Concert Review: Jay and the Americans (Rich Turner)

Kent,

 

I saw recently you had a post about the upcoming Happy Together Tour scheduled for next summer and you mentioned that it is a shame that most of these bands do not have many original members left. And that is definitely true due to many reasons but mostly old age and health. 

 

But I wanted to mention that just last week I saw Jay & The Americans here in Largo, Florida, and even though Jay himself was not the original (in fact, he is Jay No. 3), the two backup singers were, in fact, the originals from back in the Jay & The Americans hit-making heyday. 

 

Sandy Deanne has been with the band since the very beginning in the late 1950's and Marty Sanders joined at the same time that Jay No. 2 (Jay Black) became a member in 1963, so they were both part of all the 60's hits that we came to know and love. 

 

The show was quite entertaining as they sang all the hits plus a few other 50's and 60's favorites. Jay explained to the audience that we got the long show because they were the only band on the bill and 22 songs and one hour and 45 minutes later the crowd was thoroughly entertained by the magic of their still great voices and showmanship. They had a crack six-piece band playing behind them, who also helped out some on the vocals. 

 

They opened with "Only In America" and "Let's Lock The Door And Throw Away The Key" and they kept right on going with the crowd favorites "She Cried," "Cara Mia," "Walking In The Rain" and "Come A Little Bit Closer," among many others, ending with "This Magic Moment." 

 

They actually played two shows that day as we attended the afternoon show. My girl and I probably wouldn't have gone at all but my 80 year old neighbor Bob (who is a huge fan) convinced us to attend with him and we are delighted we did. Needless to say, Bob was blown away! And, after the show, we got to meet the band as that came out to shake some hands and pose for pictures and attempted to sell some merchandise. 

 

I actually got to speak to Jay No. 3 (Jay Reincke), and he told me that it's really John Reincke because let's face it, when you become the lead singer of Jay & The Americans, you become a Jay. Jay told me the condensed version of the story as to how he became a member 17 years ago. His voice is almost as good as Jay Black's as far as I'm concerned and the audience roared their approval with every song. 

 

I can't wait to see them again on the Happy Together tour, which I have already bought tickets for again! I sent in a few pictures taken by my girl friend Alice.

 

Rich Turner

Largo, Florida

 

Jay and the Americans put on a very entertaining show and will be a welcome addition to The Happy Together Tour next year.

"New" lead singer ... he's already been with them for SEVENTEEN YEARS!!! ... John Reincke ... is a Chicago guy who entertained folks here for decades with his own band.  (Sadly, we just recently lost original American Howie Kane.)

None of their lead singers were actually named "Jay" ... before Reincke took over the role, it was filled for forty years by David Blatt, performing as Jay Black.  He took over for Jay #1 (real name John Traynor) after the band had their first hit, "She Cried," in 1962.

In all, Jay and the Americans had nearly a dozen National Top 40 Hits, including the Top 10's "She Cried" (#4, 1962), "Come A Little Bit Closer" (#3, 1964), "Let's Lock The Door" (#10, 1965), "Cara Mia" (#3, 1965), "This Magic Moment" (#4, 1969) and "Walkin' In The Rain" (#10, 1970)  kk

 
 

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

11/28/63 – President Johnson officially renames Cape Canaveral in Florida “Cape Kennedy” in honor of our fallen president ... later The Kennedy Space Center

Monday Morning Madness

Our new 60 YEARS AGO TODAY feature kicked off on November 22^nd in honor of the 60^th Anniversary of the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy … (hardly a celebartory event, but we had to start SOMEWHERE ... and that just seemed like a big one!) ...

 

Which means that while we've been busy bringing you ALL the latest news from 60 years ago …

 

We’ve been falling a bit behind on TODAY’S Oldies Music News!

 

So let’s play a little bit of catch-up this morning!

 

As expected, The Rolling Stones announced the first of their tour dates at EXACTLY at the same moment that we posted that a tour announcement was “imminent” last Tuesday.

Tickets go on sale this week … and so far the confirmed dates include:

The Rolling Stones, North American Tour Dates, 2024
April 28th - Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium
May 2nd - New Orleans, LA @ Jazz Fest
May 7th - Glendale, AZ @ State Farm Stadium
May 11th - Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium
May 15th - Seattle, WA @ Lumen Field
May 23rd - East Rutherford, NJ @ Metlife Stadium
May 30th - Foxboro, MA @ Gillette Stadium
June 3rd - Orlando, FL @ Camping World Stadium
June 7th - Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium
June 11th - Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field
June 15th - Cleveland, OH @ Cleveland Browns Stadium
June 20th - Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High
June 27th - Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field
July 5th - Vancouver, BC @ BC Place
July 10th - Los Angeles, CA @ SOFI Stadium
July 17th - Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s ® Stadium

It's a given that more dates will be added, including second shows in some of these cities.  (We’re banking on the June 30^th show at Soldier Field so we can go on a Sunday instead of a Thursday Night.)

