THE COASTERS - The Off-Shot Coasters Recordings

The Coasters Web Site
Off-Shot Coasters

The Coasters Off-Shots | Off-Shot Coasters Discography
Off-Shot Summary | Off-Shot Coasters Albums

OFF-SHOOT COASTERS RECORDS
The recordings by The Coasters´ ex-members
Note: Members of the non-original Coasters´ groups may not all agree with the editor´s "fake Coasters" labeling.
Edited by Claus Röhnisch (updated June 9, 2011)
Thanks to Stefan Pingel-Wriedt, Charles Sheen, Todd Baptista, Joy Stewart-Evans, Bob McGrath, and Matthew Broyles.

FAST-LOAD PRINTER-FRIENDLY:
THE COASTERS OFF-SHOTS
WITH DISCOGRAPHY & OFF-SHOT, FAKE & BOGUS COASTERS CHART

The Fight Against Impostors at YouTube

Bobby Nunn´s Coasters.
Bobby Nunn´s Coasters in Germany 1982
(Nunn, Richards, Sheen; and top left unknown).
ctsy Stefan Pingel- Wriedt.

Cornell Gunter´s Coasters.
Cornell Gunter´s Coasters in 1974
(Buster Wilson, Teddy Harper, Gunter)
ctsy Teddy Harper & Marv Goldberg.

The Coasters Off-Shoots

Contrary to common belief, the Coasters did not sing behind Little Richard on the film track of "The Girl Can´t Help It" (neither did the Robins), and not behind any Elvis recordings. There is, though, a possibility that the Coasters sang behind LaVern Baker on her March, 1957 Los Angeles recording of "Jim Dandy Got Married". There is also some evidence stating the Coasters backed Bobby Hendricks on "Itchy Twitchy Feeling" in mid 1958, and that it was the Coasters backing Hendricks on the Drifters' recording of "Drip Drop" in April, 1958.

Bobby Nunn, Leon Hughes, Cornell Gunter, Billy Guy, Will Jones, Billy Richards Jr, and Grady Chapman have all in one way or another launched non-original Coasters groups (and so have others who have no direct connection to the originals).

Bobby Nunn with
Billy Richards Jr, Bobby Sheen, Grady Chapman, Randy Jones
Nunn´s Coasters, originally called "The Coasters, Mark II", started acting in late 1962 and were well established on the West Coast and toured the South and even Germany (during the first years including Billy Richards Jr and Bobby Sheen - and from 1964 also Grady Chapman of the early Robins). Billy Richards Jr is a nephew of the Robins´ Billy Richard. Richards Jr ironically sued Carl in 1991 for using the Coasters´ name. Bobby Sheen (born 1941, died in LA on November 23, 2000) had joined the Robins already in 1958 (after leaving high school) together with Richards Jr. In late 1962 (after having acted with Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans for Phil Spector) Sheen and Richards Jr joined Nunn to form Nunn´s Coasters, Mark II, soon joined by Grady Chapman. The four continued to tour until 1966, when Randy Jones joined (Randy had sung with the Flairs, the Penguins, and the Flares and acted with almost all the fake Coasters groups. He died in 2002). In 1970 Nunn "handed" the name "The Coasters" to Sheen and Richards Jr. After Nunn´s death the two of them started their attempts to copyright procedures (originally managed by Larry Marshak - ending in an agreement between Gardner and Richards Jr). Bobby Sheen had told his son at the time of Nunn´s death that there were nine groups claiming to be "The Coasters".
| More on Bobby Sheen - and more | Nunn's Coasters on TV |

Bobby Nunn's Coasters in 1977 with Billy Richards Jr, Bobby Sheen, Randy Jones, and Bobby Nunn (from the back cover of "Coastin' " LP).
Bobby Nunn's Coasters of 1977.
Bobby Sheen, Billy Richards, and Bobby Nunn of the 1970s. Billy Richards Jr, left - Randy Jones, top; Bobby Sheen, bottom; and Bobby Nunn right.
Bobby Nunn´s Coasters of the early ´70s; Right: Richards, Sheen, Randy Jones, and Nunn.
Bobby Nunn´s Coasters of the ´60s. Billy Richard´s and Bobby Sheen´s Coasters of 1973.
Left: Bobby Nunn´s Coasters in the early 1960s with Randy Jones, Richards Jr and Nunn.
Right: Billy Richards´ and Bobby Sheen´s Coasters of 1973;
from left: Richards Jr, Bobby Sheen, and Randy Jones. Photos ctsy Charles Sheen.

Nonny Nunn's Coasters with Randy, Richards and Shenn.

Video Bobby Nunn's Coasters

Chicken.Churches jingle mp3 (1985)
(featuring Bobby Sheen, Bobby Nunn, Billy Richards, and Sonny Chaney)
ctsy Charles Sheen

Bobby Nunn´s Coasters in the late ´70s. Nunn, far right - and Billy Richards Jr, far left; plus Bobby Sheen, bottom and unknown top.

The remnants of Nunn´s group turned into two groups - one led by Billy Richards Jr and one by Grady Chapman. The Billy Richards Jr group toured as Billy Richards´ Coasters and also as "The (West) Coasters" - with managements in Tennessee, California and New York (Larry Marshak, SIC). His group originally included remnants of the late Nunn´s Coasters group - Randy Jones, Tommy Turner and Bobby Sheen - sometimes also Tony Ruiz and Dexter Tisby. In 1989 the group consisted of Richards, Sheen and Randy Jones. By the late ´90s Richards´ group featured Henry Miller, Larry Tate and Sandy Wyatt (who continued to perform after Richards´ brain anuerisym). Billy Richards´ Coasters (with Richards Jr still up front - although in bad condition) still acted in 2002 - singing all The Coasters´ original hits; and with Larry Tate acting bass "equally as good as Dub Jones" (fan Sam Leandro reports). Billy Richards' Coasters of today have a web entry at myspace.com with a lot of "borrowed" material from this site, but also some audios and extra information of that group. Members of the group according to that entry in 2006 are: Billy Richards, Larry Tate, Duane Jackson, and Larry Hicks. Billy Richards' Coasters today.

Billy Richards´ West Coasters. Billy Richards´´ Coasters.

Billy Richards´ Coasters in the ´90s and - below: today.
Billy Richards´ Coasters of 2003. Billy Richards´ Coasters.
image left: Billy Richards´ Coasters of 1991 (Larry Tate, Billy Richards, B.J. Mitchell, and Duane Jackson.- thanks to Jackson Hart) -
Image right: top Bobby Sheen and Randy Jones; bottom Tony Ruiz and Billy Richards Jr.
Billy Richards´ Coasters of 1993.
Richards´ Coasters of 1993: top: Henry Miller and Billy; bottom: Sandy Wyatt and B.J. Mitchell although Larry Tate's autograh
(thanks Jackson Hart).
Image right: Billy Richards' Coasters of today (with Larry Hicks, Larry Tate, Billy Richards Jnr, and Duane Jackson).

Photo ctsy Jackson Hart.
In a mail from Jackson Hart:
I've included a promo photo from when I backed them on guitar in '94. There was an awful lot of talent in this line-up.
Sandy Wyatt and Larry Tate, especially, were top-notch vocalists. Wyatt sang "Georgia On My Mind" and "Dock Of The Bay",
both inspired by the Michael Bolton versions, and he had similar range to Bolton's, though far more powerful.
Tate did a first-class job on "Sixty-Minute Man", and was hilarious on "Along Came Jones".
Henry Miller was one of the most upbeat fellows I've ever met in this business.
I asked Richards about his relationship to The Robins, and he told me the two "Richards" in The Robins, Billy and Roy, were his uncles.

Grady Chapman´s group toured as Grady Chapman´s Coasters (originally featuring Nunn) and as "Bobby Nunn Tribute Coasters Group" - after Nunn´s death. Grady´s group also sporadically featured Leon Hughes, Billy Guy, Will "Dub" Jones, sometimes even Billy Richards Jr, and especially Jerome Evans (who was a constant member - originally from the Furys and who also had sung with Bobby Hendricks´ Drifters), plus Charles Jackson and Randy Jones. Bobby Sheen joined Grady and the two performed together, on-and-off, through the 1980s and 1990s together with Jerome Evans right up until a few weeks before Sheen´s death - using the name "The Fabulous Coasters" (with performances in a club in Tustin, California and in the year of 2000 in Hobbs, New Mexico). "The Fabulous Coasters" even toured Germany in October, 2000 (featuring Grady with Robert Baker, Jerome Evans and Randy Jones). During 1993 Grady substituted a couple of times for Carl Gardner in Gardner´s true Coasters group and Grady recently has started his own new line -up of The Robins (probably featuring the most recent line-up of Chapman´s "Coasters" (Robert Baker - who used to sing with Gunter´s group, Bobby Johnson - who sang with the Hollywood Flames, and Billy Foster - from Vernon Green & the Medallions. (Thanks Joy Stewart-Evans for information on the latter-day Chapman Coasters - and for the photos that you´ll find at this link. Also thanks to Jackson Hart concerning some of the information on the California Coasters - and to Charles Sheen - who supplied the photos above and more at this link).

