I love the girl group sound of the '60s. And the whole situation behind Reparata and the Delrons is the stuff of a TV mini-series or Off-Broadway musical. 

Initially I was introduced to their sound from getting their album which features "Whenever a Teenager Cries".  Not a huge hit coming in only at number 60 on the pop charts, but an interesting album nonetheless because of lead singer Mary Aiese's compelling voice.   

Also, I think that the album cover is intentionally hilarious because of the oversized blonde and badly fitting wig on the girl in the middle.  But as a girl group aficionado, I needed to have that record in my collection as soon as I saw it.  There are some good cover songs, and I really like "In My Diary" and "He's the Greatest" a great up-tempo 60’s girl group sound:  

Years later when I was trading and buying "rare" videos of musical performers, before everything was available at your fingertips on YouTube, and came across their performance of "Captain of Your Ship" and I was blown away.  Here is Mary and two different girls singing this fun up-tempo song with a psychedelic trippy camera situation on a foreign TV show. I loved it then and I love it now!  It only reached number #127 in the United States, but it was a bigger hit in Europe charting at in the UK at #13. 

Then there's the song "Shoes" which is like a Greek wedding dance song. It is totally different from either of their two earlier "hit" songs, but so much fun!  But this is where it gets interesting because "Shoes" was released as a single by Mary Aiese. However, there were some legal problems about the release of the song and rights about the group's name that was brewing behind the scenes. 

Turns out that Lorraine Mazzola, who was a member of the group during the “Captain of Your Ship” period, really wanted to keep running with the group after Mary decided she was going to retire and raise a family.  So, there's a tussle over who has the rights to use the name for performances. Lorraine loses in court, but legally changes her name to Reparata. SHADE! 

There's much confusion among fans, general audience members, companies who are re-releasing records with Mary on lead vocals and even publicity materials that misidentify Lorraine and Reparata.  This all serves to benefit Lorraine, now known as a Reparata, who is featured on the cover of their "Rock and Roll Revolution" album and was responsible for all the vocal arrangements, although the real Reparata is featured on some songs. It’s a mystery why Lorraine would want to oversee the vocal arrangements (and why the label would want to release) an album of 50’s and 60’s girl groups cover songs in 1970, before they even became nostalgic?  Maybe contract fulfillment.  I dunno. The best part of the “Rock and Roll Revolution” album is the cover itself. 

Intermission: let me lighten the mood.  Here’s a cut of Reparata and the Delrons where the intro, title and tempo exemplify EXACTLY what girl groups were made for! 

Back to the drama … Barry Manilow is a part of the picture, because Lorraine (AKA Reparata) is singing in Barry's background group, Lady Flash.  Barry Manilow produces the Lady Flash album, "Beauties in the Night".  I love this inset picture of Barry and Lorraine in the back of a limousine where Barry is kind of glaring at the camera and Lorraine looks snazzy – I’m guessing that’s “Beauties in the Night” period.  The LP and 45s have fun disco-era covers, and Lady Flash had a #27 hit on the Hot 100 with "Street Singin'" and then poof...where'd they go???  Gone in a Flash. YouTube has a video where they talk but don’t perform??? Hmmm.  Why is that? 

Welllllll....Lorraine/Reparata co-wrote a book with a gangster named Sunny Gibson that was entitled "Mafia Kingpin" in 1981.  The credits below her picture state that she is an "Emmy nominee and that she is the first woman to co-author a book and screenplay and star in the film version as well".  Ummmm.  Check her IMDb page - she and Sonny were low-billed in a movie called "Dark Before Dawn" ...SEVEN years later in 1988.  And you would think the Emmy nom would be on her IMDb page because being nominated for an Emmy is a pretty big deal, but it's not in her credits.  According to Wikipedia she was nominated as a writer producer for an informational series for a TV station in New York??  We have questions.

