The Heartaches
Encyclopedia
The Heartaches were an American Doo-wop
musical group from Jersey City, New Jersey
. The group formed in 1962 and disbanded in 1989.
as The Vydells and consisted of Joe Calamito, Tom D'Alessandro, Russ Capo, Louis Francischini and Charles Romano, who ranged from 13 to 15 years old. As they gained popularity, they became part of WMCA
disc jockeys Toby Clare and Jack Spector's record hop dances, opening for acts like The Broadways, The Duprees
, The McCoys
, Randy & the Rainbows
, Ronnie and the Highlights, and Lenny Welsh.
in the summer of 1966 but were knocked out by the British Invasion.
Joanne and the Heartaches performed from 1963 to 1967 and after lead singer Joanne Lucas left, Gerri O'Neil and a second female voice were added: Joanne Bevagua along with Joe Calamito, Tommy D'alessandro and Charles Romano This 5 person group consisting of two females, and three males (a rare combination for the time ) recorded for both the Catamaount Label and Sky Disc Records. in the 1970s Catamount Records released "The Heartaches - Lampost Love Songs an acappella album. Which featured both the original singer Joanne Lucas and Geri O'Neil.
The Heartaches of the 1980s were moderately commercially successful. They worked as an opening act, contributed to a children's album The Pickle That Ate Chicago, sang backup on a Sassoon jeans commercial, sang backup were back-up singers on the British hit "It's Not Over" by the artist Choppers, and performed with country singer-songwriter Jan Chamberlin. The Heartaches were signed to a one year production contract with RCA Records
in 1985, but were dropped at the end of that year. The Heartaches performed until 1989 and then disbanded.
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
musical group from Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. The group formed in 1962 and disbanded in 1989.
The Vydells
The group began singing in 1962 in Jersey City, New JerseyJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
as The Vydells and consisted of Joe Calamito, Tom D'Alessandro, Russ Capo, Louis Francischini and Charles Romano, who ranged from 13 to 15 years old. As they gained popularity, they became part of WMCA
WMCA
WMCA, 570 AM, is a radio station in New York City, most known for its "Good Guys" Top 40 era in the 1960s. It is currently owned by Salem Communications and plays a Christian radio format...
disc jockeys Toby Clare and Jack Spector's record hop dances, opening for acts like The Broadways, The Duprees
The Duprees
The Duprees is an American musical group of doo-wop style which had a series of hit records in the early 1960s.-Career:The group originated in the early 1960s in Jersey City, New Jersey, and comprised William L. Dickinson High School students Michael Arnone, Joe Santollo, John Salvato, Tom...
, The McCoys
The McCoys
The McCoys were a rock group that started in Union City, Indiana, in 1962.-Career:The original members, all from Union City, were guitarist Richard Zehringer , his brother Randy on drums, and bassist Dennis Kelly. This first line-up was known as The Rick Z Combo, and later known as Rick and the...
, Randy & the Rainbows
Randy & the Rainbows
Randy & the Rainbows are an American doo wop group from Maspeth, New York.-Career:The group was formed in 1962 in a neighborhood of Queens, and featured two pairs of siblings, along with a fifth member. The Safuto brothers had previously sung in the group The Dialtones. They recorded with the...
, Ronnie and the Highlights, and Lenny Welsh.
Joanne and the Heartaches
In 1963 the group reformed, adding lead vocalist Joanne Lucas and first tenor Robert Taglierini, who replaced Russ Capo, and retaining founding members Joe Calamito, Tom D'Alessandro and Charles Romano. The group then became known as Joanne and the Heartaches recording for Catamount Records, an early a cappella record label. Joanne and the Heartaches were scheduled to sign with Roulette RecordsRoulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
in the summer of 1966 but were knocked out by the British Invasion.
Joanne and the Heartaches performed from 1963 to 1967 and after lead singer Joanne Lucas left, Gerri O'Neil and a second female voice were added: Joanne Bevagua along with Joe Calamito, Tommy D'alessandro and Charles Romano This 5 person group consisting of two females, and three males (a rare combination for the time ) recorded for both the Catamaount Label and Sky Disc Records. in the 1970s Catamount Records released "The Heartaches - Lampost Love Songs an acappella album. Which featured both the original singer Joanne Lucas and Geri O'Neil.
The Heartaches
The group refrained from live performances in the later 1970s, resurfacing in 1981 as The Heartaches with founding members Joe Calamito and Tom D'Alessandro, adding Raul Vicente and Phil Granito, and dropping the female lead. This four-man vocal group sang with the aid of a guitar and coined the phrase "Rockapella" for their unique sound. In 1983 they won the first ever vocal contest by Doo-wop concert promoter Richard Nader and won the right to appear at Madison Garden for two shows at Richard Nader's November 1983 concert.The Heartaches of the 1980s were moderately commercially successful. They worked as an opening act, contributed to a children's album The Pickle That Ate Chicago, sang backup on a Sassoon jeans commercial, sang backup were back-up singers on the British hit "It's Not Over" by the artist Choppers, and performed with country singer-songwriter Jan Chamberlin. The Heartaches were signed to a one year production contract with RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in 1985, but were dropped at the end of that year. The Heartaches performed until 1989 and then disbanded.
Discography
- "I'm So Young" b/w "A Lover's Call" (Catamount, 1966)
- Lamp Post Love Songs (Catamount LP-906)