Grady Chapman´s Coasters. The Bishops and Grady Chapman´s Coasters.
Left image: Grady Chapman´s Coasters (with Jerome Evans far right).
Right image: The Bishops together with Grady Chapman´s Coasters
in circa 1979 (Chapman, Sonny Cheney and Jerome Evans).
Grady Chapman, Jerome Evans, and Bobby Sheen of "The Fabulous Coasters" in Hobbs, New Mexico, August 2000,
Grady Chapman´s "Fabulous Coasters" in 2000 with Jerome Evans and Bobby Sheen
(Randy Jones was with the Platters around this time - thanks for info, Charles Sheen!).
Randy, Jerome and prob. Grady, late ´80s or early ´90s. Jerome Evans' Coasters in 1996 (Jerome center, and Patrick Jackson far right.
Left:: Randy Jones, Jerome Evans and prob. Grady Chapman;
right: Jerome (center) with the "Coasters" in 1996.

Cornell Gunter (and his off-springs)
Cornell Gunter´s Coasters (check them on TV) started working in 1963, often called "The Fabulous Coasters" (during the first years), and toured heavily (and visited England in the ´60s) with several engagements in Las Vegas. Cornell´s first new group comprised remnants from the Penguins, with Teddy Harper (who worked with Cornell several years - Teddy passed away on January 14, 1985), Dexter Tisby, and especially Randy Jones - who also sang with Bobby Nunn´s and Grady Chapman´s Coasters and sometimes even with his own Coasters group. Cornell´s most consistent bass singer was Nat "Buster" Wilson (whose body was found in Modesto, California in May 1982, he was murdered in 1980 - on December 8, 1984 the group´s manager Patrick Cavanaugh was convicted for murder). The group recorded as "Cornell Gunter" (with sister Shirley as guest star). Leroy Binns sang bass/baritone with Cornell's group for a while. In the mid 1980s Cornell's trio included Charlie Duncan (who had been with Cornell - first as a drummer - since the ´60s), Edwin Cook (from Buck Ram's Platters, who was handpicked by and replaced Harper in 1983). "Cornell Gunter´s Coasters" of the mid 1990s were a fake group led by Randy Jones with Billy Williams and Clarence Walker (Randy was featured with Willie Davies´ the Jacks after Will Jones´ death). After Cornell's death "Cornell Gunter´s Coasters Inc." (often promoted by Dick Clark), featured Duncan, Cook, and Lionel "Z" Pope. Another off-spring group of Cornell´s is a group led by Terry Evans (not the 1944 Mississippi-born soul singer). He may have been with the Coasters before Will Jones arrived and nowadays tours with a tribute group. Lately the Cornell Gunter's Coasters mentioned are led by Edwin Cook and also featuring Bruce Anderson, Otis Hombre and Geno Williams; but in 2007 Charlie "D" started a web site showing a group without Cook (featuring Lionel "Z" Pope and Tony "T" Scruggs and advertised as The Original "Cornell Gunter's" Coasters - video at You Tube / and another one). The Cornell Gunter Coasters, Inc

Please note that Edwin Cook and Charles Duncan are the legal owners of the name Cornell Gunter's Coasters and still perform in their respective groups under this name. They are not to be confused with any of the bogus groups managed by Larry Marshak, which would early on include Billy Richards and later Early Clover, the false "cousin" of Cornell Gunter who claims onstage to have been given the privilege of carrying on the legacy of the late Cornell Gunter. Edwin Cook never represents himself as The Coasters. He always adheres to the representation, Cornell Gunter's COASTERS featuring Edwin Cook. Visit Cook's great website www.EdwinCook.com to see lots of information and nostalgic photos. Learn about Cornell Gunter... his stage life and his untimely death on February 26, 1990.. and much more, including how Edwin Cook and Charles Duncan won the law suit against Billy Richards-Larry Marshak in June, 1993, awarding them the Legal and Common Law Rights to the name Cornell Gunter's Coasters.

Cornell Gunters' Fabulous Coasters in the 1960s with Eandy Jones and Cornell on top.
Very rare photo of Cornell Gunter's Fabulous Coasters (circa 1960s-early 1970s) with Randy Jones and Cornell on top.
Please note the text stating Buck Ram producer and musical director. Photos cty Big James McKinney, who
played guitar with this group (he is shown right). Thank you James McKinney!

Cornell Gunter's Coasters (1970s)
Rare photos of Cornell Gunter's Coasters (late 1960s).
First photo fr.l. Cornell Gunter, Dexter Tisby, unknown and Randy Jones (circa 1964; information ctsy Charles Sheen).
Cornell Gunter´s Coasters of the 1970s.
Cornell Gunter's "Fabulous Coasters" of the 1970s.
Left image: Gunter far left and Nat "Buster" Wilson far right.

The 1980s ctsy www.EdwinCook.com

California "bogus" Coasters in the year of 2000.
A Coasters group featuring Billy Wilson,
Tommy Turner & Randy Jones (far right)
in early 2000 (and poss Clarence Walker).
Photo: ctsy Charles (CA Carlos) Sheen.

Cornell Gunter´s Coasters Inc.
Cornell Gunter´s Coasters Inc
(remnants of Cornell´s group: Charlie Duncan,
Edwin Cook, and Lionel Pope).

The Cornell Gunter's Coasters featuring Edwin Cook.
Edwin Cook with Cornell Gunter's Coasters
(Check this video on Cook's group)

The Inc group in 2007.
The Cornell Gunter Coasters, Inc (new web site)
The Original "Cornell Gunter's" Coasters
(with Charlie "D", Lionel "Z", and Tony "T").

Cornell Gunter's Coasters of 1986 - ctsy www.EdwinCook.com

Cornell Gunter and the Coasters of the 1970s. The "Original" Cornell Gunter Coasters of 2007.
Left: Teddy Harper, Cornell Gunter and Charlie Duncan (ca 1970s).
Right: The Original "Cornell Gunter's" Coasters of 2007 with Charlie Duncan, Tony Scruggs and Lionel Pope.
(from the cornellgunterscoastersinc web site)
Duncan's Coasters of 2011

Billy Guy & Will Jones
Billy Guy made his first attempt as a solo artist back in 1962, when he recorded 16 tracks för ABC-Paramount and Lloyd Price´s Double L label in New York - with no great success, although the recordings were pretty interesting (and later turned up as by "The Coasters"). Still recording and touring with the Coasters up to 1973, he often was substituted by Vernon Harrell on stage and later by Jimmy Norman. Guy continued recording several records in his own name for other labels after 1973 but also waxed couple of sessions as by "The Coasters" during the 1970s - especially a session for King/Gusto in Nashville in 1977 with Will "Dub" Jones. Jones himself had already recorded as "The Coasters" (the album "The World Famous Coasters") around 1976 together with Leon Hughes. Jones settled in Los Angeles around 1979. He acted during the ´80s (starting in 1983) and ' 90s with an L.A. Coasters group, led by Billy Guy and sometimes featuring Grady Chapman. They worked as "The World Famous Coasters" - and as "The Coasters" in later years. Will was semi-retired during his later years, mostly acting as a gospel singer. Billy Guy started to semi-coach a Las Vegas "The Coasters", often billed as "Billy Guy´s Coasters", managed by Larry Marshak of RCI Management in New York during the latter part of 1998. Marshak had negotiated a business deal with Guy after the termination of a similar contract with the Billly Richards group (see more on "Coastin´ with The Coasters"). Marshak is the organizer behind several of the new, phony name-sakes in the U.S. - young groups billing themselves and touring as "The Platters", "The Drifters" or/and "The Coasters".

Will Jones' Coasters of the 1990s.
"The Coasters"
Jessie Floyd, Billy Guy, Kendal Floiyd, Will "Dub" Jones,
and guitarist/music director Lawrence McCue in thelate '80s/early '90s.

Billy Guy and Will Jones, 1977.
Billy Guy and Will "Dub" Jones in Nashville, 1977.
(ctsy Stefan Pingel-Wriedt and Jack Grochmal)

Billy Guy and Will Jones' Coasters of the 1980s.
The Will Jones-Billy Guy Coasters of the late ´80s
(with Jones first and Guy second left).

