About The Elegants...
Vito Picone , born and raised in South Beach, Staten Island spent four years at New Dorp H.S. Graduated from the
Germain School of Photography in NYC. He has owned Headline Talent Inc., a booking agency on Broadway in New
York City for almost 20 years. He has two sons and one daughter. He is still a resident of Staten Island.
Antonio " Nino" Amato grew up in the Mariners Harbor section of Staten Island. He graduated from Port Richmond H.S.
Nino has one brother and two sisters. Married with three sons and a daughter, he now resides in Westerleigh, Staten
Island.
Vincent "Jimmy" Moschello was born in New Brighton, Staten Island and has two brothers and a sister. Jimmy went to
McKee H.S. and married his childhood sweetheart. While working for the N.Y. Transit Authority he raised five
(count'em) sons and lives in Eltingville, Staten Island.
Bruce "Sonny" Copp played guitar with his father's band when he was just 13 years old. He grew up in the Berry
Projects in Dongan Hills, Staten Island and graduated from the first class at Monsignor Farrell High School He is now in
King of Prussia, PA with his wife and two sons.
History (Original Group)
Vito Picone and original member Carmen Romano met in the 1st grade at P.S. 39 in the South Beach Section of
Staten Island NY. Both had a young widowed mother and just one sibling and lived two blocks away from each other, it
was inevitable that the two would become friends immediately. As they approached the 4th grade, the NYC Board of
Education started a music program and oddly enough Vito and Carmen were chosen as two of the four trombone
players. The other two were Vinny Licastri who became Vito's best friend (who would later die of leukemia at age 16,
the night The Elegants recorded "Little Star") and Ronnie Jones.
Vito, Carmen and Ronnie would form their first singing group in 1955 with a pretty trumpet player in the band named
Patricia Crocitto (daughter of the owner of a popular night club Crocitto's).
They fashioned their sound after the red hot vocal group "The Teenagers" because Patricia had the high Frankie
Lymon sounding voice and Vito could do the bass like Sherman Barns. They called themselves "Pat Cordel and The
Crescents".
After winning a singing contest, where the 1st prize was a recording contract, they recorded two songs "Darling Come
Back" written by Vito and "My Tears" written by the whole group.
One of the first white rock and roll artists to have a recording contract, they toured with such acts as The Willows, The
Fi-Tones, The Solitaires, etc. in mostly "Black" venues.
After their manager/Record Label Owner was tragically killed in Little Italy, they disbanded.
Pat became one of the June Taylor dancers (Jackie Gleason Show), Ronnie became a commercial artist. Vito and
Carmen decided that they enjoyed the entertainment world and would like to continue.
So back to their old hangout, the F.D.R Boardwalk in South Beach where at any given summer night you could find a
hundred or so teenagers including Bobby Darin or Johnny Maestro who's families had summer bungalows nearby.
They met Artie Venosa (co-wrote "Little Star" with Vito) who sang with various local groups and found he was also
interested in pursuing a singing career. He contacted Jimmy Moschello who enjoyed singing and introduced him to Vito
and Carmen.
The last piece of the puzzle was Frank Tardogno who attended New Dorp High School with Vito.Their first rehearsal
was magic, but now they needed a name. On his way to one of their rehearsal Vito passed a local tavern owned by his
other close friend Ben Sarullo (Head Coach at Monsignor Farrel High School) In the window was a cardboard placard
which read "Schenley, The Whiskey of Elegance".
He converted the word Elegance, suggested it to the other guys when he arrived, and the rest is history.
They knocked on the doors of their favorite record labels in Manhattan, giving live auditions, and were ecstatic when
Hull records the home of their idols "The Heartbeats" gave them a record deal.
The group was sub-let to ABC-Paramount and their first record "Little Star" was released on a subsidiary APT records.
The song sold 80,000 copies in New York with the first week, became #1 almost immediately not only in the U.S. but
internationally as well.
The Elegants became only the second "white" vocal group to register a #1 record. (Preceded 6 months earlier by
Danny and The Juniors "At The Hop").
Favorite Accomplishments
Receiving a Gold Record for selling over 1 million copies of "Little Star".
Awards for best R&B and Pop song of the year for 1958.
School closing and police motorcycle escort in Hawaii for having the biggest selling record in the history of the islands.
The Brooklyn Fox Big Beat Concert #4 with Alan Freed.
Touring with then-soon-to-be legends Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Bobby Darin, The Platters, The
Drifters, The Coasters and just about every other artist of the era.
