EAST COAST MUSIC HALL OF FAME
NOMINEE-NEW JERSEY
BON-AIRES
category-Legend vocal group / acapella
Bonaires 1965 to 1979
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Dennis Diamond |
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The Bon-Aires first CD has been SOLD OUT!
Thanks!!
Please go to:
Street Corner Harmony dot Com
for info on our 2nd release in 2012
Click HERE for some of the Bon-Aire songs..
IN MEMORY OF STEVE DUBOFF 1941-2004
Obituary for Mr. Thomas Edward Ruggeri
Thomas Edward Ruggeri, 77, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2021.Tom was born in Guttenberg, New Jersey in 1943. As a teenager he was in a doo-wop band called the Princetones who famously wrote the hit single, Guardian Angel. He moved to Dallas as a young man & established himself in the restaurant business working at the incomparable restaurant Mario's owned by his cousin and then opened his own restaurant, Ruggeri’s Italian Restaurant soon thereafter.
For more than 40 years, Ruggeri’s was a mainstay for countless loyal customers, all of whom he considered friends. Tom was the face of Ruggeri's, greeting customers by name and taking pride in creating a memorable dining experience filled with delicious fine Italian dining and entertainment. Tom was a charismatic talented singer who loved to sing to his guests. He particularly loved to sing Elvis and Sinatra tunes and did so every Wednesday night at his restaurant. Tom lived life to the fullest and he did it his way; classic old school.
Tom touched the lives of so many and will be truly missed. He was preceded in death by his parents Peter and Charlotte and former spouse Elaine. He is survived by his brother, Bob and wife Bari, sister Marilyn and husband Billy, former spouse and mother of his twin daughters Belinda, longtime girlfriend Mindy Branscum, daughter Melissa and son-in-law John, daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Mark, daughter Angela, daughter Miranda and son-in-law Bob, mother-in-law Joan, niece Olivia, and seven grandchildren he proudly adored: Jacob, Marcus, Caitlyn, Luke, Cash, Nicholas, & Jack.
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****click for the DOO-WOP Jukebox***** |
Columbia, Rust/Laurie, Catamount and Flamingo recording Artists - (1960-1985)
to hear or songs click here
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click on picture for full view'
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Dennis Diamond, Scotty McLearie, Mike Paladino and George Lavatelli "My Love, My Love", "Jeanne Baby", "Bye, Bye", "The Shrine of St. Celia", "Blue Beat", "Driving Alone", "Angel of Love". All songs on the Rust Record label, produced by Neil Levinson ("Denise") and Steve Duboff. This photo was taken in Nov. 22, 1963 (remember that date?), the show had to go on. The Fountain Lounge, was a popular Nite Club in Northern New Jersey, close to Manhattan, New York City. Scotty and George were members of the 'Shades', out of Englewood, N.J., before joining the "Bon-Aires". Since I mentioned Englewood, hello to the 'Avons', our friends from long ago. The "Bon-Aires", were originally called "the Difference". The "Difference" auditioned for Bob Hilliard, a prolific song writer, Broadway and Pop, from Leonia, NJ. He wrote all the Ruby and the Romantics songs. He wanted to give us, "Young Wings Can Fly". We sang over the phone, at his house, to his partner in NY. His partner said we were unknowns and gave the song to Ruby. Bob paid for our 1st demo album and introduced us to Neil Levinson and Steve Duboff. The Name Bon-Aire was given to the group by Steve Venet, an A&R man at Columbia Records. He also arrainged "My Love, My Love". They had picked "My Love, My Love" for us, which was the flip side of "Have You Heard", by Joni James. The Duprees took "Have You Heard" and we got "My Love, My Love". The Duprees' recording came out 3 months before the Bon-Aires. The Bon-Aires recieved bullets in Cash Box and Billboard Magazines. "My Love, My Love" was Pick Hit of the Week on WINS-AM NY. Then came the Beatles!!!!! |
to hear our songs, click here
click on picture for full view
the "Bon-Aires"
Performing at the Palisades Amusement Park, Cliffside Park, N.J. 1965
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Today, Dennis is a Phycologist, living in South Jersey. Scotty left the group in 1965 to work in Dearborn, Mich. at Ford Motor Co., he retired in 1996. I retired from the Palisades Park Police Dept. in Bergen County, N.J., in 1994, now living in South Texas and George, owns the Relic Record Shop in Hackensack, N.J. and lives in Northen New Jersey. |
to hear our songs, click here
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Performing at the New York Academy of Music, New York City, 1973 Mike Paladino, Dennis Ostrom, Richie Burns, Kenny Fleming and George Lavatelli Today, Dennis Ostrom is working with Vito, of Vito and the Salutations, at Vito's tape reproducing company, Dennis, for all you collectors out there, was the Blue Sky Boys, on Blue Sky Records, he did all the harmony parts, tremendous stuff!! Richie Burns is living in South Jersey and Kenny Fleming is living in Palisades Park, N.J. "My Hearts Desire", "The New Me", produced by Stan Krause and Skip Jackson of (the Shantons, "The Christmas Song", in my opinion, the the best version of that song, ever recorded. Skip was a GREAT talent, he died in the middle 1970's and will always be missed.) "What Did She Use", "At Nite", The Angels Sang", " Blue Velvet", produced by George Lavatelli. |
Members
to hear the 'Princetones', click here
Thomas Edward Ruggeri, 77, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2021.Tom was born in Guttenberg, New Jersey in 1943. As a teenager he was in a doo-wop band called the Princetones who famously wrote the hit single, Guardian Angel. He moved to Dallas as a young man & established himself in the restaurant business working at the incomparable restaurant Mario's owned by his cousin and then opened his own restaurant, Ruggeri’s Italian Restaurant soon thereafter.