Jones, Baradat, and Guy.
Will Jones, Ray Baradat, Billy Guy (in circa 1987).
- ctsy Ray Baradat of the Charades.

Leon Hughes & Young Jessie
Leon Hughes has worked with a group called "The Original Coasters" on several occasions and also toured with a revival line-up of the Hollywood Flames and still promotes himself as "Leon Hughes - one of the original Coasters". Leon also sang with Dub Jones on "The World Famous / Just Coastin´" album. Even Young Jessie (who substituted for Leon in L.A. recording studios in 1957) has recently acted with his own "Coasters" group.

Leon Hughes second from left, 1988.
Leon Hughes and the World Famous Coasters
(note that "Dub" Jones is not on the photo, Leon second from left).
Leon Hughes and his latter day "Coasters". "Leon Hughes one of the first Original Coasters".
Image left: Leon Hughes (left) and his latter-day Coasters. Image right. Hughes center gront.

Bogus (promotor: Larry Marshak, with Early Clover et al)
Gardner, Guy, Jones and Gunter were "handed" the name The Coasters individually from Lester Sill (who had the "business rights") by a written assignment in the mid ´60s, but there is only one group truly deserving the name of THE COASTERS - Carl Gardner´s group (Carl filed a Service Mark of "The Coasters" at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 15, 1986, No. 1401608, for 20 years). In early 1998 Gardner settled an agreement with Billy Richards, and Carl thereby got the sole right to use the name of "The Coasters". In early 2000 Billy Guy handed over his "rights" to Carl and retired, and later Gardner won a court case against Larry Marshak, but Marshak immediately made a deal with Gunter´s sister Shirley and started to promote "Cornell Gunter´s Coasters" at Capitol International (who where the same fake group that Billy Guy had semi-coached during the latter part of the ´90s). That group sometimes continued to name themselves "The Billy Guy Coasters" and also simply used "Coasters" (see image below). The name used most often these days though is "The Cornell Gunter Coasters" (with several engagements in Las Vegas and a couple of CDs issued). The first fake Coasters group Marshak managed was the Billy Richards group (after Nunn´s death). Richards signed a strange deal with Marshak handing over the "rights" to use the name the Coasters. When Richards changed management, Marshak signed a deal with Billy Guy during the late ´90s (using the name The Billy Guy Coasters) and when Billy settled with Gardner in the year of 2000, Marshak again found one to "fool" - this time Shirley Gunter (the blind sister of the now diseased Cornell) who let Marshak use Cornell Gunter´s name (meanwhile the true remnants of Gunter´s old fake group started Cornell Gunter´s Coasters Inc - that´s why there are several groups using Gunter´s name). Marshak filed bankruptcy in mid 2002. The Cornell Gunter Coasters of 2002 (and 2008) lead singer Early Clover joined the bogus Coasters in 1988 and also acted with the fake Platters and Drifters groups and nowadays also tours as a solo artist (still leading one of the fake Marshak Cornell Gunter´'s Coasters).
| MORE! | In early 2005 the Cornell Gunter Coasters featured Dave Revels (still lead in 2009), Earnest Harrison, Mike Raysor, and Ron Beau. Later that year veteran Revels was flanked by Mike Bossard, Thomas Ross, and Lee Bellinger. The Sahara Cornell Gunter's Coasters in 2006 - and in 2007: Steve Smith, Cliff Dawson, Donald Pinkney and Early Clover. (more). In early 2007 Dennis Anderson, James Hayes, Tom Ross and Sam White acted as the Cornell Gunter Coasters on the West Coast. Marshak's groups consist of different singers at different events. | The fake Coasters in Las Vegas, September 2007 | (note - not Beary Hobb's Drifters anymore, but "the legendary lead singers of the Temptations" or "The Temptations Reunion Show" for a short while - and then suddenly The Marvelettes) - Sahara Hotel site.

Myles Savage (from the modern-days Platters), Barry Gunn (from Cornell Gunter Coasters), Ira Greig (from Beary Hobbs' Drifters), and Wolf Johnson (from Richard Street's Temptations) toured together during 2007 - and in 2008 Savage did some shows as "The Stars" with Glen Leonard (Temptations), Bobby Hendriks (Drifters) and J.W. Lance from the Coasters.

Larry Marshak´s fake Coasters of the early new century. Larry Marshak´s group in 1991.
Above: The Larry Marshak managed fake group.
The image right of 1991 has autographs approx as follows:
Louis John, Early Clover, Joe Spaise, Bob Rivers (Rivers recently died).
Marshak's Cornell Gunter Coasters in Seattle 2007: from left: Dennis Anderson, James Hayes, Tom Ross and Sam White.
The Cornell Gunter Coasters of 2005                            .... and in 2007 (the Seattle line-up)
| The multiple / bogus Coasters |

(check all the bogus groups of today and yesterday)
at this sheet!

    | Off-Shot Coasters Singles |

Check this intereresting article   by Gary James, based on this site
and interview with Carl Gardner Sr. with Gary

Below are listed all recording sessions issued as by "The Coasters", but which are not by Gardner´s group. Each entry begins with a track time identification (when known).

THE COASTERS and their off-shoots SHEET (SHEET below on pdf.file)

Timeline	THE ROBINS	Off Shoot Groups		THE COASTERS	Off Shoot Groups				Bogus Coasters
1954	The Robins
	Nunn, Gardner, Chapman, Richard, Richard, Terrell
1956	The Robins			The Coasters
	Chapman, Richard, Richard, Terrell, Barnum			Carl Gardner, Bobby Nunn, Billy Guy, Leon Hughes
1958	The Robins			The Coasters
	Sheen, RichardsJr, Richard, Chapman			Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Will Jones, Cornell Gunter
1961				The Coasters
1963		The Coasters Mark II		Gardner, Guy, Jones, Earl Carroll	The Fabulous Coasters
		Nunn, Sheen, RichardsJr, Chapman			Gunter, Harper, Tisby, Randy Jones
1966		The Coasters
1967		Nunn, Sheen, RichardsJr, RandyJones			Cornell Gunter & His Coasters
1968				The Coasters	Gunter, Harper, Wilson a..o.
				Gardner, Guy, Carroll, Ronnie Bright
1973				The Coasters			Coasters 2+2
				Gardner, Carroll, Bright, Jimmy Norman			Hughes, Nunn, Chapman, JeromeEvans
1976							World Famous Coasters
1977							Hughes, Jones a.o.	World Famous Coasters
								Guy, Jones a.o.
1980				The Coasters	Cornell Gunter & His Coasters			The Coasters
				Gardner, Norman, Bright	Gunter, Duncan, Cook			Jones, Guy a.o.
1987		Billy Richards' Coasters	Bobby Nunn Tribute Coasters				Leon Hughes, the original Coaster
1990		RichardsJr, RandyJones a.o.	Chapman, Sheen, JeromeEvans, RandyJones		Cornell Gunter's Coasters, Inc		Hughes, Little Dion a.o.
1998				The Coasters	Duncan, Cook, Pope
1999			The Fabulous Coasters	Gardner, Bright, Morse, Gardner Jr					Billy Guy's Coasters
			featuring Grady Chapman						Marshak's bogus group featuring Early Clover
2001				The Coasters					The Cornell Gunter Coasters
				Gardner, Bright, Morse, Lance					Marshak's diff bogus groups of today
2006	The Robins			THE COASTERS Carl Gardner's Coasters		Cornell Gunter's Coasters			Marshak had managed Billy Richard's group before 2000.
2007	featuring Grady Chapman			GardnerJr, Bright, Morse, Lance	The Original Cornell Gunters Coasters	featuring Edwin Cook
		There were even more "Coasters" groups formed from "off-springs" of the Off-Shoot groups.			Duncan, Pope, Scruggs

Off-Shot Coasters
Discography
Discography compiled by Claus Röhnisch
- with thanks to the late Brian Watson, and to Ray Baradat, Jack Grochmal, Charles Sheen,
Joy Stewart-Evans, Jackson Hart, Cord Coslor, a.o.

