Anthony told a story about the singer Johnny Maestro who was always reluctant to reveal that he grew up in the Smith Projects. I'm trying to make believe I know something about Doo-Wop. Anthony and his mom now live in Knickerbocker. He used to live on Oliver Street in the house that Al Smith lived in, #25.
from Joe Bruno:
In the original Crests, there were 5 people, Johnny Maestro, Patricia Van Dross, two black guys, J. T. Carter and Tommy Gough and Hal Torres, a Puerto Rican, who I thought was from Smith too.
When the Van Dross', Luther and Patricia, moved out of Smith the group became just 4.
Notice, Luther changed his name to one word instead of the original 2 words.
Johnny Motts was a mailman for awhile. And he did sing with a group called The Neighborhhood in the 80's. All guys from KV - Ross Aschutto -- a cop--, Frankie Fischetti, who lived under me at KG5, and Stevie Randazzo, the actor. They used to rehearse in Frankie's apartment, and I used to bang on the floor, telling them to shut the ...up. It's 2 in the ........ morning. I was kidding of course. Johnny quit in the early 90's and a guy named Carlo, from the 6th Ward, took his place. Not as good as Johnny Motts, but not bad.
Just a couple of monor corrections to thos post. Ross's last name is spelled Asciutto and it was Frank Marrone, not Fischetti, who lived in apartment KG5.
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