Jay Black, the singer of Jay and the Americans, has died at the age of 82. According to a release, Black died due to complications from pneumonia.
Born as David Blatt in New York City on November 2, 1938, Black, was nicknamed “The Voice” due his vocal range. Jay Black and the Americans formed in the late 1950s after meeting as students at NYU. After inking a deal with United Artists Records, the group had a bunch of hits in the 1960s, including “Only In America,” “Come A Little Bit Closer,” “Cara Mia,” “This Magic Moment,” and “Walkin’ In The Rain.” Overall, the group had 21 songs land on the charts.
The group opened for The Beatles at their first American show in 1964. Additionally, the band also made appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Mike Douglas Show and The Merv Griffin Show.
After the band broke up in 1973, Black would continue to perform under the Jay and the Americans moniker. He also made appearances in film and TV, including an appearance in the Frank Sinatra-starring film Contract On Cherry Street.
His final concert took place in 2017. Additionally, Black suffered from dementia.
Black is survived by his four children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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