Previous Vocal Group Record of the Week
#642 (Week of 11/28/09 - 12/4/09)

"I Just Got Lucky"/"Happy 'Till The Letter"
by The Orioles
Featuring Sonny Til
on Vee-Jay VJ 196
released in 1956


[Above clipping courtesy of Galen Gart.]

Above: 1956 clipping of The Orioles, who consisted of (Top) Sonny Til (tenor), (L-R) Jerry Holeman (baritone, tenor), Albert "Diz" Russell (bass, baritone), Aaron "Tex" Cornelius (baritone, tenor), and Billy Adams (baritone). This Sonny Til "new" Orioles group had been members of The Regals (one record each on the Aladdin and Atlantic labels). The Regals' pianist Paul Griffin also moved over to the new Orioles.

NOTE: Differing from the above clipping, the record label has the incorrectly spelled "Happy 'Till The Letter."

Trade Magazine Clippings:
MAY 1956 — Vee-Jay's Abner tells us he's just signed two new artists for the label, Camille Howard and Sonny Til and His Orioles. Vee-Jay plans to push the latter as a pop act....

JUNE 1956 — Vee-Jay's Abner is back from Cleveland where he caught the Orioles' act. He says the signing of this group to the label was one of their best moves. Sonny Til is expected in town shortly to help boom his latest, "Happy Till the Letter"....

JULY 1956 — Vee-Jay's Jimmy Bracken just returned from an Eastern deejay swing where he spent time visiting with Buddy Young, Hot Rod Hulbert, Billy Fox, Kae Williams, Jocko Henderson, Mitch Thomas, Randy Dixon and Bernice Miller. Jimmy claims deejays are predicting big things for his Orioles' waxing of "Happy Till the Letter"....

Click HERE for an article about The Orioles' post-Jubilee years by Marv Goldberg.
(Above link will open in a separate window)



Above: Label image of Vee-Jay VJ 196 recorded in May 1956 and released that same month. This was the first of three records that The Orioles had on Vee-Jay (1956-57). Diz Russell composed and sings lead on "I Just Got Lucky," while Sonny Til is lead crooner on the flip.

Listen to this week's selections by The Orioles on Vee-Jay VJ 196 from 1956:
[Audio restoration by Dave Saviet.]
(Above: Clipping November 1956)
     A. Stream RealAudio (DO NOT USE...LISTEN USING DOWNLOAD REALAUDIO)...
 
          1. I Just Got Lucky
          2. Happy 'Till The Letter
 
          BOTH played in sequence

     B. Download RealAudio...
 
          1. I Just Got Lucky
          2. Happy 'Till The Letter

     C. Stream/Download Media Player...
 
          1. I Just Got Lucky
          2. Happy 'Till The Letter


          [To download audio files, right-click on link
          and then click "Save (Link) Target As..."]


Back


This site is non-commercial. All information displayed is provided to further the general public's knowledge of RnB vocal group harmony.