Sandy Deanne

{{Infobox musical artist | name = Sandy Deanne | image = Sandy Deanne.jpg | caption = Deanne with Jay and the Americans in 1963 | birth_name = Louis Sandy Yaguda | alias = Sandy Deanne | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1943|1|30}} | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | genre = Pop rock | occupation = Singer | years_active = 1960–present | current_member_of = Jay and the Americans }}

'''Sandy Deanne''' (born '''Louis Sandy Yaguda''', January 30, 1943<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sandy Deanne D.O.B |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/180500575338511/posts/happy-77th-birthday-sandy-deanne-yes-a-founding-member-of-jay-the-americans-is-7/2657136391008238/}}</ref>), also known as '''Sandy Yaguda''', is an American vocalist who has been a member of Jay and the Americans since forming in 1960. Following the death of Howie Kane in 2023, he was the last founding member of Jay and the Americans still touring with the group until early 2024.

== Early life == Born Louis Sandy Yaguda in Brooklyn, New York City,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Jay and the Americans |url=http://www.jayandtheamericans.net/pages/bio.htm |access-date=March 29, 2023 |website=jayandtheamericans.net}}</ref> he would later perform professionally as Sandy Deanne. His ambition to become a musician came along after seeing Elvis Presley on television and The Belmonts singing I Wonder Why.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Sandy Deanne - Founding member of Jay and The Americans - Vinyl Vibes |url=https://omny.fm/shows/vinyl-vibes/sandy-deanne-founding-member-of-jay-and-the-americ |access-date=March 29, 2023 |website=omny.fm |language=en}}</ref> It was also his sisters singing and dancing lessons that grew his love for music:<ref name=":1" /> {{Quote|text=Music started early for me. I was five, and my older sister was on the way to becoming a professional singer. She was taken every day after school by my mom to the city, for all kinds of singing and dancing lessons. I was dragged along because there was no one to watch me. I loved every second of it. When we came home, my sister would practice and I would practice with her. She stood me on top of the toilet seat and taught me to sing harmony with her. That was it. I was hooked. She played all kinds of records in the house. Bessie Smith, Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, The Pied Pipers featuring Frank Sinatra,, Lena Horne, The Four Freshmen , were all played constantly Also a lot of blues, we both loved the blues. I soaked it up like a sponge.}}

== Jay and the Americans == {{Further information|Jay and the Americans}} [[File:Jay and the Americans.png|thumb|Deanne (second from left) with Jay and the Americans in 1965]] In 1960, he formed first group, called The Harborlites, whilst still in high school.<ref name=":0" /> The Harborlites had a minor hit with a song written by Deanne, "Is that Too Much to Ask", but Deanne and fellow Harborlite Kenny Vance decided they wanted to form an all-male vocal group instead.<ref name=SDanFAQ>{{cite book |last=Robustelli |first=Anthony |title=Steely Dan FAQ: All that's Left to Know about this Elusive Band |date=2017 |publisher=Backbeat Books |location=Milwaukee, WI |isbn=9781495025129 |pages=18-23}}</ref> Jay and the Americans was formed by Deanne, alongside his boyhood friend Howie Kane, Jay Traynor, and Vance.<ref name=SDanFAQ/> After signing to United Artists Records in 1961, they released their first single, "Tonight" b/w "The Other Girls". Jay Traynor left in 1962 and Jay Black came in as the new lead singer. In the following years, the Americans would garner more hits such as "This Magic Moment", "She Cried", "Come a Little Bit Closer", and "Cara Mia".

Deanne remained in the Americans until their split in 1973. Like the other members of the group, he went on to tour as a solo artist. Deanne was inducted, as a member of the Americans, into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jay and The Americans – The Vocal Group Hall of Fame |url=https://vocalgroup.org/inductees/jay-and-the-americans/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |language=en}}</ref> In 2006, Jay Black filed for bankruptcy due to gambling debts,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=February 9, 2009 |title=Singer Jay Black Wins Right to Own Name, Jay and the Americans Singer Is Awarded Right to Own Name in Bankruptcy Court - CBS News |website=CBS News |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/07/ap/entertainment/mainD8LRNSVG0.shtml |access-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209032053/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/07/ap/entertainment/mainD8LRNSVG0.shtml |archive-date=February 9, 2009 }}</ref> and sold the rights to the name "Jay and the Americans" to the other members as a way to pay it off, for $100,000.<ref name=":2" /> After the deal was made, Deanne, Kane, and Marty Sanders started to perform again as Jay and the Americans.<ref name=":2" />

Deanne has performed as a vocalist on every record by Jay and the Americans made to date. With the new version of the band formed in 2006, they have released four studio albums: ''<nowiki/>'Til The End of Time'' (2010),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spotify – Web Player |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/528vxyCkCq5ilCgCQbow59 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Spotify |language=en}}</ref> ''Sweeter Than Wine'' (2010),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spotify – Web Player |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/40m3FujLH2NDfKD891PHGv |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Spotify |language=en}}</ref> ''Keepin' the Music Alive'' (2011),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spotify – Web Player |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/40m3FujLH2NDfKD891PHGv |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Spotify |language=en}}</ref> and ''45 RPM'' (2015).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spotify – Web Player |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/6I3131SKq00sjzvCsbSVWf |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Spotify |language=en}}</ref>

In 2017, "Come a Little Bit Closer", a hit for Jay and the Americans in 1964,{{r|Robustelli|pp=20}} was featured in the soundtrack for ''Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2''.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Hiatt |first1=Brian |date=19 April 2017 |title=Inside the 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' Soundtrack |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/inside-the-guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-soundtrack-123648/ |access-date=10 April 2022 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> The soundtrack album went gold in the U.S. and sold more than 2.5 million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Aguilar |first1=Matthew |date=29 September 2017 |title='Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2' Soundtrack Has Gone Gold |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/guardians-of-the-galaxy-vol-2-soundtrack-gold/ |access-date=29 May 2022 |work=ComicBook.com}}</ref>

Following the death of Howie Kane in March 2023, Deanne is the last founding member of Jay and the Americans still touring with the group (Sanders joined in 1962).

== Personal life == Deanne currently lives in Long Beach, New York.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sandy Deanne Linkedin |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-deanne-5a279754}}</ref>

== References == <references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deanne, Sandy}} Category:1943 births Category:Living people Category:Singers from New York (state) Category:People from Borough Park, Brooklyn Category:Singers from New York City Category:Jay and the Americans members Category:20th-century American male singers Category:20th-century American singers Category:21st-century American male singers Category:21st-century American singers Category:American male pop singers