Original singer for the Skyliners
WALTER ‘WALLY’ PAUL LESTER | Oct. 5, 1941 - April 21, 2015
Even before local music producer Joe Rock discovered Jimmy Beaumont, he found a 13-year-old tenor in Allentown named Wally Lester singing in a group called the Crescents.
The Crescents would add Mr. Beaumont on their way to becoming one of Pittsburgh’s most successful and popular groups, the Skyliners.
Mr. Lester, a Skyliner in their hit-making days and then again in the ’70s, died Tuesday of pancreatic cancer at age 73 in Southport, N.C.
Mr. Lester was just 17 when he traveled to New York with Mr. Rock and group members Beaumont, Janet Vogel, Joe VerScharen and Jackie Taylor to record the future classic “Since I Don’t Have You” at Capitol Studios in New York.
Released the day after Christmas 1958, the song went to No. 12 on the Billboard pop chart and No. 3 on the R&B chart in March 1959.
In Cashbox, the Skyliners became the first white group to top the R&B charts. It led to the group’s appearing on “American Bandstand” and on the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour.
“The Skyliners had five vocalists — Jimmy and the four-part harmony. Wally was in the harmony just below Janet. He could hit the high notes,” said oldies promoter Henry DeLuca.
The Skyliners returned to the charts a year later with “This I Swear” and “Pennies From Heaven.”
The Skyliners split in 1963, a result of the vocal group style starting to fade.
Mr. Lester transitioned into the business world, becoming Eastern sales manager for Clairol and eventually a vice president at the company.
“It was hard to stay enthusiastic about the [music] business,” he told the PG during a visit here in 2009. “I was on the road for four years and really didn’t like it. Riding the bus and all.
“Plus, I had to get my high school degree. As Chuck Noll would say, it was time to get on with my life’s work. I didn’t want to be a background singer in an oldies group doing oldies shows. Jimmy and Janet were the real talent.”
Nonetheless, when the Skyliners reunited for an oldies revival concert in 1970 at Madison Square Garden, Mr. Lester was back on board and sang with the group until 1975 while still working for Clairol.
He returned to Pittsburgh to perform at the Roots of Rock and Roll for the group’s 25th, 40th and 50th anniversaries, going onstage for the big hit.
“He was thrilled to come in for the reunions,” Mr. DeLuca said. “Always a gentleman, first class all the way.”
Mr. Lester is survived by his wife, Cecelia, and sons Douglas, David, Darren of Northern Virginia and Daniel of Southern Shores, N.C.; and eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.
The funeral Mass is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Southport.