Jessie Taylor
Johnny Maestro, born John Peter Mastrangelo, was 17 years old when he sang the 1958 hit 16 Candles with The Crests, one of the first interracial singing groups. The song, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, helped launch Maestro's decades-long career in music, which included a stint with The Brooklyn Bridge.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of singing '16 Candles' | 1958 |
| Age at the time | 19 |
| Year of death | 2010 |
| Age at the time of death | 70 |
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What You'll Learn
Johnny Maestro's early life and career beginnings
Johnny Maestro, born John Peter Mastrangelo, was 17 years old when he sang "16 Candles" with The Crests in 1958. He was born on May 7, 1939, in New York City and grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Maestro began his career in 1956 as the lead singer of The Crests, an integrated doo-wop group. The group was formed by J.T. Carter and other street kids living in Manhattan, including first tenor Talmadge "Tommy" Gough, second tenor Harold Torres, and tenor Patricia Van Dross, Luther Vandross' older sister. In 1958, they recorded "16 Candles," which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 that year. The Crests also charted with "Step By Step," "The Angels Listened In," "Six Nights a Week," and "Trouble in Paradise."
In 1960, Maestro left The Crests and embarked on a brief solo career, with the support of his former group. He managed to place some songs in the top 20, including "Model Girl" and "What a Surprise." However, his solo career did not take off as expected.
In 1968, Maestro joined The Del-Satins, a local New York group. The same year, he merged The Del-Satins with a Long Island band, The Rhythm Method, to form Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge. This new group became known for their unique combination of smooth vocal harmonies and full horns. They signed a recording contract with Buddah Records and went on to achieve success with songs like "The Worst That Could Happen," "Blessed is the Rain," "Welcome Me Love," and "You'll Never Walk Alone."
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The Crests and their musical success
Johnny Maestro, born John Mastrangelo, was 17 when he joined The Crests in 1956. The Crests were a trailblazing doo-wop vocal group that revolutionized the music industry. They were formed by J.T. Carter and other street kids living in Manhattan, including first tenor Talmadge "Tommy" Gough, second tenor Harold "Chico" Torres, and tenor Patricia Van Dross, Luther Vandross' older sister.
The Crests were one of the first interracial singing groups, with two black males (J.T. Carter and Talmadge Gough), a black female (Patricia Van Dross), a Puerto Rican (Harold Torres), and an Italian American (John Mastrangelo, aka Johnny Maestro). They were unusual for their time in that they were a fully integrated group. In just over four years, the group placed 13 records on the Billboard pop chart, six inside the Top 20, including "Step By Step" and "The Angels Listened In", defining examples of the rock ’n’ roll vocal group genre.
The Crests' most popular song, "16 Candles", was released in 1958 and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It sold more than one million copies and reached gold disc status. The song was a major smash, and the group was added to Alan Freed's Christmas rock-‘n’-roll extravaganza at the Brooklyn Fox Theater, alongside Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. They also performed at the legendary Apollo Theater and on Dick Clark's radio version of his popular "American Bandstand" television show.
The Crests were inducted into the United in Group Harmony Association (UGHA) Hall of Fame in 2000, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, the Doo Wop Hall of Fame in 2008, and the Doo Wop Music Hall of Fame in 2015. J.T. Carter, the last surviving original member of The Crests, died on April 5, 2025, at the age of 83.
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16 Candles and its impact
Johnny Maestro was 21 years old when he sang "16 Candles" in 1958. The song, written by Luther Dixon and Allyson R. Khent, was performed by The Crests, one of the first interracial singing groups, of which Maestro was the lead singer.
"16 Candles" was a major hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remaining there for 21 weeks in 1959. It also reached No. 4 on the US R&B chart and No. 5 in Canada. The song has had a lasting impact, appearing in several Hollywood productions, including the 1973 movie "American Graffiti" and the 1984 film "Sixteen Candles", which took its title from the song. The song has also been covered by artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis and The Jackson 5, who included it on their album "Maybe Tomorrow".
The song's success helped launch Maestro's decades-long career in music. After leaving The Crests in the early 1960s, he performed briefly as a solo singer before joining The Del-Satins in 1968. This group merged with The Rhythm Method to form Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge, which went on to achieve further success with hits such as "The Worst That Could Happen", "Blessed is the Rain", and "Welcome Me Love". Maestro's smooth vocals and dedication to his craft earned him praise and respect within the industry.
