The 79-year-old Brooklyn boy got his start by co-founding Jay and the Americans (“Come A Little Bit Closer”), and went on to discover Steely Dan in the late-‘60s. He then had a brief stint as musical director for “Saturday Night Live,” where he booked the likes of Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, and—on the same night—Todd Rundgren and some kid named Prince.
Expect him to tell a hell of a lot more tales of a fabled career—partially preserved in “Heart and Soul,” a recent doo-wop-centered documentary he directed—when he headlines the annual Doo-Wop Reunion, featuring Lou Christie, Jay Siegel’s Tokens, and peppermint twister/Clearwater resident Joey Dee.
Tickets to see Vance at the Doo Wop Reunion on Saturday, March 4 at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall are still available and start at $49. Vance is offering his fans a 30% discount on any available seats, too.
This article appears in Mar 2-8, 2023.