EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is the third in a series spotlighting noteworthy entertainers who performed at the Tony Mart’s nightclub in Somers Point:
By Carmen Marotta
As part of a new history of Tony Mart’s, “The Legacy of Tony Mart,” we have put together a list of more than 130 entertainers who performed during the 38 years of good times at the legendary Somers Point nightclub.
Over the past three weeks, we have been sharing important and amusing anecdotes about some of the greatest and most musically important entertainers and groups that ever played at Tony Mart’s.
We have our favorites, but readers are also invited to weigh in. Send your comments and emails to: tonymartpresents@gmail.com. We will reminisce about them in the trivia segments at our shows. We are looking forward to including your memories in the book, along with comments from friends, family, and former patrons.
Gunther’s Bus
With an entire chapter dedicated to them in “The Legend of Tony Mart,” Gunther’s Bus was one of the greatest of all the groups to play at The Mart. Easily in the top 10, the Foti Brothers were the heart and soul of the iconic nightclub.
Started by Carl Foti and their lead guitarist with a great high voice, Tommy Bittle, The Bus could do everything from Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher” and “Evil Ways,” when it was a big hit for Santana, to the long version of “In A Gotta Da Vida,” an entire side of “Abbey Road” by The Beatles, and the very best covers of Blind Faith & The Spencer Davis Group, as Art Foti was gifted with that Stevie Winwood sound. Carl Foti could sing Kenny Rogers and the pre-disco Bee Gees incomparably.
Supa Heat
Coming at the time of the Woodstock generation, they played Crosby, Stills and Nash, and entertained in an uplifting way, covering the famous gospel pop song, “Oh Happy Day” by The Edwin Hawkins Singers, and a fabulous version of “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis Presley – all performed by the guy we called Ricky Supa Heat, who had that hip-shaking style. It was one of the many super groups that played the Philly scene, so much that they became known as “Supa Philly.” They went on to be very popular for many years up and down the East Coast.
Grant Smith and The Power
This was a totally hot nine-piece horn band with four horns, featuring their good-looking, talented frontman, Grant Smith, who could really move onstage. This was “blue-eyed soul,” known as one of the best horn bands out there doing Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears, and the Stax Records soul band sound.
They were the rage of the shore when they played Tony Mart’s for two weeks in 1970. As great as Gunther’s Bus was, they actually left to make room for Grant Smith and The Power on the main stage right in the middle of Tony Mart’s.
One of the most treasured mementos in the scrapbook is their impressive band photograph – just what a nine-piece big band should look like. The picture is dedicated to Carmen Marotta, “the best little club owner in the world.” Carmen Marotta was about 14 years old and idolized all of these performers… every night, all summer long!
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Believe it or not, Tony Orlando played two weekday nights with Dawn (Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson). Tony Mart paid them $500 each night.
Oliver
He was a great singer with a strong voice, a true gentleman and professional performer. Oliver played several multi-week engagements, performing both of his hits, “Jean,” and the famous song from the Broadway play “Hair,” “Good Morning Starshine.”
The performances by Oliver were important because he drew large crowds and helped Tony Mart immensely when things were beginning to get soft in the early ’70s. The shows were special and a little-known chapter in the history of Tony Mart’s. Locals and tourists alike loved them.
Mace with Tony Cherry
Tony Cherry (Tony Cherubini) brought the first group called Mace to Tony Mart’s, and did the famous and familiar “sexy frontman with a cover band” routine, which was so popular at the Jersey Shore and everywhere. He was entertaining, good looking, well-liked and appreciated by Tony Mart himself.
Mace
This was the second Mace group led by Joe Cimino and fronted by PJ. There will be much elaboration about them in the book about the difficulties that Tony Mart’s faced in the mid- to late-’70s. We explore the tribulations of the Tony Mart family during this less successful period. This second Mace, after Tony Cherry left the band, is central to that period.
Their leader was a drummer named Joe Cimino. He and Tony Mart had a respectful, warm working relationship. They were a good cover band that did solid versions of The Grateful Dead, Jackson Browne and the Eagles. But most of all, they were the group that introduced the Asbury Park sound of Springsteen prevalently into Tony Mart’s. There was David Bowie and The Doobie Brothers as well: “Suffragette City” and “Long Train Runnin’” four times a night each!
The bass player, David Lynne, was a great guy and a good friend. The keyboard player, John Leafhead, was a fine musician and pretty much the musical director. Joe Cimino was a strong, driving drummer, and they could move the dance floor and keep things rolling. One of the greatest attractions for Tony Mart was the fact that they worked very reasonably.
These were difficult times for Tony Mart’s, but this version of Mace was faithful, reliable and steadfastly employed by Tony Mart. Replacing the slick and polished Terry Cherry in this band was “PJ” a hippie kind of frontman who had a rock star attitude and demeanor that overwhelmed his modicum of talent. He got the job done; but again, this was certainly not a bright spot in this musical period at The Mart.
Let the good times roll!!!
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