THE COASTERS
(Billy Guy, lead vcl; and Jim Gilstrap, bass vcl).
Unknown accomp. incl. reeds and rhythm with male and female back-up vcls. Arr and cond by Gil Askey. Prod by Robert Bateman. Acquired by Lloyd Price and Harold Logan.
Detroit, 1962
2:20    Women * (The Prophet)   Double-L 719 *, Joy(E) LP 189, Trip LP 8028, TVP LP 1002, EscLP 3311
2:45    Whip It On Me Baby (aka Whip It On Me)   as above plus Trip LP 16-7, Archive LP 613, Bellaphon(G) LP 15230, Stateside(J) LP 40028, (not TVP)
2:40    Hungry    189, 8028, 1002, EscLP 3311
2:07    Oh, Rocking My Soul (aka Rockin´ My Soul)    as above plus 15230, (J)40028, LECD, (not TVP)
2:50    She's A Humdinger * (aka Humdinger)   ABC-Paramount 10397* plus as above
1:59    T.V. Fanatic      189, 8028, 16-7, EscLP 3311
2:26    As Quiet As It´s Kept    (aka He's In Love) ABC-Paramount 10320 plus as above
2:39    It Ain´t Sanitary   (aka Sanitary)    189, 8028, 16-7, 613, 15230, (J)40028, 1002, EscLp 3311
2.30    (The) Deodorant Song   as above plus LECD
2:25    It Doesn´t Take Much * (It Don´t Take Much)    ABC-Paramount 10397* plus 189, 8028, 16-7, 613, 15230, (J)40028, EscLP 3311
2:57    (The) Prison Break   189, 8028, 613, 15230, (J) 40028, 1002, EscLP 3311
2:21    Here I Am     ABC-Paramount 10320 plus 189, 8028, 613, 15230, (J)40028, LECD
2:38    You Don´t Know What You´re Talking About (aka Ask Somebody and Sister Blabber Mouth)     613, 15230, (J)40028, LECD
2:12    She Ain´t Got No Hair     as above
2:24    Call On Me    as above
2:21    Won´t Be No More (aka Little Black Book) as above

Note: All 16 tracks are on German Stateside LP 40028 "The Coasters". Japanese Stateside LP 40028 not identical to the German issue. The two ABC-Paramount singles issued as by Billy Guy in 1962. Double-L single released in 1963 as by "Billy Guy" (with "Women" as title of one side). Original album issued on Joy in England in 1971, titled "Hungry", followed by the U.S. Trip LP (1973), titled "It Ain´t Sanitary". Trip TOP LP 16-7 also issued on Phoenix20 LP 602 (US 1980) and AFE LP 1059 (E 1982) as "Juke Box Giants". Escobar LP 3311 (from 1980) includes ten tracks, titled "Breaking Out"). All titles on the original Trip TOP LP re-issued in stereo on MasterTone Abracadabra CD AB 3119, titled "Yakety Yak – 17 Classic Coasters Tracks" (with "One Foot Draggin´" added as a bonus). MasterTone (US) CD 8338 features 14 tracks, with the six listed above plus "Jumbo Bwana" and "One Foot Draggin´", but excluding "Searchin´" and "Along Came Jones" from Gardner´s Trip session. LECD is Wisepack(E) "Legends" LECD 076 (issued 1994, which also contains Atco Coasters recordings and later Gusto recordings). Diverse tracks from above issued on several "Coasters" CDs (see Coasters´ Session Discography - Trip session; and CD Guide with albums - Platinum Pop, Bam, Kingfisher/Ichiban). There is no CD featuring all the tracks from this session.

The "Rocking My Soul" cassette. "Rockin´ My Soul" CD.

Nine (or ten - "Rocking My Soul" possibly also included) of the tracks from above session are included in a cassette tape titled "Rocking My Soul" (see image left). The tracks are: The Deodorant Song, Prison Break, Sanitary, Whip It On Me, It Don´t Take Much, Black Book, Sister Blabber Mouth, Won´t Be Long, If You Need Somebody (note the retitled songs of some of the above). Six tracks of the above are included on a CD titled "Rockin´ My Soul", which also features four Gardner Trip recordings.

THE COASTERS featuring Cornell Gunther
(Cornell Gunter, lead vcl; and Bobby Seeger /Stregar/, Nat "Buster" Wilson and Lloyd Wolf, vocals). Unknown accomp. incl. horns and rhythm. Bootleg recordings by Ron Bartolucci / Little Walter De Venne.
Paul´s Maul, Boston, Mass., 1970
8:46    Intro & Medley: It´s Your Thing/Knock On Wood/Funky Broadway/Land Of 1.000 Dances/Yakety Yak    New Rose FCD 5110
6:40    Medley: Searchin´/I Can´t Help Myself/Get Ready    as above
3:05    Shoppin´ For Clothes    as above
3:25    Charlie Brown     as above
3:32    Medley: What´d I Say/Long Tall Sally/Jenny Jenny/Lucille/Tutti Frutti     as above
Note: The group is presented as "Cornell Gunter and the Coasters" by the MC. CD live album issued in 1992, titled "The Coasters featuring Cornell Gunther", and recorded in 1970 (although the CD wrongly credits 1969). Also includes four titles by Carl Gardner´s Coasters (see "Session Discography"). Observe the common misspelling of Gunter´s surname.

THE COASTERS TWO PLUS TWO
(Grady Chapman, Leon Hughes, Bobby Nunn, and Jerome Evans, vcls); unknown accomp."Bumps" Blackwell, arr/prod.
Los Angeles, Calif., 1975
Searchin´ 75 Chelan 2000
Young Blood Chelan 2000
Note: Chelan was owned by Bumps Blackwell (and thanks Joy for the information!).

BILLY GUY & THE COASTERS
(featuring Billy Guy). Billy Guy, solo vocal (on SalWa) and prod. Unknown accomp.
Hollywood, 1975 (prob two diff sessions)
2:27    You Move Me    SalWa 1001
1:57    Take It Easy Greazy    SalWa 1001
2:30    Watergate (Put Some Funk On, Cause The Money's Been Long Gone) BlackCircle 102 (listen)
2:10    Hockey-Puck    BlackCircle 102
Note: SalWa has publisher Screen Gems. BlackCircle record produced by Guy and H.B. Barnum.

CORNELL GUNTER'S COASTERS
(featuring Cornell Gunter, lead; with Teddy Harper, Nat "Buster" Wilson; and Gaetano "Lee Diamond" LaMotta).
Unknown instrumentation incl strings, brass, organ and rhythm. Unknown prod. The single issued as "Cornell Gunter".
Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco, November 1975
2:46    Down In Mexico    Together 101   listen
2:36    Poison Ivy unissued     listen
3:13    Love In My Heart   Together 101    listen
2:27    Wishing Well     unissued    listen
Note: Thanks Gaetano LaMotta for information on this session (and for the links to the audios at liothelion). Last two tracks filed as "Cornell Gunter Originals".

"WORLD FAMOUS" COASTERS or THE COASTERS
(featuring Will "Dub" Jones, bass vcl-1/lead-2; Leon Hughes, vcl + unknown singers). Almost certainly the vocal-line ups are two different lineups - therefore prob. two sessions. J. Rhys, engineer.
Orchestration incl. horns and rhythm. Andy Di Martino (aka Aloysius De Marino),prod.
Los Angeles, ca 1976
4:41    If I Had A Hammer -2    American International Artists AI -1122, LP AIA-333, GAP LP HWS 016, DJM(E) LP 22053
2:40    I Got To Boogie    -1    LP AIA-333, GAP HWS 016, DJM(E) LP 22053
2:48    Searchin´     as above
2:14    Charlie Brown     as above (not GAP)
2:40    Poison Ivy as above (not GAP)
1:45    Yakety Yak    as above (not GAP)
2:07    Young Blood    as above
2:40    Along Came Jones    as above (not GAP)
3:17    Benjamin And Loretta   -1     as above
2:46    The Chick Is Guilty    as above

Note: "I Got To Boogie" written by M. Smotherman (publ. A. Dimartino Music /Valentine). AIA-LP is probably the original album issue on American International Artists (see image on the "disco version" - the B-side of "If I Had A Hammer" - with the same track on each side of the single - track time 4:40 - the A-side is same track with time 3:15). The GAP LP is a US Garner Artist Production and DJM album is the British issue, both titled "The World Famous Coasters" and reissued on C-Five C5CD 579 as "The Coasters - Just Coastin´". The three noted tracks and poss. a couple of the others definitely feature Will Jones (on "I Got To Boogie" the lead asks "Dub" to pass his jug). Leon Hughes most possibly on all tracks. Thanks Ray Baradat for the information about Leon Hughes on the above session. The A-side of 4:41, now 3:20, reissued on Ripete 3-track single REP-1039 as by Carl Gardner & The Coasters - with the flip by the Tams and by Clarence Carter. The GAP LP has ten tracks: If I Had A Hammer, Steps To Your Heart, Helpless In Love, Searchin', Everybody Needs Somebody, I Got To Boogie, Youngblood, Benhamin And Loretta, The Chick Is Guilty, Midnight On Boothill (some of those tracks may feature a complete different white group).

A1-1122 "If I Had A Hammer" single.

