The Mystics
Encyclopedia
The Mystics is an American rock and roll group that began in Brooklyn
, New York
, in the late 1950s. The group was known as The Overons, a quintet
that, when signed to Laurie Records
, consisted of Phil Cracolici (born 1937, lead), Albee Cracolici (b. 1936, baritone), George Galfo (b. 1939, second tenor), Bob Ferrante (b. 1936, first tenor), and Al Contrera (b. 1940, bass). Under the direction of their manager, Jim Gribble, The Overons became The Mystics when each group member wrote a name they liked on a slip of paper, placed the papers in a hat and Contrera's choice was drawn.
, "Adam And Eve", and the old Weavers' tune "Wimoweh". Unhappy with the results, Laurie Records
commissioned Doc Pomus
and Mort Shuman
to write an original tune for the group. Their first effort, the song "A Teenager In Love", however, was given to labelmates Dion and The Belmonts
. Pomus and Shuman were instructed to come up with something else for The Mystics. The next day, the writers returned with "Hushabye
".
In May 1959, Laurie Records
released "Hushabye
" b/w "Adam And Eve" and within a few weeks the record was a smash. Soon Alan Freed
started featuring "Hushabye
" as the closing tune on his televised Saturday night Big Beat Show. At its peak, "Hushabye
" was Top Ten in most of the tri-state area, spending 9 weeks on the national charts that spring and summer, where it climbed to #20.
Gene Schwartz, head of Laurie Records, was visited by Mark Harris regarding a song of his recorded by another artist on the Laurie label. Gene showed him a stack of demos of songs rejected by The Mystics and asked him to write a song for the group's next recording session. Mark, still in high school, wrote "Don't Take The Stars" over the weekend and presented a demo to the company the following week. The group liked the song and recorded it the very same week. Thanks to heavy play by New York deejays, "Don't Take The Stars" hit the charts and became The Mystics' second hit after "Hushabye".
After Phil Cracolici left the group and beginning in 1960, the Mystics' lead singer changed several times. Paul Simon
(aka Jerry Landis), who frequently hung around Gribble's office, became The Mystics' new lead. In January 1960, "All Through The Night" (with five voices singing together with no distinct lead), "I Began To Think Of You" and "Let Me Steal Your Heart Away" were recorded.
When Paul Simon left the group to pursue other projects, The Mystics chose John "Jay" Traynor, who later went on to form Jay and the Americans
. On May 11, 1960, The Mystics with Jay Traynor on lead recorded "White Cliffs Of Dover", "Blue Star" and "Over The Rainbow" at RCA Studios. Inspired by The Del-Vikings
' version, they chose "White Cliffs Of Dover", (a song they often sang at live shows long before recording it). Backed with "Blue Star", "White Cliffs Of Dover" received only local play. "Over The Rainbow" remained unreleased until the late 80s when Ace Records issued a Mystics album.
Eddie "Shots" Falcone became their next lead singer, and The Mystics recorded "Star Crossed Lovers" b/w "Goodbye Mister Blues", with Falcone singing lead. This record failed to chart and shortly thereafter, a young Ralph Lizano led the group with a song he had written called "Darling I Know Now". "Sunday Kind Of Love" and "Again" also featured Ralph Lizano on lead. Unfortunately, the first two songs, though released, received no airplay. "Again" was not released until the Crystal Ball LP.
In mid-1961, The Mystics stopped recording and performing. The nostalgia boom that began in 1969 brought the original five members back together and they began performing again on the rock and roll revival circuit. George Galfo and Bob Ferrante left the group after a few years, making the group the Cracolicis, Al Contrera, and new members Joe Esposito
, Bruce Sudano
, and Eddie Hockinson. Contrera was invited to California for a special project shortly thereafter; he declined, but sent Esposito. Sudano and Hockinson followed, and the three formed the group Brooklyn Dreams
. Three new members came in- John Tarangelo (Johnny T), Joey Napoli, and Emil Stucchio. Stucchio is the original lead singer of The Classics, famous in their own right with their hit record "Till Then". The Classics and Mystics were acquainted, as they both came from Brooklyn.
By the early 1980s, the group was Phil Cracolici, Albee Cracolici, Al Contrera, and Johnny T. In 1982, Bob Ferrante was in town when the group was set to record an album, so he joined them. The album was Crazy For You for the Ambient Sound label. It featured re-recordings of three Overons original tunes: "Prayer To An Angel", "Why Do You Pretend" and "The Bells Are Ringing". That year, Ken Filmer joined the group. This quintet made up the Mystics until 1990, when Johnny T left the group.
