Biography
The del Satins, fronted by the smooth vocals of Stan Ziska—who would eventually adopt the name Stan Sommers—delivered exceptionally smooth harmonies characteristic of the doo wop period. Beyond their own notable singles such as "I'll Pray for You," "I Remember the Night," and "Teardrops Follow Me," the ensemble lent their voices to various tracks, notably supporting Dion on the successful "Runaround Sue." Additional collaborations included work alongside Dean & Jean, Carlo Mastrangelo, Len Barry, and Ernie Maresca.
Ziska first connected with the Jokers while still active in the street-corner ensemble known as the Yorkville Melodys; the encounter occurred during a rehearsal at Manhattan’s Lenox Hill Neighborhood House. When the Jokers’ singer failed to appear, Ziska stepped in as a substitute. The results proved so effective that the group asked him to remain permanently.
Formed by merging elements from the names of the Dells and the Five Satins, the del Satins cultivated a loyal audience through live shows spanning 1958-1961 and captured first place in a city-wide "Battle of the Groups."
The act signed with the independent End label and cut its first single, "I'll Pray for You"—an original composition by Ziska—paired with "I Remember the Night." Neither side registered on the charts. Keith Koestner departed shortly before those sessions to join the United States Army; Mel Kalackman filled the vocal slot for the recording, after which Bobby Failla took over, succeeded later by former Commotions singer Richie Green.
Following a single backing their manager Jimmy Gribble, "Poor Little Sad Eyed Sue," issued on the Chip label, the del Satins moved to Laurie Records. Their initial session there produced backing vocals for "Runaround Sue." Continued commercial momentum proved elusive; an attempt to replicate that hit’s formula on their own release, "Counting Teardrops," likewise failed to attract significant attention.
The death of Gribble created further difficulty. After a brief period under Wally Rocker’s guidance, the group came under the management of Jay Fontana, Murray the K’s representative, who secured slots for them in Murray the K’s multi-act bills at Brooklyn’s Fox Theater.
Dion maintained an ongoing influence. Upon his move to Columbia in 1962, he persuaded the del Satins to follow and supplied the songwriting and production for their single "Feelin' No Pain" b/w "Who Cares." The label shift and Dion’s closer participation did not alter the group’s commercial fortunes.
Frequent appearances on Clay Cole’s music television program from 1963-1965 preceded a deal with BT Puppy that yielded the album Out to Lunch. Discouraged by weak sales, the original lineup dissolved. After several months, founding member Tommy Ferrara revived the name with his brother Freddy and new vocalist Carl Parker; their last single, "A Little Rain Must Fall," appeared in 1967.
In 1969, founding member Les Cauchi joined Freddy Ferrara and Johnny Maestro to reconstitute the del Satins; the resulting ensemble evolved into Brooklyn Bridge, whose Top Five single "Worst That Could Happen" featured Maestro’s lead vocals.
A final resurgence occurred in the early 1990s, producing the 1990 album Still Wandering and the 1995 single "I Don't Care."
Following his departure, Ziska later led Stan Sommers & the Unusuals and the Magnificent Men during the 1980s and early 1990s; he currently performs with the Long Island-based Tangerine.
Ziska first connected with the Jokers while still active in the street-corner ensemble known as the Yorkville Melodys; the encounter occurred during a rehearsal at Manhattan’s Lenox Hill Neighborhood House. When the Jokers’ singer failed to appear, Ziska stepped in as a substitute. The results proved so effective that the group asked him to remain permanently.
Formed by merging elements from the names of the Dells and the Five Satins, the del Satins cultivated a loyal audience through live shows spanning 1958-1961 and captured first place in a city-wide "Battle of the Groups."
The act signed with the independent End label and cut its first single, "I'll Pray for You"—an original composition by Ziska—paired with "I Remember the Night." Neither side registered on the charts. Keith Koestner departed shortly before those sessions to join the United States Army; Mel Kalackman filled the vocal slot for the recording, after which Bobby Failla took over, succeeded later by former Commotions singer Richie Green.
Following a single backing their manager Jimmy Gribble, "Poor Little Sad Eyed Sue," issued on the Chip label, the del Satins moved to Laurie Records. Their initial session there produced backing vocals for "Runaround Sue." Continued commercial momentum proved elusive; an attempt to replicate that hit’s formula on their own release, "Counting Teardrops," likewise failed to attract significant attention.
The death of Gribble created further difficulty. After a brief period under Wally Rocker’s guidance, the group came under the management of Jay Fontana, Murray the K’s representative, who secured slots for them in Murray the K’s multi-act bills at Brooklyn’s Fox Theater.
Dion maintained an ongoing influence. Upon his move to Columbia in 1962, he persuaded the del Satins to follow and supplied the songwriting and production for their single "Feelin' No Pain" b/w "Who Cares." The label shift and Dion’s closer participation did not alter the group’s commercial fortunes.
Frequent appearances on Clay Cole’s music television program from 1963-1965 preceded a deal with BT Puppy that yielded the album Out to Lunch. Discouraged by weak sales, the original lineup dissolved. After several months, founding member Tommy Ferrara revived the name with his brother Freddy and new vocalist Carl Parker; their last single, "A Little Rain Must Fall," appeared in 1967.
In 1969, founding member Les Cauchi joined Freddy Ferrara and Johnny Maestro to reconstitute the del Satins; the resulting ensemble evolved into Brooklyn Bridge, whose Top Five single "Worst That Could Happen" featured Maestro’s lead vocals.
A final resurgence occurred in the early 1990s, producing the 1990 album Still Wandering and the 1995 single "I Don't Care."
Following his departure, Ziska later led Stan Sommers & the Unusuals and the Magnificent Men during the 1980s and early 1990s; he currently performs with the Long Island-based Tangerine.
Albums
