READ FULL DETAILS ABOUT BAND MEMBERS BELOW:
Ember Records ~ 1958
The Schooners
Viddly Biddly Baby / Schooner Blues
There is very minimal information on this group The Schooners.
EMBER RECORDS:
Ember Records was a New York R&B and doo-wop label, released one hundred and eleven singles in its eight years in business. The vast majority of these have been completely forgotten.
Yet, rather paradoxically, the label also produced two of the most highly-rated singles of the second half of the 50s- 'In the Still of the Night' by The Five Satins and the uptempo 'Get a Job' by The Silhouettes. The label that produced these two classics deserves some respect.
It appears, after doing some internet research,that the majority of the bands that recorded at Ember, were from New York,New Jersey area.
BAND MEMBER INFORMATION:
There is virtually no information on any kind that I can find on the The Schooner band members. I did some internet research and was able to find at least 2 of the band members by the name of Smokey Armen and O'Neil S. Rossi.
SMOKEY ARMEN:
After doing quite a bit of research,I was able to come up with
the vocal singer's name of Smokey Armen,who later changed his
stage name to Mikey Armen.
Under the name Smokey Armen,he did have a band by the name of
"Smokey Armen and The Schooners" and did come out with a song
titled "Baby What Am I Gonna Do" which was released in April 1958,
the same year as this Viddly Biddly Baby ,Ember label.
The "Baby What Am I Gonna Do" song was released under the
Peek-A-Boo label in Newark,NJ.
I am not sure which band name was used first or which record came out first.
O'NEIL S. ROSSI:
the following information below is from Mr Rossi's obituary.
O'Neil S. Rossi, 87, of Factoryville, passed away early Thursday morning, April 12th, 2012 at Moses Taylor Hospital. He was born on June 12, 1924, in Newark, N.J., the son of the late Michael and Anna Conte Rossi, and was preceded in death by his wife, Viola, and his brother Joseph, of East Lemon, Pa.
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O'Neil was a veteran of the United States Army serving as a Corporal in World War II, where he received a Good Conduct Medal. As a Private First Class, he played Alto saxophone and B-flat clarinet and served in the capacity of Bandsman, composing, orchestrating and arranging entertainment music for dance bands in the Army Camp. He was honorably discharged in 1945.
Prior to his military service, O'Neil pursued his love for music and began playing "professionally" in 1935. His instruments included B Tenor Saxophone, B Clarinet and E Alto Sax. He was known as "a hot tenor ride man". A desire to share his passion escalated, and in 1947, Neil formed his own band under the professional name of Arnie Ross and His Orchestra, Newark, N.J. His talent led him to performances in California, Ohio, Florida and New York. He was both honored and humbled to have been chosen to perform with such great artists as Buddy Rich and to have been on American Bandstand with D**k Clark. In 1951, he became an authorized teacher through the Schillinger System, receiving his Certificate of Merit from the Hartnett National Music Studios, NYC, NY.
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O'Neil's eternal claim to fame was a 45 rpm recording through Herald Music Corp, on the Ember label, entitled "Viddly Biddly Baby" and "Schooner Blues", when he was a member of The Schooners Band in 1950's. In later years, O'Neil was a vital and memorable band member of The Continentals and The Gene Dempsey Orchestra. O'Neil's children remember him fondly for those nights he would practice, practice, and practice on his "horn" for hours prior to his performance.
O'Neil was a member of many musician organizations including Miami Federation of Musicians Local 655, Associated Musicians of Greater Newark Local 16, Associated Musicians of Greater New York Local 802, Musicians Protective Association Local 120 of Scranton, Pa and Musicians Protective Union, Carbondale Local 130.
In 1965, O'Neil obtained his Citizens Radio Station License and began self employment as Neil's Color TV Repair Service. He was one of the first to join the Endless Mountains Citizens Band Radio Club in West Nicholson. His children recall the many squelches "KID-2604, over and out" transmissions.
O'Neil retired from Bendix Corporation, Flight Systems Division, South Montrose Plant, as an Electronics Technician in March 1989 after over 15 years of service.
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