The Original_DUPREES_1961 to 1979 _Medley of songs and pictures

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Unfortunately, not enough has been written about The Duprees, but their musical contribution to Rock 'N' Roll history is reflected in their songs and their unique style. While many vocal groups performed standards from the '40s and '50s, only The Duprees could pull them off the way they did, and were one of the first to do so. In their early years, they were able to impressively blend the best from the sounds of the Swing Era, with the distinctive soul and infectious beat of the groups identified with rock and roll. In all they would register nine Top 100 entries nationally. In their home state of New Jersey, and also in New York, the Duprees were phenomenally popular, with virtually all of their records making the Top 10.In 1958, Joey Canzano and Tom Bialoglow founded The Utopians with Brian Moran and Jackie Smith. They had achieved local popularity in the Jersey City area. About the same time, a quintet by the name of The Elgins was also gaining local popularity in the same area. The group was made up of Joe Santollo, Mike Arnone, Gus Salerno, Joe Cataldo and Mike Amato, all friends from Dickinson High School in Jersey City. When the group disbanded around 1960, Joe Santollo and Mike Arnone got together with another friend, John Salvato of The Panics, and decided to form another group. They approached Joey Canzano and persuaded him to join them, bringing Tom Bialoglow, his long time friend, with him. This completed the lineup and they called themselves The Parisiens. They chose The Parisiens simply because they liked the French sounding name. Over the next two years they practiced at each other's houses in their hometown of Jersey City, New Jersey and played gigs at local hops. They made many demos and went through the hands of several managers. The demos included songs like "My Own True Love", "September In The Rain", "As Time Goes By", "Because" and "Voices Are Calling". The first three were later re-recorded and released on Coed. During this time, Joey Canzano was temporarily replaced by Mike Kelly of the Vocal Teens, a name the group would see again a few years later.They were discovered by George Paxton and Marvin Cane, president and owner of Coed Records respectively, who heard their demo tapes in the spring of 1962. George Paxton didn't like the name The Parisiens, so the group agreed to change it and chose another with a French connotation, The Duprees, (The group suggested the name. They had briefly met a local singer who went by the name of "Dupree"). Paxton and Fred Weismantel, A&R manager and arranger for Coed Records, collaborated to give the group a unique and unusually high polished sound. The group would still utilize their distinctive vocal harmonies, but would use Glenn Miller-style arrangements employing a big band, clarinets and saxophones (obviously influenced by Paxton's early years of being a former big band leader).
Their first release in June of that year was the unforgettable and most widely known "YOU BELONG TO ME". The Duprees entered it in a radio show contest hosted by Murray-The-K in New York. The boys gathered in Joe Santollo's basement, where they often rehearsed, as they listened to their entry play on the radio with speakers outside the windows and neighbors listening. Hand-in-hand in a circle, they heard their name announced as the winners with screams of excitement throughout the house and neighborhood immediately following. With this contest win, they became a personal favorite of Murry-The-K and gave them the exposure they needed. The song became an instant success, rising to the Top 10 on the Billboard charts during September, reaching #7, and brought them instant recognition on the pop music scene. visit www.duprees.com for more info.
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As a foot note I would like to add the names in chronological order lead singers and vocalists who have filled in, work with (for a short time) or replaced members in the past 40 years as best as I remember. Mike Kelly (lead-1964 to 1979)… Larry Casanova_(vocalist-mid 1970’s to 1979)…Tom Petillo_(lead_1978 to 1979 then with (Salvatos Duprees) 1983 to 1986_ then with (Arnone Duprees)_(2001 to present)…. Phil Granito (early 1980's to present)...Tony Testa early 1980's to present)...Jimmy Spinelli (mid 1980's to present)...Allan Ladda_(vocalist-early 1980’s)…..Richie Rosatto_(lead-1981 to 2001)… Larry Caton_(vocalist-early 1980)…..Mike Shavo_(lead-early 1980’s)….Bobby Valli_(vocalist-early 1980’s)….Vinny Crecca_ (vocalist-early 1980’s)….Tom Biaglow_ (vocalist-1980’s) Anthony Cagiano_ (lead-2000-2001)…Johnny Rand_(lead-2003)…
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