Johnny Maestro

Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge
(or simply The Brooklyn Bridge)
is an American musical group, best known for their million-selling rendition of Jimmy Webb’s “The Worst That Could Happen” (1968).
Born Johnny Maestro
(born John Mastrangelo
aka Johnny Mastro aka Johnny Masters;
May 7, 1939 – March 24, 2010)
began his career in 1957 as the original lead singer of the Crests, one of the first interracial groups of the recording industry.”
By 1967, another New York vocal group called the Del-Satins——were looking for a new lead singer to replace original lead Stan Zizka.approached Maestro with the offer to join the group.
In 1968, Sperber, owner and founder of the talent management and booking agency Action Talents in New York City decided to combine the talents of Maestro, the four Del-Satins, and The Rhythm Method. The new group’s name came about after White made the off-handed comment that “it would be easier to sell the Brooklyn Bridge” than book the proposed 11-piece act.
Appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Della Reese Show, and other programs helped to bring the group to the national stage.After its heyday, the Brooklyn Bridge downsized to a five-man group, The later version of the Brooklyn Bridge released a Christmas EP in 1989 and a greatest hits compilation in 1993, re-recording Maestro’s hits with The Crests
Recently, the Brooklyn Bridge was featured in one of PBS’s biggest fundraising events ever, “Doo Wop 50”, performing both “16 Candles” and “The Worst That Could Happen”; the entire program was released on VHS and DVD. In 2005, the Brooklyn Bridge released a full concert-length DVD as part of the Pops Legends Live series. They continue to tour and in 2004 released a CD on the Collectables label titled Today, featuring more re-recordings of their hits and versions of other groups’ songs of the 1950s and 1960s.
On May 9, 2012, Johnny Maestro was honored by the House of Representatives of the United States of America. Congressman Jerrold Nadler of New York, whose district includes the neighborhood where Johnny was born and raised, and where he began his music career, introduced an Extension of Remarks in the House of Representatives. In June 2012, a 40th Anniversary DVD was released by the Brooklyn Bridge. The DVD includes a full concert and interviews with group members, recorded on May 6, 2006 (38 years after the group formed).