THE WORLD FAMOUS COASTERS
(featuring Leon Hughes, vcl + unknown singers). Produced by Leon Hughes and Rayce Gentry.
Unknown accomp.
Live in Lake Tahoe (Calif.-Nevada) and Japan, circa 1977
So Fine AceHi M-101
Baby What You Want Me To Do AceHi M-101

Ace Hi single.

THE COASTERS
(Billy Guy, lead vcl; Will "Dub" Jones, bass vcl; and Jack Grochmal, harmony vcl).
Louis Lofredo, dir/prod; Jeff Tweel and Pete Thomason, co-prods; Jan Robin Meurer, sub-prod; Mike Stone,eng. Musicians: Clay Caire, Jack Grochmal, Sid Johnston, Larry Sasser, Stephen Shaffer, Rod Smarr, Denis Solee, Pete Thomason, Jeff Tweel. Background vocals: Pebble Daniel, Linda Hargrove, Marcis Routh, Pamela Thacker, and some of the musicians. (Thanks Jack Grochmal for the information on the fact that "Dub" was in on this session in Nashville!).
King/Gusto studios, Nashville, Tenn., late 1977
3:28    Ain´t No Greens In Harlem      Fleet(H) 15674, Ariola(H)unkn. #, Polydor(G) 2040.273
3:22    Jumbo Bwana     as above, plus MasterTone (US) CD 8338
1:48    Yakety Yak    King-Gusto GT4-2057, Bellaphon (G) 100-27-077, Gusto LP PO-310
2:21    Charlie Brown     as above
2:47    Searchin´    Gusto LP PO-310
2:48    Little Egypt   as above
2:20    Young Blood    as above
2:55    Along Came Jones   as above
2:44    Poison Ivy    as above
3:35    One Foot Draggin´    as above, plus LECD, Bam KLMCD 036, MasterTone (US) CD 8338, CD AB 3319
3:48 Beaver Dreamin' Download "Rock Masters"

"Rock Masters" downloadable album. Note: 3:35 composed by Charlie Craig (Power Play Music). The Gusto LP, titled "The Coasters Greatest Hits", also features "Love Potion Number Nine" and "D.W. Washburn" by the Coasters (see King sessions) and was reissued on Highland/Hollywood HCD-282, Onyx Point CD 264136 and as "Best of the Best" on Federal FED-CD-6543. 3:28 composed by Carl Fisher and 3:22 by Peter K. Thomason and Jeff Tweel (both published by Roba/Baiesie). All tracks on LP PO-310 reissued in 1986 on DeLuxe(Canada) CD 1006 "16 Greatest Hits" together with eight tracks from the Coasters´ "On Broadway" album for King plus on Highland/DeLuxe LP DLX-7786 and CD DCD-7786 together with all tracks on the Coasters´"On Broadway" album as "The Coasters - 20 Greatest Hits" in 1987 (reissued on Gusto/TeeVee TV-0750-2 in 2006). Leiber-Stoller-Bienstock had sold their shares of King/Starday before these recordings. Bam CD titled "Young Blood". "Beaver Dreamin'" is featured on the downloadable album, titled Rock Masters (issued 2005), also featuring six Gusto and the Fleet tracks, plus tracks from Guy's 1963 recordings and "Love Potion No. 9" from Gardner's Trip session.

THE COASTERS
(Bobby Nunn, Bobby Sheen, Billy Richards Jr, Randy Jones, vocals). Orchestration incl. horns, strings and rhythm: Joe Clark, Ben Bena, Jimmy Nunya, Billy Bass, Wilton Gites, Bobby Haines, Brother John, Dave Hemper, Gary Ferguson, James Ingram, Billy Mitchell, Bill Como, Don Preston, Roland Hill, Brenton Banks, Vince Charles, The Good Brother O´Dell, Bobby Sheen, Jerry Summerville, Gary Barone, The Salsa Band. Jimmy Nunya, Bobby Sheen, Billy Richards,prod. Engineers: Al Ramirez, Art Stewart, Joe Connizzaro, Joe Klein. Jimmy Nunya, manager. Mark Traversino, studio manager at Drew Studio.
Drew Studio on Sunset-Gower -1; Star-Trak Rec. Studio, Marvin Gaye Studio, and Joe´s Place
Los Angeles, California, c.a 1977 and 1978

4:35    Charlie Chan  - 1   Salsa Picante SLP 10001
4:25    Dance Coasting    as above
5:35    Disco Calypso    as above
2:46    One Of These Days    as above
4:55    My Sweet Baby    as above
3:56    Love Is A Funny Thing   as above
3:38    The Big Rip-Off    as above

Bobby Nunn´s Coasters in the late ´70s. Nunn, far right - and Billy Richards Jr, far left; plus Bobby Sheen, bottom and unknown top.

Note: Salsa Picante LP issued in U.S. in 1979 as "The Coasters...Coasting". "Charlie Chan" possibly recorded earlier. Mark Traversino ("Charlie Chan"), Richards, Sheen, Nunya, McPhilbin and Kent Harris listed as composers on the seven disco-type tracks on that LP; Harris´ composition "The Big Rip-Off" - featuring Nunn and Randy Jones is not disco-music, but true ghetto blues. Photo on Salsa Picante LP features Nunn, Sheen, Richards Jr and Randy Jones (and was probably used, as a drawing on Guy´s Archive LP). Thanks, Mark Traversino, for additional recording information. Jerome Evans sings lead on another version of Traversino´s "Charlie Chan" (listen to it - see below!)

CHARLIE CHAN.mp3

I, Mark Traversino, hereby give Claus Röhnisch permission to use my song and production of "Charlie Chan" on his website FREE OF CHARGE. Permission to use the song strictly for people to listen to, but not purchase.
Info: Jerome Evans/Coasters/
Produced/Written by Mark Traversino.
Claus Röhnisch will remove song from his website if requested by MarkTraversino at any time.

THE COASTERS
(Line-up prob. as above, incl. Bobby Nunn). Orchestration incl. horns and rhythm. Prod. by Sheldon A. Saltman, Arthur Forrest, Fabian A. Forte, Oscar P. Arslanian, Eric Taub and Richard Kulis. Remixed at I & II Recording Studios, Los Angeles. Fabian, MC.
Bob & Ronnie´s Live Music, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, c:a 1985
Yakety Yak   Silver Eagle LP 1041, Warwick CD 2080
Charlie Brown    issues as above
Poison Ivy   Silver Eagle LP 1041
Along Came Jones   as above
Note: Originally issued on HomeCooking/Magnum video ("America´s Music Rock ´N´ Roll Volume 1" MMGV 049). Silver Eagle is a triple LP-set and Warwick a CD, both from Canada with different live artists and titled "Good Time Rock ´N´ Roll".

LEON HUGHES & "COASTERS"
(Leon Hughes with Darryl Reynolds, Larry Hicks, and "Little Dion" Overstreed, vocals). Unknown instrumentation.
Prob. Los Angeles, California c:a 1992
Yakety Yak    VHS Video (unkn. label), Oldie CD (unkn. #)
Charlie Brown     as above
Poison Ivy        -
Stand By Me        -
Searching      -
What A Wonderful World      -
Rock & Roll      -
Love Potion #9      -
Note. This video is titled "Tribute To Their Greatest Hits" and includes six tracks of above with a total of 26 minutes. The CD contains all eight tracks, titled "Leon Hughes - one of the first original Coasters" (issued 1998). Also on mp3 download.

BILLY RICHARDS´ COASTERS
(Billy Richards Jr, Randy Jones, Bobby Sheen, and Tommy Turner, vocals);
with Billy Ciuffi & The Monte Carlos instrumental back-up. Album titled "Best of The Coasters - Live on Tour".
Prob. Los Angeles, ca 1994-1995

Chicken Shack (Monte Carlos) Dar-Kat Music CD DK-1001
Poison Ivy -
Searchin´ -
Charlie Brown -
Young Blood -
Hog For You -
Leavin It Up To You -
That Is Rock & Roll -
Along Came Jones -
Let The Good Times Roll -
Proud Mary -
Little Egypt -
Yakety Yak -

Billy Richards´ Coasters.

