He also edited two collections of horror stories, ''Zacherley's Vulture Stew'' and ''Zacherley's Midnight Snacks''. Biography Zacherle was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1954, he gained his first television role at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia, where he was hired as an actor playing several roles (one was an undertaker) in ''Action in the Afternoon'', a Western (genre), Western produced by the station and aired in the New York City market. Three years later, he was hired as the host o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinner With Drac
Dinner with Drac is a 1958 novelty song by American radio and TV presenter John Zacherle, released on Cameo-Parkway Records. It was his biggest hit and is widely considered his signature song. Zacherle later released several LPs mixing horror sound effects with novelty songs, like ''82 Tombstones'', ''Monster Mash'', ''Lunch with Mother Goose'', ''I Was a Teenage Caveman'' and ''Dinner with Zach'', none of which enjoyed the same succes. Background In 1958, partly with the assistance and backing of Dick Clark, Zacherle cut "Dinner with Drac" for Cameo Records, backed by Dave Appell. The lyrics, all delivered as limericks, describe how Zacherle has dinner with Count Dracula, but finds it strange that "''dinner was served for three"'', only to find out that "''the main course was me!"''. Zacherle describes all the occult and eerie things he saw during their meal, while trying to keep the conversation going. Zacherle closes the song off with the catchphrase from his TV show, ''"Goodn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Rays
The Rays were an American group formed in New York City in 1955, and active into the early 1960s. They first recorded for Chess Records. Their biggest hit single was "Silhouettes", a moderately-slow doo-wop piece of pop music that reached number 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1957 on Cameo after being initially released on the small XYZ Records. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The song was written by Bob Crewe and Frank Slay, Jr. Also on XYZ, they had a minor hit with "Mediterranean Moon" a mid-chart hit with "Magic Moon" (by this time, XYZ was being nationally distributed by London Records). They also recorded the original version of " Daddy Cool", which was used as part of a medley with Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It", for the UK band Darts which made number 6 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977. The song also lent its name to the Australian band Daddy Cool, who recorded the song in 1971. "Silhouettes" was also released by the Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhythm And Blues
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to African Americans, at a time when "rocking, jazz based music ... [with a] heavy, insistent beat" was starting to become more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of a piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American history and experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy, as well as triumphs and failures in terms of societal racism, oppression, relationships, economics, and aspirations. The term "rhythm and blues" has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950s, it was frequently applied to blues records. Starting i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charlie Gracie
Charles Anthony Graci (May 14, 1936 – December 16, 2022), known professionally as Charlie Gracie, was an American rock and roll and rhythm and blues singer and guitarist. His biggest hits were "Butterfly" and "Fabulous", both in 1957. Career Early career Charlie Gracie was born in South Philadelphia to Santo ("Sam") and Mary Graci (née Cappizzi), who were both of Sicilian heritage. At the age of 10, Gracie's father encouraged him to play the guitar. His musical career started at the age of 16 when he appeared on the Paul Whiteman television show in 1952. Gracie performed at weddings, local restaurants, and parties, and on local radio and television. He also won regional talent contests. Charlie graduated from South Philadelphia High School in 1952. The owner of Cadillac Records, Graham Prince, heard one of Gracie's early radio performances, contacted the young musician and signed him to a recording contract. This association yielded the single "Boogie Woogie Blues" backed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Butterfly (1957 Song)
"Butterfly" is a popular song written by Bernie Lowe and Kal Mann and published in 1957. The song is credited to Anthony September as songwriter in some sources. This was a pseudonym of Anthony Mammarella, producer of ''American Bandstand''. The original recording of the song by Charlie Gracie reached No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Juke Box chart, No. 10 on the R&B chart and No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart in 1957. Andy Williams recording A cover version by Andy Williams reached No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Top 100 chart in 1957. Williams' version also reached No. 1 the UK in May 1957, where it spent two weeks, and also reached No. 14 on the US R&B chart. The Charlie Gracie and Andy Williams versions were ranked #20 on the first Canadian CHUM Chart, May 27, 1957. Other versions *A version recorded by Bob Carroll on Bally Records made the charts in 1957 peaking at No. 61. * The Crests recorded a cover version for their 1960 album, ''The Crests Sing All Biggies''. *Tommy Ste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Applejacks (US Band)
The Applejacks were a group of American studio musicians led by Dave Appell (March 24, 1922 – November 18, 2014), a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They released singles on Cameo Records Cameo Records was an American record label that flourished in the 1920s. It was owned by the Cameo Record Corporation in New York City. Cameo released a disc by Lucille Hegamin every two months from 1921 to 1926. Cameo Records are also noted f .... Their biggest hit was the instrumental "Mexican Hat Rock", a Top 20 hit in the U.S. in 1958. Singles *"Mexican Hat Rock" (1958) U.S. No. 16 *"Rocka-Conga" (1959) U.S. No. 38 (Early releases of "Rocka-Conga" were pressed as "Rocka-Tonga") *"Bunny Hop" (1959) U.S. No. 70 References American pop music groups Cameo-Parkway Records artists {{US-pop-band-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
