The Crests were a ground-breaking multiracial pop/doowop group formed in the mid-1950s when singer Johnny Mastrangelo joined forces with a doowop quartet comprising three African-Americans and one Puerto Rican. As time went on Johnny Mastrangelo became Johnny Masters, Johnny Mastro and then Johnny Maestro as he turned to solo recording as well.

Having had a minor hit on the Joyce label, they signed to Coed Records, and in 1958 had a major success when Sixteen Candles was a US No.2, kicking off a career which brought several more chart successes through into the ‘60s as Tony Middleton and James Ancrum took over lead vocal duties from Johnny Maestro. Interestingly, The 1984 John Hughes’ teen film Sixteen Candles took its title from The Crests’ song, which was re-recorded by The Stray Cats for the Sixteen Candles soundtrack.

This 51-track set comprises the A- and B-sides  of their singles on the Coed, Trans Atlas, Selma and Times Square labels from these years as The Crests, Johnny Masters, Johnny Maestro and Johnny Maestro & The Original Crests, plus the tracks from their album The Crests Sing All Biggies not otherwise released on singles.

It features all their ten pop and R&B chart entries from this era, including the pop No.2 and R&B No.4 Sixteen Candles.

The Crests were inducted into the United in Group Harmony Association (UGHA) Hall of Fame in 2000 and, four years later, entered  The Vocal Group Hall of Fame. The collective have also been inducted into both The Doo Wop Hall of Fame (2008) and Doo Wop Music Hall of Fame (2015).

This collection is about as comprehensive a selection of their work from this era that could be assembled and captures a highly distinctive style of music.

TRACKS