The original members of the Excellents were
classmates at Christopher Columbus High School in the Pelham Parkway
section of the Bronx. John Kuse, along with his younger brother George,
Phil Sanchez, Joel Feldman, Denis Kestenbaum and Chuck Epstein (who
actually went to DeWitt Clinton High School) met up in 1960 and started
singing together. In January 1962 the group returned to the studio
planning on recording a version of the Cleftones' You Baby You. The
group had a nice arrangement of the song with standard bass part by
Chuck Epstein along with an usual baritone/bass that floated around on
the number. However, Catalano and Alonzo also gave the group a song they
had written entitled Coney Island Baby. Coney was to actually be the B
side to You Baby You.
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