Jay and the Americans Biography

Jay and the Americans were a pop music group popular in the 1960s. Their initial lineup consisted of John "Jay" Traynor, Howard Kane (né Kirschenbaum), Kenny Vance (né Rosenberg) and Sandy Deanne (né Yaguda).

Biography

Early years

They were discovered while performing in student venues at New York University in the late 1950s


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. They auditioned for Leiber and Stoller, who gave the group its name. In the manner of the time, Leiber and Stoller wanted to extend this to "Binky Jones and the Americans", but Traynor declined to be known as Binky Jones his whole career. He instead offered up "Jay", a family nickname, and it suited everyone.

Career pinnacle

With Jay Traynor singing lead, they first hit the Billboard charts in 1962 with the tune "She Cried", which reached #5 (later covered by The Shangri-Las, Aerosmith, and others). The next two singles didn't fare nearly as well, and Traynor left the group. David Black (né Blatt) of The Empires took his place (after first agreeing to adopt the name Jay Black), and Empires' guitarist Marty Sanders (né Kupersmith) also joined. Black sang lead for the rest of the group's major hits.

They returned to the charts in 1963 with "Only In America", a song originally meant for The Drifters. Other notable hits for Jay and the Americans were "Come a Little Bit Closer" in 1964, which hit #3, and "Cara Mia" in 1965, which hit #4. They also recorded a commercial for H.I.S. Slacks and a public service announcement for the Ad Council, featuring a backing track by Brian Wilson and Phil Spector.

In 1968, they recorded an album of their favorite oldies called Sands of Time, which included "This Magic Moment", which was originally done by the Drifters. The single went to #9 in January 1969 (Black was astounded and claims that he much prefers the version by the Drifters). This was the last top ten record for Jay and the Americans, although a follow-up album, Wax Museum, in January 1970, did yield the #19 hit single "Walkin' In The Rain", first recorded by The Ronettes. Their next singles failed to chart, and the band grew apart, but the demand for appearances remained. (Around the same time the band recorded "This Magic Moment," Jay and the Americans member Sandy Yaguda produced a Long Island teen sextet called The Tuneful Trolley. Their late-1968 Capitol LP, Island In The Sky—a hybrid of Beach Boys and Beatlesque psych-pop—was reissued in 2008 in the UK on Now Sounds.)

Decline

The group split in 1973.www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/07/ap/entertainment/mainD8LRNSVG0.shtml All of the members moved on to solo musical careers, with the exception of Jay Black, who continued to perform as "Jay and the Americans". Black continued until the 1980s with a variety of musicians, at one point briefly including the young Walter Becker and Donald Fagen (of later Steely Dan fame) on backup bass guitar and electric organ. The original core group reunited in the 1990s for special performances, most notably the 45 Years of Motown special on PBS. Jay was featured in the PBS special Rock, Rhythm, and Doo Wop as "Jay Black & The Americans" in 2001.

Sale of the band name and "reunion"

In 2006, Jay Black filed for bankruptcy due to gambling debts, and his ownership of the name "Jay & The Americans" was sold by the bankruptcy trustee to Sandy Deanne (Yaguda), Black's former band mate and original member of Jay & The Americans for $100,000 to pay Black's debts. With the name purchase, former members Deanne, Howard Kane, and Marty Sanders reunited, and recruited a sound-alike singer from Chicago, coincidentally nicknamed "Jay." Thus, John "Jay" Reincke became the third "Jay" and the band returned to playing the North American oldies circuit.

Black still tours under his stage name, "Jay Black". Kenny Vance is currently the lead singer of Kenny Vance and the Planotones, a neo-doo wop band that he formed in the 1970s. After leaving the group, John Traynor recorded a handful of songs on the Coral label, including "I Rise, I Fall" in 1964. None were hits, but "I Rise, I Fall" became a minor hit for Johnny Tillotson. The label billed Traynor as "JAY formerly of Jay and the Americans". Traynor now tours with Jay Siegel's Tokens.

