#8: Rosie Lee by the Tunedrops

City: Dauphin, MB
Radio Station: CKDM
Peak Month: June 1957
Peak Position in Dauphin ~ #4
Peak Position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Rosie Lee”
Lyrics: “Rosie Lee”

Malcolm Dodds was born in Brooklyn, and studied classical music at NYU. In the early 50s, he was living in Brooklyn in and was busy working as a musical/vocal instructor and as always was involved with choral groups in Schools, YMCAs and churches. He was using his birth name, Malcolm Williams. It was during this period that he was approached by arranger Fred Norman, to sing in a group. Consequently, the Normanaires were formed, comprised of Malcolm Dodds, Dorice Brown, Bill Glover and Sam Dillworth.

In 1952, the Normanaires released covers of “Shrimp Boats” and “Unforgettable”. While in 1953, they released a single titled “My Greatest Sin”. Their recordings drew from the musical styles of the Mills Brothers, the Ink Spots and the Pied Pipers.

The Normanaires: Malcolm Dodds,
Dorice Brown, Bill Glover and Sam Dillworth

The Normanaires stayed together for two years, working locally, before breaking up.

In 1954, Malcolm Dodds was a member of a group called the Four Clicks, who released a single titled “You Lied”/”Higher Than High”.

In 1957, Malcolm, with lead tenor Prentiss Polk, baritone Bill Glover and bass Danny Simmons, released “It Took A Long Time” on the End label. They were billed as Malcolm Dodds & the Tunedrops. Cashbox magazine wrote this review: “Every now and then, a long-shot release debuts on the disk scene – a release that has the dollar sign engraved in very groove. Just such a disk is the End label’s waxing of “It Took A Long time” featuring Malcolm Dodds and the Tunedrops. The song is a dramatic rock and roll ballad chock-full-of all of the gimmicks the teenagers seem to want. But the highlight of the recording is Malcolm Dodd’s overpowering vocal. It’s a striking effort that arrests the listener’s attention immediately. End (records) has here one of the best new rock and roll items to hit the market in a number of weeks, and it could earn a heap of loot for all concerned.” “It Took A Long Time” climbed to #4 in Pittsburgh, and charted in the Top 40 in Seattle.

In 1957, they subsequently released two more singles on End, one on Decca and one on Gone. The second release by the doo-wop group was “Fools Rush In”. This record reached #6 in Pittsburgh, and charted in the Top 40 in St. Louis and Worcester (MA). A third single release was on the Gone label titled “Rosie Lee”, credited only to The Tunedrops.

“Rosie Lee” peaked at #4 in Dauphin (MB), and #25 in Toronto.

In 1958, Malcolm Dodds and the Tunedrops released “Unspoken Love” on the End label. The single reached the Top Ten in Buffalo. It also charted in Oklahoma City, Worcester (MA), Vancouver (BC), Woonsocket (RI), Allentown (PA) and Los Angeles. They moved on to Decca Records to release “Your Voice”.

That year, Malcolm Dodds and the Tunedrops travelled to Miami Beach to perform at The Cotton Club. The headliners were Cab Calloway, Jimmy Randolph and Mauri Leighton. Also on the bill was Afro-American comedian and Chitlin’ Circuit regular, “Slappy” White.

In March 1958, Gone Records released an album titled Cotton Club Revue of 1958. On the album, Malcolm Dodds and the Tunedrops were backing vocalists for Cab Calloway on five tracks, and Mauri Leighton on one track. While the group sang by themselves “Never Had It So Good”. The liner notes add, “Nice chorus by the saxophones.”

Neil Sedaka singing “The King Of the Clowns” with backup from the Malcolm Dodds Singers

The group broke up soon after and Malcolm Dodds continue recording as a solo artist. In December 1958, Malcolm Dodds released “This Is Real (This Is Love)”. In the winter of 1958-59, the single reached #9 in Worcester (MA), #11 in Buffalo, #21 in Boston, #25 in Albany (NY), and charted in Wichita (KS) and Flint (MI). While in the spring of 1959, “Deep Inside” charted into the Top 30 in Denver and St. Louis. While in 1961, now on the MGM label, Malcolm Dodds released two more singles, “Come Oh Come” and “Laugh My Heart”.

The Malcolm Dodds Singers (which now also included some female vocalists) backed a variety of recording artists. These include Neil Sedaka, Roy Hamilton, Nina Simone.

In 1963, Malcolm Dodds and the Tunedrops backed up Tony Passalaqua on “Candle In The Wind”. By 1963, the Tunedrops had faded into obscurity and were sustaining themselves by doing studio work without much success.

August 28, 2024
Ray McGinnis

References:
“Malcolm Dodds and the Tunedrops,” doowop.blogg.org, June 29, 2011.
Bill Carey, “Why Did You Hurt Me“, Warwick Records, 1960.
Nina Simone, “I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good“, Colpix records, 1962.
The Normanaires, “My Greatest Sin“, MGM Records, 1953.
“Gone Album: ‘Cotton Club Revue of 1958’,” Hidehoblog.com, July 24, 2015.

CKDM 730-AM Dauphin (MB) Top Ten | June 22, 1957