THE COASTERS
(unknown line-up, definately not Gardner, vocals - probably featuring Early Clover & Bob Rivers).
Orchestration incl. horns, and rhythm.
Unknown location, 1996 (issued on Canadian labels - "digitally recorded 1996")
3:09    Run Red Run   Prime Cuts CD 23552
2:50 What About Us     -
2:47    Little Egypt    -
2:56    Poison Ivy   -
2:30    Charlie Brown    -
2:52 Down In Mexico    -
1:51 Yakety Yak    -
2:15    Young Blood    -
2:53    Searchin´    -
2:54    Along Came Jones    -
Note: Originally issued as "Greatest Hits" in 1996 on Prime Cuts, reissued on St. Clair-Prime Cuts (Canada) CD SLD 23552 (in 1999), on St. Clair CD FGD 58192 (as "Forever Gold", also in 1999) and on Direct Source CD 75382 (as "Roots of Rock ´n´ Roll" in 1996). Does anyone know anything about these - I have all the Canadian issues - and I can´t locate the group - is it Cornell Gunter´s Coasters Inc. ? or more probable: the Larry Marshak bogus group? Available at Internet download - Choice Oldie Cuts (RealPlayer MusicStore)

THE COASTERS - The Clown Princes of Rock N Roll (first CD)
or THE BILLY GUY COASTERS (second CD)
(Unknown line-up; in fact Billy Richards´ Coasters). Unknown orchestration.
Some tracks may come from the first Richards session above. On the second CD the credit suggests a Larry Marshak production. First CD titled "Live On Tour" (with an image of Marshak´s group) and the second CD titled "The Billy Guy Coasters - Live On Tour" (with same track order).
Prob. California, ca 1997 (second CD edited 1999).

Poison Ivy - unknown labels
Youngblood   -
Searchin´   -
Charlie Brown   -
Little Egypt   -
Dock of the Bay   -
A Capella Sing Along   -
Ruby   -
Zing (Went The Strings Of My Heart) -
Goodnight Sweetheart   -
Yakety-Yak   -
Shout -

"Live On Tour" - this is a cassette tape of the original issue. The back cover of The Billy Guy Coasters "Live On Tour" CD.

BILLY RICHARDS´ COASTERS
(Billy Richards Jr, Sandy Wyatt, Henry Miller, Larry Tate, and Duane Jackson, vocals);
with Will Porter and The All Stars back-up band. Album titled "Cruisin´with Billy Richards´ Coasters - Live on Tour II". Produced by Billy Richards Jnr.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, California, July 4, 1999
Watermelon Man (Porter & all stars) - Dar-Kat Music DK-1002
Poison Ivy   -
Searchin´   -
Charlie Brown   -
Young Blood   -
Hog For You   -
60 Minute Man   -
Georgia On My Mind   -
That Is Rock & Roll   -
Along Came Jones   -
Dock Of The Bay   -
Higher & Higher   -
When A Man Loves A Woman   -
Yakety Yak   -
Note: Thanks, "temp fan", for the information on above. The image at the CD list below shows Richards´ group and volume II.

CORNELL GUNTER´S COASTERS
(The Larry Marshak bogus line-up, vocals; some tracks probably the Billy Richards group, who was managed by Marshak during the early 1990s). Unknown orchestration. Note: Several of the tracks come from the earlier sessions above. CD title probably "Cornell Gunter´s Coasters" (although not confirmed).
Unknown location, ca 2000
Charlie Brown unknown label
Yakety Yak    -
Along Came Jones    -
Poison Ivy    -
Searchin´ -
Love Potion Number 9    -
Love Potion Number 10    -
Little Egypt    -
Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart    -
Smokey Joe´s Café    -
Peggy Sue    -
My Heart Will Go On    -
Lucy In The Sky (With Diamonds)    -
Sgt. Pepper´s Lonely Hearts Club Band    -

THE CORNELL GUNTER COASTERS
(The Larry Marshak bogus line-up, vocals; some tracks probably the Billy Richards group). Includes both live and studio recordings. Unknown orchestration. Note: Several of the tracks come from the earlier sessions above. Album title "The Cornell Gunter Coasters - Gone Fishin´".
Unknown location, ca 2001
Thats Rock-N-Roll unknown label
Twist - Lets Twist Again -
Shake Rattle-N-Roll -
A Capella: Doo Wad Diddy, Dancin In The Streets, Twist And Shout -
Charlotte Brown -
Smokey Joes Café -
Its Allright -
Dock of The Bay -
Medley: Poison Ivy, Young Blood, Searchin, Zing, Charlie Brown, Yakety-Yak -
Love Potion #9 -
Love Potion #10 -
Shout -

THE MIGHTY CORNELL GUNTER´S COASTERS
(mos certainly the "original" Cornell Gunter's Coasters, featuring Edwin Cook, Charlie Duncan, and Lionel Pope)
Unknown orchestration.
Live at the first Sponsors Concert, Sunset Park, Las Vegas
May 27, 2001
Unknown recordings
a.o. Young Blood Inkatha CD #10

Autographed CD by Billy Wilson, Tommy Turner, Randy Jones, and Bobby Sheen
(altthoug it shows Tony Ruiz and Billy Foster with Jones and Sheen).

Here is some info from Charles Sheen:
"The CD here is from Bobby Sheen's group in an attemtp from Charles to compete with Billy Richards. Billy took a lot of stuff from dad (Bobby Sheen), and when they split to form thier own Coasters group in the early 90s, Billy took some tape masters and put out a cd of a live recording, dad did the same since he had tons of live recordings and sold them at the end of the shows, it only has 2 tracks, with about 5 songs on the first one, and the second track has their Medley, plus Little Egypt and Yak .... It was recorded in 1981 im sure because Nunn, Richards, and Sonny Chaney (of the Jaguars) along with my dad are on it. From my memory it was released on my dads label Brown Bag records, and even has a label number cd00. i think its pretty funny that a different line up sang it, a different line up took the pictures (in 91 or 92) ,and it was sold with a different line up." - (editor-s note - thanks Charles).

Coasters Off-Shot Story Summary

1949
The Robins - featuring Bobby Nunn - start recording.
1953
Grady Chapman joins the Robins.
1954
Carl Gardner embarks the Robins as lead singer.
1955
Gardner and Nunn leave the Robins to form the Coasters with Billy Guy and Leon Hughes. The Robins continue their career without Gardner and Nunn. Carl is to lead his group for more than 50 years.
1958
Nunn and Hughes are replaced by Will "Dub" Jones and Cornell Gunter. Billy Richards Jr and Bobby Sheen join the Robins.
1961
Gunter leaves the Coasters to join Dinah Washington. Earl Carroll joins the true Coasters.
1862
Bobby Nunn starts a "competing" Coasters group late this year - originally called "The Coasters, Mark II" - featuring Billy Richards Jr, Bobby Sheen and soon also Grady Chapman.
1963
Gunter starts a Las Vegas Coasters group - originally called "The Fabulous Coasters" - featuring remnants from the Penguins.
1968
Will “Dub” Jones leaves the true Coasters early this year, soon replaced by Ronnie Bright.
1973
Billy Guy leaves the true Coasters, replaced by Jimmy Norman. Randy Jones sings with Cornell Gunter´s Coasters (and also acts with Nunn’s group).
1975-1977
Leon Hughes acts with a group called "The Original Coasters" in California - featuring Grady Chapman and Jerome Evans and also waxes a single featuring Bobby Nunn. Hughes and Will Jones record as "The World Famous Coasters". Guy and Jones wax "Coasters" recordings in Nashville.
1983
Billy Guy and Will Jones start to occasionally act with "their" Coasters up to 1999.
1986
Bobby Nunn dies, but Billy Richards Jr continues to act with the group - now managed by Larry Marshak. Grady Chapman forms a new fake Coasters group (often called "The Fabulous Coasters") - featuring Randy Jones, Jerome Evans and also Bobby Sheen (none of the three any longer with us). These off-springs will multiply into several new versions of "Coasters".
1988
Early Clover joins a Larry Marshak-managed bogus "Coasters".
1990
Gunter dies, but remnants from his group, featuring Charlie Duncan and Edwin Cook, start "Cornell Gunter´s Coasters, Inc" (a group which later will split to "Edwin Cook and the Cornell Gunter Coasters”). During the 1990s several other fake and long-shot Coasters relatives act with different Coasters groups. Sometimes as many as nine different Coasters groups are active.
1997
Billy Richards Jr cancels his contract with Marshak and signs an out-of-court settlement with Gardner - Billy now calling his group "Billy Richards’ Coasters". Marshak finds new singers to continue his promoting of "The Coasters" - a group now completely fake.
1999
Billy Guy hands over "his rights" to Marshak, who now uses the name "Billy Guy´s Coasters" for the Marshak group.
2000
Guy settles with Gardner and retires. Gunter´s sister Shirley hands over the "rights" of "Cornell Gunter’s Coasters" to the Marshak fake group (which actually will multiply itself in different versions throughout the States and Canada).
2002
Gardner’s son Carl, Jr (who had joined his father in 1998) starts a "Coasters Review" group in California. Grady Chapman now reforms his "Coasters" into a new Robins group.
2004
Carl Gardner, Jr returns to his father's true Coasters group in November.
2007
Marshak’s Coasters still act as Cornell Gunter's Coasters, but Charlie Duncan now introduces his The Original "Cornell Gunter’s" Coasters.