A more accurate story
Six high school classmates from the Belle Harbor neighborhood on Long Island formed the Harbor Lites, named after their neighborhood, in 1959. Among the six were Kenny Vance (nee Rosenberg, December 9, 1943), Sandy Yagoda (born January 30, 1943) and Sydell Sherman. Also living in the neighborhood was Irving Feldman, owner of Ivy Records. They sought out Feldman for an audition, but were turned away after being told they needed more practice. At that time the other three members left. After a few months of practice, they auditioned for Feldman again and were signed. In April 1960, their first single "Is it To Much To Ask" was released. It might have come out on Ivy, but was soon purchased by Jaro a small label run by the J. Arthur Rank Organization, a huge British entertainment complex. .With help from New York deejay Cousin Brucie it became a minor hit locally. Rank soon closed Jaro to concentrate on releases by its Top Rank subsidiary and the Harbor Lites were dropped. In 1960, the groups other single "Tick-a Tick-a Toc," which may have been released briefly by Jaro, came out on Mala label, a struggling, medium size New York company
The second single "She Cried" headed straight up the charts and reached #5 in the spring and early summer of 1962. The next single "This Is It" failed to chart. At this time Traynor decided to leave to pursue a solo career that began in 1963 with Coral Records. His first single "How Sweet It Is" went nowhere as did his last single "The Merry Go Round Is Slowing Down" three years later for ABC-Paramount Records.

Meanwhile, David Blatt (who called himself David Black, born November 2, 1938) and Marty Sanders (Born February 28, 1941) were also trying to record on the Ivy label. They recorded :Forgive Me" on the Atlantic label as the Two Chaps. Then in the spring of 1962, they sang with the Empires from Tilden High in Brooklyn, on the Epic label release of "Time and a Place." Marty was also playing guitar for Jay and the American sessions. While working on their album he asked to become a member.

Meanwhile the Americans were without a lead single. Marty Sander, the group's backup vocalist since "She Cried " sessions brought in his friend David Blatt (born 28, 1941) to audition. Blatt was the lead singer for the Empires, an all Jewish vocal group from Tilden High School in Brooklyn. Blatt won the spot. Reluctant to change the group's name to David and the Americans, David Blatt became Jay Black. Other names changed as well: Kenny Rosenberg became Kenny Vance; Howard Kirshenbaum became Howie Kane. With a new lead and three new names Jay and the Americans resumed its career. The next two singles, "Tomorrow" and "Strangers Tomorrow" failed to chart.

With the success of "She Cried," Jay and the Americans were booked on a continuous string of one nighter tours. The constant travel and failure of the next two singles caused Traynor to leave the group to go solo by mid-1963. The Americans without Traynor sang backup vocals on Bobby Goldsboro's "See the Funny Little Clown."

Early in 1963 The Drifters (produced by Leiber-Stoller since 1959) recorded a Mann/Weil composition called "Only In America." When Atlantic decided not to release it the vocals were erased and replaced by Jay and the Americans. "Only In America" was released in July, 1963 and became their first chart hit (#25) with Jay Black singing lead.

Leiber and Stoller's work with the Drifters and the Coasters caused them to turn over production of the group's material over to Artie Ripp of Kama Sutra Productions (Later to be Kama Sutra Records). One year and two singles later they had their biggest hit with "Come a Little Bit Closer" (#3). This resulted in the going on the Beatles first American tour in 1964, that also included the Righteous Brothers.

"Let's Lock the Door (#11) and "Think of the Good Times" both charted in the summer of 1965. At this time they began the second phase of their career with "Cara Mia" (#4). Beginning with Cara Mia" the group began covering successful oldies. Their next release was "Some Enchanted Evening" (#13) followed by Neil Diamond's first songwriting success "Sunday and Me" (#18).

Ten singles released between 1966 and 1968 produced only one top 30 record a remake of Roy Orbison's "Crying" (#25). Going back to originals, the public wasn't buying Jay and the Americans without a familiar song. They went back to the oldies reworking the Drifters, "This Magic Moment," which became their biggest hit since "Cara Mia" charting higher #6 than the original Drifters record #16.

From 1968 through 1971 they charted with three more remakes, that included the Turbans' "When You Dance, the Mystics' " Hushabye," and the Ronettes' "Walking in the Rain" (#19). Their last chart record was "Was Capture the Moment" in the spring of 1970 and their last single was the Drifters "There Goes My Baby." Singles continued to be issued through 1971, when the group disbanded.

In the early '70s Jay and the Americans did the oldies shows, with Jay Black staying as lead into the '80s while other members dropped out. Two band members at the time, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen went on to form Steely Dan. Kenny Vance began recording with record producer Joel Dorn (Roberta Flack) and recorded "Looking For an Echo in 1975. Vance's backup group included Eddie Brigatti of the Rascals, David Brigatti of the Hi-Five, Pete Anders of the Trade Winds, and most of the Americans minus Jay.

More than any groups of the 60s, Jay and the Americans paid tribute to the 50s vocal sound, singing songs by The Harptones, The Passions, The Cleftones. The Platters, The Skyliners, and The Impressions. The sound of Jay and the Americans has been dubbed as professional pop and that is pretty accurate. Jay and the Americans were greatly influenced by Leiber and Stoller's work with the Drifters and Ben. E. King in the early to the mid-60s. Jay and the Americans was one of the few successful groups to spend their entire career with one record label: all of their thirty-two singles and LPs were with United Artists.