In the late 1990s, the Mystics, the Classics and the Passions, who are all from the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn and have been friends since the 1950s, started performing together in the Brooklyn Reunion Show. This act emphasized their common roots and long-time friendships, and the fact that each group scored successive hit records. The Brooklyn Reunion Show proved to be a popular act, recording and releasing a CD and touring for almost ten years.
Phil Cracolici and Ken Filmer were featured with the Brooklyn Reunion in the pledge breaks of Doo Wop 50
when the special was broadcast in May 2000. Al Contrera and Emil Stuccio were also featured with their current group, The Classics. Albee Cracolici later joined with his brother and Filmer, and the trio comprised the group in the early 2000s. This lineup with Al Contrera performed as "The Mystics" for another PBS special, Doo Wop Love Songs, filmed in 2007. Filmer and Albee Cracolici left the group in 2007, and Phil Cracolici performs with a new group.
George Galfo headed up his own Mystic group, billed as "George Galfo's Mystics" (r), from 2002 till January 2011, which included members Joe Neary (toured with Dion and fomerly of Bits N Pieces) , Mike Miller, (formerly of Harmony Street), Howard Sprotzer (formerly of the DooWop Kings), and Anthony DeFontes (toured with Dion). George Galfo's Mystics" (r) have been actively performing since 2002, touring throughout Florida, New England, New York, PA, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Las Vegas.
As of Jan 2011, Phil Cracolici (Original Lead singer) has joined his nephew George Galfo ( Original 2nd tenor who is now doing leads) and his group George Galfo's Mystics, which is now to be known as the Mystics. Members are George Galfo, Phil Cracolici, Joe Neary, Howard Sprotzer. Anthony DeFontes has left the group and has been replaced by Ralph Roberts, formerly of Music Box. Phil and George will also be joining Albee Cracolici and doing a few Special performances with the Original Brooklyn Reunion.
Mike Miller sang with, arranged harmony for, recorded and produced 2 of George Galfo's Mystics earlier CD's. Mike Miller wrote "Hushabye Again", a song that is the title song on the Hushabye Again CD which is out on Collectables Records. Former members include Shelly Brill, Joel Starr, and Franco Caprioli
The Mystics Official Web Site
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, in the late 1950s. The group was known as The Overons, a quintet
Quintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
that, when signed to Laurie Records
Laurie Records
Laurie Records was a record label started in 1958 by Gene Schwartz and Allan I. Sussel. Sussel was a multi-millionaire whose earlier record company, Jamie Records , had been unsuccessful. As a result, Sussel joined forces with Schwartz to found Laurie Records, this time named after his other...
, consisted of Phil Cracolici (born 1937, lead), Albee Cracolici (b. 1936, baritone), George Galfo (b. 1939, second tenor), Bob Ferrante (b. 1936, first tenor), and Al Contrera (b. 1940, bass). Under the direction of their manager, Jim Gribble, The Overons became The Mystics when each group member wrote a name they liked on a slip of paper, placed the papers in a hat and Contrera's choice was drawn.
Biography
In late 1958, The Mystics soon recorded two songs for Laurie RecordsLaurie Records
Laurie Records was a record label started in 1958 by Gene Schwartz and Allan I. Sussel. Sussel was a multi-millionaire whose earlier record company, Jamie Records , had been unsuccessful. As a result, Sussel joined forces with Schwartz to found Laurie Records, this time named after his other...
, "Adam And Eve", and the old Weavers' tune "Wimoweh". Unhappy with the results, Laurie Records
Laurie Records
Laurie Records was a record label started in 1958 by Gene Schwartz and Allan I. Sussel. Sussel was a multi-millionaire whose earlier record company, Jamie Records , had been unsuccessful. As a result, Sussel joined forces with Schwartz to found Laurie Records, this time named after his other...
commissioned Doc Pomus
Doc Pomus
Jerome Solon Felder, better known as Doc Pomus , was a twentieth-century American blues singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lyricist of many rock and roll hits. Pomus was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the category of non-performer in 1992. He was also inducted into...
and Mort Shuman
Mort Shuman
Mort Shuman was an American singer, pianist and songwriter, best known as co-writer of many 1960s rock and roll hits, including "Viva Las Vegas"...
to write an original tune for the group. Their first effort, the song "A Teenager In Love", however, was given to labelmates Dion and The Belmonts
Dion and the Belmonts
Dion and the Belmonts was a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer , joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, baritone , Freddie Milano, second tenor , and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor , in late 1957.-History:After an unsuccessful first single,...
