The Elegants

The Elegants is an American doo-wop vocal group, that was started in 1958 by Vito Picone, Arthur Venosa, Frank Tardogano, Carmen Romano and James Mochella in South Beach, Staten Island. Before their nursery rhyme inspired song, "Little Star", became a number one hit, the band usually performed informally under the boardwalk by their homes. "Little Star" was the only million seller for the group, and was written by Venosa and Picone.^[1] It spent 19 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100, earning gold disc status.^[1]

The song reached number 25 in the UK Singles Chart in September 1958.^[2]

After "Little Star" dominated the radio, the band, still in their teens, toured with artists such as Buddy Holly, Dion and the Belmonts, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. However, none of their subsequent singles reached the success of "Little Star" and eventually the band fizzled out, as perennial one-hit wonders.

In early 1970s, lead singer Picone returned to the group replacing Tardogano as the lead singer. That group comprising Vito Picone, Freddie Redmond, Nino Amato and Bruce Copp have been together ever since and to this date, have not stopped touring. They can be seen annually performing at the San Gennaro Festival, in Little Italy, Manhattan, New York.

According to the Elegants website, Freddie Redmond died of emphysema in 2006, and was replaced by original member, James Moschella. As of 2009, the Elegants are still performing at concerts and events throughout the United States, under the name "Vito Picone & The Elegants". They still perform "Little Star", as well as their interpretations of many golden oldies. The band consists of Mike Catalano on bass guitar, Joe Lucenti on lead guitar, Mark Garni on keyboards and Sal Albanese on drums.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart
• List of 1950s one-hit wonders in the United States
• List of doo-wop musicians

References

External links

• Article on (Vito &) The Elegants
• Picture
• Vito Piccone & The Elegants