O.K. FAST FORWARD 30 YEARS OR SO. DAVID BLATT IS FORCED TO GO BANKRUPT DUE TO BACK TAXES CAUSED BY GAMBLING DEBTS. THE BANKRUPTCY COURT APPOINTED TRUSTEE ASKS DAVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY ASSETS. NONE HE REPLIES. THE TRUSTEE SAYS, I DISAGREE. YOU HAVE THE NAMES YOU HAVE BEEN PERFORMING WITH FOR THIRTY YEARS. HE LAUGHS AND SAYS, “NOBODY CAN USE THOSE BUT ME. NOBODY CAN SING THOSE SONGS BUT ME. A JUDGE WOULD NEVER TAKE THE NAMES FROM ME”.

The trustee says we’ll see about that and puts the names up for auction with the stipulation that the music must be represented in a proper manner similar to the manner in which they have been represented in the past. Trustee receives two bids, both substantial.

Long story short- the federal judge awards the name “Jay and The Americans” and “The Americans” to Sandy Yaguda and his son Todd. Sandy & Todd, fearing the name would fall into the hands of imposters as so many other groups names had, took pro-active action.

Now the story gets better. At the auction Sandy says where are the other bidders? They tell him the other bidder had pulled out because he lived in Illinois where a law had been passed prohibiting anyone from performing under a musical name without having at least one original member (the truth in music act). Which is now passed in many states. Sandy was curious. Who was the bidder? The trustee shows a letter from a Jay Reincke that states:

I have been singing “ Jay and the Americans” songs for thirty years with my band in Chicago and I can represent the music properly. I offer $114,000 for the name. Sandy thought either this guy is an idiot from AMERICAN IDOL, with a bankroll, or he’s really good.

Sandy drove home, legal papers signed and sealed and immediately called the phone number he had coppied off that fateful letter.

Hi, is this Jay Reincke? I’m Sandy Yaguda from --- and before he could say who he was, Jay said ---- I know who you are and It’s an honor to speak with you. Sandy thought ---- Is this guy for real!!

Sandy then told him he had purchased the name and was looking for a great singer with a big voice to be Jay #3. Are you any good. Are you working this weekend and if so where? Tell you what Howie and I will fly out to your next gig and check you out.

That weekend the two “Americans” flew to Chicago to see Reincke perform. It was a typical rowdy club. (the best kind) to see an act do their thing. The place was jumping with all types having a fun nite.

Jay took the stage and opened with “ Only in America”, we were impressed and hopeful. Next came a Gary Pucket song “ Young Girl”, again we were impressed. Next he sang “Come A Little Bit Closer” and he nailed it. Howie & I looked at each other but didn’t say a word. High anxiety. Then he sang “Cara Mia” and the whole place erupted just like it used to thirty years ago. I was done. Howie was done. We’d been here before. Same song, same reaction. We stood up with the rest of them and clapped for a long time but for a different reason. Jay then introduced us to the audience, first a hush, then a roar went through the room like they knew what we knew.

He flew to New York City the next week to meet Marty (the third original Americano) and some new players we thought would round out the musical entity that was evolving. It was like it was living and breathing all by itself. Nobody could have forseen nor planned this. It just kept happening.

We are now rehearsing and having a lot of fun. Music is always fun in the beginning. The singing and playing is getting better and tighter. The group is working on old and new material to record and play live in concert. It is most amazing to think that four kids from Brooklyn have survived, from 2 track recording & vinyl 45’s to downloading on I- Tunes.

I hope there isn’t a Chapter Four (You Break Up -- Won’t You Give It Just One More Chance)

Awards & Recognition

The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.