. Pomus and Shuman were instructed to come up with something else for The Mystics. The next day, the writers returned with "Hushabye
Hushabye
"Hushabye" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.The song was originally made famous in the summer of 1959 by New York doo wop group, The Mystics when it reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The original plan was for them to record "A Teenager in Love," however, that song went to Dion and...
".
In May 1959, Laurie Records
Laurie Records
Laurie Records was a record label started in 1958 by Gene Schwartz and Allan I. Sussel. Sussel was a multi-millionaire whose earlier record company, Jamie Records , had been unsuccessful. As a result, Sussel joined forces with Schwartz to found Laurie Records, this time named after his other...
released "Hushabye
Hushabye
"Hushabye" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.The song was originally made famous in the summer of 1959 by New York doo wop group, The Mystics when it reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The original plan was for them to record "A Teenager in Love," however, that song went to Dion and...
" b/w "Adam And Eve" and within a few weeks the record was a smash. Soon Alan Freed
Alan Freed
Albert James "Alan" Freed , also known as Moondog, was an American disc-jockey. He became internationally known for promoting the mix of blues, country and rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll...
started featuring "Hushabye
Hushabye
"Hushabye" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.The song was originally made famous in the summer of 1959 by New York doo wop group, The Mystics when it reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The original plan was for them to record "A Teenager in Love," however, that song went to Dion and...
" as the closing tune on his televised Saturday night Big Beat Show. At its peak, "Hushabye
Hushabye
"Hushabye" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.The song was originally made famous in the summer of 1959 by New York doo wop group, The Mystics when it reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The original plan was for them to record "A Teenager in Love," however, that song went to Dion and...
" was Top Ten in most of the tri-state area, spending 9 weeks on the national charts that spring and summer, where it climbed to #20.
Gene Schwartz, head of Laurie Records, was visited by Mark Harris regarding a song of his recorded by another artist on the Laurie label. Gene showed him a stack of demos of songs rejected by The Mystics and asked him to write a song for the group's next recording session. Mark, still in high school, wrote "Don't Take The Stars" over the weekend and presented a demo to the company the following week. The group liked the song and recorded it the very same week. Thanks to heavy play by New York deejays, "Don't Take The Stars" hit the charts and became The Mystics' second hit after "Hushabye".
After Phil Cracolici left the group and beginning in 1960, the Mystics' lead singer changed several times. Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
(aka Jerry Landis), who frequently hung around Gribble's office, became The Mystics' new lead. In January 1960, "All Through The Night" (with five voices singing together with no distinct lead), "I Began To Think Of You" and "Let Me Steal Your Heart Away" were recorded.
When Paul Simon left the group to pursue other projects, The Mystics chose John "Jay" Traynor, who later went on to form Jay and the Americans
Jay and the Americans
Jay and the Americans was a pop music group popular in the 1960s. Their initial lineup consisted of John "Jay" Traynor, Howard Kane , Kenny Vance and Sandy Deanne , though their greatest success on the charts came after Traynor had been replaced as lead singer by Jay Black.-Early years:They were...
. On May 11, 1960, The Mystics with Jay Traynor on lead recorded "White Cliffs Of Dover", "Blue Star" and "Over The Rainbow" at RCA Studios. Inspired by The Del-Vikings
The Del-Vikings
The Del-Vikings are an American doo-wop musical group, who recorded several hit singles in the 1950s, and continued to record and tour with various lineups in later decades...
' version, they chose "White Cliffs Of Dover", (a song they often sang at live shows long before recording it). Backed with "Blue Star", "White Cliffs Of Dover" received only local play. "Over The Rainbow" remained unreleased until the late 80s when Ace Records issued a Mystics album.
Eddie "Shots" Falcone became their next lead singer, and The Mystics recorded "Star Crossed Lovers" b/w "Goodbye Mister Blues", with Falcone singing lead. This record failed to chart and shortly thereafter, a young Ralph Lizano led the group with a song he had written called "Darling I Know Now". "Sunday Kind Of Love" and "Again" also featured Ralph Lizano on lead. Unfortunately, the first two songs, though released, received no airplay. "Again" was not released until the Crystal Ball LP.
In mid-1961, The Mystics stopped recording and performing. The nostalgia boom that began in 1969 brought the original five members back together and they began performing again on the rock and roll revival circuit. George Galfo and Bob Ferrante left the group after a few years, making the group the Cracolicis, Al Contrera, and new members Joe Esposito
Joe Esposito (singer)
Joe Esposito is a Grammy winning American singer/songwriter whose career spans from the 1970s to the present day. Esposito's songs have been recorded by Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin, Labelle, and Stephen Stills and others.-Biography:...
