Jay and the Americans singer Jay Black dies at 82
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Jay Black, frontman for '60s pop-rock group Jay and the Americans, has died at 82.
Black's family confirmed to Rolling Stone that he died of complications from pneumonia on Friday night. The mag reported he had also suffered from dementia.
The band, known for hits including "Come a Little Bit Closer," and "This Magic Moment," shared a tribute to their former lead singer on Facebook on Saturday.
Jack Mitchell/Getty Jay and the Americans
"Today, we mourn the passing of David Blatt a/k/a Jay Black and we acknowledge the great successes we had with him both as a partner and as a lead singer," their post read. "We shared both wonderful and very contentious times, and much like an ex-wife, we are so proud of the beautiful children we created. We'll always remember The Voice."
Black was born David Blatt in 1938 in Brooklyn, New York.
He was the second "Jay" to front the Americans, after John "Jay" Traynor left to pursue other musical projects.
With Black at the microphone, the band had a handful of hits like the standout "Cara Mia." They also released a number of records on Capitol throughout the sixties -- 1965's Blockbusters, 1966's Livin' Above Your Head, and Sunday and Me, 1967's Try Some of This, and 1969's Sands of Time.
Don Paulsen/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Jay Black
With Black as their frontman, Jay and the Americans opened for the Beatles at the U.K. band's first stateside show in 1964.
The band split in 1973, later reforming in 2006 with another "Jay" for frontman.
Black dabbled in acting, starring alongside Frank Sinatra in Contract on Cherry Street in 1977.
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