Jay & The Americans
Play Radio
Listen to Jay & The Americans Radio,
featuring artists like The Vogues, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, The Happenings, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap and more…
-
Search on Spotify
Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more
276,749 plays (56,048 listeners)
Jay and the Americans were a pop music group popular in the 1960s. Their initial lineup consisted of Howard Kane (born Kirschenbaum), John (J.T.) Traynor, Kenny Vance (born 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.
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.
Shouts:
13 shouts
Top Albums
-
Come A Little Bit Closer
Jay & The Americans
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.83
- 7digital $15.99
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $9.83
- eBay Search
-
Sands of Time
Jay & The Americans Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Greatest Hits
Jay & The Americans Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.99
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Shoutbox
-
thesnappster wrote:
I saw these guys in concert the other night. Jay #3 as they call him is still pretty good. Excellent show.
-
catlaboure wrote:
the best of all the JAYS.....DAVID BLATT.......the VOICE !!!!!
-
BeckyLovesDelta wrote:
cara miaaaa myyyy!
-
richardneal wrote:
the most unlikely group to spawn Steely Dan
-
hairspray44 wrote:
jay's voice is great, i love these guys
-
gizmospal wrote:
Walkin in the Rain.
-
rosebudz wrote:
she cried....
-
onememphisdude wrote:
God, how I miss horns in music!!! (Yes..I hear the flat trombone.) Great song. Just wish I had an old tube-type amplifier to really bring out the percussion.
-
Chiaroscurist wrote:
You're my kind of man... so big and so strong.
-
Don_Diego wrote:
They've got the Steely Dan T-shirt.
-
PappaWheelie wrote:
Capture the Moment
-
Udoboy wrote:
Jay Black had a great voice.
-
gary_lankford wrote:
Hey, vote for the proposed image. Only one more 'Yes' vote necessary for adoption. :)
Videos
-
Play
This Magic Moment - [STEREO]
-
Play
Jay and the Americans - (We'll…
1 shout
-
Play
Let's Lock The Door (Rare clip)
-
Play
No, I Don't Know Her
Listening Now
Top Listeners
-
JOHNPOLEYLAWYER
Top Listener
-
gigiliz1
Top Listener
-
CHORAII
Top Listener
-
Daminc01
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
FDJONTIME, johngod49, BobChords and 38 other people added Jay & The Americans to their libraries. Thursday evening
-
Music2010s tagged Jay & The Americans with 60s and oldies. last month
-
Music2010s, rdghkp, chubbythecat and 1 other person added Jay & The Americans to their libraries. last month
-
doctorjmo tagged Jay & The Americans with ‘60s’. last month
-
doctorjmo, forme2, alastfmlistener and 24 other people added Jay & The Americans to their libraries. last month
-
acebreathe tagged Jay & The Americans with 60s and oldies. December 2011
-
acebreathe, draconiandribb, robertogrady and 20 other people added Jay & The Americans to their libraries. December 2011
Related Journals
-
How varied is your musical taste?
by Rissacakes |
7 Dec 2009
| 4 comments
-
My Wishing Tracklist
by kirillkosarev |
8 Jul 2007
More Information
- Links
- Labels
