In 1961, Fortune Records out of Detroit released a killer LP featuring 12 Nolan Strong and the Diablos hits, and it’s a fantastic record, start to finish.
The back of the album calls the group a “favorite of the teenagers,” which is endearing. It’s also evidence that teens in the 50s were pretty hip, perhaps especially in Detroit, where the entire band was born and raised.
Nolan’s upbeat songs are fun in a sweet way. Playful party jams. But his slow jams exist to shred your heart to pieces.
Nolan Strong is one of the greats of doo-wop, and you really can’t go wrong picking up any album with his name on it. Take it from the teens. They know what’s cool.
