JOHNNY MAESTRO Would Have Been 78 Today

He was born John Mastrangelo on May 7, 1939, but his surname was shortened to Maestro (and sometimes Mastro, and even Masters) and his powerful voice attained chart success in two different groups. First came THE CRESTS (seen in the video below). The true original Crests roster contained Luther VanDross' big sister, Patricia. Her parents made her leave the group because of her age. The Crests scored several big hits including "Step by Step," "Sixteen Candles," "My Juanita," "Sweetest One," "Trouble in Paradise," "Six Nights a Week," and "The Angels Listened In." Maestro then attempted a solo career, but that didn't prove to be very successful. Several years later, he teamed with a group of guys known as the Del Satins, who had backed up Dion on hits such as "The Wanderer," "Runaround Sue," and many others. Now known as The Brooklyn Bridge, Maestro's career was reborn with a string of hits such as "Worst that Could Happen," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "Your Husband My Wife," "Blessed Is the Rain," and "Welcome Me Love."