On Saturday night, December 8, 1979, eight rhythm’n’blues, rock’n’roll and doo wop vocal groups took the stage at the Beacon Theater at 74th Street and Broadway in New York City as part of the Royal New York Doo Wopp Show. On the bill were Fred Parris and the Satins, the Chords, with original lead Carl Feaster, Rudy West and his Keys, Vito and the Salutations, Randy and the Rainbows, Willie Winfield and the Harptones, Earl Lewis and the Channels, and a next generation acapella group, Yesterday’s Today, all backed by Bobby Comstock’s Band. Tickets were priced at $10.50 and $9 for the 8 PM concert.
Beginning in the early 1970s, Boston-area disc jockey, concert host and producer, historian and enthusiast, Little Walter DeVenne began documenting the pioneers of vocal group harmony, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll using Super 8 movie film, reel to reel tape recorders, and whatever means were available to him. As luck would have it, the Super 8 film camera made its way backstage into the dressing room before the concert, and four impromptu acapella rehearsals were filmed in addition to portions of the concert. In these seven minutes of footage, shot in one of the shared dressing rooms and from the balcony at the opening of the concert, we see and hear YESTERDAY’S TODAY.
Formed in suburban Long Island in 1977, the five-man mixed race group consisted of brothers Christopher and Frank Furnell, falsetto tenor Robert Tolbert, Victor Jorgenson, and bass John Shelton. The group performed at clubs and concerts in the New York-New Jersey area and drew rave reviews for their harmonies and versatility. Just two years after their formation, they were invited to open this Royal New York Doo Wopp show. In the dressing room footage, the group is already dressed and prepared to go on stage and warms up for the camera with a version of the Crests’ “16 Candles” with Chris Furnell leading. Once on stage, they delight the audience with an acapella rendition of Gene Chandler’s “Duke of Earl” with Robert Tolbert singing lead, complete with cape, top hat, and walking stick.
After Walter died in 2021, his close friend and longtime disc jockey, Mike Bollea ensured that these rare recordings would be preserved. Through Mike’s generosity and a desire to see Walter’s historic films shared with fans and devotees of this music, we present the Little Walter’s Time Machine Official Archives series, remixed and synched by Todd Baptista, from the original source material. For the best in “oldies but goodies” from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, listen to Mike Bollea on MIXCLOUD and follow his discjockeymike page to hear new shows. To leave comments or connect with Mike, send him a friend request and visit his Facebook page Michael Bollea (Not Just Another DJ) and the Mike Bollea’s Radio Friends Group or e-mail him at [email protected].
Update: Chris Furnell later sang with Risky Business before relocating to South Carolina. His brother, Fran, is retired and living in upstate New York. Victor Jorgenson eventually moved to Mexico but has settled back on Long Island. None are are still singing. Tolbert and Shelton have passed away.