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BIOGRAPHY
Johnny was born in Fairview, New Jersey. From the earliest age he always wanted to be a singer. Starting his training in opera at a young age, he was recognized as a child prodigy.
Then Johnny switched to the big band sound. And at 19 he moved to Hollywood and started up with the Rock'n'Roll scene. Johnny's first record was "So Lovable", at the age of 20. He recorded a Hit chart 45 record of "Rockin' Billy," which he performed on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Johnny had one of those very rare voices and had a remarkable fresh style of singing and sparked the interest of several different record labels. When Johnny was on the Crystalette records, he had many fan clubs in Hollywood.
After Johnny appeared on American Bandstand, Johnny met Mark Traversino at a club in Southgate, California, where he was appearing with his Band. Johnny jammed with Mark and his Band. Johnny's voice blew Mark away and he told Johnny to look him up in a couple of months, because he would be opening up his own night club, called "The Samba". Johnny worked at that club for about a year. He then went on to perform the circuit of night clubs in the Los Angeles area. Johnny continued his professional relationship with Mark for many years. They worked and wrote many songs together. Mark is Johnny's best friend to this day. Johnny toured all over the U.S. doing local T.V. Shows including Louisiana Hayride, which Elvis also performed on before Johnny. He also opened for Gene Vincent on his show, singing "Rockin' Billy" with Elvis's former Band, The Bill Black Combo. Johnny also worked with Eddy Cochran and Ritchie Valens.
Through the years, Johnny recorded for Crystalette and Luna Records. He went on to tour throughout the U.S. and Canada with many of the Top Pop Rock Stars, such as Connie Francis, Frankie Avalon and Paul Anka. Returning to Hollywood, he worked clubs all over L.A., from Beverly Hills to the famous Sunset Strip. Then his career led him back to NY, to work the well known nightclubs: The Copacabana, El Morocco and the Latin Quarter. He also performed at the Apollo Theater, to standing ovations. Very few singing artists could make the crossover from pop music to Rock'n'Roll and R&B like Johnny could do. When Johnny was called back to perform at the Hollywood Palladium, he went back in the studio and recorded "Good, Good, Woman" and "I don't need no doctor" for Gene Norman's Crescendo Records, which was another chart record for Johnny.
He stayed in the L.A. area, where he was in great demand at all the popular hot spots in town. Major Hotel Casinos in Las Vegas, Tahoe and Reno soon beckoned Johnny to come and perform for his loving fans. In 1975 he did a recording of the James Brown song I Feel Good" with the Tonight Show Band led by Tommy Neusom with the help of the famous Jazz Pole winner, Bassist "Chubby Jackson" and his son Duffy Jackson, who was then working with Sammy Davis Jr as his Drummer.
At present, Johnny has teamed up with the fabulous Singer, Sheri Livingston. They have been doing shows, in the New York City area to rave reviews. They have been performing Coast to Coast, from New York to Las Vegas to rave reviews. This singing duo is headed to the top.
DISCOGRAPHY
Below are some of the records that Johnny Stark has recorded ...
On Juvenile Jungle: "Rockin'Billy", "Drivin' Me Out Of My Mind"
On Jumpin' Jive: "Rock, Baby, Roll," "Cold Coffee."
On Hot Rockin': "I Wanna See You."
Tons of other collector CD's including: Buffalo Bop, Doghouse CD 003, Out Of Time LP 8013 USA LP 57592, Jan/Star Club CD 1979.
Below are numerous CD's Johnny has recorded on Crystalette Records. "Teenage Lovers", written by Sonny Bono of Sonny and Cher. "I wanna See You", Little Boy Blues", Rockin' Billy" and "Drivin' Me Out Of My Mind".
WHAT'S JOHNNY DOING NOW??
Johnny teamed up with Singer/Performer, Sheri Livingston.
They have been together for nine years thrilling audiences
from Coast to Coast.
