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2024 will mark the 15th year of the highly successful, hit-filled summer package, THE “HAPPY TOGETHER” TOUR. The Tour is once again joined by THE TURTLES, who also act as musical hosts for the evening. Along with THE TURTLES will be JAY and the AMERICANS, THE ASSOCIATION, BADFINGER, THE VOGUES and the COWSILLS. THE TURTLES are best known for their harmony-heavy California pop sound. With such hits as “Elenore,” “She’d Rather Be With Me,” “It Ain’t Me Babe,” “You Showed Me” and the title of the tour, “Happy Together,” the band ruled the airwaves in the late ‘60s. Ron Dante joins the line-up to delight with his own mega-hits, “Sugar Sugar” and “Tracy.” We are proud to present JAY and the AMERICANS, Few groups have ever reached the musical heights with hits from 1962 – 1971. This group charted an amazing Five Billboard Top 10” hits and Twelve “Top 20” hit records. Their breakout hit was “She Cried”. Also returning to the tour for 2024 are THE ASSOCIATION, who enjoyed massive radio success in the ‘60s, with such #1 hits as “Cherish,” “Windy,” “Never My Love” and “Along Comes Mary”. THE VOGUES are also known for their harmony-driven soaring pop sound. They had numerous Top 10 hits with singles such as “Five O’clock World”, “You’re The One,” “My Special Angel” and “Turn Around Look At Me,” among others. BADFINGER, from their legendary lineup, Joey Molland continues the unforgettable legacy of BADFINGER. One of the original signings to the Beatles’ Apple Records label. They had their first hit single with a Paul McCartney penned song, “Come and Get It”, which went to #7 in the U.S. charts. BADFINGER followed this with their own compositions “No Matter What”, “Day After Day” Rounding out the bill are THE COWSILLS, the harmonious singing family (two brothers and a sister) that inspired the smash ‘60s hit television show, THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY. They are sure to delight with their best-known songs, “Hair,” “Indian Lake,” “The Rain The Park & Other Things (I Love The Flower Girl)” and more.
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What fans are saying
Paula
September 22nd 2023
This was just incredible. From the songs being sung by these legends in the industry to the musicians and how the performed made for just a stellar performance. It was so good to hear amazing music from an amazing and gifted performers. Thank you for coming to Illinois..I hope all those musician travel with you. They are spectacular and that is hard to live up to with talent like the three of you..Great show..
Des Plaines, IL@The Des Plaines Theatre
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For over 60 years, the Music Circus and its sister venue, the Melody Tent, have been presenting world-class entertainment in the scenic Massachusetts coastal...
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Jay & The Americans Biography
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.
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."
Read MoreThey 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."
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