Joey Powers

Joseph S. "Joe" Ruggiero (December 7, 1934 – January 20, 2017), who performed as Joey Powers, was an American pop singer and songwriter whose record "Midnight Mary" reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early January 1964. Powers had no further hits and is known as a "one hit wonder". He later became a booking agent, recording studio owner, record producer, and church leader.

Powers was born in Washington, Pennsylvania and graduated from Washington High School in 1953. He won a wrestling scholarship to Ohio State University before returning to Pennsylvania, where he recorded three singles for the Nu-Clear and ABC labels under the name Joey Rogers in 1958. However, none were successful. At one time, he played in a band with Bobby Vinton.

In 1959, Powers he moved to New York City. Through an introduction by family friend Perry Como, he secured a job at NBC. His singing was heard by songwriter and record producer Paul Vance, who signed him to RCA Records and changed his name to Joey Powers to avoid confusion with singer Jimmy Rodgers. Powers released several singles produced by Vance, again without success, and returned to Ohio State University to complete his degree and work as a wrestling coach.

However, after ending his contract with Vance in 1963, Powers did a demo recording of "Midnight Mary", written by Artie Wayne and Ben Raleigh. The demo was heard by Paul Simon (then recording as Jerry Landis) who recommended it to record label owner Larry Uttal. The lyrics of "Midnight Mary" were inspired by Jamela, the beautiful daughter of a deposed general who was exiled to the US along with the Shah of Iran. The song was intended for the Everly Brothers, but they turned it down.

Released as a single by Amy Records, Powers' recording rose up the national charts, entering the Hot 100's top 40 at #36 on Powers' 29th birthday and reaching #10 at the start of 1964. Lorna Dune's nearly note-for-note answer record "Midnight Joey" followed soon after.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.