Johnny Maestro

John Peter Mastrangelo (May 7, 1939 – March 24, 2010), known as Johnny Maestro, was an American pop singer. He was the lead vocalist for the doo-wop group The Crests, whose 1958 song "16 Candles" achieved number two on the Billboard Hot 100. He later led The Brooklyn Bridge, who are best known for their cover of the 1968 Jimmy Webb song "Worst That Could Happen".

Maestro continued singing as frontman for The Brooklyn Bridge. With this group, they were inducted into three major music halls of fame. After his death from cancer in 2010, a section of Mason and Midland Avenue in Staten Island was renamed to "Johnny Maestro Way" in his honor in 2011.

Early life John Peter Mastrangelo was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City on May 7, 1939, one of three children of Salvatore and Grace Mastrangelo. Salvatore was born on December 17, 1913, and died on December 26, 1994, also in New York. Grace was born on April 27, 1913, in America and died on April 15, 1993, in New York. His paternal grandparents were Giovanni "John" Mastrangelo (born November 17, 1887, in Italy – died June 1964 in Staten Island) and Porcia Maria "Mary" Mastrangelo (née Morano) (born January 8, 1888, in Italy – died August 1978 in Staten Island).

One of his main influences was singer Johnnie Ray: "When I was a youngster, I would listen to him, he was one of the first white soul singers. He put a lot of feeling into his songs and let it all hang out. I would also listen to Alan Freed, and the groups that really impressed me were Willie Winfield and the Harptones, the Flamingos and the Moonglows. It was such a great sound. I really got into harmonies."

Mastrangelo graduated from Charles Evans Hughes High School (later renamed to Bayard Rustin Educational Complex ) in 1956. He then attended Borough of Manhattan Community College. After leaving the Crests in the early 1960s, Maestro performed briefly as a solo singer. Their first release, a version of the Jimmy Webb song "Worst That Could Happen" (previously recorded by The 5th Dimension), reached No. 3 on the Billboard pop chart. The follow-up, "Welcome Me Love", and its flip side, "Blessed is the Rain" — both by Tony Romeo — each reached the Top 50. A dramatic version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" and the controversial "Your Husband, My Wife" also reached the middle ranges of the chart. The group sold over 10 million records by 1972, including LP sales, mostly produced by Wes Farrell. Appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Della Reese Show, and other programs helped to bring the group to the national stage.

The Brooklyn Bridge performed "Worst That Could Happen" on the Ed Sullivan Show in December 1968. Host Ed Sullivan mispronounced Maestro's surname as MAY-stroh instead of MY-stroh. They remained married until his death.

Maestro was a Humanitarian. Brooklyn Bridge bassist Jim Rosica said: "He was frail and a little jaundiced, and he had torn the ligaments in his shoulder, so he had his arm in a sling underneath his jacket, we hadn’t disclosed to anyone that he had cancer, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out something was seriously wrong. But when Johnny went onstage, he just nailed it." They were inducted into the South Carolina Music (Rhythm & Blues) Hall of Fame in May 2006 and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame on October 15, 2006.

On May 9, 2012, Johnny Maestro was honored by the United States House of Representatives. Congressman Jerrold Nadler of New York, whose district includes the neighborhood where Maestro was born and where he began his music career, introduced an Extension of Remarks in the House. This posthumous honor is now a permanent part of the Congressional Record. The Extension of Remarks includes the original members of The Crests.

Discography

The Crests' singles TitleYearPeak chart positionsRecord labelNotesUS Hot 100US R&BA: "Sweetest One" B: "My Juanita"195786—JoyceRecorded in early 1957 Recorded in early 1957A: "No One To Love" B: "Wish She Was Mine"1957——Recorded on May 22, 1957, Recorded on May 22, 1957A: "Pretty Little Angel" B: "I Thank The Moon"1958——CoedRecorded on June 25, 1958, Recorded on June 25, 1958A: "16 Candles" (originally the B-side) B: "Beside You"19582 4Recorded on August 12, 1958, Recorded on June 25, 1958A: "Six Nights A Week" B: "I Do"19592817Recorded on January 14, 1959, Recorded on January 14, 1959A: "Flower Of Love" B: "Molly Mae"195979—Recorded on January 14, 1959, Recorded on August 12, 1958A: "The Angels Listened In" B: "I Thank The Moon"19592214Recorded on March 24, 1959, Recorded on June 25, 1958A: "A Year Ago Tonight" B: "Paper Crown"195942—Recorded on October 11, 1959, Recorded on October 11, 1959A: "Step By Step" B: "Gee (But I'd Give The World)"196014—Recorded on January 18, 1960, Recorded on January 18, 1960A: "Trouble In Paradise" B: "Always You"196020—Recorded on May 4, 1960, Recorded on May 4, 1960A: "Journey Of Love" B: "If My Heart Could Write A Letter"196081—Recorded on January 18, 1960, Recorded on May 4, 1960A: "Isn't It Amazing" B: "Molly Mae"1960100—Recorded on May 4, 1960, Recorded on August 12, 1958A: "I'll Remember (In The Still Of The Night)" B: "Good Golly Miss Molly"1960——Recorded on March 24, 1959A: "Say It Isn't So" B: "The Great Physician"1960——Recorded on January 18, 1960, Recorded on January 18, 1960A: "Model Girl" B: "We've Got To Tell Them"196120—Recorded on December 29, 1960, Recorded on December 29, 1960A: "What A Surprise" B: "The Warning Voice"196133—Recorded on December 19, 1960, Recorded on December 29, 1960A: "Little Miracles" B: "Baby I Gotta' Know"1961——Recorded late 1961, released December 1961; Tony Middleton singing leadA: "The Actor" B: "Three Tears In A Bucket"1962——Trans AtlasJames Ancrum singing leadA: "Guilty" B: "Number One With Me"1962——SelmaJames Ancrum singing leadA: "Did I Remember" B: "Tears Will Fall"1963——James Ancrum singing leadA: "A Love To Last A Lifetime" B: "You Blew Out The Candles"1964——CoralJames Ancrum singing lead

The Brooklyn Bridge discography (See full discography at The Brooklyn Bridge discography)

Selected singles

"Worst That Could Happen" (1968) "Welcome Me Love" (1969) "You'll Never Walk Alone" (1969)

Selected albums

"Brooklyn Bridge" (1968) "The Second Brooklyn Bridge" (1969) "The Bridge in Blue" (1972) "For Collectors Only" (1992) "Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge" (1993)