# Howie Kane

Howard G. Kirschenbaum (June 6, 1941 – March 2023), better known as Howie Kane, was an American pop singer who was a member of Jay and the Americans. He sang vocals for the band between 1960 and 1973, and again from 2006 until his death.

## Biography
### Jay and the Americans

Born Howard G. Kirschenbaum in 1941, he joined Jay and the Americans in 1960. In 1961, they signed to United Artists, and Kirschenbaum began releasing records under the name Howie Kane. With Jay Traynor (1943–2014) as their frontman, they first hit the Billboard charts in 1962 with the tune "She Cried", which reached #5 (later covered by The Shangri-Las, Aerosmith, and others). As the group were starting to gain success around the United States, Kane was still attending college. Traynor left in 1962, and Jay Black (1938–2021) came in as the new lead singer. During the 1960s, Jay and the Americans had hit-after-hit including; "Come a Little Bit Closer" in 1964, which hit #3, and "Cara Mia" in 1965, which hit #4.
Following the Americans split in 1973, Kane continued to perform, as a solo artist. Howie was inducted, as a member of the Americans, into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2006, Jay Black filed for bankruptcy due to gambling debts, and sold the rights to the name "Jay and the Americans" to the other members as a way to pay it off, for $100,000. After the deal was made, Kane and original members Sandy Deanne and Marty Sanders started to perform again as Jay and the Americans.

### Personal life and death

Kane was an alcoholic and entered a 12-step program and sobered up, and worked for nearly 20 years counselling adolescents and adults who suffered from similar addictions. Howard was married twice and had two children, one from his first marriage, and the two from his other. His youngest child was adopted. Kane was still touring with the Americans when he died in March 2023, at the age of 81.

## Jay and the Americans discography
### Albums

| Year | Album |
| 1962 | She Cried |
| 1962 | At the Cafe Wha? (Live Album) |
| 1964 | Come a Little Bit Closer |
| 1965 | Blockbusters |
| 1966 | Sunday and Me |
| 1966 | Livin' Above Your Head |
| 1967 | Try Some of This! |
| 1969 | Sands of Time |
| 1970 | Wax Museum |
| 1970 | Wax Museum, Vol. 2 |
| 1970 | Capture the Moment |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. ||

### Singles

| Year | Title | B-sideFrom same album as A-side except where indicated |
| 1961 | "Tonight" | "The Other Girls" |
| 1962 | "She Cried" | "Dawning" |
| 1962 | "This Is It" | "It's My Turn to Cry" (Non-LP track) |
| 1962 | "Yes" | "Tomorrow" (from Come a Little Bit Closer) |
| 1963 | "What's the Use" | "Strangers Tomorrow" |
| 1963 | "Only in America" | "My Clair de Lune" (from She Cried) |
| 1963 | "Come Dance with Me" | "Look in My Eyes Maria" |
| 1964 | "To Wait for Love" | "Friday" |
| 1964 | "Come a Little Bit Closer" | "Goodbye Boys, Goodbye" |
| 1964 | "Let's Lock the Door (And Throw Away the Key)" | "I'll Remember You" (from Livin' Above Your Head) |
| 1965 | "Think of the Good Times" | "If You Were Mine, Girl" |
| 1965 | "Cara Mia" | "When It's All Over" (Billboard #129) |
| 1965 | "Some Enchanted Evening" | "Girl" |
| 1965 | "Sunday and Me" | "Through This Doorway" (from Jay & the Americans Greatest Hits!) |
| 1966 | "Why Can't You Bring Me Home" | "Baby Stop Your Cryin'" |
| 1966 | "Crying" | "I Don't Need a Friend" |
| 1966 | "Livin' Above Your Head" | "Look at Me, What Do You See" |
| 1966 | "(He's) Raining in My Sunshine" | "The Reason for Living (For You My Darling)" (from Livin' Above Your Head) |
| 1967 | "You Ain't as Hip as All That Baby" | "Nature Boy" |
| 1967 | "(We'll Meet in The) Yellow Forest" | "Got Hung Up Along the Way" |
| 1967 | "French Provincial" | "Shanghai Noodle Factory" |
| 1968 | "No Other Love" | "No, I Don't Know Her" (from Capture the Moment) |
| 1968 | "You Ain't Gonna Wake Up Cryin'" | "Gemini (Don't You Ever Wonder Why)" |
| 1968 | "This Magic Moment" | "Since I Don't Have You" |
| 1969 | "When You Dance" | "No, I Don't Know Her" (from Capture The Moment) |
| 1969 | "Hushabye" | "Gypsy Woman" |
| 1969 | "(I'd Kill) For the Love of a Lady" | "Learnin' How to Fly" |
| 1969 | "Walkin' in the Rain" | "For the Love of a Lady" (from Capture the Moment) |
| 1970 | "Capture the Moment" | "Do You Ever Think of Me" (Non-LP track) |
| 1970 | "Do I Love You?" | "Tricia (Tell Your Daddy)" (from Capture the Moment) |
| 1971 | "There Goes My Baby" | "Solitary Man" |