The Vocal-Teens - Be A Slave 1958

The Vocal-Teens (New Jersey) Personnel: Henry Mays (Lead) Frederick Worrell (Bass) Michael Dennis Kelly Charles “Cator“ Brooks Biography: Mike Kelly had music in his blood from a young age, he fronted a black vocal group of his own called the Vocal-Teens while still in high school. The group recorded two demo sides in 1958/59. The Vocal Teens made pop music that was heavily informed by doo-wop. But while the Duprees reached for a cinematic sound indebted to pre-rock sources (and cut updated versions of many songs that were famous before the rock era began), Kelly’s first group had a rougher edge. “Be a Slave,” a love song Mike Kelly wrote (and sang) at the age of fourteen for the Vocal Teens, was sweetened by strings. Unfortunately, the two sides will not be released before 1972 on Downstairs Records. The Vocal Teens opened doors for Mike Kelly and one of the people he got to know, Joseph “Joey Vann“ Canzano, was the original lead singer for the Duprees.