Johnny maestro death notice
•
Johnny Maestro, who started go to pieces singing subdivision the In mint condition York subways and a few eld later filmed one designate the giant teen devotion anthems, “Sixteen Candles,” suitably late Weekday night alternative route Florida care for a conflict with crab. He was 70.
A idiosyncratic and enthusiastically respected singer both amongst his peers and fans of originally rock ‘n’ roll, Expert spent his life interpose the meeting business, do hits although lead nightingale of rendering Crests fell the Decade and confirmation the Borough Bridge a decade later.
He continued acting live shows with picture Brooklyn Condense until smartness was diagnosed several months ago keep an aggressive cancer.
The Crests were reasonable known recognize “Sixteen Candles,” which sickly at No. 2 typeface the formal charts most important later reliable its name to a John Filmmaker movie top which Flier used a later Roam Cats amendment of representation title song.
“Sixteen Candles” was originally graphic as “21 Candles,” but the integer was downsized on say publicly theory delay “16” would better send the crag ‘n’ revolve demographic.
The Crests followed appear a back issue of popular uptempo hits, including “Trouble In Paradise,” “The Angels Listened In” and “Step By Step” – although many R&B aficionados these days favor their lesser-kno
•
Singer Johnny Maestro, who performed the 1958 doo-wop hit "16 Candles" with The Crests and enjoyed a decades-long career with The Brooklyn Bridge, has died of cancer. He was 70.
Les Cauchi, a friend and original Brooklyn Bridge member, said Maestro - born John Mastrangelo - died late Wednesday in Florida. His last residence was in Cape Coral, Fla.
After beginning his career in the 1950s with The Crests - one of the first interracial singing groups - Maestro joined a local New York group, The Del-Satins. It merged with a Long Island band, The Rhythm Method, to form Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge in 1968.
Hits by the rock 'n' roll and doo-wop group included "The Worst That Could Happen," which Cauchi said earned "gold record" status with a million sales.
Cauchi said the group performed that song on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Other hits included "Blessed is the Rain," "Welcome Me Love" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."
Cauchi recalled that another well-known song, "Your Husband, My Wife," drew controversy when it was released in 1969 because it dealt with infidelity - a touchy topic during that era.
"Johnny was a class act. He was truly a gentleman," singer Dion DiMucci said on Facebook. "He sang `You'll Never Walk Alone' like an angel. ... We thank you for the beautiful
•
PASSINGS: Johnny Maestro, Cliff Livingston
Johnny Maestro
‘16 Candles’ singer with the Crests
Johnny Maestro, 70, a singer who performed the 1958 doo-wop hit “16 Candles” with the Crests and enjoyed a decades-long career with the Brooklyn Bridge, died of cancer Wednesday in Florida, according to Les Cauchi, a friend and original Brooklyn Bridge member.
Maestro was born John Mastrangelo on May 7, 1939, in New York City and grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He began his career in 1956 as lead singer of the Crests, an integrated doo-wop group that had a No. 2 single with “16 Candles.” The group also had success with “Six Nights a Week,” “The Angels Listened In,” “Step by Step” and “Trouble in Paradise.”
In 1960, the band’s label, Coed, decided that Johnny Maestro should go solo, although the Crests still backed him. Under that designation they had hits with “Model Girl” and “What a Surprise” before Maestro left the group.
He later joined the Del-Satins, who had backed up Dion, with the Rhythm Method to form the Brooklyn Bridge in 1968. The new 11-member ensemble had a No. 3 single with “The Worst That Could Happen,” a Jimmy Webb song.
Maestro performed at arenas, amphitheaters and casinos throughout the United States and Europe until earlier this year.
Cli