MORE VIDEOS & Artist Info!
Song " Come A Little Bit Closer"Video Description
Jay and the Americans were a pop music group popular in the 1960s. Their
initial lineup consisted of David Blatt, who became known as the groups lead
signer, Jay Black. Howard Kane (né Kirschenbaum), John (J.T.) Traynor, Kenny
Vance (né Rosenberg), and Sandy Yaguda.
They were discovered while
performing in student venues at New York University in the late 1950s. 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.
They
first hit the Billboard charts in 1962 with the tune "She Cried"; its highest
charting was #5. The next two singles didn't fare nearly as well, and John
Traynor left the group. David Black (né David Blatt) of The Empires took his
place (after first agreeing to adopt the name Jay Black), and Empires guitarist
Marty Sanders also joined. Black sang lead for the rest of the group's
existence.
They returned to the charts in 1963 with "Only In America", a
song originally meant for The Drifters. Other notable hits for the Americans
were "Come a Little Bit Closer" in 1964, which hit #3, and "Cara Mia" in 1965,
which hit #4. The Americans 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 remade fresh, called Sands of Time, and its single was "This
Magic Moment", which also came through the Drifters. This was the last Top Ten
record for the Americans, although a follow-up album, Wax Museum, did yield the
#19 hit "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. While the other members moved on to solo musical careers, Jay Black
continued to perform as Jay and the Americans until the 1980s, with a variety of
musicians, including Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who would later found
Steely Dan.
The group reunited in the 1990s for special performances,
most notably the 45 Years of Motown special on PBS. As of 2006, Black and his
current band continue to tour as "Jay Black and the Americans."
Song " Only In America"Video Description
Jay & The Americans - Only In America
Video Description
Jay and the Americans sing "Lets Lock the Door and Throw Away the Key" on Hullbaloo. Dorky, but endearing.