JOHN F. PORCARO'S

ITALIAN - AMERICAN

GOLDEN OLDIES & DOO-WOP PAGE

(actually pre-Beatles Rock & Roll era)

As a kid growing up in an Italian-American section of Newark, NJ I was fascinated with how many of the Fifties & early Sixties pop acts were of

Italian descent or had members that were. Even Larry Vernieri from Joey Dee & the Starliters lived on my block. I created this page just as a resource of

what pre-Beatle groups had members that were of Italian descent (included are The Reflections because I thought they rightly belonged to that pre-Beatle era).

It was not meant to be an exhaustive analysis, just a resource with links.

Note! If I am missing any groups/act, please Email me. I want to be as exact as possible, so if you see I was wrong

Note ! Larry Chance is half-Italian, previously reported as non-Italian(thank you William Burke!),

please let me know. PORCAROCPU@Aol.com

ITALIAN - AMERICANS as lead singers(or the lead singer)

The Poni-Tails - Toni Cistone(lead singer), LaVerne Novak, and Karen Topinka

Peggy March -  Margaret Annemarie Battavio

Bobby Rydell - Robert Louis Ridarelli

Frankie Avalon - Francis Thomas Avallone

Fabian - Fabiano Anthony Forte

The Crests - Lead singer Johnny Mastrangelo, Harold Torres, Talmadge Gough, J.T. Carter

Dion & The Belmonts - Dion DiMucci, Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, & Carlo Mastrangelo.

The Chimes -  Lenny Cocco, Pat DePrisco, Joseph Croce, Richard Mercado, Pat McGuire

The Duprees - Joey Canzano, Michael Arnone, Joe Santollo, John Salvato, & Tom Bialoglow

The Elegants - Vito Picone, Arthur Venosa, Frank Tardogano, Carmen Romano & James Mochella

The Mystics - Phil Cracolici, Albee Cracolici, George Galfo, Bob Ferrante, and Al Contrera .

Randy & the Rainbows - Sal Zero, Mike Zero, Frank Safuto, Ken Arcipowski, & Dominick "Randy" Safuto .

The Earls - Larry Chance, Bob Del Din, Larry Palombo, Eddie Harder, John Wray.

The Regents - Ernie Maresca, Chuck Fassert, Guy Villari, & Sal Cuomo

Vito & the Salutations - Lead singer Vito Balsamo, Ray Russel, Shelly Buchansky, & Frankie Fox

The Angels- Peggy Santiglia, Barbara Allbut, Phyllis "Jiggs" Allbut, Linda  Malzone and Linda Jansen

Bobby Darin - Walden Robert "Bobby" Cassotto

Connie Francis - Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero

The Classics - Emil Stucchio, Johnny Gambale, Tony Victor, &  Jamie Troy

Reparata and the Delrons - Mary Aiese, Nanette Licari, Regina Gallagher, and Anne Fitzgerald

Joey Dee and The Starliters - Joseph DiNicola, Larry Vernieri, David Brigati, Carlton Lattimore, & Willie Davis

The Demensions - Lenny Del Giudice, Phil Del Giudice, Marisa Martelli, & Howie Margolin.

James Darren - James William Ercolani

Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon - Frederick Anthony Picariello

The Four Seasons - Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, & Nick Massi

Nino Tempo and April Stevens

Lou Christie - Luigi Sacco

The Capris - Nick Santa Maria -aka-Santo), Mike Mincelli, Steve Reina, Vinnie Narcardo, and John Apostol

The Bell Notes - Carl Bonura, John Casey, Ray Ceroni, Lenny Giambalvo, & Peter Kane

The Knockouts - Bob D'Andrea, Eddie Parente, Bob Collada, and Harry Venuta.   

Santo & Johnny  -Santo and Johnny Farina

Connie Stevens - Concetta Rosalie Anna Ingoglia

The Reflections - Tony Micale, Phil Castrodale, Dan Bennie, Ray Steinberg, John Dean

Dodie Stevens - Geraldine Ann Pasquale

Ernie Maresca

Nino and the Ebb Tides - Nino Aiello, Vinnie Drago, Tony DiBari, Tony Imbimbo

The Fascinators - Tony Passalaqua (lead), Angelo La Grecca (baritone), Nick Trivatto (tenor), Ed Wheeler (tenor) and George Cernacek (bass).

The Videls - Norman Marzano, Peter "Anders" Andreoli, Vincent Poncia, Bobby Calitri, Herbert Rickey

Cathy Jean and the Roommates - Cathy Jean Giordano, Steve Susskind, Jack Carlson, Felix Alvarez & Bob Minsky.

Frankie Ford - Francis Guzzo

The Chaperones-Tony Amato (lead), Roy Marchesano (first tenor), Tommy Ronca (second tenor), Nick Salvato (baritone) and Dave Kelly (bass).

Dominic Joseph Fontana - Drummer for Elvis Presley for 14 years

LIST OF VARIOUS SONGS SUNG BY ITALIAN-AMERICAN LEAD SINGERS, & HOW HIGH THE SONG GOT ON THE NYC CHARTS (CLICK HERE)

ITALIAN - AMERICANS in the group(not as lead singers)

• Danny & The Juniors -  Danny Rapp, Dave White, Frank Maffei and Joe Terranova

• The Impalas - Joe "Speedo" Frazier, Richard Wagner, Lenny Renda, and Tony Carlucci

• Rosie and the Originals - Rosie Hamlin, David Ponci, Noah Tafolla, & Tony Gomez

• The Passions- Jimmy Gallagher, Tony Armato, Albie Galione and Vinnie Acierno

• The Mello-Kings - Jerry and Bob Scholl, Eddie Quinn, Neil Arena and Larry Esposito

• Bill Haley & His Comets - Rudy Pompilli & Johnny Grande

• The Fireflies -  Richie Adams, Lee Reynolds, Paul Giacalone, John Viscelli, & Carl Girosli

• The Royal Teens - Tom Austin , Billy Dalton , Larry Qualiano , Bob Gaudio , Bill Crandall

• The Tempos - Mike Lazo, Gene Schachter, Jim Drake and Tom Monito

• The Tornados - Clem Cattini, Heinz Burt, Alan Caddy, George Bellamy, Pete Newman, Pete Cotton.

• The Five Discs - Mario DeAndrade, Andrew Jackson, Paul Albano, Tony Basile, &  Joe Barsalona.

• The Rockin' Rebels - Russ Hallett (vocals), Aldo Brozzetti (guitar), and Jack Sinchaski (drums)

• The Aquatones - Larry Vannata, David Goddard, Eugene McCarthy, & Lynne Nixon

• The Four Lads - Corrado "Connie" Codarini, John Bernard "Bernie" Toorish, James Arnold, and Frank Busseri.

• The Playmates - Carl Cicchetti, Donny Conn, and Morey Carr

• The Dovells - Arnie Silver, Mark Gordesky, Len Barry, Jerry Gross, Mike Freda and Jim Mealey

   

If you have anything to contribute to this web page(or see a mistake), please contact John Porcaro at: PORCAROCPU@Aol.com