The “Golden Hits Of The 60s” 

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JOEY POWERS

“MIDNIGHT MARY”

(Artie Wayne, Ben Raleigh)

Amy 892

No. 10    January 4, 1964.

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Joey Powers was born in 1939 in Perry Como’s hometown of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.    Apparently, the

Powerses knew the Comos,  for when Joey turned 20, Perry opened some doors and secured for Joey a job

as producer of NBC-TV’s “John Hill’s Exercise Show.”   After a brief stint there, Joey taught wrestling at

Ohio State University.   At some point, Powers must have opened his mouth and sung a song or two, since

Mr. Como’s label, RCA Victor, signed him to a recording contract in 1962.     A few promising teen idol-type

disks were issued, but nothing–not even a Fabian–like number by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, “Don’t

Envy Me”–sold very well.

Early in 1963, Joe met aspiring singer/songwriter/producer Artie Wayne.    Artie (creator of “Mahzel

[Means Good Luck]” and “At The Hop”) had teamed up with Ben Raleigh  (writer of “Wonderful!

Wonderful! ” and “Dungaree Doll”) for a dirty little number called “Midnight Mary.”     Al Massier at Amy

Records heard some preliminary demos and agreed to issue the tune.     Of course, no one knew that

Beatlemania was about to wipe out every single American teen idol with short hair.

“Mary” connected, but all of Joey’s follow-up singles were swept away by the Fab Four’s music. Before Artie

Wayne joined Powers in the sea of oblivion, Liberty Records let him cut a single that asked the existential

question:  “Where Does A Rock And Roll Singer Go?”   Ben  Raleigh, who had written “Tell Laura I Love

Her” for Ray Peterson, went on to dream up “Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing” and “Dead End Street” (both hits for

Lou Rawls) as well as “Blue Winter” (a fan fav for Connie Francis).