Discography w/Billboard (BB) and Cashbox (CB) chart peak positions

Singles

Tonight (BB #120) / The Other Girls -- United Artists 353 -- 1961
She Cried (BB #5, CB #4)/ Dawning -- United Artists 415 -- 1962
This Is It (BB #109, CB #83) / It's My Turn To Cry -- United Artists 479 -- 1962
Tomorrow / Yes -- United Artists 504 -- 1962
What's The Use / Strangers Tomorrow -- United Artists 566 -- 1963
Only In America (BB #25, CB #28) / My Clair De Lune -- United Artists 626 -- 1963
Come Dance With Me (BB #76, CB #82) / Look In My Eyes Maria -- United Artists 669 -- 1963
To Wait For Love / Friday -- United Artists -- 1964
Come A Little Bit Closer (BB #3, CB #4) / Goodbye Boys, Goodbye -- United Artists 759 -- 1964
Things Are Changing (Both sides, special Equal Employment Opportunity Commission record) -- EEOC 1140 -- 1965
Let's Lock The Door (And Throw Away The Key) (BB #11, CB #10) / I'll Remember You -- United Artists 805 -- 1965
Think Of The Good Times (BB #57, CB #54) / If You Were Mine, Girl -- United Artists 845 -- 1965
Cara Mia (BB #4, CB #4) / When It's All Over (BB #129) -- United Artists 881 -- 1965
Some Enchanted Evening (BB #13, CB #15) / Girl -- United Artists 919 -- 1965
Sunday and Me (BB #18, CB #20) / Through This Doorway -- United Artists 948 -- 1965
Why Can't You Bring Me Home (BB #63, CB #55) / Baby Stop Your Cryin' -- United Artists 992 -- 1966
Crying (BB #25, CB #32) / I Don't Need A Friend -- United Artists 50016 -- 1966
Livin' Above Your Head (BB #76, CB #78) / Look At Me, What Do You See -- United Artists 50046 -- 1966
Baby Come Home / Stop The Clock -- United Artists 50086 -- 1966
(He's) Raining In My Sunshine (BB #90, CB #62) / The Reason For Living (For You My Darling) -- United Artists 50094 -- 1966
Nature Boy / You Ain't As Hip As All That, Baby -- United Artists 50139 -- 1967
(We'll Meet In The) Yellow Forest (BB #131, CB #93) / Got Hung Up Along The Way -- United Artists 50196 -- 1967
Shanghai Noodle Factory / French Provincial -- United Artists 50222 -- 1967
No Other Love (BB #114) / No, I Don't Know Her -- United Artists 50510 -- 50282 -- 1968
You Ain't Gonna Wake Up Cryin' / Gemini -- United Artists 50448 -- 1968
This Magic Moment (BB #6, CB #5) / Since I Don't Have You -- United Artists 50475 -- 1969
When You Dance (BB #70, CB #41) / No, I Don't Know Her -- United Artists 50510 -- 1969
Hushabye (BB #62, CB #45) / Gypsy Woman -- United Artists 50535 -- 1969
(I'd Kill) For The Love Of A Lady / Learnin' How To Fly -- United Artists 50567 -- 1969
Walkin' In The Rain (BB #19, CB #14) / For The Love Of A Lady -- United Artists 50605 -- 1969
Capture The Moment (BB #57, CB #45) / Do You Ever Think Of Me -- United Artists 50654 -- 1970
Do I Love You / Tricia (Tell Your Daddy) -- United Artists 50683 -- 1970
There Goes My Baby / Solitary Man -- United Artists 50858 -- 1971

Albums

She Cried -- United Artists UAL-3222 (Mono)/UAS-6222 (Stereo) -- 1962
At the Cafe Wha? -- United Artists UAL-3300/UAS-6300 -- 1963
Come A Little Bit Closer (BB #131, CB #88) -- United Artists UAL-3407 (CB #84)/UAS-6407 -- 1964

Peaked at #84 on Cashbox Mono albums chart, dropped to #88 the following week when the Mono and Stereo album charts were merged in January 1965

Blockbusters (BB #113, CB #73) -- United Artists UAL-3417/UAS-6417 -- 1965
Jay & The Americans Greatest Hits (BB #21, CB #58) -- United Artists UAL-3453/UAS-6453 -- 1965
Sunday and Me (BB #141) -- United Artists UAL-3474/UAS-6474 -- 1966
Livin' Above Your Head -- United Artists UAL-3534/UAS-6534 -- 1966
Jay & The Americans Greatest Hits, Volume 2 (CB #79) -- United Artists UAL-3555/UAS-6555 -- 1966
Try Some Of This! -- United Artists UAL-3562/UAS-6562 -- 1967
Jay & The Americans!! -- Sunset SUS-5252 -- 1968
Sands Of Time (BB #51, CB #30) -- United Artists UAS-6671 -- 1969
Early American Hits -- Sunset SUS-5278 -- 1969
Wax Museum (BB #105, CB #68) -- United Artists UAS-6719 -- 1970
Wax Museum, Volume 2 -- United Artists UAS-6751 -- 1970
Capture The Moment -- United Artists UAS-6762 -- 1970
The Very Best of Jay & The Americans -- United Artists UA-LA357-E -- 1975
Jay & The Americans Greatest Hits -- United Artists LM-1010 -- 1980

Reissue of original 1965 compilation, also released in 1981 on Liberty with same catalogue number

Industry Music Artists

Jay and the Americans