The Larados

Forming at Edsel High in Dearborn, MI, the Larados use the school's staircases, hallways, and restrooms to provide the echo for their harmonies. Initially, active for five years from 1955 to 1960, they could only muster one release, "Now the Parting Beguin," a classic doo wop, b/w "Bad Bad Guitar Man" on Fox Records in 1957. Tommy Hust, Rick Benko, Bob Broderick, Gary Banovetz, Don Davenport, Bernie Turnbull, and Ron Morris were members at various times. After 1960, the group went into a 20-year hiatus to pursue education, jobs, and raise families. They regrouped older and wiser in 1977; in 1978 they merged with The Reflections (2) ("Just Like Romeo and Juliet") and The Seminoles to spread doo wop all over the Midwest. The new group consists of Bernie Turnbull and Gary Banovetz (Larados), Tony Micale and John Dean (Reflections), and Joey Finazzo (Seminoles). The reformed Larados droped a second single, "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" b/w "You Didn't Care," on Madog Records in 1980; it didn't sell many copies but they felt good to be recording again. Madog issued a two-record vinyl album, Gone But Not Forgotten, in 1980, credited to the Larados. Accompanied live by the Deuce Coupe Band, the Larados forte are lively shows spiced by concert quality sound and lights. Turnbull (lead) has a gospel background and wrote and sang lead on "Bad Bad Guitar Man"; Tony Micale (lead) began singing at 13, first with the Parisians, the Captives, then as lead singer for the Reflections; Gary Banovetz (baritone) is to the Larados what Otis Williams is to the Temptations -- he's the man! Banovetz was instrumental in the groups' 1977 revival; Joey Finazzo (first Tenor) sang lead with the Seminoles who recorded a few records on as many labels; John Dean (bass) sang with the Del Prados before joining the Reflections in 1961.