But the BEST kicker of all is that the tour’s sponsor is AARP!  (for real!)

It makes perfect sense, really … and what a great promotional tie-in!  (Watch membership go thru the roof to take advantage of the “early bird” tickets going on sales a couple of days before they go on sale to the general public!)  kk

Just to remind you how long The Rolling Stones have been with us … 60+ years now! … I dug out these old photographs …

MICK JAGGER ... Then ... And Now

There seems to be trouble in paradise in the Hall and Oates camp these days.

Daryl Hall has successfully filed a restraining order against his former partner …

But be careful how you use the word “partner.”

Hall was quoted by TMZ as saying to Bill Maher, “You think John Oates is my partner?  He’s my business partner. He’s not my creative partner.”

Last year Daryl told The L.A. Times that “it can be very annoying operating as a musical duo.  Everything you do is juxtaposed against another person. Try doing that sometime. I don’t want to use the word ‘emasculating,’ because that’s male, but it takes away your individuality.”

Very few details were known about the case when Hall first filed it last week in a Nashville court because it was filed under a seal, a maneuver typically used when court documents contain sensitive information … but speculation then said it concerned either a “contract” or “debt” dispute.  (New information that has come to light since says the move is to block the sale of their music catalog to Primary Wave Music … this is why John Oates, his wife Aimee and Richard Flynn, a co-trustee are also named in the suit.  When Daryl caught wind that the others were investigating selling their catalog, he immediately filed suit, as it violates the duo’s original business agreement.  Music Publishing has become big business of late … it remains to be seen if Oates can sell HIS portion of the catalog while Daryl Hall retains his own shares.  In the meantime, the court has enforced the restraining order request.)

Hall’s “Live From Daryl’s House” just went back on the air a couple of weeks ago …

I’m guessing John Oates won’t be appearing on it any time soon.  (kk)

Asshole of the Week?

Well, I guess it COULD have beem the two Kiss guys who won’t come out to play for the band’s final concert performance … but we already told you that story.

No, right now I’ve got to go with Sammy Hagar, who earlier in the week very publicly invited previous Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth to join him on the new Van Halen tour, whose line-up already includes original Van Halen member Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham and Joe Satriani.

On Howard Stern’s show earlier in the week, Sammy Hagar said, "If Alex Van Halen wants to jump up, if David Lee Roth wants to come out and join us, come on, motherfucker, you are welcome. This is about Van Halen."  (Now how would YOU interpret that invitation???)

But then when Roth responded with a resounding “I’m ready to go.  Let’s do this.” … Hagar back-pedaled and said that he NEVER meant for the whole tour.  (The implication was certainly that BOTH Van Halen lead singers would team up and honor the band, carrying on after the unexpected death of Eddie Van Halen a couple of years ago and keeping their musical legacy alive.

However, when Roth said he was all in, Hagar responded with a “no fucking way” … stating that he never meant for Roth to join him for the entire tour … just make an appearance and come up to sing a song or two … “if he can remember the words.”  Nice.

So yeah, I’ve gotta give this week’s Asshole of the Week Award to you, Sammy!  (kk)

Tom Cuddy sent us this list of nominees for the 2024 Songwriters Hall Of Fame ballot …

And boy, what a list!

https://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=338601&title=SONGWRITERS-HALL-SETS-2024-BALLOT

Among the artists nominated, you’ll find superstars Bryan Adams, Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings of The Guess Who, tom Johnston, Patrick Simmons and Michael McDonald of The Doobie Brothers, David Gates, whose Bread songbook dominated the soft-rock ‘70’s, Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart and Kenny Loggins.  (The complete list of nominees can be viewed via the link posted above)

The very idea that every name of this hasn’t already been so-honored is appalling!  These artists represent some of the most prolific songwriters of our lifetime.

Hopefully The Songwriters Hall Of Fame will see fit to make things right this year.  (kk)

If you missed any part of the DJ Hall Of Fame / Larry Lujack Tribute that Rewound Radio ran this past Saturday, you can listen to it FOR A LIMITED TIME via this link:

https://rewoundradio.com/lujacktribute.html

 

I was listening to Jackson Browne's "Running On Empty" when I wondered if there was a studio version of this song.  Joel Whitburn's "Top Pop Singles" does not list it as a Live track so I went looking.  Both the album version and the 45 version were live. Is there a studio version of this song?  I couldn't find any. Is there a reason it's not listed as Live?  Do you know?  Thanks.