Recording Artists
Sheri & Johnny
Sheri and Johnny have had wonderful singing careers of their own through the years, before meeting nine years ago in Las Vegas. With the beautiful blend of their voices, their combined talent and years of experience, it was natural that they join together to form one of the hottest new singing acts, "Sheri & Johnny".
Sheri and Johnny's sound takes their audiences on a magic, musical carpet ride, through time and space, with music from the "Good Old Days" and back to the present, with some of the greatest songs ever written, from Standards to Lite Rock, Motown, R&B and even a bit of Country.
Sheri Livingston
Sheri Livingston and her twin sister, Syd were born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Their Mother, Dorothy Jo Livingston, a Big Band singer, taught them to sing at three years old and taught Syd harmony at five years old and they started performing on WKY Radio and TV. The girls started singing professionally at the age of seven years old, throughout Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. Then they sang with Earl Hills Orchestra from twelve years old, until graduating from Harding High School. Then Syd and Sheri moved to Hollywood and signed with Lute Records and had a Hit record as "Cyd and Cheri" with "I'm A Lookin' Blue Eyes" and "Lonesome for You".
Then they teamed up with "Bill Norvas and the Upstarts", Jerry Wilson and Gary Sneed, performing in the Blue Room at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans. The four Upstarts stayed together, changing their name to "The Guys and Dolls", playing at the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas. When Judy Garland and Mel Torme heard them sing, they signed them with Si Zentner's Orchestra, for a tour throughout the US and Canada, changing their name to "The 2+2". Mel Torme managed the group.
Later, Syd and Sheri went on to New York, where they performed through the years. A few years later, Sheri moved back to Hollywood, performing and producing shows she had produced in New York at the famous New York Latin Quarter, Sheri's Show, "The Speakeasy".
A few years later, when Sheri was heading back to New York, from Hollywood, friends introduced her to Johnny Stark over the phone. He was living in Las Vegas. On the way to New York, Sheri stopped in Las Vegas to meet Johnny in person and it was "Love at First Sight!" Johnny joined Sheri in New York two months later and the rest is history!
Sheri & Johnny
Sheri and Johnny have been performing throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and in Manhattan at: "Don't Tell Mama", "The Producers Club Theatre" and "Theatre East", to rave reviews. Also, Sheri and Johnny "Wowed" their Audiences at "Caesar's Pocono Resorts in Pennsylvania.
Sheri and Johnny just moved their home-base from Las Vegas and Branson, MO., where they have been performing for the last four years, back to New York! They have gained fans across the US and will be touring in Europe soon. Sheri's sister Syd will join them on this tour and others and they will be performing their Show "Then and Now!", with their Hits from the past and today with their Band "The Dynamics".
When you see them perform, you will see why Sheri and Johnny are in such demand from Coast to Coast!
They're recording "Sheri & Johnny Crossroads"
on Star Brite Records, with two songs, Johnny wrote:
1. Blues Man
2. Mean Ol' Whisky
You won't want to miss getting a copy of this great CD on: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sherijohnny.
Sheri and Johnny's new CD release is also on CDBaby.com. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sherijohnny
"WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT MUSIC"
1. BLUES MAN
2. SWEET THING
3. COME ON HOME
4. I DON'T NEED NO DOCTOR
5. MEAN OL' WHISKEY
6. EVERYBODY'S ROCKIN' THE BLUES
7. IN MY DREAMS
8. CUDDLE UP
9. YOU GOTTA HAVE SOUL
10. WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT MUSIC
For Booking:
Family Star Productions
170-47 Pidgeon Meadow Road
Fresh Meadows, New York 11365
USA
1-570-643-6095
1-917-324-7989 or 90
E-mail: family_star_productions@yahoo.com
Website: www.hollywoodmuse.com/sheri_johnny
Recording Artists
Sheri & Johnny
with their band
"The Dynamics"
Updated February, 2008 -- © Rockabilly Hall of Fame ®