Songs arranged by Don Costa, Teacho Wiltshire
Million-Airs Award for 1 million radio air plays.
"Little Star" was installed in The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on opening day.
After recording over 30 songs with various labels the original group disbanded when Artie and Frankie were drafted
into the U.S. Army, Jimmy got married, Carmen tired of the lifestyle, Vito received a permanent eye injury from an
accident. The Beatles of course didn't help the situation.
History (Current Group)
Nino Amato and Fred Redmond sang locally on Staten Island with a group called "The Majestics". They were
incorporated at various times to replace members of the original Elegants when someone took a hiatus.
In 1970 The Academy of Music in NYC was introducing a one night reunion of the Doo-Wop era.
The Elegants were among the line up and eventually Nino, Freddie along with Vito Picone who had been singing with
his rock band "Beau Geste & The Legions" in the mid-sixties assembled with a local guitar player named Bruce
(Sonny) Copp to become the nest generation of The Elegants.
For 35 years this combination accomplished unprecedented success.
They have performed:
8 times at Radio City Music Hall, NYC
The first Rock n' Roll show in Carnegie Hall
The first Doo-Wop group in Lincoln Center
Every hotel in the Catskills
All Atlantic City & Connecticut casinos and also in Las Vegas
Major league baseball parks and football & hockey arenas
The most prestigious performing arts centers.
Top 500 corporate functions.
Numerous fund raisers
Thousands of night clubs/theaters and parks
Major cruise liners
Television and Film appearances and soundtracks
In 2006, the guys lost their best friend and bass singer Freddie to Emphysema.
Vito, who first met Freddie during their high school days at New Dorp High School on Staten Island, knew it was
impossible to replace him.
The person that would not offend Freddie's many fans and be accepted by people in the Doo-Wop community would
be none other than the Elegants original bass singer Jimmy Moschello.
He had retired from his city job and had still been enjoying his love of singing with an acapella group. When
approached by Vito to "come home" he was elated. Just like riding a bike, Jimmy never missed a step.
The Elegants once again continue to please audiences with their selection of tunes, their charisma and their sense of
humor.
Known as one of the most entertaining acts of the Doo-Wop era, they accomplish this by simply having fun at what
they love.
Vito Picone , born and raised in South Beach, Staten Island spent four years at New Dorp H.S. Graduated from the
Germain School of Photography in NYC. He has owned Headline Talent Inc., a booking agency on Broadway in New
York City for almost 20 years. He has two sons and one daughter. He is still a resident of Staten Island.
Antonio " Nino" Amato grew up in the Mariners Harbor section of Staten Island. He graduated from Port Richmond H.S.
Nino has one brother and two sisters. Married with three sons and a daughter, he now resides in Westerleigh, Staten
Island.
Vincent "Jimmy" Moschello was born in New Brighton, Staten Island and has two brothers and a sister. Jimmy went to
McKee H.S. and married his childhood sweetheart. While working for the N.Y. Transit Authority he raised five
(count'em) sons and lives in Eltingville, Staten Island.
Bruce "Sonny" Copp played guitar with his father's band when he was just 13 years old. He grew up in the Berry
Projects in Dongan Hills, Staten Island and graduated from the first class at Monsignor Farrell High School He is now in
King of Prussia, PA with his wife and two sons.
History (Original Group)
Vito Picone and original member Carmen Romano met in the 1st grade at P.S. 39 in the South Beach Section of
Staten Island NY. Both had a young widowed mother and just one sibling and lived two blocks away from each other, it
was inevitable that the two would become friends immediately. As they approached the 4th grade, the NYC Board of
Education started a music program and oddly enough Vito and Carmen were chosen as two of the four trombone
players. The other two were Vinny Licastri who became Vito's best friend (who would later die of leukemia at age 16,
the night The Elegants recorded "Little Star") and Ronnie Jones.
Vito, Carmen and Ronnie would form their first singing group in 1955 with a pretty trumpet player in the band named
Patricia Crocitto (daughter of the owner of a popular night club Crocitto's).
They fashioned their sound after the red hot vocal group "The Teenagers" because Patricia had the high Frankie
Lymon sounding voice and Vito could do the bass like Sherman Barns. They called themselves "Pat Cordel and The
Crescents".
After winning a singing contest, where the 1st prize was a recording contract, they recorded two songs "Darling Come
Back" written by Vito and "My Tears" written by the whole group.
