The Romanos formed in the early 1950s by brothers Frank Cammarata (drums, vocals), and Pat Cammarata (bass guitar, vocals). They took their name from Roma’s Restaurant in Little Italy. With the addition of a keyboard player Tim Tamassia, the trio performed well in local talent shows and soon began working the club circuit.
Throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s they performed Top-40 music at clubs such as the Briarwood Inn, Wednesday nights at the Red Rooster, Monday nights at the Zodiac Lounge on Reisterstown Road, the Green Dolphin, Traveler’s, Devil’s Den, Pappa’s, Vantyne’s Inn, Bitner’s, Coronet Lounge, Mimmie Jr’s… The Romanos eventually gave up the club gigs and continued with a successful career playing banquet halls and special events at the Eastwind, Martin’s West, Hamilton American Legion, and Turf Valley Country Club. They later added a female vocalist. Angelo Cammarata, Jr. played bass with the group from 1974-89, then went on to join One by One.
Over the years the Romanos opened for acts such as the Drifters, Platters, Al Martino, and others.
