The Val-Aires

Members: Bill Burkette (Lead Baritone) Don Miller (Baritone) Hugh Geyer (First Tenor) Chuck Blasko (Second Tenor) Neil Foster The story began in 1958 at Turtle Creek High School. There were at least four different vocal harmony groups in school, whose members would sing at assemblies or on the street corner. Two groups joined forces - three fellows came from one group, two fellows from the other group. From one group came Burkette, first tenor Hugh Geyer and bass vocal Don Miller. The other group consisted of second tenor Chuck Blasko and another vocalist, Neil Foster.After rehearsing and getting their vocal harmonies to meld properly, they named themselves the Val-Aires and impressed a local producer, Elmer Willett, who later became their manager. Willett produced the Val-Aires' first release, "Which One Will It Be / Laurie My Love" (Willett 114), and it sold enough copies in Allegheny County that in Coral Records picked it up for national distribution (Coral 62177). 'Which One Will It Be' was just a regional hit, but The Val-Aires then picked up a supporter when the top rock and roll DJ in Pittsburgh, Porky Chedwick, added the group to the rock and roll shows and record hops that his station promoted. After high school, a couple of the guys got drafted and went into the service, then came out of the service and we got back together again. they did shows with the Drifters, the Platters, the Dells, groups like that when they came into town. Before the Val-Aires could have another hit, Hugh Geyer and Don Miller joined the Army, while the other band members went to college or found jobs in the factories surrounding Turtle Creek. A few years later, the five friends decided to record again. Bill Burkette, Don Miller, Hugh Geyer and Chuck Blasko became the Vogues.