I was able to find an inexpensive copy of "Mafia Kingpin" autographed by "Reparata" (Lorraine) and Sonny Gibson. This book is excellent. As a doorstop or paperweight. MEOW

Perhaps her bio from the 1981 book was just hopeful thinking with a bit of hyperbole? I don't know who is fact-checking that Wikipedia page. But it also says that she pleaded guilty to being involved in a fraudulent investment scheme. So, there's that.  Honestly though, doesn't the story of all this drama and identity crisis with smoke and mirrors merit some sort of entertainment or theatrical release??? I think so! 

One of my absolute best friends, Kenny M. is close to somebody in Barry's inner circle, so I was able to see Barry in concert and meet him afterwards.  That is when he signed the picture that you see here signed in silver pen.  While we were chatting, I mentioned the whole Lorraine/Reparata situation when I commended him on producing the Lady Flash album. He went from friendly backstage patter to a direct look in my eye as he handed me back my pen as he said, "You really know your stuff" and then he turned to greet another person. Dismissed. Ha! 

But I just want to be clear that I absolutely love a lot of Barry Manilow's music. "New York City Rhythm" was one of the first 45 records that I bought, and I have seen him in concert a few times - most recently in Vegas in 2024 and he was still remarkably spry, nimble and a truly present and generous entertainer. 

BARRY & LADY FLASH UPDATE: July 18th, 2025 and bestie Kenny M. got us in (great seats!) to see Barry at the Oakland Coliseum. His show was EVEN better than when I last saw him and his energy was terrific. There was only a handful of us that were allowed to meet Barry and we were given one instruction: "Gush!". I didn't need to be told that, because i was ALL ready to gush. I told Barry that his eyes were still as blue as on the LP I asked him to sign (which they were) - and he liked looking at the picture - commenting that it WAS a good one. Then I snuck in a photo of him onstage with Lady Flash. (I did NOT mention Lorraine/Reparata). Barry held the photo and started talking about the girls in the shot and that particular show where it was taken. He handed it back to me. Unsigned. We all took a selfie together and then I handed the photo back to Barry and he graciously acquiesced with a quick signature. I mentioned to him that I was sorry about the loss of Suzanne (Somers) since I knew they were close. He shared something personal about their relationship and I was very touched that he confided in us. So yeah, I'm a Fanilow. I was delighted to find that Barry Official had put together this glorious, campy and film-clip filled video for my absolute favorite song of his, "I'm Your Man"

I really wanted to add the real Reparata to my autograph collection, but by the time I found Mary Aiese/O'Leary's address, I was too late. She had died just less than a few months prior. This "Reparata and the Del-Rons" autograph that you see here, purchased on eBay, was probably signed by some random Joe or greedy seller - because I don't think any version or release of the group had a dash in the name Delrons.  But the murky water around their name gives me pause for thought that maybe one of the members DID sign that way.  

Reparata and the Delrons have a very intriguing and interesting history, but most notably they have left behind a great catalog of the girl group sound. I strongly recommend purchasing anything that you can find by them on vinyl or CD. And the booklet that comes with "The Best of Reparata and the Delrons" serves as a great photo archive and thorough biography of the group to compliment the 30 tracks on the always reliable Ace label.  Thank you to Mick Patrick who always does such a fantastic job of digging up details and rare photos of Northern Soul artists and girl groups. 

Regarding Lorraine... I can't help but admire her chutzpah and unabashed ambition. And TBH when it came to visual appeal, she absolutely had pizzazz.  Okay boomer.  I mean rizz. 

Mary Aiese's favorite Reparata and the Delrons song, written by Jeff Barry was “I’m Nobody’s Baby Now”. She said "... it would have been great for The Ronettes or The Shangri-las, but we got it. I knew it was something special straightaway. Of all our recordings this is the one I'm most proud of." 

For you Wall of Sound/Ronettes buffs, you’ll hear a soundalike bit of “Is This What I Get for Loving You” … Reparata and the Delrons “magnum opus” 

The real Reparata was one-of-a-kind.