The Diamonds - Original Albums Collection 1957-62 @ 320

The group comprised Dave Somerville (lead), Ted Kowalski (tenor), Bill Reed (bass) and Phil Leavitt (baritone), all born in Toronto, Canada. A white vocal that specialised in cover versions of black R&B hits, the Diamonds were formed in 1953, and, during the next two years, attracted a good deal of attention on the club circuit in America’s Midwest states. In 1955 they recorded several sides for Decca Records’ Coral Records label, including a cover version of the Cheers’ Top 10 single, ‘Black Denim Trousers And Motor Cycle Boots’. Early in the following year they moved to Mercury Records, a label already highly skilled in recreating existing hits, such as the Crew-Cuts’ version of ‘Sh-Boom’ (1954), which was first released by the Chords. The Diamonds made their initial impact for Mercury with ‘Why Do Fools Fall In Love?’, a Top 10 hit for Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers in 1956. The Diamonds’ version made the US Top 20, and was followed, in the same year, by further successful substitutes for the originals, such as ‘Church Bells May Ring’ (Willows), ‘Little Girl Of Mine’ (Cleftones), ‘Love, Love, Love’ (Clovers), ‘Ka Ding Dong’ (G-Clefs)’ ‘Soft Summer Breeze’ (Eddie Heywood) and ‘A Thousand Miles Away’ (Heartbeats). ‘Little Darlin’ (1957), written by Maurice Williams when he was lead singer with the Gladiolas, before he went on to the Zodiacs, gave the Diamonds their highest US chart entry (number 2), and subsequently became something of a rock ‘n’ roll classic.

The group’s remaining Top 40 hits in the 50s were ‘Words Of Love’, ‘Zip Zip’, ‘Silhouettes’ (also a million-seller for the Rays), ‘The Stroll’, ‘High Sign’, ‘Kathy-O’ (a ballad, in a more easy listening style), ‘Walking Along’ and ‘She Say Oom Dooby Doom’. In 1958 Phil Leavitt retired and was replaced by Michael Douglas, and, in the following year, two Californians, Evan Fisher and John Felton (d. May 1982, California, USA), took over from Bill Reed and Ted Kowalski. The ‘new’ Diamonds continued to record throughout the early 60s and had one Top 30 entry with ‘One Summer Night’ in 1961. After the group split up, Dave Somerville formed a double act with ex-Four Prep, Bruce Belland, until the Diamonds re-formed in the early 70s. Despite Felton’s death in an air crash in 1982, the group continued to tour, and was especially popular on the county fair circuit into the 90s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamonds

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The Diamonds - The Diamonds (1957) 

 01. The Diamonds - Til My Baby Comes Home 

 02. The Diamonds - Shoo Ya Blues 

 03. The Diamonds - Oh, How I Wish 

 04. The Diamonds - One And Only 

 05. The Diamonds - Honey 

 06. The Diamonds - Girl Of Mine 

 07. The Diamonds - Honey Bird 

 08. The Diamonds - For You Alone 

 09. The Diamonds - My Dog Likes Your Dog 

 10. The Diamonds - Zip Zip 

 11. The Diamonds - Cool, Cool Baby 

 12. The Diamonds - You Are The Limit 

The Diamonds - The Diamonds Meet Pete Rugolo (1958)

 01. The Diamonds - Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away) 

 02. The Diamonds - Baby Won't You Please Come Home 

 03. The Diamonds - The Best Things In Life Are Free 

 04. The Diamonds - Ain't Misbehavin'(I'm Savin' My Love For You) 

 05. The Diamonds - Until The Real Thing Comes Along 

 06. The Diamonds - I'll Always Be In Love With You 

 07. The Diamonds - Will You Still Be Mine 

 08. The Diamonds - Tenderly 

 09. The Diamonds - For All We Know 

 10. The Diamonds - One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) 

 11. The Diamonds - Lulu's Back In Town 

 12. The Diamonds - You'll Never Walk Alone 

The Diamonds - America's Famous Song Stylist (1959)

 01. The Diamonds - The Stroll 

 02. The Diamonds - You Baby You 

 03. The Diamonds - Ev'ry Night About This Time 

 04. The Diamonds - Ka-Ding-Dong 

 05. The Diamonds - A Thousand Miles Away 

 06. The Diamonds - Ev'ry Minute Of The Day 

 07. The Diamonds - Little Darlin' 

 08. The Diamonds - Faithful And True 

 09. The Diamonds - Straight Skirts 

 10. The Diamonds - Silhouettes 

 11. The Diamonds - Passion Flower 

 12. The Diamonds - Daddy Cool 

The Diamonds - Pop Hits (1962)

 01. The Diamonds - High Sign 

 02. The Diamonds - Patsy 

 03. The Diamonds - Little Girl Of Mine 

 04. The Diamonds - Moonglow 

 05. The Diamonds - Land Of Beauty 

 06. The Diamonds - I'll Always Be In Love 

 07. The Diamonds - Words Of Love 

 08. The Diamonds - Sweet Wild Honey 

 09. The Diamonds - Don't Say Goodbye 

 10. The Diamonds - Don't Let Me Down 

 11. The Diamonds - Eternal Lovers 

 12. The Diamonds - Streets Of Laredo 

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