Rosebuds

(L-R) Mary Salta, Rosemarie DeSantis, Dorothy Pasqualini and Viginia Petasso
Photo courtesy Steve Blitental

Members:
     (1957-1958)                                       (1959)
          Dorothy Pasqualini (Lead)                  Rosemarie De Santis
          Rosemarie DeSantis                            Mary Salta
          Virginia Petasso                                  Virgina Petasso
          Mary Salta

The Rosebuds, four singers from Brooklyn got such a chance in 1957 when they were part of a superb roster of talent, scoring a run in the process. The Rosebuds were from the Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst area of Brooklyn and attended New Utrecht High School. The quartet enjoyed singing for fun, never thinking that they would actually record anything.

Through a parent's contact, the girls landed a deal with Gee Records, known for its Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll acts. Their passing fancy for singing did not go unheralded. The girls recorded two sides for Gee. The A-side was “Dearest Darling”, a warm ballad with Dorothy deftly handling the lead role. The song merited local airplay around New York City.

March, 1957 At Alan Freed Easter Show
(L-R)  Mary Salta,  Rosemarie De Santis, Dorothy Paqualini, Virginia Petasso

Since most acts singing for the label in 1957 were black, this foursome of Italian- American girls stood out on the roster when they made a personal appearance at Alan Freed's Easter Jubilee at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre in March of 1957. Other Gee-Rama acts on the program were Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers, Little Billy Mason, The Harptones and The Cleftones.

After the initial single, Dorothy left to pursue a solo career. The remaining trio, with Mary Salta on lead, recorded one more vivacious single in 1959 entitled, “ Joey”, flipped with “Kiss Me Goodnight” for the Goldner-distributed Lancer Records. After this, the group disbanded.