The “Golden Hits Of The 50s” 

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ROVER BOYS   

“GRADUATION DAY“

(Joe Sherman)

ABC-Paramount 9700

No. 16    June 23, 1956

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In 1950, Doug Wells (second tenor) moved from his birthplace in Southampton, England, to Toronto.

With the voice of a cherub and an interest in money, Dougie quickly fashioned the idea of forming a

pop group along the lines of his heroes, the Four Aces.  He had already spotted Larry Amato (first

tenor) at the United Music Center and Al Osten (bass) wiggling his vocal cords on a local TV program.

Larry and Al thought Doug’s idea was swell.

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After some practice sessions, the Rovers three wan­dered to Long Island and a night spot called the

Top Hat.  Prior to the gig, the chaps enlisted a Brooklyn boy, Billy Albert (lead), to flesh out their

sound.  At the Top Hat, they sang a cappella.  The people drank and danced to it.  And one night in

September 1954, a local disk jockey named Bill Silbert heard their vocalizing and rushed them to

the studios of Coral Records to record their first single (and first flop), “Show Me.”

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At the Stage Coach Inn in Hackensack, New Jersey, the Rover Boys carried on and created such a

din of delight that Sid Feller, an ABC-Paramount rep, signed them to the label.  “Come to Me” moved

but a few to buy a copy; “My Queen” stiffed in the stall.  But “Graduation Day” made an appreciable

mark on the charts,  despite  competition  from a cover of the  ballad by the more  well-known Four

Freshmen.  The follow-up, “Little Did I Know,” did little, although “From a School Ring to a Wedding

Ring” later in 1956 made a brief chart appear­ance at number 79.  RCA and United Artists each gave a

mini-whirl on the Rovers, but nothing further ever cracked Billboard’s Top 100.

The Beach Boys did a remake of the perennial; as did the charting Bobby”Boris” Pickett (#88, 1963)

and THE ARBORS (#59,1967).