Autumn Years Summer 2023

forming professionally while earning his bachelor’s degree in Music Composition and Performance at SUNY Binghamton and subsequently earned his master’s degree in Music Education from C.W. Post College, now known as Long Island University. His first single, “Now I Just Dance,” was released on Relative Records in 1985. Over the years, Barney has also composed and produced films, written musical comedies, embarked on a six week tour of gigs in Ireland, and released Popinstro , an instrumental album with rock, jazz, country and blues influences. Stu is the only remaining original Forever Young member. He says he was singing before he could walk, started playing piano at age nine, and had a ca pella groups in junior and senior high school. “My father had a wonderful voice, and my parents were into old Broadway show tunes, so music was always present in our house,” explains Stu. “I sing all the time.” Stu is also an accomplished tennis player who played varsity tennis at Penn State University and semi-pro. He trans ferred to NYU where he met and mar ried wife Barbara his senior year. Before retiring about ten years ago, Stu had a lifelong career in marketing, advertising and radio, where he was a “rep” for hundreds of radio stations nationwide. His last 10 years in radio were spent working directly for stations in northern New Jersey—WDHA-FM, 105.5, “The Rock of New Jersey” and sister station WMTR, AM-1250, “Clas sic Oldies.” Stu sold commercial airtime, brought new advertisers on board, and

Davis, The Eagles, Roy Orbison, John Denver, The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor and Arlo Guthrie. “The band’s five strong and experienced lead sing ers backed by lots of tight, doo-wop style group harmony and instrumentation allow us to provide an exceptionally wide variety and range of sound,” says Joe. The band rehearses twice a week— the full band at Bruce’s house, vocals at Joe’s house—and typically performs live once a week. Joe and Stu handle book ings for the band performances at oldies dances, bars, night clubs, concerts, “sock hops,” dinner dances, private birthday and anniversary parties, car shows and rallies, charity and community events, weddings, reunions and public librar ies. Recently, they have also carved out a niche performing at area 55+ communi ties on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and can often be found at The Mason Jar in Mahwah. “We have a core group of about 25 people who follow us regularly at public venues,” says Joe. The band has had its share of high lights and challenges over the years. They once opened for Jay Siegel and The Tokens of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” fame. They have also had to keep per forming during unexpected power out ages, which proved to be non-issues giv en their strong vocal, a capella abilities.

wrote, directed and sometimes voiced commercials. All of these skills and ex periences have proven beneficial for For ever Young, too. “Forever Young was born when a handful of guys—all oldies lovers—got together to make some music,” recalls Stu. “Before we knew it, we were gigging locally, with me playing piano and sing ing.” The Forever Young slogan “Oldies, Doo-Wop and More,” Stu explains, gives the band the chance to include some of the great old ‘70s hits along with their mainstay ‘50s and ‘60s tunes. Playlists are developed based on audi ence and venue. A typical set list might include songs like Frankie Ford’s “Sea Cruise,” a medley of The Drifters tunes “Up on the Roof,” “Under the Board walk” and “On Broadway,” “Earth Angel” by The Penguins, “This Magic Moment” by Jay and the Americans, Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” and “Don’t Be Cruel,” Neil Sedaka’s “Break ing Up Is Hard to Do,” “Poison Ivy” by The Coasters, The Crystal’s “Da Doo Ron Ron,” Temptations tunes “My Girl” and “Get Ready,” “Stay” by Maurice Wil liams & the Zodiacs, and “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and His Com ets. The “and more” notes Stu, has al lowed the band to also incorporate songs by Sam & Dave, Eric Clapton, Spencer

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AUTUMN YEARS I SUMMER 2023