JAY AND THE AMERICANS: The classic rock group is among the performers in the ’60s Rock ‘N Roll Revival at State Theatre New Jersey on Saturday, April 18.
State Theatre New Jersey (STNJ) presents ’60s Rock ‘N Roll Revival on Saturday, April 18 at 7 p.m. Featured are Jay and the Americans, The Grass Roots, The Lovin’ Spoonful, and The Brooklyn Bridge. Tickets start at $70.
Jay and the Americans started with four teenagers singing in Sandy Yaguda’s Brooklyn basement, and they are still strong today. In 1960, they were signed by the producer/songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller to United Artists. From 1962-1971, the group charted 12 top 10 records. In 1962, “She Cried” went to No. 5 on the charts. Jay Traynor, the first “Jay,” was the lead singer. He was replaced by Jay No. 2, Jay Black, who was lead singer on the rest of their hits. In 1963, “Only in America” was a hit for the group. In 1964, “Come a Little Bit Closer” went to No. 3, “Let’s Lock the Door (and Throw Away the Key)” was top 20, and Jay and the Americans were on the bill on The Beatles first American tour and played at Carnegie Hall on the Rolling Stones tour.
The Grass Roots had many hit singles in the late ’60s and early ’70s, achieving three top 10 singles, six top 20 singles, 14 top 40 singles, two gold albums, and sold more than 20 million records worldwide. In the mid-60s, Lou Adler’s Dunhill Records and the songwriting/producer duo of P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri signed San Francisco-based band “The 13th Floor,” who became the Grass Roots. In 2015, they were inducted into the American Pop Music Hall of Fame. In 2011, leading member Rob Grill passed away, but band members who have been with Grass Roots for 30 years and lead singer Mark Dawson continue to perform.
Making their STNJ debut is The Lovin’ Spoonful. In 1964, Mama Cass Elliott (The Mamas and The Papas) invited several musician friends to her Greenwich Village apartment to watch The Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. That’s where John Sebastian met Canadian guitar player Zal Yanovsky, and, shortly thereafter, they formed The Lovin’ Spoonful. After signing with Kama Sutra records and releasing their first hit in 1965, “Do You Believe in Magic,” the Spoonful had seven consecutive top 10 hits, including No. 1 “Summer in the City,” and two No. 2 hits, “What a Day for a Daydream” and “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind.” Other hits were “You Didn’t Have to Be so Nice,” “Rain on the Roof,” and “Nashville Cats.” Only The Beatles and the Rolling Stones sold more records in 1966 than The Lovin’ Spoonful.
The opening band for the show is The Brooklyn Bridge. The Bridge was formed by combining the Crests’ lead singer, Johnny Maestro, with the Del-Satins (Dion’s backup singers) and the horn players from the Rhythm Method. Maestro had several hits in the late 1950s with the Crests, including “16 Candles,” “The Angels Listened In,” and “Step by Step.” They signed with Buddah Records in 1968 and, in 1969, enjoyed their biggest hit, “The Worst That Could Happen” (peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard charts), a song written by Jimmy Webb. Other Brooklyn Bridge hits include “Welcome Me Love,” “Blessed is the Rain,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” and “Your Husband, My Wife.”
State Theatre New Jersey is at 15 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. Visit STNJ.org.