Died On This Date (March 24, 2010) Johnny Maestro / Doo Wop Singer; The Crests
themusicsover 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.
What You Should Own
Marva Wright was a popular New Orleans blues and Gospel singer who has rightfully been called the Blues Queen of New Orleans. Whether performing in area clubs or in front of thousands at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Wright was a familiar and welcomed site throughout the city for many years. She was a popular concert draw throughout Europe and beyond as well. Even though she began singing at the age of nine, Wright didn’t make it a career until she hit her 40s, and since then she has released several critically and fan acclaimed albums and even performed at the White House. Over the course of her career, she has performed with the likes of 
An avid surfer, drummer Don Murray spent much of his youth surfing along the south bay area of Southern California. During high school he joined a Westchester band called the Nightriders, which included Al Nichols (guitar), Howard Kaplan (tenor sax), Chuck Portz (bass), and Glen Wilson (drums). According to Mark Volman, “The name would change again to The Crossfires with the addition of Dale Walton on Rhythm guitar and Mark Volman on sax. Dale would eventually be replaced by Tom Stanton. Jim Tucker would replace Stanton and that line-up of Nichol, Kaylan, Portz, Murray, Kaplan (Kaylan) & Volman would become the Turtles.” On January 1, 1996, Murray entered the surf for what would be his last time. Just two days later he was admitted into the hospital for a routine ulcer surgery. He died from post- operative complications two months later.
Dave Guard was an influential American folk singer, best remembered as a founding member of the Kingston Trio. Formed in 1957, the group helped launch the folk revival of the ’60s while becoming one of the first groups to enjoy big sales on the LP format. Their first hit single, “Tom Dooley” is considered one of the most important songs of the era. Artists like Brian Wilson, Joan Baez, Lindsey Buckingham, Jimmy Buffet, and 
One of nine siblings, Mark Dinning recycled an old song written by one of his sisters (of the Dinning Sisters) and turned it into an early rock ‘n’ roll hit. That song was “Teen Angel” which is one of those classic tragedies that tells the chilling story of a young lover killed when her car is stalled on the train tracks. It went to #1 on the Billboard charts even though some stations felt it was too morbid to play. Dinning died of a heart attack at age 52.