Biography
Formed by five vocalists during their junior high years in Brooklyn, New York, the R&B outfit later known as the Rocketones featured Bill Witt on lead, Allen Days as first tenor, Ronald Johnson as second tenor, Harold Chapman on baritone, and Arthur Blackman supplying bass. Originally operating under the name the Avalons, the members invested long hours refining a cohesive vocal blend. After many unsuccessful pitches they finally secured interest from Melba Records and signed with the label in 1956. A lengthy wait followed before their lone single, ‘Mexico’/‘Dee I’, appeared; only then did the singers discover that Marty Croft, head of Melba Records, had released it under the Rocketones billing. Its distinctive bull-fighting intro helped the A-side attract airplay on New York stations, yet the record received no follow-up. Days and Johnson were subsequently drafted, while Witt moved on to the Paragons. The group’s solitary release has since acquired legendary standing in doo-wop nostalgia circles.
Albums