Maestro's impact extended beyond his music. He performed at various fundraising events and supported organisations such as the New York City Fire Department, the Police Department, and the United States Military. His performances brought joy and raised funds for important causes. Maestro's talent and contributions to music and his community left a lasting impression on those who knew him and his fans worldwide. His last performance was in January 2010, shortly before his death at the age of 70.
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Johnny Maestro's time with The Brooklyn Bridge
Johnny Maestro was 17 when he sang "16 Candles" in 1958 with The Crests.
The Brooklyn Bridge was known for their strong vocal and horn arrangements. They recorded a series of hits, including “Welcome Me Love”, “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, and “Your Husband, My Wife”. However, their biggest hit was Jimmy Webb's "The Worst That Could Happen", which earned them a gold record and countless concert and television appearances. The Brooklyn Bridge performed "The Worst That Could Happen" on ""The Ed Sullivan Show" in December 1968, with host Ed Sullivan mispronouncing Maestro's surname as "MAY-stroh" instead of "MY-stroh".
The group sold over 10 million records by 1972, including LP sales, most of which were produced by Wes Farrell. Appearances on television shows such as "The Ed Sullivan Show", "The Della Reese Show", and other programs helped bring the group to the national stage. The Brooklyn Bridge was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005, the South Carolina Music (Rhythm & Blues) Hall of Fame in May 2006, and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in October 2006.
Maestro carried on with the Brooklyn Bridge despite the band claiming a one-hit-wonder status. In the following decades, the Brooklyn Bridge performed at many fundraising events on Staten Island, such as the Borough President's "Back to the Beach" concert. They also performed for the New York City Fire Department and Police Department, the United States Military, Italian American Association, as well as church and school fundraisers.
Maestro's last performance was on January 17, when The Brooklyn Bridge appeared at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut for "Bowzer's Ultimate Doo-Wop Party". He died on March 24, 2010, at the age of 70, from cancer. The Brooklyn Bridge continued to perform without him, and his spot as lead vocalist was replaced by Joe Esposito.
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The legacy and influence of Johnny Maestro
Johnny Maestro, born John Mastrangelo, was an American pop singer with a four-decade-long career. He was the lead vocalist for the doo-wop group The Crests, with whom he sang the hit song "16 Candles" in 1958, when he was 19 years old. The song went to number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
Maestro was born on May 7, 1939, and raised on Manhattan's Lower East Side. He began his career in 1956 as the lead singer of The Crests, an interracial doo-wop group. In just over four years, the group placed 13 records on Billboard's pop chart, six of which were in the Top 20. Other hits by the group include "Six Nights a Week", "Step by Step", "The Angels Listened In", and "Trouble in Paradise".
In 1960, Maestro's band label, Coed, decided he should go solo, although The Crests still backed him. Under this designation, they had hits with "Model Girl" and "What a Surprise". Maestro officially left The Crests in the early 1960s and performed briefly as a solo singer.
In 1968, Maestro joined The Del-Satins, a local New York group. The same year, he combined The Del-Satins with the Long Island group The Rhythm Method to form Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge. The group signed a recording contract with Buddah Records and had hits such as "The Worst That Could Happen", "Welcome Me Love", "Blessed is the Rain", and "You'll Never Walk Alone".
Maestro continued singing as frontman for The Brooklyn Bridge for over 40 years, even as the band claimed a one-hit-wonder status. The group performed at many fundraising events and appeared on national television shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Della Reese Show.
Maestro died on March 24, 2010, of kidney cancer in Cape Coral, Florida, where he had moved in 2003. He was 70 years old. In 2011, a section of Mason and Midland Avenue in Staten Island was renamed "Johnny Maestro Way" in his honor.
Johnny Maestro is remembered as a talented vocalist with a pure tenor voice who thrilled audiences for decades. His music continues to be celebrated by his fans, and his impact on the vocal-group harmony world is undeniable.
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Frequently asked questions
Johnny Maestro was 19 years old when he sang "16 Candles" in 1958.
"16 Candles" rose to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1959 and sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc status.
Johnny Maestro was the lead singer of The Crests when he sang "16 Candles".
Yes, Johnny Maestro left The Crests in the early 1960s and performed briefly as a solo singer.
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