Doo Wop in Birmingham Raises Money for Public TV

They don't make music like they used to '" at least not like they did during the 1960s. But a few performers of that "doo wop" era are still around and touring to raise money for public television. Some of them stopped in Birmingham Saturday night in a two-hour concert that pleased a crowd of the 60-plus age group at the Alys Stephens Center.

Five groups were on the docket: Gene "Duke of Earl" Chandler, Shirley Alston Reeves of The Shirelles, The Tokens ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight"), Jay and The Americans, and Tommy Mara of The Crests. That the audience enjoyed it was no surprise. That the aging singers could still hit all the notes was. Despite my initial skepticism, I found myself enjoying a high quality performance from a group of singers who still knew how to entertain an audience.

Tommy Mara opened the show. Who is Tommy Mara? I asked myself the same question, but he was the first to surprise me. Mara teamed with Johnny Maestro to form The Crests and perform their mega-hit, "16 Candles," while Maestro later founded another group, Brooklyn Bridge. Maestro died on March 24 last year, but Mara has kept the tradition going as a solo act and performing songs associated with his friend. These included "Step by Step" and "The Angels Listened In.".

Mara is still a remarkable talent. Sometimes the rotund singer's tenor voice reminded one of an Italian opera singer. Other times, he channeled a bit of white rock with black R&B. He called it a combination of "Italian" and "Coney-Island blues."

Regardless, Memphis producer Sam Phillips spent years looking for a white guy who could sing like a black before he found Elvis Presley. If he had waited another decade, he could have signed Mara to a contract.

Mara's crowd pleaser was "16 Candles." His most impressive number, though, was an impassioned delivery of "Summertime," deftly delivering such lines as "Hush, little baby, don't you cry." The crowd also appreciated his self-directed humor, stopping once to ask if the crowd could see him when he stood behind the thin mike stand on stage.

Shirley Alston Reeves, the former lead singer of the Shirelles, took the stage next with two young backup singers who provided the Shirelles' harmonies. Reeves set included "Tonight's the Night," a song she said she wrote for the group "back when McDonald's had only one golden arch." Other numbers included "Baby It's You," "This is Dedicated to the One I Love," the Carole King penned "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," and the group's bit hit '" "Soldier Boy." Forget about her age; this Rock Hall of Fame member can still sing.

The best lead voice of the night may have belonged to John "Jay" Reincke, the third singer to claim the lead role for Jay and the Americans. Reincke replaced the second "Jay," David "Jay" Black during the latter part of the last decade. He joined one of the founding members (Sandy Deanne) and two long-time members '" Howie Kane, and Marty Sanders '" for a few of their Top Ten singles from the 1960s. Reincke's voice was superb in mid-range, although he had an occasional problem with falsetto tenor. That little problem didn't matter as the group floated through such hits as "Only in America," "This Magic Moment," and "Come a Little Bit Closer."

Ironically, while Jay and the Americans were missing the original "Jay," he came on next as a member of the Tokens. The group was billed as "Jay Siegel and the Tokens, but it wasn't Jay Siegel. Siegel sings the unbelievable tenor lead on "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," and he still performs it in his original key of F. That performance was probably the biggest crowd pleaser of the night.

Another member of the Tokens, Jay Traynor, was the original lead singer for Jay and the Americans. Traynor sang his signature song from that group, "She Cried," as part of the Tokens set.

Gene Chandler closed the show with a five-song set that included "Groovy Situation" and his classic "Duke of Earl." The latter was the last song of his segment. After singing "Groovy Situation," Chandler left the stage, but re-emerged from the back of the concert hall, sporting a cane and wearing a cape and top hat.

That part of his performance was hampered by a bad microphone, but he switched mikes when he reached the stage and continued in stride. The 71-year-old performer, who celebrated his birthday earlier this month.

Chandler and the other performers returned to the stage a few minutes later. Jay and the Americans and Jay Traynor used that gathering as a chance to re-unite and exchange hand slaps. Then the entire ensemble sang "Goodnight, Goodnight" as a closing number.

So, is it true that they don't make music like they used to? Maybe. But these groups still sing 'em like they used to.