One of the first white rock and roll artists to have a recording contract, they toured with such acts as The Willows, The
Fi-Tones, The Solitaires, etc. in mostly "Black" venues.
After their manager/Record Label Owner was tragically killed in Little Italy, they disbanded.
Pat became one of the June Taylor dancers (Jackie Gleason Show), Ronnie became a commercial artist. Vito and
Carmen decided that they enjoyed the entertainment world and would like to continue.
So back to their old hangout, the F.D.R Boardwalk in South Beach where at any given summer night you could find a
hundred or so teenagers including Bobby Darin or Johnny Maestro who's families had summer bungalows nearby.
They met Artie Venosa (co-wrote "Little Star" with Vito) who sang with various local groups and found he was also
interested in pursuing a singing career. He contacted Jimmy Moschello who enjoyed singing and introduced him to Vito
and Carmen.
The last piece of the puzzle was Frank Tardogno who attended New Dorp High School with Vito.Their first rehearsal
was magic, but now they needed a name. On his way to one of their rehearsal Vito passed a local tavern owned by his
other close friend Ben Sarullo (Head Coach at Monsignor Farrel High School) In the window was a cardboard placard
which read "Schenley, The Whiskey of Elegance".
He converted the word Elegance, suggested it to the other guys when he arrived, and the rest is history.
They knocked on the doors of their favorite record labels in Manhattan, giving live auditions, and were ecstatic when
Hull records the home of their idols "The Heartbeats" gave them a record deal.
The group was sub-let to ABC-Paramount and their first record "Little Star" was released on a subsidiary APT records.
The song sold 80,000 copies in New York with the first week, became #1 almost immediately not only in the U.S. but
internationally as well.
The Elegants became only the second "white" vocal group to register a #1 record. (Preceded 6 months earlier by
Danny and The Juniors "At The Hop").
Favorite Accomplishments
Receiving a Gold Record for selling over 1 million copies of "Little Star".
Awards for best R&B and Pop song of the year for 1958.
School closing and police motorcycle escort in Hawaii for having the biggest selling record in the history of the islands.
The Brooklyn Fox Big Beat Concert #4 with Alan Freed.
Touring with then-soon-to-be legends Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Bobby Darin, The Platters, The
Drifters, The Coasters and just about every other artist of the era.
Songs arranged by Don Costa, Teacho Wiltshire
Million-Airs Award for 1 million radio air plays.
"Little Star" was installed in The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on opening day.
After recording over 30 songs with various labels the original group disbanded when Artie and Frankie were drafted
into the U.S. Army, Jimmy got married, Carmen tired of the lifestyle, Vito received a permanent eye injury from an
accident. The Beatles of course didn't help the situation.
History (Current Group)
Nino Amato and Fred Redmond sang locally on Staten Island with a group called "The Majestics". They were
incorporated at various times to replace members of the original Elegants when someone took a hiatus.
In 1970 The Academy of Music in NYC was introducing a one night reunion of the Doo-Wop era.
The Elegants were among the line up and eventually Nino, Freddie along with Vito Picone who had been singing with
his rock band "Beau Geste & The Legions" in the mid-sixties assembled with a local guitar player named Bruce
(Sonny) Copp to become the nest generation of The Elegants.
For 35 years this combination accomplished unprecedented success.
They have performed:
8 times at Radio City Music Hall, NYC
The first Rock n' Roll show in Carnegie Hall
The first Doo-Wop group in Lincoln Center
Every hotel in the Catskills
All Atlantic City & Connecticut casinos and also in Las Vegas
Major league baseball parks and football & hockey arenas
The most prestigious performing arts centers.
Top 500 corporate functions.
Numerous fund raisers
Thousands of night clubs/theaters and parks
Major cruise liners
Television and Film appearances and soundtracks
In 2006, the guys lost their best friend and bass singer Freddie to Emphysema.
Vito, who first met Freddie during their high school days at New Dorp High School on Staten Island, knew it was
impossible to replace him.
The person that would not offend Freddie's many fans and be accepted by people in the Doo-Wop community would
be none other than the Elegants original bass singer Jimmy Moschello.
He had retired from his city job and had still been enjoying his love of singing with an acapella group. When
approached by Vito to "come home" he was elated. Just like riding a bike, Jimmy never missed a step.
The Elegants once again continue to please audiences with their selection of tunes, their charisma and their sense of
humor.
Known as one of the most entertaining acts of the Doo-Wop era, they accomplish this by simply having fun at what
they love.
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