Ray, Goodman and Brown kick off Springwood Park series
There will be Asbury Park legends on stage Monday, June 26 at the city’s Springwood Park, and a remembrance of a recently departed city legend.
R&B stars Ray, Goodman and Brown, featuring city singer Billy Brown, are the headliners, and a new duo composed of city greats Nicky Addeo and Leon Trent will open the show. Brown, Trent and Addeo were groupmates in the Broadways with the late Ronald Coleman, who passed away April 4 at the age of 82.
“That was my best friend, you know?” said Brown to the USA Today Network New Jersey. “I’m just still saddened by his passing.”
The Broadways, also Robert Conti, Ray Morris and Dennis Anderson, recorded singles for MGM Records in the mid-’60s , including “You Just Don’t Know” and “Goin’ Goin’ Gone,” which led to concerts, promotional appearances and TV spots. The tracks later became popular overseas in Northern Soul circles.
Brown, then of Farmingdale, was a member of the Brick-based Dardanelles who was in Asbury Park to visit his girlfriend when he met Coleman.
“I was singing and Ronnie heard me singing,” Brown said. “He said, ‘ Hey man, you singing with anyone?’ I said no, he said look, my friend, talking about Leon at that time, ‘just got out of the service and we’re trying to start a group. Would you be interested in singing with us?’ I said sure — that’s the way it happened.”
The Broadways were the top group in the city in the ‘60s and a young Bruce Springsteen opened for them and Clarence Clemons played saxophone for them.
“Ronnie as more serious than the rest of us,” Brown said. “He joked around but he was more, I guess I can say, staunch than the rest of us. Ronnie was just a character — a real nice guy. Would do anything for you. If ever I had a true friend in this world other than my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it was Ronnie Coleman. I loved Ronnie with the love of God, I’m telling you.”
Brown joined the Moments, with
Harry Ray of Long Branch, after his tenure with the Broadways. Their smashes include “Love on a Two-Way Street,” “If I Didn’t Care” “Sexy Mama” and “Look at Me (I’m in Love).” The group changed its name to Ray, Goodman and Brown in 1978 after parting from Sylvia Robinson’s All Platinum Studios in Englewood and subsequently recorded the hit “Special Lady.”
Ray and Al Goodman previously passed away. Keenan Blount and Kenny Brown are now singing with Brown.
The Music Mondays series is produced by the Asbury Park Music Foundation and shows are free. Attendees can bring a blanket or lawn chair for seating, and dancing shoes for the concrete area in front of the stage.
Addeo and Trent have shared stages together over the last 50 years, but this is the first time they’re appearing as a duo.
“We’re trying to make our repertoire a little bit different than you would normally hear,” Trent said. “The premise is friendship and love of country and a spiritual kind of thing.”
Go: Ray, Goodman and Brown, 6 p.m. Monday, June 26, Music Mondays at Springwood Park, Springwood Park, 126 Atkins Ave., Asbury Park. Free. asburyparkmusiclives.org.
Music Mondays at Springwood Park
(Visit www.facebook.com/asburyparkmusicfoundation for weather updates)
Ray, Goodman & Brown, June 26
The Gentlemen of Soul, July 3
Soul Project NOLA, July 10
Louis Prima, Jr., July 17
The Funktion Band, July 24
Drewsie, July 31
Al Covington, Aug. 7
Alexander Simone, Aug. 14 deSoL, Aug. 21
Sensational Soul Cruisers, Tuesday, Aug. 29
Joe P on the boardwalk
Who’s the next breakout star from Asbury Park?
Put your money on Joe P – he’s on fire. In fact, he recorded a torchy lo-fi version of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” and dropped it on his new EP, “French Blonde,” from Atlantic Records.
The vibe is “Born in the U.S.A.” meets “Nebraska.”
As for the money, keep it as his show Friday, June 23 at Low Dive on the Asbury Park boardwalk is free.
Go: Joe P, 9 p.m. Friday, June 23, Low Dive, 100 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park. Free. www.lowdiveap.com.
Funny stuff at Crossroads
What’s so funny?
The Crossroads Comedy Fest is underway at Crossroads in Garwood. Comics from near and far are participating, including Wendy Liebman and Brian Scolaro on Wednesday, June 21; Raanan Hershberg and Rocky Laporte on Monday, June 26; Tom Cotter and Tony Von Tuesday, June 27; and Christine Hurley and Gregg Rogell on Wednesday, June 28.
The shows are free and are being filmed for future broadcast by the Crossroads-based Liner Notes Productions, whose other projects include the upcoming original music docuseries, “Mixing It Up with Marc Maron.”
Visit www.xxroads.com for more information or to get a free ticket.
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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com