Biography
Formed in Woburn, Massachusetts, the R&B vocal quartet known as the Tuneweavers featured lead singer Margo Sylvia, born 4 April 1936, alongside her husband Johnny Sylvia on bass, born 8 September 1935, her brother Gilbert J. Lopez handling tenor, born 4 July 1934, and cousin Charlotte Davis providing obligato, born 12 November 1936. The four singers assembled in 1956 and, just half a year later, cut their first sides for former big-band director Frank Paul on his Casa Grande imprint. Among those early recordings was “Happy, Happy Birthday Baby,” a ballad Margo Sylvia and Gilbert J. Lopez had composed back in 1952; once Chicago-based Chess Records acquired the master, the track climbed to number 4 R&B and number 5 pop during 1957. Paul recognized the distinctive warmth and seductive quality of Margo Sylvia’s voice and featured it prominently on several subsequent releases, yet none of those follow-ups managed to duplicate the group’s initial chart success. By 1961 the Tuneweavers had disbanded.
Albums
