His Music Was A "Mob Hit" & The Legacy Of A Cover King with Tommy James!

From tween garage band beginnings to chart-topping success and a shocking behind-the-scenes story that reads like a Hollywood script, Tommy James, of Tommy James & the Shondells, joins Media Path to share dishy details about his remarkable journey while creating some of the most enduring hits of a generation!Tommy traces his musical roots back to age 12, when he formed his first band, The Echoes, with fellow classmates, a group that would eventually evolve into The Shondells.A job at a local record shop gave him an early education in the retail side of music, and by 14, he was recording his first single. That song, “Hanky Panky,” took on a life of its own when a Pittsburgh DJ began spinning it. From there, it quickly became the biggest record the city had ever seen and launched Tommy’s career overnight. One problem: No Shondells. They had all moved on to college, families and other careers. Tommy club crawled to find Pittsburgh band, The Raconteurs who quickly agreed to become The Shondells.That success led Tommy to shop the record for a deal in New York City. Every top label wanted Tommy. One problem: They had all received a menacing phone call from mobbed up Morris Levy of Roulette Records. Tommy’s dysfunctional mob family relationship provided him with an interesting exchange. He enjoyed complete creative control in the studio, leading to the hits, I Think We’re Alone Now, Mony Tony, Crystal Blue Persuasion and Crimson and Clover… but… Morris pocketed most of Tommy’s money and Roulette’s Genovese Family ties kept The Shondells cranking out hits and selling over 110 million records without complaint.Our conversation explores the stark contrast between the band’s bright, infectious music and the darker realities unfolding behind the scenes, which included ominous intimidation and physical threats.Despite the challenges, Tommy credits that time with giving him an invaluable education in the inner workings of the industry, from production to publishing, lessons that have informed him throughout his career. Today, he brings that rich perspective to his SiriusXM 60s channel radio show, called Gettin’ Together, where he shares the stories behind the songs, offering context only culled from a performer who lived it.He also reflects on writing his memoir, Me, the Mob, and the Music, which he would only publish after the funeral of Vinnie “The Chin” Gigante, the last Genovese Family mobster. Tommy also shares early details about his story’s upcoming adaptation into a mini-series.Plus we’ve got an IMDB Roulette round that’s immersed in the era when variety shows brought teenage audiences their first peek at the real life musicians spinning around their record players!In current media recommendations: Marty: Life Is Short on Netflix andHazardous History with Henry Winkler on The History Channel and HuluPath Points of Interest:Tommy JamesTommy James on WikiMe, The Mob and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James and The Shondells.by Tommy James with Martin FitzpatrickTommy James Tour DatesTommy James on FacebookTommy James on YoutubeTommy James on InstagramHazardous History with Henry Winkler