On This Day in History, April 18: Street Corner Harmony: Part 26
BROOKLYN — One of the most popular singing groups that had its beginning in Brooklyn was Jay and the Americans. The group started out originally as the Harbor Lights. Jay Traynor had been a member of the Mystics but left to form his own group in 1959. He, Howard Kirshenbaum, Kenny Rosenberg and Sandy Yaguda christened themselves the Harbor Lights. The quartet recorded two singles, one for Mala Records and one for Jaro Records in 1960 neither receiving notable exposure. (Jaro incidentally is formed from the initials of the J. Arthur Rank Organization.)
In 1962, the group met producer/writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller via an audition, resulting in a United Artists recording contract. Leiber and Stoller built on the group’s natural doo wop ability. They broadened its appeal by emphasizing John’s lead and the pop flavor of the sound. Leiber and Stoller almost named the group “Binky Jones & the Americans.” Fortunately Traynor objected and they were named “Jay and the Americans,” using the leader John Traynor’s childhood nickname.
The first recordings made by Jay and the Americans were in October 1961. At that time the recording company’s movie-making section United Artists was producing its major release West Side Story and promised Jay and the Americans a great deal of promotion if they would record the “Tonight” number from the show. It was a hit, selling well in New York — about 40,000 copies, although it failed to chart nationally. It received considerable New York airplay. The piano duo, Ferrante and Teicher, also under contract to U.A. recorded the song and it became a big hit for them as well.