The Hollywood Flames is probably best known for this 1957 #5 hit. Buzz-Buzz-Buzz. The Flames formed in 1949, in the Watts area of Los Angeles. It all began at talent show where members from various high school groups got together. The original members were Bobby Byrd who sang lead, David Ford, Curlee Dinkins and Willie Ray Rockwell who was replaced by Clyde Tillis. The groups first paying gig was at Johnny Otis's Barrelhouse Club. They first recorded in 1950 for the Selective label, and the following year, billed as The Hollywood Four Flames, released Tabarin, a song written by Murry Wilson (father of The Beach Boys). They later recorded another Wilson song, I'll Hide My Tears. Over the years the group, under various names, believed to have recorded for about nineteen different record labels, including Aladdin and Specialty. They had no big hits for several years, but they were quite successful as a local group in the Los Angeles area. By 1954, the group were usually billed as The Hollywood Flames, but also recorded as The Turks, The Jets, and The Sounds. David Ford and Gaynel Hodge recorded with Jesse Belvin and Hodge's brother Alex (founding member of the Platters), as The Tangiers, before the Hodge brothers left The Hollywood Flames in 1955 to form a new version of The Turks. He was replaced by Earl Nelson, who had previously recorded with Byrd as The Voices, and with Byrd later as a duo, Bob & Earl. In 1957, the group - Byrd, Ford, Dinkins and Nelson - signed with Class Records, where Byrd was renamed "Bobby Day". The group recorded as The Hollywood Flames, as Bobby Day & the Satellites, and as Earl Nelson & the Pelicans. In July 1957, Bobby Day & the Satellites recorded "Little Bitty Pretty One". The Hollywood Flames – with Nelson singing lead – released "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz", co-written by Byrd, which reached No. 5 on the R&B chart and No. 11 on the pop chart. Byrd (alias Day) then left The Hollywood Flames, but continued to release singles, at first as Bobby Day & the Satellites, and then as a solo performer. His greatest success came in 1958 with Rockin' Robin. This 45 is in very good condition, shows some slight wear but I give it a VG+ rating.
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