Towson area band formed in 1960, the Lafayettes started out playing fraternity parties and community dances. An October 1960 line-up of the Towson band consisted of Frank Bonarrigo (vocals), Lee Bonner (bass ex-Saints), Ben Proctor (drums ex-Rockets, Commodores), Jim Leslie (guitar), Al Burton (guitar), and John Bell (vocals).
Photo courtesy of MD Dept Enoch Pratt Free Library
In spring 1961 the band which consisted of Bonarrigo, Bonner, Proctor, Bob Kirshner (tenor sax), Steve Taylor (guitar), Dick Sivalla (alto sax ex-Adjectives), and Jamie Hess (piano ex-Rockets, Commodores) finished third in a battle of the bands hosted by Buddy Deane. More than 100 local groups participated in the battle that was attended by Tommy Chianti of the Leeds Publishing Corporation in New York. Impressed with the group he told them to make a demo. The group went to the Recordings Incorporated studio in the Alameda and cut “Nobody but You.” Armed with the demo, Bonner and Bonarrigo headed to New York where Chianti agreed to publish the song and he set up a date for them to visit a small recording company. Meanwhile Johnny Rosica of RCA heard that Chianti was high on this new Baltimore band. He figured it was worth his time to check them out. The morning that Bonner and Bonarrigo were to take their demo to the small record company they got an early call from Rosica who persuaded them to leave the demo with him. Back in Baltimore two days later they received a call from Hugo Peretti (of the RCA producing team Hugo & Luigi) with the news that their song had been accepted. The band got together in celebration and threw together the song “Life’s Too Short” (credited to Bonner & Phil Huth – who joined in occasionally on harmonica). The song was included on a tape with 6 other selections for RCA to choose from for the B-side. As fate had it, the tape did not turn out and the band was asked to choose a B-side. As a group they chose “Life’s Too Short.” The group left for New York on a Friday after school and worked in the RCA studio until 2 AM recording “Life’s Too Short” and “Nobody but You” on May 4, 1962. Two weeks later the record was on the market and surprisingly the B-side gained the popularity. In its first week the record sold 150,000 copies nationally. In the Baltimore market it reached the #4 spot. The group was contracted to do another single for RCA and were assigned George Weiss as their manager. On August 8, 1962 they returned to RCA Studios and recorded “Caravan of Lonely Men” and “I Still Do.”
Photos courtesy Maryland Department, Enoch Pratt Free Library
The Lafayettes performed locally at many high school dances, CYO’s, Alcazar, Dixie Ballroom, Unity Hall, Pier Ballroom (Ocean City), many frat parties including U of Md., U of Va, Harvard…
Taylor went on to join the Fugitives and was replaced with guitarist Ed Macon (ex-Jaguars, Londonaires, Sentries). Hess was replaced with pianist Mike Foreman (ex-Delmonicos) – who was in turn replaced with Bob Ross. Some shuffling of the horn section brought in Doug Bull (trumpet – who went on to join the Majestics, and later appeared on the Smithfield Freeman album), and Chip Costa (trombone). Tom Carson was added as a second vocalist.
Lead vocalist Bonarrigo and the band released another record on the Bona label as Frank James & the Lafayettes. In 1965 Frank left the group joining Frank & the Fugitives aka The Fugitive 6.
With Carson as primary lead vocalist, the Lafayettes continued to play locally. A single released as by Tom Carson on the Chesapeake label featured the Lafayettes band.
Photos above at Western High School – 1966
(photo courtesy of Mike Foreman)
Other members of the group included Bill Perks (tenor sax), Paul ‘Sonny’ Rossbach (vocals -Nomads)…
Foreman later went on to join the Majestics. Ross joined A New Day. Ross later played with the Fantasticks… Carson was later with the Fugitives, Legend, and Summer’s Misfits. Macon went on to the Fugitives, The Package. Bonner founded Bonner Films. In 00’s Rossbach’s son Chris was guitarist rock band The Plunge whose song “Have Beer” was featured on hit TV series “Dawson’s Creek.”
Record releases by the Lafayettes:
1962 RCA 47-8044 Nobody but You / Life’s Too Short
1963 RCA 47-8082 Caravan of Lonely Men / I Still Do
As Frank James & The Lafayettes:
1964 Bona 1741 I Lost My Way / My Heart Keeps Coming Up
