Autumn Years Summer 2023

L ike most bands, Forever Young’s members have come and gone over the years. Unlike most bands, how ever, five of its six current members— Stu, Barney, Joe, Ken and David—are all strong vocalists. “Vocals,” says Joe, “separate the men from the boys.” David describes Forever Young’s intricate vo cals as a “wall of voices.”

could not have the family life he desired if he was on the road constantly. He first opened a tanning bed business with lo cations throughout the tri-state area. A friend later brought him into the insur ance business, and Joe eventually be came a financial advisor with his own agency. Joe never stopped playing and singing; he just put career and family

Music in Boston where he was a music education major and studied classic and jazz guitar. After observing inner-city school classes his junior and senior year at the height of race riots, he decided to head out on the road after graduating rather than pursuing a teaching job. He sang and played with New York Fever, a disco band, up and down the east coast.

David Barckett

Barney Griffin

Joe Riccio

first for a while. Joe is now retired, which has allowed him to focus on music again. Joe, Ken and David played together be fore, so when Ken got a call about the Forever Young opportunity for a sax player and learned two more band mem bers were retiring, he reconnected with Joe and David. All three joined Forever Young three years ago. Ken and his wife Sandy live in Lynd hurst, but he grew up in Queens. “Love of music is one of my earliest recol lections as music was common in our home, and I can say I grew to appreciate

By the early ‘80s, he joined Atlanta based Baby and The Pacifiers, a cabaret rock band whose concept was “stolen” by Adam and the Ants, says Joe, noting this is a common occurrence in the industry. Baby and The Pacifiers often headlined at The Bistro on West Peachtree Street, a place where greats like Glen Camp bell, Gabe Kaplan and Bobby Goldsboro started out. Cousin Brucie took an inter est in Baby and The Pacifiers, and they produced a music video in the early ‘80s. Joe has played and sang on multiple demos for other groups, too. Joe moved back to New Jersey in 1983, realizing he

Ask any band member about himself, and he will quickly tell you how talented his bandmates are. “Joe can play any thing,” says David. “Bruce is a phenom enal drummer!” says Stu. “He’s naturally quiet, but when he bangs those drums, oh man.” They all describe Barney as a “brilliant, musician’s musician.” When David says Joe is a very talented bass player, Joe is quick to tell you Barney is better. He will also tell you David has ex cellent relative pitch and natural ability. Joe, who lives in Paramus with his wife Diane, attended Berklee College of

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AUTUMN YEARS I SUMMER 2023