Ed Erxleben

I guess I never really gave it much thought.

You’re right, Whitburn’s book doesn’t show it as “live” (although his cover of “Stay” on the flip-side IS shown as a live cut) … and on the album, comes out of the track “The Load Out,” another live recording.

But apparently all of this was done by design.

Doing a bit of research, Browne’s “Running On Empty” album featured songs “themed around life on the road.”  The entire album was recorded on tour … not only live on stage during concerts, but also in locations associated with touring, such as hotel rooms, backstage and on tour buses.

And here’s the key point to that concept and your question …

This album is unusual and unique among live albums in that none of the tracks had ever appeared on a previous studio album … so no, you’re not going to find a “studio” recording of this song.

Interesting question, Ed! … and, as I said, not something I’d ever really thought about before … proving yet again that we ALL learn something new in Forgotten Hits … even me!!!  (kk)

 

Here’s a cool moment recorded backstage at The Tonight Show.

Seems Jimmy Fallon was having some fun, fun, fun doing a take on The Beach Boys’ hit song when he was surprised backstage by John Stamos and Mike Love of The Beach Boys!  While Jimmy says he’s a huge Beach Boys fan, he may need to brush up on the lyrics a little bit!  (lol) 

Check it out: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cz4sQbBPLB8/

REMINDER:

This Wednesday (November 29^th) is our 2^nd Annual Joel Whitburn Day celebration in Forgotten Hits!

PLEASE get your comments and memories in NOW so we can include them in this year’s post.

And remember … everybody who submits something for publication is automatically entered in a special drawing to win the Record Research book of your choice!

The eligibility period ends TODAY … so get your emails off to kk@forgottenhits.com STAT!!!  (kk)

 

Happy Anniversary!

>>>Forgotten Hits began as an emailed newsletter on November 26, 1999  (kk)

Twenty-four years ago?!!

That can't be right!

But it is. So Happy Day to you. I don't know how you've done it or how you do do it! Impressive!

( Who have you been involved with longer? Forgotten Hits or Frannie . . . ? )

CB

LONG story ... but Frannie by almost a year.  (It’ll be in my Forgotten Hits memoir, whenever I get around to writing it!  Lol I'll fill you in the next time we get together!)

Yep, 24 years ago today the very first Forgotten Hits emailed newsletter went out to 35 friends I had met in the old AOL Oldies Music Chat Room ... so starting our 25th year ... it's surreal!  (kk)

 

>>>Hard as it is for me to believe, today we begin our 25th year of doing Forgotten Hits.  (kk)

A silver anniversary! A song came to me when I read the blog today. CATCH A FALLING STAR AND PUT IT IN YOUR POCKET. At the time you started, it may have seemed like an era of music was falling lower in the sky, but we were all just working our magic in other places. Like moths to a flame, we glided in and the rest (as they say) is history. Happy Anniversary! 

Shelley J Sweet-Tufano

The Silver Anniversary will officially be NEXT November 26^th … but I appreciate the sentiment just the same.  (I just love the fact that I can now officially promote us as “NOW IN OUR 25^th YEAR”!!!  (kk)

 

After getting our first real measurable snow this weekend, I innocently (?) asked Alexa:  "Is it OK to eat the yellow snow?" ...

 

To which she replied:

"According to fitness.com, you should never eat yellow snow"

Good to know.  (kk)

 

From Larry Neal …

Kent,

I don't know about your local paper, but in our paper today was this daily JUMBLE. I thought you might like this. I'll leave it to your readers if they want to try to solve it. I got it immediately.

Larry

A pretty easy one … but STILL cool that this would go out today, some 63 years later! (I mean, how many people in the “general public” that see this will get it?!?!  … which makes it even cooler for all of us music fans who will!)  kk

 

Made ME laugh …

 

Turns out it’s for a hearing aid company … which makes it even funnier!

Yep, this one totally cracked me up!  (kk)

 

60 YEARS AGO TODAY:

11/27/63 – The Elvis Presley movie “Fun In Acapulco” opens in theaters

Also on 11/27 - President Lyndon B. Johnson makes his first major speech since being sworn in as President at a joint session of Congress and pledges that he will not depart from the programs that had been started by his predecessor, John F. Kennedy.