Arcada Doo Wop Show: Jay Siegel’s Tokens, Larry Chance and the Earls, Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon and Ladd Vance – Son of Kenny Vance and The Planotones
Doo wop orginated in the 1940’s but maintained popularity well through the 50’s and 60’s. Join us this July as three legends of doo wop take the stage. Their classic songs like, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, “Remember Then”, “I Believe”, “Streets of The Bronx”, “Palisades Park” will have you snapping along as they send you back in time.
The multitalented Jay Siegel is best known for his soaring falsetto on the classic mega-hit, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
Born in Brighton Beach, New York, a lifelong friendship with Neil Sedakabegan when both attended Lincoln High School in Brooklyn where in 1955, Sedaka formed The Linc-Tones singing group. A year later, Siegel joined the Linc-Tones and the group name was changed to The Tokens. Siegel and Sedaka and fellow Tokens Cynthia Zolitan and Hank Medress then recorded “While I Dream” and “I Love My Baby” for Melba Records. As The Tokens, they performed together on their first television show, The Ted Steele Dance Time.
The Tokens were the first vocal group to produce a million-seller record for another. “He’s So Fine,” by the Chiffons. Another Tokens hit production by The Chiffons “Sweet Talkin’ Guy’ was co-written by music executive Doug Morris, currently CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, whose history with The Tokens goes back to Morris’ days as a staff songwriter and promotion director for Laurie Records.
Born in South Philadelphia, PA, Larry Chance grew up in a neighborhood noted for it’s show business roots, spawning such talents as Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Chubby Checker, Mario Lanza, Danny & the Juniors, Joey Bishop, David Brenner, and many more. It was here Chance began his love affair with show business.
It was 1955 when his family moved to the Bronx, NY, there Larry discovered that vocal groups were to be found on almost every street corner, so he developed one of his own in 1957, with five friends, and called his group, the High-Hatters. By 1960 the group had evolved into what would then be called “the Earls”. Through the years, the original members moved on to other things.
Freddy Cannon is the singer of some of the mostmemorable ’50s and ’60s rock & roll hits. He is most closely identified with his four biggest-selling singles: “Tallahassee Lassie,” “Way Down Yonder In New Orleans,” “Palisades Park,” and “Action!”
Recording his first Top Ten single at the age of 19, Freddy was an overnight sensation on both sides of the Atlantic. When his debut album,
The Explosive! Freddy Cannon, hit Number One in England he cemented his fame in the British Isles. Freddy was featured on all of the top
television shows in America and England, including Shindig!, Hullabaloo, American Bandstand, Midnight Special, Where the Action Is, and The Mike Douglas Show. Freddy was such a hit with Dick Clark, that he became the most frequent guest star on American Bandstand. Freddy was one of the stars of the teenage cult films Just For Fun and Village of the Giants.
Freddy was portrayed on the screen in George Clooney’s 2002 film Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. His music has been featured
in several films, including 2011’s X-Men: First Class. Where the Action Is! is Freddy’s first book. He lives in Los Angeles.
Growing up on the East Coast, Kenny’s son Ladd was surrounded by the great Doo-Wop groups of the era. Ladd loves singing, and since 2010 would from time to time join Kenny onstage to sing duets in his shows. He also recorded 2 duets on two Kenny Vance and The Planotones albums, The Oceans of Time album and Mr. Santa. Before joining the Planotones, Ladd sang with an Everly Brothers tribute group called The Beverly Brothers as well as Marv Rosenberg’s Safaris, singing their big hit “Image of a Girl.”
During Kenny’s hiatus, Ladd performed as a solo artist in many of the biggest Doo-Wop shows around the country. Most recently, he appeared with Kenny Vance and The Planotones on The PBS Doo Wop Generations Special, due to air in March 2018, now bringing his vocal talent, knowledge of music and unique emotional connection to Doo-Wop to the Planotones.