OFF-SHOT COASTERS ALBUMS
(the ex-members)

The following albums do not include Carl Gardner´s Coasters, but contain recordings done by former members of the original and classic Coasters or by new-formed faked groups
Albums listed in order of original year of issue.

The British Joy LP.

Trip TLP-8028 (with a photo featuring the true Coasters including Billy Guy, Earl Carroll, Carl Gardner and Ronnie Bright at the Apollo in 1969.

Escobar LP 3311 "Breaking Out".

Archives LP A613. (with an imae of Bobby Nunn´s Coasters).

"Rockin´ My Soul" CD.

BILLY GUY

1971    HUNGRY     Joy (E) LP 189
reissued as:
1973    IT AIN´T SANITARY     Trip TLP-8028

more reissues:
1973    THE COASTERS    Stateside (G) IGS LP 40028
1975    GREAT RHYTHM & BLUES OLDIES
           Stateside (J) EMI LP 40028
1980    BREAKING OUT Escobar LP 3311
1980    CALL ON ME - Koala (Jpn)
1985    THE COASTERS    Archives LP A613
1986    THE COASTERS "&"    Bellaphon (G) LP 15238
2000    ROCKIN´ MY SOUL    Sterling CD 24318

In 1962 Billy Guy made 16 recordings for ABC and Lloyd Price´s Double L. and produced by Robert Bateman. Here are the issues from that session.

The original issues contain 12 Billy Guy recordings for ABC and Lloyd Price´s label Double-L in 1963. Trip LP (with an image of the true Coasters of 1969) is the American version of the original Joy LP 189. LP IGS 40028 has four extra tracks from Guy´s session. Japanese Stateside contains 12 tracks (not 16 as the German compilation). "The Prophet" titled "Women" on Double-L single, issued as by Billy Guy. The Archives and Bellaphon LPs contain tracks from Joy/Trip /Stateside. Archives LP features ten tracks and the cover shows a drawing from a photo, who actually are Bobby Nunn´s Coasters Mark II. The Koala issue has only nine tracks. The Sterling CD (with an image of the 1980 Carl Gardner Coasters) has the following tracks: Charlie Brown, Searchin´, It Don´t Take Much, Prison Break, Rockin´ My Soul, Little Black Book, Young Blood, Yakety Yak, Humdinger, Whip it On Me (three of the familiar hit titles are the original Atco recordings and "CB" and "LE" are from Gardner´s 1973 Trip re-recordings). There is no CD covering all 16 tracks from the 1962 Guy session, although several tracks appear on different CDs featuring the Gardner Coasters 10 Trip recordings.

Note: See also - 1994 LEGENDS Wisepack (E) LECD 076 below (which contains 8 Guy tracks plus several Atco cuts).

The original vinyl.

The "Just Coastin´" CD cover.

WILL "DUB" JONES & LEON HUGHES

1976    THE WORLD FAMOUS COASTERS
           American International Artists AIA-333
also on Garner Artist Production GAP 106 and DJM (E) LP 22053
1992    JUST COASTIN´    C-Five (E) C5CD 579
           (also Dutch 319428)

These contain the recordings from "World Famous" Coasters around 1976.

Will Jones and his first non-original Coasters group, also featuring Leon Hughes, with some sparkful recordings, alll done with a great approach of humor. "I Got To Boogie" and the Jones- led "If I Had A Hammer" plus six remakes of old Coasters hits and a couple of extra novelties. The six hit revivals included do not live up to the original Coasters´ exciting standards! It is uncertain if AIA or GAP is the original issue.

This is the true Coasters, but the album is by Billy Guy (GustoLP and Hollywood CD).

DeLuxe CD 1006.

The Onyx Point CD of 1991.

"The Coasters - Best of the Best" on Federal.

BILLY GUY & WILL "DUB" JONES

1978    GREATEST HITS     Gusto-Power Pak LP PO 310
1986    16 GREATEST HITS    DeLuxe (Canada) CD 1006
1987    GREATEST HITS    Highland/Hollywood HCD-282
1988    GREATEST HITS    Power Pair CD 2-1306
1991    GREATEST HITS    Onyx Point (Europe) CD 264136
1999      BEST OF THE BEST    King/Federal FED-CD-6543 (US)

In 1977 Billy Guy and Will Jones recorded in Nashville. Here are the issues from that session.

Listen to 30sec clips of all the tracks of the Hollywood CD at Barnes & Noble (same tracks as on original vinyl).
Contains Billy Guy recordings in Nashville for King/Starday´s Gusto label in 1977 - also featuring bass singer Will "Dub" Jones. The seven hit revivals do not live up to the original Coaster´s high standards. The Gusto LP also includes "Love Potion #9" and "D.W. Washburmn" from the Coasters´ King LP. DeLuxe CD has the eight tracks from Gusto plus eight tracks from the true Coasters´ King album "On Broadway" (excluding "Down Home Girl", "Talkin´ ´ Bout A Woman". "Everybody´s Woman" and "Mustang sally"). Track order on DeLuxe: D.W. Washburn, On Broadway, Mohaired Sam, The In Crowd, Down At Pappa Joe´s, Love Potion #9, YB, One Foot Draggin´, PI, LE, Se, YY, CB, ACJ, Cool Jerk, Soul Pad. The Power Pair issue has a total of 16 tracks (which ones is not confirmed). The Highland/Hollywood CD has the following track order: Searchin´, Love Potion No.9, Little Egypt, Young Blood, Along Came Jones, Charlie Brown, Yakety Yak, Poison Ivy, One Foot Draggin´ and D.W. Washburn (note: that CD sometimes also listed as Onyx CD).

The ten tracks on the Onyx-Point CD, "GREATEST HITS", are the seven Guy-rerecordings plus three true King Coasters tracks in the following track order: YY, CB, ACJ, Love Potion Number 9, On Broadway, Se, PI, YB, LE, and Down At Papa Joe´s. The Federal (King) issue, "BEST OF THE BEST" has the seven Guy-rerecordings, "One Foot" plus two from King/Date by the original Coasters - track order: YY, CB, Se, PI,YB, ACJ, LE, Love Potion #9, One Foot Draggin´and D.W. Washburn. That CD (King Records, 1999 distrib by Highland Music) has a nice little back-cover presentation by Chuck Young telling us that Guy and Jones are on these late 1970s recordings.

The seven re-recordings are also issued on Highland/DeLuxe LP DLX-7786 and CD DCD-7786 together with all tracks on the Coasters´"On Broadway" album as "The Coasters - 20 Greatest Hits" in 1987; album cover similar to the Federal issue (see Coasters Albums).

Salsa Picante SLP 1001 of 1979.

BOBBY NUNN

1979    THE COASTERS ... COASTING
           Salsa Picante SLP 10001

Contains seven disco-styled recordings by Bobby Nunn´s Coasters with probably Bobby Sheen and Randy Jones mostly on lead, although we hear Nunn a lot too. The best track: "The Big Rip-Off".
more

From the back of Salsa Picante LP.

THE ROBINS

1986 LET´S GO TO THE DANCE Harmony (H) LP LS-13

A bootleg Dutch LP issued as by the Coasters on sleeve (The Robins on label), featuring "Three Cool Cats" and "Money Honey" plus Robins´ 1953 recordings for Crown and RCA and some Spark recordings. Robins´ tracks on WINS LP 1010 (issued 1979) are ´50s recordings hosted by Alan Freed (after the leave of Nunn and Gardner).

NewRose CD (with partly the cover of "Greatest Hits" Atco LP/CD).

CORNELL GUNTER

1992 THE COASTERS featuring Cornell Gunther
New Rose / Fan Club CD 5110 (F) CD;
reissued in 1993 as "POISON IVY" featuring Cornel Gunther
Japanese New Rose / Century CD CECC-00571
also reissued as THE COASTERS LIVE WITH CORNELL GUNTHER (2009)

A bootleg Cornell Gunter Coasters live recording of 1969, also containing some Carl Gardner Coasters´ live recordings of the ´70s (see "Session Discography"). Note the misspelling of Gunter. Neither one of the issues mentions that the last four tracks are by the true Coasters featuring Carl Gardner. Liner notes by Ron Bartolucci.

New Rose / Century CECC-00571 - a Japanese issue of the above session.

The British "Legends - The Coasters" CD (with images from 1969 and from 1957).

