The Mello-Kings

The Mello-Kings were an American doo-wop group, who became popular in the late 1950s with their song, "Tonite Tonite" (1957).The group consisted of brothers Jerry and Bob Scholl, Eddie Quinn, Neil Arena and Larry Esposito. The quintet was formed in 1956 at a high school in Mount Vernon, New York, United States, under the guidance of manager Dick Levister. Originally named the Mellotones, the group was signed to the Herald label. "Tonite Tonite" was written by Billy Myles, a staff composer for the label. The group was forced to change its name after the single's release, as another group had already claimed Mellotones. The record lasted only ten weeks in the US pop charts, peaking a No. 77, and the group was never able to repeat this modest success.The group appeared in revival shows in the late 1960s and early 1970s. On August 27, 1975, lead singer Bob Scholl was killed in a boating accident. The group began performing entirely at private corporate events throughout the years led by Jerry Scholl. Richard Levister was locally popular in his own right as a musician who played the Hammond B-3 organ and headed up a jazz-R&B trio that featured his brother, Millard Levister, on drums and either Jimmy Hill on alto or Mat Lewis on tenor. They played music clubs around Westchester County such as the Empire Room and The Blue Rose in New Rochelle. When Levister retired from the jazz/R&B scene, he continued working as a church organist in Mt. Vernon, New York, until his death at the age of 87 on December 7, 2014. Jerry Scholl, one of the founding members, kept the Mello-Kings legacy moving forward with his partner and former Mello-King, Mick Mansueto. Jerry Scholl died on April 30, 2019.