, Bruce Sudano
Bruce Sudano
Bruce Charles Sudano is a singer/songwriter/producer best known for his collaboration with and marriage to singer Donna Summer, and the group he co-founded, Brooklyn Dreams....
, and Eddie Hockinson. Contrera was invited to California for a special project shortly thereafter; he declined, but sent Esposito. Sudano and Hockinson followed, and the three formed the group Brooklyn Dreams
Brooklyn Dreams (group)
The Brooklyn Dreams was a successful singing group of the late 1970s and early 1980s mixing R&B harmonies with contemporary dance/disco music and best-known for a number of collaborations with singer Donna Summer. The band consisted of Joe "Bean" Esposito, Eddie Hokenson and Bruce Sudano...
. Three new members came in- John Tarangelo (Johnny T), Joey Napoli, and Emil Stucchio. Stucchio is the original lead singer of The Classics, famous in their own right with their hit record "Till Then". The Classics and Mystics were acquainted, as they both came from Brooklyn.
By the early 1980s, the group was Phil Cracolici, Albee Cracolici, Al Contrera, and Johnny T. In 1982, Bob Ferrante was in town when the group was set to record an album, so he joined them. The album was Crazy For You for the Ambient Sound label. It featured re-recordings of three Overons original tunes: "Prayer To An Angel", "Why Do You Pretend" and "The Bells Are Ringing". That year, Ken Filmer joined the group. This quintet made up the Mystics until 1990, when Johnny T left the group.
In the late 1990s, the Mystics, the Classics and the Passions, who are all from the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn and have been friends since the 1950s, started performing together in the Brooklyn Reunion Show. This act emphasized their common roots and long-time friendships, and the fact that each group scored successive hit records. The Brooklyn Reunion Show proved to be a popular act, recording and releasing a CD and touring for almost ten years.
Phil Cracolici and Ken Filmer were featured with the Brooklyn Reunion in the pledge breaks of Doo Wop 50
Doo Wop 50
Doo Wop 50 was a PBS pledge drive special created and produced for PBS member station WQED-TV by TJ Lubinsky, grandson of Herman Lubinsky...
when the special was broadcast in May 2000. Al Contrera and Emil Stuccio were also featured with their current group, The Classics. Albee Cracolici later joined with his brother and Filmer, and the trio comprised the group in the early 2000s. This lineup with Al Contrera performed as "The Mystics" for another PBS special, Doo Wop Love Songs, filmed in 2007. Filmer and Albee Cracolici left the group in 2007, and Phil Cracolici performs with a new group.
George Galfo headed up his own Mystic group, billed as "George Galfo's Mystics" (r), from 2002 till January 2011, which included members Joe Neary (toured with Dion and fomerly of Bits N Pieces) , Mike Miller, (formerly of Harmony Street), Howard Sprotzer (formerly of the DooWop Kings), and Anthony DeFontes (toured with Dion). George Galfo's Mystics" (r) have been actively performing since 2002, touring throughout Florida, New England, New York, PA, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Las Vegas.
As of Jan 2011, Phil Cracolici (Original Lead singer) has joined his nephew George Galfo ( Original 2nd tenor who is now doing leads) and his group George Galfo's Mystics, which is now to be known as the Mystics. Members are George Galfo, Phil Cracolici, Joe Neary, Howard Sprotzer. Anthony DeFontes has left the group and has been replaced by Ralph Roberts, formerly of Music Box. Phil and George will also be joining Albee Cracolici and doing a few Special performances with the Original Brooklyn Reunion.
Mike Miller sang with, arranged harmony for, recorded and produced 2 of George Galfo's Mystics earlier CD's. Mike Miller wrote "Hushabye Again", a song that is the title song on the Hushabye Again CD which is out on Collectables Records. Former members include Shelly Brill, Joel Starr, and Franco Caprioli
See also
- Brooklyn DreamsBrooklyn Dreams (group)The Brooklyn Dreams was a successful singing group of the late 1970s and early 1980s mixing R&B harmonies with contemporary dance/disco music and best-known for a number of collaborations with singer Donna Summer. The band consisted of Joe "Bean" Esposito, Eddie Hokenson and Bruce Sudano...
- Alive N Kickin'Alive N Kickin'Alive N Kickin’ is a Brooklyn band, led by singers Pepe Cardona and Sandy Toder, known mainly for their 1970 hit single "Tighter, Tighter" which reached #7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart...
The Mystics Official Web Site
External links
- The Mystics discography, biography and photos
- George Galfo's Mystics
- The Mystics with Phil Cracolici
- The Mystics
- Mystic Memories - www.johnnytunes.com
- Article @ Destination Do Wop
- Mike Miller Doo Wop Stylings http://www.harmonystreet.biz