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Dennis Diamond, Scotty McLearie, Mike Paladino and George Lavatelli

"My Love, My Love", "Jeanne Baby", "Bye, Bye", "The Shrine of St. Celia", "Blue Beat", "Driving Alone", "Angel of Love". All songs on the Rust Record label, produced by Neil Levinson ("Denise") and Steve Duboff.

This photo was taken in Nov. 22, 1963 (remember that date?), the show had to go on. The Fountain Lounge, was a popular Nite Club in Northern New Jersey, close to Manhattan, New York City.

Scotty and George were members of the 'Shades', out of Englewood, N.J., before joining the "Bon-Aires". Since I mentioned Englewood, hello to the 'Avons', our friends from long ago.

The "Bon-Aires", were originally called "the Difference". The "Difference" auditioned for Bob Hilliard, a prolific song writer, Broadway and Pop, from Leonia, NJ. He wrote all the Ruby and the Romantics songs. He wanted to give us, "Young Wings Can Fly". We sang over the phone, at his house, to his partner in NY. His partner said we were unknowns and gave the song to Ruby. Bob paid for our 1st demo album and introduced us to Neil Levinson and Steve Duboff. The Name Bon-Aire was given to the group by Steve Venet, an A&R man at Columbia Records. He also arrainged "My Love, My Love". They had picked "My Love, My Love" for us, which was the flip side of "Have You Heard", by Joni James. The Duprees took "Have You Heard" and we got "My Love, My Love". The Duprees' recording came out 3 months before the Bon-Aires. The Bon-Aires recieved bullets in Cash Box and Billboard Magazines. "My Love, My Love" was Pick Hit of the Week on WINS-AM NY. Then came the Beatles!!!!!

Today, Dennis is a Phycologist, living in South Jersey. Scotty left the group in 1965 to work in Dearborn, Mich. at Ford Motor Co., he retired in 1996. I retired from the Palisades Park Police Dept. in Bergen County, N.J., in 1994, now living in South Texas and George, owns the Relic Record Shop in Hackensack, N.J. and lives in Northen New Jersey.

the later "Bon-Aires" (1965-1979)

Performing at the New York Academy of Music, New York City, 1973

Mike Paladino, Dennis Ostrom, Richie Burns, Kenny Fleming and George Lavatelli

Today, Dennis Ostrom is working with Vito, of Vito and the Salutations, at Vito's tape reproducing company, Dennis, for all you collectors out there, was the Blue Sky Boys, on Blue Sky Records, he did all the harmony parts, tremendous stuff!! Richie Burns is living in South Jersey and Kenny Fleming is living in Palisades Park, N.J.

"My Hearts Desire", "The New Me", produced by Stan Krause and Skip Jackson of (the Shantons, "The Christmas Song", in my opinion, the the best version of that song, ever recorded. Skip was a GREAT talent, he died in the middle 1970's and will always be missed.)

"What Did She Use", "At Nite", The Angels Sang", " Blue Velvet", produced by George Lavatelli.

Mike and Pete 1995

On March 15, 2002

Tom and Mike re-united after 40 years in Dallas, Texas at Tom Ruggeri's Ristorante. ( 1 of 4 Tom owns in Dallas. (GREAT FOOD)

On March 13, 2002

Mike received an email from Larry Williams, now in Orlando, Fla. A reunion is planned for May-June, 2002

Tom and Mike
March 15, 2002
 

Larry Williams, Pete Prince, Tommy Ruggeri, Mike Paladino. Pete and Tommy from West New York, N.J, Larry and Mike from Palisades Park, N.J. The Princetones, formed in West New York, N.J., at St Josephs High School, in 1957, along with Richie Moore, also of WNY. The groups age was 14. "Guardian Angel", was written in the spring of 1958 by Pete and myself, on Henry Ave. and Broad Ave., Palisades Park, N.J., outside of Leone's Pizzeria. It was first performed by the group at a St. Cecilia's High School Show, in Englewood, N.J. At the show were the Teenagers, without Frankie Lymon, "Crying". "Guardian Angel" was recorded by 5 other groups but the Princetones never received recognition for the song. The original 78rpm, recorded on acetate, at Allegro Sound Studios, NYC, in the late spring, 1958, was played for the first time in 1994 on KONO-FM, San Antoinio, Texas.

"Guardian Angel", "Dreaming"b/s, "I Was The One", "Lovely"b/s

Also in High School we had a group by the name "The No-Tones",  5 guys in the same class. Those members where Pete Prince, Joe Lupo, Mike Paladino and Ray Buktenica and Richie Moore. Today, Joe is a Hair Stylist, in Palisades Park, N.J. and Ray, well Ray made it to Hollywood and became an Actor, appearing in many films and TV shows. Ray was voted class clown in High School. Ray is still acting and writing screen plays. Maybe someday Ray will write a play about the good old days and include the songs of the "Princetones". It would be nice to make some money from our work!!!!! How about it, Ray? Richie lives in Illinois and has a Medical Group.

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