The Skyliners Live in Concert Suffern, NY 2/1/75
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- čas přidán 2. 02. 2024
- On Saturday evening, February 1, 1975, promoter Drew Cummings of Monsey, New York staged a 20th anniversary of Rock’n’roll concert at the Rockland Community College Field House in Suffern, New York under the Barmann’s Concerts and Productions Inc. banner. The event offered general admission seating and all tickets were priced at $6.75. By comparison, that’s just over $38 in 2024 money. The bill contained six of the most popular and beloved vocal groups from the era: Original lead singer Tony Williams and his Platters, the Drifters (Charlie Thomas, Dock Green, Elsbeary Hobbs, Bobby Ruffin and Abdul Samad), the original Skyliners, The Coasters (Carl Gardner, Earl “Speedo” Carroll, Ronnie Bright, Jimmy Norman and Curly Palmer), Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Five Satins featuring Fred Parris. Television and concert host Clay Cole (1938-2010), a staple on New York’s WPIX and WNTA from 1959 to 1968, was hired to serve as emcee. In addition, the producers arranged to have the concert filmed for syndicated national television broadcast. Two one-hour cuts of the program, “20 Years of Rock & Roll”, were edited, produced, and broadcast on American television in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Apart from Tony Williams, most of whose inebriated performance ended up on the cutting room floor, all the acts - primarily in their late 30s and early 40s, gave a fine accounting of themselves for a highly enthusiastic sold-out audience of over 5,000 who were aware the event was being filmed.
Two songs from the Skyliners’ set appeared in the primary one hour edit, their biggest hits “This I Swear” and “Since I Don’t Have You”, originally recorded in 1958-59. The five-person group had gone their separate ways in 1963 but four of the original members (minus original bass Jackie Taylor) reunited in 1970. These four: Lead Jimmy Beaumont (1940-2017), soprano Janet Vogel Rapp (1941-1980), tenor Wally Lester, Jr., (1941-2015) and baritone Joe Verscharen (1940-2007), appeared in this filmed concert. They are joined by longtime arranger, guitarist and musical director Richard Engel. The original quartet remained together until 1976 when Lester and Verscharen retired from touring. Beaumont was still leading the Skyliners in concert appearances at the time of his death in 2017. The available original footage has been presented in chronological order and the audio remixed and synchronized with the video. - Hudba
You're beautiful people beautiful time I'm from New York but I love these people this was real love life and fun and beautiful music
Thanks.. so impressed
70 now. The best of Pittsburgh..
Feel like crying
the best!! R.I.P. Jimmy & the rest of the original group
i'm 77 and i always loved this song - i can't explain the feeling that came over me when I would slow dance to it. i had tears in my eyes it was so beautiful. also in philly we did the strand and i'm still dancin.
Awesome and Janet hit the high notes!!
Wonderful!!!
Amazing!!!
When I was a teenager living in Jersey City I went over to NYC with a few friends to buy some records. At one point we were walking down 42nd Street when a Black & White 1955 Chevrolet station wagon drove by. On the back of the car it read "The Skyliners". Years later I got to work with Jimmy when we played at "The Adam Black Hotel" in Philadelphia. But unfortunately I never got to talk to him.
What a voice Janet had.
They were truly incredible. Janet died tragically at 38 in 1980 committing suicide. Joe died from cancer at 67 years old. We lost Wally in 2015. Then Jimmy was gone in 2017. My wife was raised outside Pittsburgh in the 60's and said they were the envy of every kid.
R.I.P. Clay Cole.
Great to see. I was managed by Joe Rock when this show happened. No incarnation of the group came close. Wish Jackie Taylor was there. RIP OSkyliners
I agree. I saw this lineup myself at the Providence Civic Center in Rhode Island in May of 1975 with Chuck Berry, the Drifters, Belmonts and Angels.
great
I'm curious to see the Tony Williams performance now. lol I is it available to see at all?
It has been posted today.
I saw Tony Williams and The Platters in the late 60's - early 70's (not sure) in a club in the Bronx. He was stoned on what I don't know? He had to be helped up to the stage and nearly fell off when the set was over. Voice was sketchy. Very sad.