The Regents
Guy Villari (lead), Sal Cuomo (first tenor), Ernie Maresca (baritone), and Chuck Fassert (second tenor) formed in the Bronx, NY, in 1958 as the Montereys. Signing with Seville Records, they cut two Maresca songs that went unreleased, and soon Donnie Jacobucci replaced a disappointed Maresca. They recorded their demonstration records at the Regents Sound Studios, prompting a name change to the Regents, but their first release didn't happen until 1961, three years after they started.
"Barbara Ann" was recorded in 1958, but more than 50 recording companies said "no," causing them to disband before 1959 rolled around. Jacobucci's younger brother Eddie revived the Regents by accident. His group, the Consorts, lacked original songs for an audition so they cut a version of "Barbara Ann" from an old demo Eddie found around the house. When the owner of Cousins Records heard the song, he decided to put it out, not by the Consorts, but by the Regents. With Eddie replacing Guy, the original group reunited, and Cousins released "Barbara Ann" in March of 1961. The stuttering doo wop became a number one record in New York; the demand was overwhelming and Cousins leased it to Roulette/Gee for worldwide distribution and saw it soared to number 13 pop and number seven R&B.
A second single, "Runaround," charted at number 28 pop and number 30 R&B; a third single, "Liar," didn't chart, and neither did a fourth, "Oh Baby." They disbanded but emerged in 1964 as the Runarounds, waxing and releasing five singles on as many labels. The Runarounds were Villari, Fassert, Ronnie Lapinsky, and Sal Corrente; their first single, "Unbelievable," on Nat King Cole's short-lived KC label in 1963 didn't sell nor did their last, "You Lied," on MGM in 1967. Again they separated but reunited as the Regents in 1973 to play the oldie circuit. A copy of "Barbara Ann" on the Cousin label fetches around 1,200 dollars; the same recording on Gee sells for 25 dollars or less.
© Andrew Hamilton /TiVo
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The Album
Punk – New Wave - Erschienen bei Sanctuary Records am 01.01.1985
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Barbara Ann
Jazz - Erschienen bei Black Sheep Music am 17.10.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Barbara-Ann
Rock - Erschienen bei Beverly Hills Records am 16.07.1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Twisting Echoes (Best Of)
Rock - Erschienen bei Rarity Records am 01.01.2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
More Than A Friend
Pop - Erschienen bei 3214386 Records DK2 am 22.03.2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Barbara Ann (Barbara Ann)
Rock - Erschienen bei Liberation Hall am 26.02.1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Live At the A.M.-P.M. Discotheque
World Music - Erschienen bei Vintage Masters Inc. am 15.03.2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Regents - Music History
Jazz - Erschienen bei Vintage Jukebox am 15.04.2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Great Vocal Groups
Pop - Erschienen bei Play Digital am 28.02.2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Barbara-Ann - The Best Of
R&B - Erschienen bei Master Classics Records am 01.05.2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best of the Regents Doo Wop
Pop - Erschienen bei Old Gold Media am 23.10.2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Regents aka the Runarounds
Blues - Erschienen bei AMB am 01.03.1996
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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I'm so Lonely / Barbara Ann (Remastered)
R&B - Erschienen bei AT THE HOP am 01.01.1960
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Remember the Regents
Pop - Erschienen bei Shami Media Group 3 am 25.01.2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Celebrate Summer
Afrika - Erschienen bei The Gallo Record Company Vault am 27.08.1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Barbara-Ann
Rock - Erschienen bei Foggy Milan Records am 13.03.2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo