Category Archives: Giantstar

Frani & the Frantics on Giant Star

Frani & the Frantics, from left: Fran Russak, Karla Major, Alayne Major and Jim Morabito

Frani & the Frantics were a vocal quartet of Fran Russak, sisters Karla Major and Alaine Major, and Jim Morabito. Fran Russak came from Carmel, New York, the others from Peekskill.

Their one and only single from the spring of 1964, “You Threw a Line” b/w “Skin and Bones” was also the first on the Giantstar label of Mahopac, owned by Raymond Meltzer. Giantstar would release three singles by the Mark IV of Poughkeepsie.

The labels of Giant Star GS 401 credit Dorothea Meltzer & Jeannie Villetto for both songs. Ray Meltzer owned Jemel Publishing, JNR Production and Music-All Inc. Copyright registration shows another song, “Why Ya Make Me Wanna Cry” which Frani & the Frantics attempted but didn’t finish.

Jeanne Villetto had previous experience in song-writing, composing songs for two singles by Claire Lane (aka Claire Litke, a member of the Ramrods): “I Dig That Guy” for the top side of Josie 904 (b/w “Run Run Run Away”), and “Curiosity” / “Isn’t It a Shame” on Petal 1020 in August, 1963.

Villetto and Litke also wrote “Do You Hear Me Call?” in 1962, but I’m not sure if this was recorded.

Alaine Major wrote to me about her time as a Frantic:

I was one of the Frantics of the group Frani and the Frantics. The “Frantics” were myself, my sister Karla and Jimmy Morabito. We recorded “You Threw a Line” backed by “Skin and Bones” in 1964 with Ray Meltzer and Jean Villetto.

Karla, Jimmy and I sang in high school. One day we saw an ad in our local Pennysaver that record producers were auditioning singers for studio backup work (for Frani). We thought that sounded like fun, so we called and auditioned. Once Ray Meltzer and Jean Viletto heard us sing (acapella), Jean decided right then and there that instead of us being studio backup singers, she wanted to form a group.

Within two weeks we were under contract. We rehearsed locally in the Peekskill area for two months most evenings and weekends with a small combo. Finally Ray and Jean decided we were ready to record. Our Mom drove us to Mars Broadcasting [in Stamford, Connecticut] for the recording sessions. Ray knew several musicians from the New York Philharmonic who made up the orchestra you hear on the record. I remember the engineer Chuck James who was truly supportive of our efforts.The studio was very crowded with the musicians on one side and we on the other. We each sang into a hanging mic. There was a lot of down time as the engineer worked on the board with Ray and Jean listening and tweaking. (I also remember hearing that Mars Broadcasting was owned by Dick Clark).

Music-All was Raymond’s company and was the name on our contract. “Why Ya Make Me Wanna Cry” was supposed to be the ‘B’ side of “You Threw A Line”, but the next week we switched to “Skin and Bones”.

At our request, “Skin and Bones” was done acapella. If you listen to it again, you’ll hear me cue Frani her note after we modulate up on the word “bones.”

Jarlayns Giantstar 45 I Don't Love You Anymore
The Jarlayns on Giantstar GS-402, “I Don’t Love You Anymore”, released February 1966
We played rock n roll shows with The Duprees, The Ventures, The Rivieras, and others I don’t recall anymore. It was an exciting time for three high school kids from Peekskill, NY! We became local celebrities and got invited to sing at many, many shows and events.

A year later I used to do a lot of writing and I would go to the studio just to get my stuff on tape. Under the name The Jarlaynes, we recorded “Why Don’t You Call” with Karla and I playing the acoustic guitar. “I Don’t Love You Anymore” was originally just me and my guitar and Chris Dikaris [who also had a single on Giantstar] added instruments & backup vocals. I wrote both of those songs and so my name, Alayne Major, is written underneath the song title.

After high school Karla, Jimmy and I began singing as a trio again and sang at many local events and “hootenanny’s” which became popular with the advent of folk music.

Jarlayns Giantstar 45 Why Don't You Call

Mirabai in the Poughkeepsie Journal, September 5, 1976

Karla was also a student at New Paltz. Jimmy moved on, but Karla and I sang as The Major Sisters and were invited to other colleges to perform in their hootenanny’s. We also were asked to be the opening act for several musicians at college concerts which included Chuck Berry (!), Judy Collins, Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masakela among others. This went on through 1969.After Woodstock, Karla moved to San Francisco and started a band, and I was a wife and mother. In 1970 Jimmy was drafted and went to Vietnam.

I was the impetus for Karla’s solo career through contacts I’d made. She used the stage name Mirabai. She returned from San Francisco around 1972 and moved to NYC where she was a headliner at Reno Sweeney’s, Catch a Rising Star, and The Bottom Line (she opened for Billy Joel, Kenny Rankin, Loudon Wainwright III). Her big break came in 1974 when Jimmy Cliff was going to do his first U.S. concert at Carnegie Hall and he requested Karla (then Mirabai) be his opening act. Danny Goldberg caught her performance and began managing her career at that point.

In 2006 Karla was living in Asheville, NC with her family. She got in touch with Bob Johnston who produced her album and he produced a new CD she’d written. Unfortunate personal events precluded its release, but I have the master and a couple of first CDs printed.

I learned from a friend that Raymond and Jean got married and lived out the rest of their lives in Florida. Karla died in 2016, and Jimmy died on March 14, 2022.

Thank you to Alaine Major for answering my questions about the Frantics!

Thanks also to Mike Markesich for the scans of the Jarlayns single on Giantstar.

Frani and the Frantics mentioned in the Mamaroneck Daily Times on April 30, 1964

The Mark IV on Giantstar

Mark IV, December 1965 from left: John Ackert, Emery Ruger, Eddie Gilroy and JJ Marino. All photos courtesy of Edward Gilroy

The Mark IV came from Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie, New York. The Mark IV released three 45s on the Giantstar label out of Mahopac, in Putnam County.

Eddie Gilroy on bass with his father and band manager Bob Gilroy. Likely taken at Papa Joe’s in Honesdale, PA

Members were:

John Ackert – lead guitar and keyboards
James Marino – guitar (known as JJ, and Jay on the photo card)
Conrad “Butch” Loreto – guitar (joined in 1966)
Edward Gilroy – bass
Emery Ruger – drums

Rae Ann Panzera – vocals at some live shows and on “Hey Girl”

Mark IV Giantstar 45 Don't Want Your Lovin'Their first single was “Hey Girl (Won’t You Listen)”, a good folk-garage song written by John Ackert, b/w the instrumental “Sleepy”, written by Ed Gilroy and Jim Marino, released on Giantstar 404 in May, 1966.

“Don’t Want Your Lovin'” is the toughest song they cut, a crazed rave-up with plenty of furious strumming. Songwriting credits go to John Ackert, Butch Loreto, Emery Ruger and Ed Gilroy. The A-side, “Would You Believe Me” is fine too, written by Gilroy and Ackert, and released in October 1966 on Giantstar 405.

The Mark IV’s last single was “Churches and Houses”, written by Ed Gilroy and Donnie Herring, backed with “Please Don’t Go”, on Giantstar 406, from March, 1967.

All the singles list publishing by Jemel Publications, and a Product of Jemel Music Corp and “A JNR Production” – all owned by Raymond Meltzer.

On the Chuck McCann Show, from left: Emery, unknown girl, Chuck McCann (in back), Rae Ann Panzera, JJ Marino, Eddie, and John

Mark IV photo card

In 2020 James Marino answered some of my questions about the Mark IV:

In 1964 John Ackert and I were classmates at Haviland Jr High in Hyde Park NY. Eddie Gilroy was attending FDR High in Hyde Park.

I had played with Ron Piccolo in the Revells. I also played in the Royal Coachman with Bobby Germano and William Paroli, both now passed. So at age 14 or so I was a seasoned vet.

Eddie with fans at Captain’s Cove in Carbondale, PA (Bob Gilroy’s hometown)

Ed Gilroy and I would hang out after school, trying to learn chords and songs on the guitar. I knew John but soon leaned of his music abilities. John and I sort of morphed into Lennon and McCartney right away. It just clicked and we fed off each other. Ed learned bass and we were off.

Next, drummer showman Emory Ruger from Poughkeepsie rounded out the group. The Mark IV was born. An older group of musicians named the Dirty Elbows were trying to court me away. We had such a good sound vocally I wouldn’t leave.

We started playing small venues, YMCA / CYO, firehouses etc. Bob Gilroy, Eddie’s father became our manager. Began to play larger venues with larger crowds both locally and out of town.

From left: Eddie, JJ Marino, John and Emery. Location possibly the LaGrange, NY firehouse. Photos courtesy of Edward Gilroy
Donnie Herring with Ed Gilroy's mother
Donnie Herring with Ed Gilroy’s mother

Some of these little towns in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, 800 to 900 kids would come to dance and listen. Strange as it may sound, it was like these kids were on delay. They had never seen anything like us. It sounds unbelievable they were wanting our autographs and trying to take pieces of our clothes. We were on cloud nine.

Mark IV and the Revells ad for What's It To Ya? Poughkeepsie
Mark IV and the Revells ad for What’s It To Ya? in Poughkeepsie

We appeared on a show called Teenage Dance Barn, what was then Channel 6 in Scehnectedy. We then appeared on Chuck McCann’s Puppet Show Channel 5 WNEW in NYC.

Some time later in ’65 our manager approached us with cutting a record, a little unknown record company in Mahopach, NY named Giant Star Records.

We found ourselves in the studio unprepared and with no material. So we proceeded to write “Hey Girl” in the studio and I played lead guitar on side b an instrumental called “Sleepy”, that I made up on the spot. It was very off-the-cuff and we should not have done it. We were sort of pushed before we were ready.

circa 1967: Butch Loreto kneeling on left, above him George Whitsell, then Emery Ruger, John Ackert and Ed Gilroy

Our manager billed us as “Giant Star Recording Artists” etc. Gigs were getting pretty good, $200 / $300 / even $400 each per gig. I left in 1966 for awhile, came back in late ’66 or early ’67, and left again. Came back in ’68, all the while personnel changed. Just wasn’t the same for me. I was a bit of a free spirit and a hard ass all in one. A great experience all in all, great friends.

After the original Mark IV broke up my brother Mike Gilroy (drums), Donnie Herring (singer, percussion), John Lockwood (guitar) and I (bass) started a new version of the Mark IV.

John Ackert passed at least 20 years ago. What great talent: great vocals / killer guitar / killer keys made the rest of us look good.

Emery Ruger drummer extraordinaire, killer showman, and a great guy passed over a year now [July 18, 2017]. Glad to have had them as band mates.

Eddie and I are still hangin’ in.

Love all, Jimmy “JJ” Marino

Mark IV, from left: JJ Marino, Emery, Rae Ann Panzera, John and Eddie
The first gig we ever played, the Friday dance at the local YMCA. From left: John, JJ Marino, Emery and Ed. Photo courtesy of Edward Gilroy
The Mark IV on stage, from left: Eddie, Emery, John and JJ Marino
Mark IV photo John Ackert and Butch Loreto
Later version of the Mark IV with George Whitsell and Butch Loreto