The Dedications
 
 
 
 
 
 

If group harmony is all about 4 or 5 guys or gals bringing their voices together to make one beautiful sound, then the Dedications are a prime example of that vocal phenomena.  The various members of the Dedications, all seasoned veterans of group harmony singing, blend their 40+ years worth of talent, tradition and experience to create a rich, harmonious sound that is both pleasing and entertaining and that brings back memories for the listener.

To tell the story of the Dedications is to tell the story of several original and contemporary doo-wop groups.  Lets focus on three groups that helped lay the foundation for today's Dedications - the Essentials, the Newports and the Ribitones.

Our source for information about all these groups is our friend Jimmy Pace.  Jimmy was born, raised and grew up in Queens, New York.  Music was always around in his family as his father and brother were both musicians.  He always wanted to perform group harmony but could never find enough guys that could sing and, more importantly, knew harmony.  One time, he  found five guys, including himself and brought them to his house - the only problem was they just couldn't do the harmony.  But Jimmy didn't give up and later formed his first group the Val Roys in a strange kind of way.  One day after school he was walking a girl home through the alleys of Sunnyside, Queens, when he came upon a couple of rough looking characters.  Fortunately, the tough guys were singing and they asked Jimmy if he sang harmony.  He started singing with the guys and avoided a fight which Jimmy says was a good thing!  The next day, the Val Roys were formed launching Jimmy's career.

Later, in 1959, Jimmy formed a new group - the Essentials which recorded Teenage Sweetheart and Me and My Girl.  Jimmy was excited and told everyone in the neighborhood about the record - the only trouble was - it never came out!  That is, until Eddie Engel of Crystal Ball Records released them in 2000 on Crystal Ball Records (see below).  The group's lead singer would later leave for the army and Ray Russell of the group would leave to join Vito and the Salutations.  The group added a new lead singer - Dennis Gray and VOILA - the Newports were born!  The group's manager had a group called the "Chesterfields" and thought the new name "Newports" would be good.

In 1960 - the Newports obtained a recording contract and went into the studio with Jack Gold (of Paris Records fame) and they recorded Wishing Star and Hushabye My Love.  Again, Jimmy and the guys told everyone in the neighborhood about their upcoming record but the record was never released (Eddie Engel would bring the Newports into the studio in 1999 to record new versions of these songs).  "It was horrible, I didn't want to come out of my house anymore," recalls Jimmy.
 

McCray brought the Newports back to the studio in 1963 to record 4 or 5 more songs.  From that session, Guyden released Tears b/w Disillusioned Love (Guyden 2116).  That record never really took off.  The sad story is that in that same session the group record Love Me With All Your Heart which probably could have been a big hit.  The publishers wouldn't allow the Newports to release it.  Instead, they chose the Ray Charles Singers to release it and it was a smash hit for them.  "It was hard to take, 'cause everytime I heard the record I'd say 'oh no,'" recalls Jimmy.  "But I've gotten over that after 40 years."

Because the group didn't have its own backup band, it didn't get much work.  Add to the fact that the British Invasion was starting up and doo-wop was taking a backseat.  That was the end for the Newports.  Jimmy would join the army and wasn't singing group harmony until 1977 when he got a call from Eddie Engel.   Jimmy was surprised that someone would be calling him about the Newports - "did anyone ever hear of them?"  Jimmy actually told his wife that some "nut" was coming out to meet him.  Well, after meeting that "nut," Jimmy and Eddie became lifelong friends and Eddie started bringing back some of the Newports material on Crystal Ball.  That began a second career for Jimmy in group harmony.

It was a trip to a Ronnie I United Group Harmony Association (UGHA) show with Eddie that got Jimmy back into the doo-wop scene.  The night he was there, the Ribitones were performing.   Their baritone didn't show up and Jimmy knew some of the guys from the group.  They told Jimmy, "you're singing with us tonight." After a five minute rehearsal, he went on stage with the group.  "They probably thought we had a drummer, 'cause my knees were knocking so much."  From that performance, Jimmy Pace would become a fixture with the Ribitones for five years until 1985.  Jimmy can be heard singing on many of the Ribitones recordings for Ronnie I's Clifton Records (see below).

The Ribitones broke up in 1985 and Jimmy was out of singing for about a year.  He would later join up with former Ribitone Frank Russo to form a new group - the Dedications!  They would join up with the Dedications original lead singer - Mike Parquette and started singing in 1987.  Mike was the lead on Why Don't You Write Me by the original Dedications in 1962 (Card Records).  So this group would become the extension of the original group.  Mike would later leave the group and join the Classics, his current group.  Other members came and went, but Jimmy remarks that its "like a big family - there's no problem breaking right in, 'cause we know all the songs."

The Dedications released a tape in 1992 - an Evening of Golden Memories - a collection of songs that audiences told the group they liked and wanted to hear.  Singing on that recording are Bill Reichert (lead, first and second tenor - Del Rays, Runaways), Lou Liguori (first tenor, lead - Riffs, Creations, Velvet Riffs, and City Lights), Jimmy Pace (second tenor, bass, lead - Essentials, Newports and Ribitones), and Frank Russo (baritones, bass - Renditions and Ribitones).  Last year, the Dedications released a new CD entitled Keepin the Sound Alive with the same four members featured.  They have a new CD in the works and again it will be a collection of fan doo-wop favorites and even some Clarence Clearwater Revival selections!  And some acappella selections too!

The Dedications are actively performing 50-60 jobs a year.  The Newports are not active, and as for the Ribitones, Jimmy says  "we're all friends and we go to parties together and occasionally we do a couple acappella shows a year."

Click here for the Dedications Web site (for their CD and upcoming shows)

   Ribitones' 1995 CD (recorded 1981)          Early pics of the group

           Ribitones in 1993