Before joining the Ravens, Joe Van Loan sang with a variety of groups. Upon his discharge from the service (1946), he formed a group called the Canaanites (Elijah Harvey, second tenor; James Miller, baritone; and Allen Scott, bass). They recorded both gospel (released) and secular (unreleased) sides for Gotham between 1946 and 1948. Late in 1948, they changed their name to the Bachelors, recording secular music:

MERCURY
8159 Hereafter/Yesterday's Roses (the Bachelors) — 12/49

CARVER
1402 Trust In Me/Until I Fell For You — 3/54
      (recorded in 1949, the Carver sides were released as by the "Joe Van Loan Quartet")

Joe then joined a group called the Songmasters (personnel unknown), who recorded several sides independently, but couldn't get them released.

In 1950, he seems to have turned up on “Joog, Joog” by Duke Ellington. Most of the vocals are done by Lu Elliott, with an unidentified group in the background. However, on the second bridge, the vocal is taken by someone who sounds a lot like Van Loan:

COLUMBIA (possibly on this)
30195 Joog, Joog/[The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise – Al Hibbler, with Duke Ellington] - 50

In 1952, while a member of the Ravens, Joe joined Warren Suttles' Dreamers for a single session backing Wini Brown (as "Her Boyfriends"; see the sidebar on "Warren Suttles and the Dreamers"). Joe later backed her again with an unknown group of Boyfriends":

MERCURY
5870 Here In My Heart/Your Happiness Is Mine — 5/52

   UNRELEASED MERCURY:
      It's Always You
      I Don't Know Any Better

At the same session (according to the master numbers), this unknown Joe Van Loan group backed up Bubber Johnson. The label credited the group as "The Dreamers" (although Warren Suttles says it wasn't his group). The sides were:

MERCURY
8285 Forget If You Can/I've Got An Invitation To A Dance — 6/52

  UNRELEASED MERCURY:
      A Million Times Ago
      You're Driving Me Crazy

Although Joe claimed to have done some work behind drummer Chris Powell's 5 Blue Flames (as “Johnny Echo”), an interview with Vance Wilson (Powell's sax player at the time, who "sings" lead with his sax) yielded the information that, on all the records, “Johnny Echo” was actually a similar-sounding singer named Johnny Leak.

In June, Joe recorded with Suttles’ Dreamers again; he was, of course, still with the Ravens (see the sidebar on "Warren Suttles and the Dreamers").

A pattern is emerging here: Joe Van Loan would remain with the Ravens at least until 1958. However, he never let that stop him from appearing and recording with other groups. He just loved to sing.