Connie and the Cones
A doo-wop vocal group fronted by Connie Landers.
History[edit | edit source]
Connie, who was born Connie Sue Landers in 1944 in Austin, Texas, was classmates at Hillsboro High with Don Whitley and Bob McClain. At 13, Connie was modeling and appearing in the local papers. Originally called the Teen-Notes or Teenotes, they were chosen as one of the "Discoveries of the Week" at the Centennial park summer concerts in 1958. Writing credits given to Noel Ball n their singles indicate his involvement as producer during their short recording career.
At this time, they attract the attention of a producer who has them sign on NRC (National Recording Corp) NRC Records was started in Atlanta Georgia in the late 50's and had a large output of records until the late 60's. The group cut "Let Us Pretend" b/w "I See The Image Of You" which was released in 1959 as Connie & The Cones. Their first single had writing credits for local DJ and producer Noel Ball and Billy Fortune (real name Billy McKennon), who had recorded in 1957 for Excello in a rockabilly group called Billy Fortune and the Country Cats.
With the popularity of this single, the group performed in the area and signed a recording contract with Roulette Records where they cut two singles in 1960: "Lonely Girl's Prayer" b/w "I Love My Teddy Bear" and "Take All The Kisses" b/w "No Time For Tears". This last single featured compositions by Bobby Russell and Patsy Willis.
After the group’s break-up, Connie was a sessions singer and recorded a variety of sound-alikes and original compositions for about 4 years for the Hit Records label as Connie Landers, Connie Dee or Connie. Hit records specialized in sound-alike singles at a bargain price. Her records at Hit often included Connie paired with black artists for Hit such as Peggy Gaines or Herbert Hunter. When she graduated from Hillsboro, Connie was asked to audition for Leroy Van Dyke when she was around 20 or 21, for the Auctionettes, a trio of girls who traveled to performances with Leroy. They were Connie Sue Landers, Barbara Voorhies, Sally Harrison.
Along with her talents as a singer, Connie Landers also excelled early on in modeling and in the mid-60s performed in local theatre troupes. After several years on the road with Leroy van Dyke as an Auctionette, she returned home and married Leo Edward Pahlke Jr. (Lee Edwards) at St Mary's Catholic Church in 1969. Connie died in 2005 at the age of 60.
After the Cones, Don Whitley had a few releases in the mid 60s as a country singer on Great Record Co and its parent label Chart Records. He was listed as a top country writer in the Oct 1965 Billboard "World of Country Music" guide, as a writer for Yonah Music owned by Chart records.
Members[edit | edit source]
Connie Sue Landers (Lead)
Don Whitley
Bob McClain
Don Ratcliff - credited as accompanist for several park performances
Releases[edit | edit source]
As Connie & the Cones[edit | edit source]
1959: "Let Us Pretend / I See The Image Of You" 7" single on National recording Corp , cat# NRC 5006
1960:
"Lonely Girl's Prayer / I Love My Teddy Bear" 7" single on Roulette, cat# 4223
"Take All The Kisses / No Time For Tears" 7" single on Roulette, cat# 4313
"Young In Your Teens" unreleased for Roulette
Don Whitley solo[edit | edit source]
1964: "It Sure Looks Lonesome Out Tonight / I Don't Love Her (Not Too Much Anymore)" (7", Single) on Great Record Co., cat#1002
1965: Don Whitley & Joyce Duke - "We'd Rather Fight Than Switch / Two Hearts into One" (7") on Chart Records , cat#1210
As Connie Landers[edit | edit source]
All singles on Hit records.
1962:
Peggy Gaines / Connie Landers - "Ride / Bobby's Girl" Hit-40
Connie Landers / The Boots Percell Combo* - "Vacation / Rinky Dink" Hit-26
Harvey Frolic / Connie Landers - "Things / Heart In Hand" Hit-23
Katy Richards / Connie Landers - "All Alone Am I / He Thinks I Still Care" Hit-34
1963:
Connie Landers / Woody Martin - "Shake Me I Rattle (Squeeze Me I Cry) / My Dad" Hit-48
Connie Landers / Leroy Jones - "It's My Party / Another Saturday Night" Hit-68
Connie Landers / George Killebrew - "I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter / Half Heaven Half Heartache" Hit-46
The Dacrons / Connie Landers - "He's So Fine / Follow The Boys" Hit-57
Ward Oliver, Connie Landers - "Take These Chains From My Heart / I Will Follow Him" Hit-217
As Connie Dee[edit | edit source]
17 singles all on Hit Records from 1962-1965.
1962:
Fred York / Connie Dee - "Go Away Little Girl / My Coloring Book" Hit-43
Herbert Hunter / Connie Dee - "I Can't Stop Loving You" Hit-14
Connie Dee / Charlie Jarrett - "Everybody Loves Me But You / Old Rivers" Hit-12
1963:
Ricky Dickens / Connie Dee - "Sugar Shack / Hello Heartache, Goodbye Love" Hit-85. Hit-241 in Canada
Leroy Jones / Connie Dee - "It's All Right / She's A Fool" Hit-90
1964:
Connie Dee / The Boll Weevils - "Navy Blue / My Bonnie" Hit Records-262
Connie Dee / Bobby Brooks - "Be Anything (But Be Mine) / Tell Me Why" Hit-123
Dotty & Dan / Connie Dee - "Stop And Think It Over/ Navy Blue" Hit-108
Marty Wood / Connie Dee - "Tears And Roses / My Boy Lollipop" Hit-128
1965:
Connie Dee / Jack White - "Whisper Tell Me Sweetly / I've Got A Tiger By The Tail" Hit-197
Unknown year:
The Beagles, Connie Dee - "Can't Buy Me Love / That's The Way Boys Are" Hit-268
The Chords / Connie Dee - "The Jolly Green Giant / Ring Telephone" Hit-186
Charlie Bare / Connie Dee - "King Of The Road / Look Of Love" Hit-189
Connie Dee / Sherry Young - "Sugar Town / Single Girl" Hit-274
Ed Hardin / Connie Dee - "Memphis / My Boy Lollipop" Hit -275
Denny Dugan / Connie Dee - "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) / That's The Way Boys Are" Hit-114
Bobby Brooks / Connie Dee - "I Must Be Seeing Things / Once A Cheater Always A Cheater" Hit-202
As Dee of 'Pat & Dee'[edit | edit source]
1965: Pat & Dee / The Franklins - "I'm Leaving It Up To You / (Down At) Papa Joe's" (7") on Giant Records cat# 9089
External references[edit | edit source]
http://doo-wop.blogg.org/connie-the-cones-a161697462
https://whitedoowopcollector.blogspot.com/2019/02/connie-conesnrc-roulette-records.html
https://www.45cat.com/artist/connie-and-the-cones
https://www.discogs.com/artist/2471574-Billy-Fortune
https://www.discogs.com/artist/1598579-Connie-Landers
https://www.discogs.com/artist/1421066-Connie-Dee
https://www.discogs.com/artist/9845218-Pat-Dee-2
https://www.discogs.com/artist/4123043-Don-Whitley-2
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101729532/connie-sue-landers/photo
https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/21270435/Ercie-Ruth-Whitley Obit indicates Don Whitley and Joyce Duke to be siblings
https://eastnashvillehigh.com/twingraduates.html East High listing of twins, showing Don Whitley and Joyce Whitley Duke class of 1957