Golden Teardrops

***An unreleased 1961 doo wop knock out. from Massillon, Ohio. Formed in 1961 and managed by Charles and Opal Lantz of Lanjo Records, THE GOLDEN TEARDROPS—SONNY HERRING, JERRY HERRING, AL MYRICK, JULIUS MYRICK and JERRY ALLEN—named their group after the Flamingos' 1953 ballad. Sonny, Al and Julius had been members of BOBBY AND THE BENGALS, who released "Double Rock" b/w "No Parking" on Quinton Welty's Wooster, Ohio-based B-W label in 1960. The haunting ballad "Closer and Closer" (originally waxed by Rio and the Little Red Ryders on Lanjo in 1958), and the doo-wop / cha-cha "Caroline." were planned as the Golden Teardrops debut single but the recordings were shelved and remained unissued until now. By 1964 the group had changed their name to the ELGINS and, with the help of Akron, Ohio group Ruby and the Romantics, went to New York and recorded four sides that were released on the Congress label. These Elgins are not to be confused with the Motown/V.I.P. act. 
 
Most of the members went on to sing in various groups in and around Canton. Jerry Allen went on to play professional football for the Baltimore Colts and Washington Redskins from 1966-69. He is one of 13 co-holders of the NFL record for the longest touchdown pass reception of 99 yards. Whether these excellent doo-wop sides were considered too outdated to be commercial in the early 1960s or they were simply lost in the shuffle, they've finally gotten a well-deserved release here in 2016. 100% analog pressing straight from the tapes to vinyl. Comes in stock company sleeve with mini bio insert.