LOOKING FOR AN ECHOE
Posted on 05/12/2010 10:20:12 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Johnny Maestro, who started out singing on the New York subways and a few years later recorded one of the great teen love anthems, "Sixteen Candles," died late Wednesday night in Florida after a battle with cancer. He was 70.
A distinctive and highly respected vocalist both among his peers and fans of early rock ‘n' roll, Maestro spent his life in the music business, scoring hits as lead singer of the Crests in the 1950s and then the Brooklyn Bridge a decade later.
He continued performing live shows with the Brooklyn Bridge until he was diagnosed several months ago with an invasive cancer.
The Crests were best known for "Sixteen Candles," which peaked at No. 2 on the national charts and later lent its name to a John Hughes movie in which Hughes used a later Stray Cats version of the title song.
"Sixteen Candles" was originally written as "21 Candles," but the number was downsized on the theory that "16" would better reflect the rock 'n' roll demographic.
The Crests followed with a number of catchy uptempo hits, including "Trouble In Paradise," "The Angels Listened In" and "Step By Step" – though many R&B aficionados today favor their lesser-known early classic ballads like "Sweetest One" and "No One To Love."
Maestro, who was born Johnny Mastrangelo and grew up on Mulberry St., broke off in 1961 for a solo career that went nowhere. Then in 1968 he formed the Brooklyn Bridge, whose swelling instrumental and vocal sound scored a No. 3 hit in early 1969 with "The Worst That Could Happen."
The Bridge also had some lesser hits, including "Blessed Is the Rain" and "Welcome Me Love."
While Maestro had one of the strongest and most distinctive voices in early rock ‘n' roll, he was not a flamboyant personality and didn't seek the spotlight off-stage.
In many ways, he was the quintessential New York kid singer of the ‘50s. He began singing for fun on the streets and in subway stations, which had the perfect echo for harmony vocals.
LOOKING FOR AN ECHOE
Loved Sixteen Candles. Rest in peace.
So young... prayers for the family.
He died about a month ago.
Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge - “Welcome Me Love”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Eg0paP_cxg&feature=related
“The Angels Listened In” - w/Lyrics - Johnny Maestro and The Crests:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGkht8Kjt2k
“Blessed is the Rain” - Johnny Maestro & the BB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGSCWgyZ4WQ&feature=related
A strange thing happened on or the day before his death. I was walking down the street here in NYC playing that song you linked to (Trouble In Paradise) from a small CD player I had inside my backpack, when a couple of teens asked ‘where’s that music coming from’ (they liked it, btw) and I pointed up to the sky and they laughed and quickly realized it was coming from my BP. The thing is, though, I wasn’t aware of his death until about a week or so later. (Twilight Zone music begins to play...) True story.
Great voice, too young, so sad - so many memories.
RIP, Johnny.
Lol!
Clarification: I didn’t mean music from the Twilight Zone played on my CD player. I just meant it’s weird thinking back now.
Check out this early one. I don’t recall ever hearing it before.
Johnny Maestro & the Crests - Sweetest One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZfIWjKm80A&feature=related
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