Johnny Maestro (Born John Mastrangelo)
May 7, 1939 – March 24, 2010
Johnny Maestro was a popular doo-wop singer who, over the course of his lengthy career, fronted two equally popular groups. As singer for the Crests, Maestro scored a #2 hit with 1958’s “16 Candles.” The song continues to be one of the most popular records of the era and has been covered by the Stray Cats and the Jackson 5, to name a few. The Crests are also notable for being one of the earliest completely interracial groups in pop music. It was made up of a Puerto Rican, an African American male and female, and an Italian American (Maestro). Ten years later, Maestro had a major hit again, this time with “The Worst That Could Happen” as singer for Brooklyn Bridge. The group has remained active up until the time of Maestro’s passing. On March 24, 2010, Johnny Maestro died from cancer. He was 70 years old.
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