THE CAPRIS THERES A MOON OUT TONIGHT (1960)

Not to be confused with the Philadelphia group of the same name, the New York City Capris were a white doo wop group. Although strongly associated with the 1950s rock roll sound, the two records they are best known for, There s a Moon out Tonight and Morse Code of Love, didn t become hits until the 50s were over. The group originally formed in 1957 in the borough of Queens, NY, when all were teenagers. The original lead was Nick Santa Maria (aka Santo), Mike Mincelli (first tenor), Steve Reina (second tenor), Vinnie Narcardo (baritone), and John Apostol (bass). In selecting their name, the guys were apparently unfamiliar with the Philadelphia group that had preceded them by a few years. Previous interviews with different members of the group make it unclear whether the group was named for the Isle of Capri, or the car of the same name. Perhaps it was a combination of the two. By 1958, the group had been gaining experience performing at local venues, and had even started adding some of their own origi