Cleveland, 1962-7
Richie and the Fortunes were another early Cleveland rock -n-roll band lead by Richie Greene aka Richard Greenbaum aka Dick Whittington. Tony Bodanza (guitar) and Buddy Maver (drums) were also members. The Fortunes played the top clubs in Cleveland and provided the backing for Bocky on many of his recordings and live appearances. Bodanza, using the pen name Tony Styles, wrote several of Bocky's songs. The Fortunes were also the backing band on Barry Lee's first recording.
The band, renamed Dick Whittington's Cats (the name taken from a children's story), recorded a version of "Midnight Hour" on Round records that was a huge local hit. The record was picked up for national release by Bell records.
Dick Whittington apparently left to work on some 'solo' recordings (on Philips and Paramount) while some of the Fortunes became the nucleus for Charade and later Rainbow Canyon.