Published On Premiered Apr 8, 2024
On October 4-5, 2008, producer Mark del Costello staged a weekend concert event at the Mayo Concert Hall at the College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ, which included a reunion performance of three original surviving recording members of the Solitaires (Herman Dunham, Milton Love, Freddie Barksdale). The group was joined on stage by longtime members Don Cruz, Ray Goodwin, Frank Morrow and Alvin Grant. In the house were Dr. Pat Gaston (founding bass) and Paul Roland Martinez, who also worked with the group. In this footage, Dunham reprises his original lead on the ballad, "My Dear”, issued on Old Town Records in 1955. The filmed performances were produced and directed by Mark del Costello and finally issued in a limited DVD release a year before his death. Acknowledging my work on the show as a stage manager, Mark wrote to me in 2023 and encouraged me to share a portion of the Solitaires’ set online with his permission. It is owned by Black Swan LLC and all rights are retained by his estate. This event celebrated the 25th anniversary of his legendary filmed rhythm and blues vocal group concert at Burlington County College in New Jersey That 1983 event featured the reunion of the original Five Keys, along with the Spaniels, Silhouettes, Laddins, Hank Ballard, the Swallows, Cherokees, Rainbows, Limelites-Videos, Falcons, and more.