LITTLE JOEY & THE FLIPS

This  five strong group, aged between fifteen and nineteen,  from the Upper Darby district of Philadelphia were Joey Hall, Fred Gerace, James Mehagher, John Smith and Jeff Leonard and were originally known as The Montels and then The Elads, slimming down from a seven piece to a five-some and losing their original lead singer, Jimmy Dilks along the way. Their managers Sky Kaplan, Marc Levin and Barry Rich took the group and ‘Bongo Stomp’  a song the three had written  to Eddie Joy, head of the Joy label in New York and all were rewarded with a Top 40 hit in mid-1962. Follow-ups did less well and after one release on Cameo Records and when Jeff Leonard was drafted the group split-up in the mid-60s.