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Route set for Hazleton’s Rockin’ the County concert

Barr says US now overly reliant on Chinese goods, services

WILKES-BARRE &mdash; When you hear the name Joe Nardone, you think of good old Rock and Roll.
				Nardone has been around a long time and in addition to his Gallery of Sound stores, the old saxophone player has brought many of us out to the dance floor.
				When we hear his band, The All Stars, start up, we begin to move. No matter what age, we go back to those days when we were all a bunch of Kool Kats tearing up the rug at Hanson&rsquo;s or Sandy Beach or Sans Souci Park.
				And Nardone has been promoting concerts for many years as well, bringing the bands we grew up with and the music we love to our town. His Doo Wop shows are always terrific, with several legendary groups appearing.
				Nardone has been trying to hold his&rdquo;Oh What a Night&rdquo; doo wop show for months now, but the pandemic has caused postponements. Nardone has rescheduled the concert for March 13 at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts.
				And oh what a lineup he has put together.
				This show was originally scheduled for March 28, 2020, then postponed to May 29, 2020, and then Sept. 19, 2020, and tickets previously purchased will be honored on March 13, 2021.
				Jay and the Americans started in 1960, when they were signed and then went on to chart 12 top 10 records. In 1962, &ldquo;She Cried&rdquo; went to #5 on the charts. Jay Traynor, the first &ldquo;Jay,&rdquo; was the lead singer. He was replaced by Jay Black, (Jay #2), who was lead singer on the rest of their hits.
				In 1963, &ldquo;Only in America&rdquo; was a hit. In 1964, &ldquo;Come a Little Bit Closer&rdquo; went to #2, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s Lock the Door (and Throw away the Key)&rdquo; was top 20.
				From 1965-1970, their hits included the incomparable &ldquo;Cara Mia&rdquo; (#4), &ldquo;This Magic Moment&rdquo; (#9), &ldquo;Some Enchanted Evening&rdquo; and &ldquo;Walkin in the Rain.&rdquo;
				Co-headlining the show will be New Jersey&rsquo;s fabulous Duprees, known throughout the world for their romantic interpretations of some of the most beautiful love songs ever written.
				The Duprees had many hits, including the 1962 blockbuster smash &ldquo;You Belong to Me.&rdquo; Other hits include &ldquo;My Own True Love,&rdquo; &ldquo;Why Don&rsquo;t You Believe Me,&rdquo; &ldquo;Have You Heard&rdquo; and &ldquo;Exodus.&rdquo;
				Brian Hyland will perform in Wilkes Barre for the first time. In 1960, at age 16, Brian had his first and biggest hit, &ldquo;Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini.&rdquo; It was a #1 Billboard smash hit and went to #8 in the United Kingdom.
				In 1962, &ldquo;Sealed with a Kiss&rdquo; reached #3 on the Billboard and UK charts and was his second gold record. Hyland was a teen idol and toured with Dick Clark&rsquo;s Caravan of Stars. Hyland continues to tour today to popular acclaim.
				Gary U.S. Bonds had major hit songs in the early 1960s, including #1 smash &ldquo;Quarter to Three.&rdquo; Other hits include &ldquo;New Orleans&rdquo; (peaked at #6 on the charts), &ldquo;School is Out&rdquo; (#5 hit), &ldquo;Dear Lady Twist&rdquo; (9) and &ldquo;Twist, Twist, Senora&rdquo; (#9).
				Opening the show are the Fireflies, a doo wop group from Long Island.
				Five great acts, another amazing show.
				Here&rsquo;s hoping Joe Nardone keeps bringing these acts &mdash; and all those musical memories &mdash; to our town.

Beyond the Byline: Rockin’ and rollin’ with Joe Nardone