For more than 40 years, Ruggeri’s was a mainstay for countless loyal customers, all of whom he considered friends. Tom was the face of Ruggeri's, greeting customers by name and taking pride in creating a memorable dining experience filled with delicious fine Italian dining and entertainment. Tom was a charismatic talented singer who loved to sing to his guests. He particularly loved to sing Elvis and Sinatra tunes and did so every Wednesday night at his restaurant. Tom lived life to the fullest and he did it his way; classic old school.
Tom touched the lives of so many and will be truly missed. He was preceded in death by his parents Peter and Charlotte and former spouse Elaine. He is survived by his brother, Bob and wife Bari, sister Marilyn and husband Billy, former spouse and mother of his twin daughters Belinda, longtime girlfriend Mindy Branscum, daughter Melissa and son-in-law John, daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Mark, daughter Angela, daughter Miranda and son-in-law Bob, mother-in-law Joan, niece Olivia, and seven grandchildren he proudly adored: Jacob, Marcus, Caitlyn, Luke, Cash, Nicholas, & Jack.
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PETER S. PRINCE, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 9th, 2021 at the age of 78. Born in Hoboken, NJ, he was a resident of Medford, NJ for the past 34 years and was the son of the late Thomas & Rose Prince. A former self-employed Salesman, Peter was the President of the Residence Council for Medford Care Center and a veteran of the US Army. He is the Beloved Husband of Lois P. (nee Filippini) Prince of Medford, NJ and the Loving Father of Alden Prince and his wife Fran of Port St. Lucy, FL and Step-Father of Jennifer Rubino of Medford, NJ. He is also survived by his Grandson Dominic Prince and 1 sister. Relatives and friends are invited to greet his family on Friday, November 12th from 12:00 – 1:00 PM at the BRADLEY & STOW FUNERAL HOME, 127 Medford-Mt. Holly Road, Medford, NJ, where a Service will be held on Friday at 1:00 PM. (www.BradleyStow.com)
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the "Princetones" (1957-1961)
(l-r) Larry Williams, Peter Prince, Tom Ruggeri and Mike Paladino
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On March 15, 2002 Tom and Mike re-united after 40 years in Dallas, Texas at Tom Ruggeri's Ristorante. ( 1 of 4 Tom owns in Dallas. (GREAT FOOD) On March 13, 2002 Mike received an email from Larry Williams, now in Orlando, Fla. A reunion is planned for May-June, 2002 |
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Larry Williams, Pete Prince, Tommy Ruggeri, Mike Paladino. Pete and Tommy from West New York, N.J, Larry and Mike from Palisades Park, N.J. The Princetones, formed in West New York, N.J., at St Josephs High School, in 1957, along with Richie Moore, also of WNY. The groups age was 14. "Guardian Angel", was written in the spring of 1958 by Pete and myself, on Henry Ave. and Broad Ave., Palisades Park, N.J., outside of Leone's Pizzeria. It was first performed by the group at a St. Cecilia's High School Show, in Englewood, N.J. At the show were the Teenagers, without Frankie Lymon, "Crying". "Guardian Angel" was recorded by 5 other groups but the Princetones never received recognition for the song. The original 78rpm, recorded on acetate, at Allegro Sound Studios, NYC, in the late spring, 1958, was played for the first time in 1994 on KONO-FM, San Antoinio, Texas. "Guardian Angel", "Dreaming"b/s, "I Was The One", "Lovely"b/s Also in High School we had a group by the name "The No-Tones", 5 guys in the same class. Those members where Pete Prince, Joe Lupo, Mike Paladino and Ray Buktenica and Richie Moore. Today, Joe is a Hair Stylist, in Palisades Park, N.J. and Ray, well Ray made it to Hollywood and became an Actor, appearing in many films and TV shows. Ray was voted class clown in High School. Ray is still acting and writing screen plays. Maybe someday Ray will write a play about the good old days and include the songs of the "Princetones". It would be nice to make some money from our work!!!!! How about it, Ray? Richie lives in Illinois and has a Medical Group. |
Click on label for Original song.
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The picture above is the original demo label of "Guardian Angel". Recorded on 78rpm acetate, April 16th. 1958. The title that is crossed out, was put on the label by the engineer, he named it "BADA BADA", that was the way the song started. "Bada,bada,boom deaa,deaa". The correct name of the song was written in by me.
®All Graphics of the "Bon-Aires" ,"Princetones" and labels shown are the sole property of Michael J Paladino and are not to be used without permission of the owner.®1996
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I would like to personally thank Matt and Bev Lewandowski for presenting the original "Bon-Aires" site, with their award. If you want to see a complete 'Oldies' site drop in on REMEMBER WHEN. You'll be glad you did.............................. |
click on picture for full view
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This picture was taken in 1996, Scotty and Mike, this was the first time we have seen each other since 1965 (31yrs). Scotty visited South Texas and stayed with us for a week. We had good times in the 60's and the 90's. |
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Dennis Bruce Diamond, 69, died suddenly on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 at AtlanticCare Medical Center, Atlantic City, NJ. Dennis was a loving and deeply devoted grandfather to Luke Roman of Ocean, NJ and Craig, Leah and Ian Wolsten of East Brunswick, NJ. Dennis was a dedicated and devoted father to Hally Roman of Ocean, NJ and Stacey Wolsten of New Smyrna Beach, FL and his sons-in-law, Richard Roman and Dave Zagury. He was a loving brother to Carol and Tony Battaglia of Smithville, NJ. He also leaves behind Judy Diamond of Manchester, NJ, his loving friend and lifetime companion. Dennis was also a loving uncle to Jennifer, Ryan and Joe Coviello of Galloway, NJ and Todd Battaglia of Ohio. Dennis also leaves behind numerous other loving nieces and nephews.
