Jay Black Tickets

Jay Black
I'm an entertainer who happens to sing. It is Jay Blacks thoughts who was born November 2, 1938 and began his music career by writing songs. After hearing some of his songs, he was asked by a record company to record the songs No More and Forgive Me. Jay preferred to write and produce records which he did for the next few years.

In 1962, Jay and the Americans who had had a hit song She Cried, with another lead singer were desperately seeking a replacement. Jay stepped forward with his unique and powerful voice. With Jay as lead singer, Jay and the Americans charted a string of hits on the United Artists label, including Only In America, Come A Little Bit Closer, Cara Mia, This Magic Moment, and Walkin' In The Rain?. During the group's heyday, they made countless television appearances, on shows such as Shindig, Hullabaloo, Where The Action Is, Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, Red Skelton, and Sammy Davis, Jr., and in 1966 were featured in the movie Wild, Wild Winter singing Two of a Kind.

Jay and the group were the opening act for The Beatles' first appearance in the United States, and they went on to open for The Rolling Stones and other top British acts. In spite of the British invasion, Jay and his boys carried the American flag almost single-handedly through the 1960's with 21 chart singles. The group also takes credit for signing two unknowns -- Walter Becker and Donald Fagen -- to become their backup band. Becker and Fagen later went on to become the Grammy-award winning Steely Dan. Jay decided he would focus on being an entertainer instead of a recording artist. This decision has paid off handsomely. Jay Black continues to tour and play to sold-out audiences. Their stirring performance of Cara Mia on the 2001 PBS show Rock, Rhythm and Doo Wop has generated resurgence in popularity for the group, and Jay Black has earned the nickname The King of Westbury for his unparalleled record of sell-out concerts at New York's Westbury Music Fair, which is the number one venue of its size.

Jay Black also received notoriety because of his close friendship with former Gambino crime family boss John Gotti. Gotti and his crew, which included his son John Gotti, Jr., would often attend Black's concert performances at Westbury Music Fair in the mid to late-1980s and early-1990s. Junior Gotti would continue his father's habit of attending the Long Island concerts throughout the 1990s.

Jay was the second, and more widely-known Jay to lead the band Jay and the Americans, the first being Jay Traynor. He had previously used David Black as his professional name, but changed his first name to suit the band's pre-existing name.