Kenny Jeremiah
Blue-eyed soul BORN 1942
Born in Ozone Park, Queens, Kenny Jeremiah formed his doo-wop-inspired band The Quotations in 1964. Relocating to Philadelphia in 1965, they became The Soul Survivors and signed to the Crimson label, linking up with songwriters/producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. In summer 1967, Expressway To Your Heart, sung by Jeremiah and brothers Richie and Charlie Ingui, would become the band and the production team’s first hit, selling gold and going Top 5 on the Billboard pop and R&B charts.
Its immediate follow up, Explosion In My Soul, was their last Top 40 entry, stalling at 33. After much TV exposure and sharing stages with the likes of Janis Joplin and The Beach Boys, in 1969 the original group split. Continuing as a performer, Jeremiah played with Scorpion and Roman Candle, sang alongside Shirley Goodman in disco act Shirley & Company, and later became a successful radio host in New Jersey.