1 The Ad Libs
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The Ad Libs were an early-'60s vocal group from New Jersey. 
They scored one hit, early in 1965 with "The Boy From New York City," 
written by John T. Taylor, a saxophone player who had worked 
with various big band groups as far back as the '30s.

By the early '60s, John Taylor had quit playing music and had turned 
his attention to teaching. During this time, he heard a young quintet 
who were calling themselves the Creators. The group consisted of Hugh 
Harris, Danny Austin, James Wright, John Alan, and Chris Coles. By 
mid-1963, the Creators had released two singles with out much success.

The group re-formed in 1964 in Newark, New Jersey with Dave Watt and 
Norman Donegan replacing departing members Wright, Alan, and Coles, 
and they added a female lead vocalist, Mary Ann Thomas. After the 
reformation they began calling themselves the Ad Libs. 

They made a demo of Taylor's song, "The Boy from New York City," and 
he took it to Red Bird Records' owners Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, 
who signed the group to their Blue Cat label. "The Boy From New York 
City" was released in December 1964 and by March 1965. A few months later, 
in May 1965, the group released "He Ain't No Angel" (written by Jeff 
Barry and Ellie Greenwich), which, despite its enduring sound, barely 
reached the Pop Top 100. 

The next two singles failed, and the Ad Libs were soon dropped from 
Blue Cat. They continued to record for a number of labels, and three 
singles later the Ad Libs signed with Share Records of New York and 
recorded their last Top 40 hit, "Giving It Up," which peaked at #34 
on the R&B chart.

Various group changes were made over the next 20 years and there were 
a few more releases, but none had the success of "The Boy From New 
York City." Years later, in 1984, Taylor started Passion Records with 
the idea of recording the Ad Libs again, and in the fall of 1988 he came 
up with the Johnny-Boy label for their "I Stayed Home (New Years 
Eve)." In 1989 they released another seasonal 45, "Santa's on His Way." 

They continued to record into the 1980s, but never repeated the 
success of "The Boy from New York City." The song went on to chart 
again in the UK for the Darts in 1978, and in the US for The Manhattan 
Transfer in 1981. The song is currently used in a commercial for 
"Everybody Hates Chris" on the Paramount Comedy network in the UK.