The Ospreys
By Marv Goldberg
Based on an interview with John Miro
© 2000, 2009 by Marv Goldberg
It would be an interesting project for a sociologist to research why
so many R&B vocal groups were named after birds. Whatever the
reason, there were many, and by the mid-50s, it was getting harder and
harder to find a hitherto unused name. There may have been a simpler
reason why this group called itself the Ospreys (a fish-eating bird that
looks like a small eagle), but if so, it's lost in the mists of
time.
There were many street corner groups in East Harlem in the early 50s;
some had names, some didn't. For those who hadn't yet made it to the
organized talent contests, there was always the informal "battle of
the groups" in someone's hallway.
Around 1955, one member from each of five groups that had been
battling it out, got together and formed a "supergroup" that
would represent (they hoped) the best voice from each original
aggregation. Thus, the Ospreys were born.
The group consisted of Ronald Council (lead, first tenor, and bass),
Maurice Williams (first tenor; he was the one who picked the name
"Ospreys"), Jackson Thompson (second tenor and baritone), John
Miro (bass), and another second tenor/ baritone named
"Tarzan," who remained only as long as it took the others to
find out that he was fooling with drugs.
Although they tried to develop a unique sound, their greatest
strength was the ability to copy the sound of all the hit-making groups
of the day. They rehearsed seven days a week, as many hours a day as
they could, singing for pure enjoyment.
The Ospreys were managed by James A. Dailey. While he would
eventually represent many New York City groups, the Ospreys were his
first.
He got them appearances at Alan Freed record hops, Dr. Jive
shows, and Herb Sheldon's Rooftop Festival TV show. (It was
here that Dailey met another group that he was to manage: the
Bobbettes.)
In mid-1957, when the Ospreys felt they were ready for stardom, they
started auditioning for some record companies. The company showing the
most interest was Herald, but when the Bobbettes told the Atlantic
people about them, an audition was quickly arranged and Atlantic became
their home.
The Ospreys did four songs at their first session, which was held on
November 8, 1957. Ironically, the ones that were released were those
that they didn't really want to do. "Do You Wanna Jump
Children" was something that they'd been fooling with, but Leiber
& Stoller made them revise it. The other, "It's Good To Me," was a
song that Dailey had written. Their favorite, "Wrapped Up In A
Dream," was never released.
In March of 1958, prior to their own record being released, they
returned to the studio to back up Chuck Willis. The four songs recorded
were: "You'll Be My Love," "Hang Up My Rock And Roll
Shoes," "What Am I Living For" and "Keep
A-Driving." On the first two cuts, they're only a trio, since
Maurice Williams showed up late for the session.
"Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes" and "What Am I Living
For" were issued in March 1958. They were reviewed on March 31
(with "Shoes" receiving an "excellent" rating),
along with Lee Andrews & the Hearts' "Try The Impossible," the
Versatones' "Bila," the Cellos' "I Beg For Your
Love," the 5 Keys' "You're For Me," the Tangiers'
"Don't Try," the Maharajahs' "I Do Believe," and the
Columbus Pharaohs' "Give Me Your Love." Sadly, the Ospreys didn't receive any label credit on the Willis records.
Ironically (based on the titles of the songs), on April 10, within
only a couple of weeks of the release, Chuck Willis died (at age 30)
after an operation in Atlanta. He was fondly remembered in the trades as
a genuinely nice person, as well as a songwriter who gave us "Close
Your Eyes," "The Door Is Still Open," "From The
Bottom Of My Heart," "Oh What A Dream," and "Search
My Heart." The record shot up the R&B charts, with
"Living" going all the way to #1 (#9 Pop), and the flip
reaching #9 (#24 Pop).
In April, Atlantic released the Ospreys' "Do You Wanna Jump Children" and "It's Good To Me" on their
East-West subsidiary. Both sides got good reviews on April 7, along with
Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode," Clyde McPhatters' "Come
What May," the Bay Bops' "Follow The Rock," the
Gladiolas' "Shoop Shoop," the Bobbettes' "Rock And
Ree-Ah-Zole," the Kuf-Linx's "Service With A Smile," the
Moonglows' "In The Middle Of The Night," the Ladders'
"Counting The Stars," the Gaylarks' "Somewhere In This
World," and the Rob Roys' "Dance Girl, Dance."
Although Atlantic liked the Ospreys, John felt that the group wasn't
disciplined enough to make it, even with Atlantic pushing. Although they
stayed together for about another year, they never went back to do any
more recording.
October 1958 saw the release of the other two Chuck Willis tunes that
the Ospreys had provided backup for: "You'll Be My Love" and
"Keep A-Driving." "Driving," which received an
excellent rating on November 3, was a minor hit, reaching #19 on the
R&B charts. Other reviews that week were for Lloyd Price's
"Stagger Lee." the Shields' "Nature Boy," the Versatiles' "Crying," Wade Flemons'
"Here I Stand," and the Pharaohs' "Pray For Me."
After the group broke up, John Miro did some Atlantic backup sessions
behind Clyde McPhatter and Ivory Joe Hunter. In 1959, he joined the
Lincolns: Harold Anderson (lead), Willie Williams (tenor), John Anderson
(baritone), and John Miro (bass and lead baritone). They did one record
for Mercury (all other Lincolns groups are different). When interviewed,
in the mid-70s, John Miro owned a company that manufactured bathrobes.
He looked back with pride on his small contribution to the R&B music
scene of the 50s.
ATLANTIC (uncredited backup to Chuck Willis)
1179 What Am I Living For/Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes - 3/58
EAST-WEST (Atlantic subsidiary - the Ospreys)
110 Do You Wanna Jump Children (all)/It's Good To Me (RC) - 4/58
UNRELEASED EAST-WEST:
Wrapped Up In A Dream (RC)
My Baby (RC)
ATLANTIC (uncredited backup to Chuck Willis)
2005 You'll Be My Love/Keep A-Driving - 10/58
MERCURY
71553 Baby Please Let Me Love You (JM)/Can't You Go For Me (HA) - 11/59
LEADS: RC = Ronald Council; JM = John Miro HA = Harold Anderson