Vito Picone & the Elegants "Little Boy Blue", "Goodnight", "Little Star" - Live- 1988

Formed by teenagers in Staten Island, New York, the Elegants topped Billboard’s national Pop chart in the summer of 1958 with “Little Star”, which sold two million copies on its way to becoming a worldwide hit. The group began their career as Pat Cordel and the Crescents on Club Records in 1956 but the unit was short-lived. Members Vito Picone and Carman Romano (1936-2016) reorganized the quintet in 1957 with new members Artie Venosa, Jimmy Moschello and Frank Tardogno. Renamed the Elegants, they came to an agreement with Hull Records’ owner Bea Caslin, who liked the groups originals, “Little Star” and “Getting’ Dizzy” and arranged for them to be released on ABC-Paramount’s Apt subsidiary label. Despite stellar follow-ups -“Please Believe Me”, “Goodnight”, “Little Boy Blue” and “Tiny Cloud”, none made the charts and eventually the fellows went their separate ways. Lead singer Vito Picone began a solo career in 1963 and recorded with a new group for Laurie Records as Vito and the Elegants in 1965. This lineup included first tenor Antonio “Nino” Amato and bass Freddie Redmond, formerly of the Majestics. A reorganized Elegants appeared at New York’s Academy of Music in 1970 and 1971 consisting of originals Frankie Tardogno, Jimmy Moschello, new member Anthony Moscato, and Fred Redmond, from the Laurie group. In 1974, original lead singer Vito Picone returned to the concert stage with Laurie label members first tenor Nino Amato and baritone-bass Freddie Redmond, and new member Bruce “Sonny” Copp, who sang second tenor and played rhythm guitar. At the time of this visit to the United in Group Harmony Association in March of 1988, the lineup was still going strong. While inferior quality copies have surfaced, this nine minutes of footage from their extended set is taken from the original stereo master VHS tape and consists of their originals “Little Boy Blue”, “Goodnight”, and “Little Star”. UGHA President Ronnie Italiano serves as host and producer. Fred Redmond died in 2006 and was replaced by the group’s original bass, Jimmy Moschello. Who subsequently passed away in 2026. In 2026, original lead singer Vito Picone and the Elegants continue to perform in concert. From this 1988 lineup, Sonny Copp and Gary Catalano, who played bass guitar in their band from 1978 to 1990 are singing with the group today, along with Frank Jeckell from the 1910 Fruitgum Company.