Kenny Vance
Biography
Kenny Vance, an American singer, songwriter, and producer, helped found Jay and the Americans. Born in Brooklyn and raised around the Brill Building, he started the Harbor Lites at 15, recorded for Ivy Records in 1959, and later formed the group that became Jay and the Americans. That group's first hit, She Cried, arrived in 1962, and Vance sang on its records from 1961 to 1971. He discovered Walter Becker and Donald Fagen and produced the soundtrack for You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat. He was musical director for Saturday Night Live's band from 1980 to 1981, supervised music for Eddie and the Cruisers (1983), and acted in Hurlyburly (1998) and other films. In 1992 he formed Kenny Vance and the Planotones, and he directed the documentary Heart & Soul. He joined the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002 as one of Jay and the Americans.
82years old
Turns 83 on December 9in 53 days
- Born New York City
- Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Movie Career
- Films
- 3
- Career span
- 19 years1979 to 1998
Every film, newest first
- 1998HurlyburlyIMDb rating 5.7
- 1983Eddie and the CruisersIMDb rating 6.9
- 1979ManhattanIMDb rating 7.8
Genres
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Behind the camera
Vance took on the role of musical director for Saturday Night Live in 1980 and 1981, and he booked the show's musical acts, including Aretha Franklin, Prince and James Brown.
First role
Vance put together a new group and tried out for Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. They signed the act to United Artists Records, calling it Binky Jones and the Americans before changing it to Jay and the Americans.
Behind the camera
For American Hot Wax, Vance took the job of music supervisor, appeared as "Professor La Plano" with his fictional group the Planotones, wrote the score's theme, and produced the soundtrack album.
Behind the camera
In 1992, Vance formed a doo wop group called the re-formed Kenny Vance and The Planotones, no longer fictional, from American Hot Wax. They put out two albums, then made the entire soundtrack for the 1999 movie Looking for an Echo.
Kenny Vance movies on Netflix
Worked with
Kenny Vance made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Michael Paré's page
Wallace Shawn's page
Meryl Streep's page
Tom Berenger's page
Joe Pantoliano's page
Sean Penn's page
All films by Woody Allen
Anthony DrazanDirector, 1 film, 1998
All films by Anthony Drazan
Martin DavidsonDirector, 1 film, 1983
All films by Martin Davidson
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.