The downloadable "Poison Ivy" album from HHO Licensing

BILLY GUY

1994 LEGENDS
Wisepack (E) LECD 076

This CD contains eight Billy Guy tracks from Double-L, plus "One Foot Draggin´" from Gusto, "DW Washburn" and "Love Potion #9" from Date/King, the live "Little Egypt" with Gardner´s Coasters of the ´80s, plus 10 bootleg Atco hits (Searchin´, Charlie Brown, Down In Mexico, Yakety Yak, Run Red Run, Poison Ivy, Young Blood, Along Came Jones, The Idol With The Golden Head, I´m A Hog For You).

There is an Internet download album from HHO Licensing titled "Poison Ivy" which features 7 original Atco tracks, the live "Little Egypt", the Date/Columbia recording of "Love Potion No. 9" and 7 Guy-tracks from Double-L. (Track-listing and audio-clips)

Prime Cuts CD 2355 cover of 1996 comprising new-recorded fake Coasters of the early hits.
The 1999 Prime Cuts issue
The Roots of Rock n´ Roll CD with an image of The Coasters of cirka 1992 (Bright, Gardner, Norman).
Forever Gold on St.Clair 1990s remakes of an unknown fake group.

mp3 download

BOGUS COASTERS (The Larry Marshak bogus line-up prob. featuring Early Clover)

1996    GREATEST HITS    Prime Cuts (Canada) CD 2355
           reissued in 1999 on St. Clair-Prime Cuts SLD 23552
1997   ROOTS OF ROCK ´n´ ROLL   Direct Source (Canada) CD RR 75382
1999    FOREVER GOLD   St. Clair (Canada) CD FGD 58192
2005    THE COASTERS Platinum Disc CD 23172
2007    YAKETY YAK - Cleopatra / The Orchard download
2007    THE HITS OF THE COASTERS - mp3 download

All these CDs contain the same ten fake/bogus Coasters recordings, "digitally recorded in 1996".
The Platinum Disc has copyright 2005 on cover and 2001 on disc - and has the folloing informaiton:
"All selections are new studio recordings performed by the original artists or one or more members of the original group". That information is bogus.

The recordings sound like they really are from the 1990s. Noone of the original Coasters is present though. Gardner and Guy are definately not here! It most probable is the Larry Marshak-managed group featuring Early Clover a.o. These revivals do not live up to the original Coasters standards.

Note: All covers show Carl Gardner´s Coasters, but the recordings do not feature Gardner. The reissue of Prime Cuts has a slightly diff cover layout than the original of 1996 (Prime Cuts logo not there and slightly diff heading). Prime Cuts and St. Clair have the track order shown left and the Canadian Direct Source compilation has the track order shown second left with the Platinum Disc track order right. Find audio clips of all the tracks at CD-Universe! Available at Internet download - Choice Oldie Cuts (RealPlayer MusicStore); also on Cleopatra as "Yakety Yak" (with running order as shown left) and as "The Hits of The Coasters".

Run Red Run
What About Us
Little Egypt
Poison Ivy
Charlie Brown
Down In Mexico
Yakety Yak
Young Blood
Searchin´
Along Came Jones

YY
ACJ
CB
RRR
LE
Se
YB
DIM
PI
WAU

Se
YB
YY
CB
ACJ
PI
LE
RRR
WAU
DIM

listen to tracks at Barnes & Noble
Listen to tracks on K-tel (Poison Ivy is the Atco track).

Cleopatra issue of 2007

mp3 download

Album cover: "Leon Hughes & the Coasters" in the 1990s shown at the bottom of cover.

LEON HUGHES

1998 LEON HUGHES & "COASTERS"
Oldie CD (unkn #)

Contains eight Leon Hughes tracks from circa 1992 (originally issued on a VHS Video), featuring "Leon Hughes - one of the first original Coasters". It´s a "live"-album recorded in or around Los Angeles with Leon plus three younger members (see fake Coasters discography). Available from oldie.com.

also on mp3 download

"Live on Tour II".

BILLY RICHARDS

1995 BEST OF THE COASTERS - LIVE ON TOUR
1999 CRUISIN´ WITH BILLY RICHARDS´ COASTERS
- LIVE ON TOUR II
Dar-Kat Music CDs DK-1001 and DK -1002
Billy Richards´ Coasters and the part II live CD.

Billy Richards´ Coasters and the part II live CD.

Billy Richards´ (West Coast) Coasters made two live CDs during the 1990s. Haven´t heard them, but tracks are listed at the discography above. The second CD was reissued in 2000 as by "The Billy Guy Coasters" - see below!

The Billy Guy Coaters - "Live On Tour" bootleg CD.

THE BILLY GUY COASTERS
originally issued as
The Coasters - The Clown Princes of Rock N Roll

1997 LIVE ON TOUR "The Clown Princes of Rock N Roll"
2000 LIVE ON TOUR "The Comedy Kings of Rock N Roll"
Unknown labels (CD)

First CD issued as "The Coasters" and the second as by The Billy Guy Coasters (rare bootleg), but in fact tracks from the Billy Richards group. Includes the twelve tracks listed in the discography above. Note: Some tracks may be from 1994-95

The Larry Marshak promototed Coasters (mostly adv. as "Cornell Gunter´s Coasters").

BOGUS GUNTER

2000 CORNELL GUNTER´S COASTERS
unkn. CD title and unk. label
Contains the following tracks: Charlie Brown, Yakety Yak, Along Came Jones, Poison Ivy, Searchin´, Love Potion Number 9, Love Potion Number 10, Little Egypt, Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart, Smokey Joe´s Café, Peggy Sue, My Heart Will Go On, Lucy In The Sky (With Diamonds), Sgt. Pepper´s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It´s a CD recorded by Larry Marshak´s bogus Coasters group, sometimes simply promoted as "The Coasters", but lately as "Cornell Gunter´s Coasters" - the bogus group Marshak has managed starting with Billy Richards´ group, later the Billy Guy semi-coached group and nowadays the group "coached by Shirley Gunter" (not to be mixed-up with the trio touring as Cornell Gunter´s Coasters Inc.).

corn01.jpg (9872 bytes)

THE MIGHTY CORNELL GUNTER´S COASTERS

2001 LIVE AT SUNSET PARK
Inkatha CD # 10

Live recordings featuring the Cook/Duncan/Pope group Tracks unknown, but they were recorded live at the first Sponsors Concert on May 27, 2001. One track though seems to be "Young Blood".

The Cornell Gunter Coasters (act fake Marshak group) and the CD "Gone Fishin´".

THE CORNELL GUNTER COASTERS

2002 GONE FISHIN´
unkn. CD title and unk. label (and #).

Contains the tracks listed in the session discography above as recorded circa 2001 (Thats Rock-N-Roll, Twist - Lets Twist Again, Shake Rattle And Roll a.o.) although several tracks are from the previously issued bogus Marshak-managed CDs from the late 1990s and the new millennium.

THE ORIGINAL CORNELL GUNTERS COASTERS

Two live CDs by Charlie Duncan's group "The Original Cornell Gunter's Coasters" (from circa 2007).

Billy Richards far right. Billy Richards´ (or Richard´s) Coasters. dunc3.jpg (150913 bytes)
Billy Richards´ Coasters and right: Cornell Gunter´´s Coasters, Inc.

"Charlie Brown" and his Coasters Show.
Charlie Brown and his "Coasters Show".
( Charlie Brown´s Coasters Tribute; also this)

Larry Marshak´s Coasters. No original Coaster here! The Cornell Gunter fake Coasters of later years.
Two photos of a fake Coasters´ group (acting since the ´80s), managed by Larry Marshak. Billy Guy semi-coached them in 1998-99; and from 2000 they operate as Cornell Gunter´s Coasters (manager Marshak uses different singers in his "Coasters" group, and also promotes "Drifters" and "Platters").
The Platters, Cornell Gunter´s Coasters, and Beary Hobb´s Drifters of 2000 on (all fake groups).
Marshak's fake Coasters of 2006.
Lately evidance has come up that Early Clover is with the fake Coasters again.

The fight against impostors

Photo ctsy Tuneman56.
The Jacks (aka The Cadets) of 2000 (after the death of Will "Dub" Jones) with original lead Willie Davis, Tommy Turner, Pete Fox (who also sang with Cornell Gunter´s Flairs), and Randy Jones (who also sang with Cornell´s, Bobby Nunn´s and Will Jones´ Coasters groups - and with Monroe Powell´s Platters). Several of the above have sung with Grady Chapman´s Coasters.

Crystal 45 with a complete diff. Coasters.

This is CRYSTAL #628 (a 78:er).
The titles are " Jungle Town" and "The Wrong Keyhole" by The Coasters, Don and Nyki Guthrie and Ike McKenna. This record has nothing to do with the true Coasters or with any of The Coasters´ members (it´s possibly issued before The Coasters emerged).

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