Gary Lewis & The Playboys

Gary Lewis, born Gary Harold Lee Levitch on July 31, 1945, in Newark, New Jersey, formed Gary & the Playboys with four friends at the age of 18. The group secured their first professional engagement at Disneyland without leveraging Gary’s father Jerry Lewis’s celebrity, performing to consistently full houses. Their talent was discovered by producer Snuff Garrett in the summer of 1964. With Garrett and Leon Russell as producer and arranger, the band rapidly achieved commercial success.

Their debut single, “This Diamond Ring,” reached number one on the charts. This was followed by “Count Me In” at number two, establishing their presence. Other Top 10 hits included “Save Your Heart For Me,” “Everybody Loves A Clown,” “She’s Just My Style,” and “Sure Gonna Miss Her.” In 1965, Gary Lewis was recognized as Cash Box magazine’s “Male Vocalist of the Year,” surpassing Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. He made history as the sole artist in the 1960s to have his initial seven releases reach the Top 10 on Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 chart. The band frequently appeared on popular television programs such as “American Bandstand,” “Hullabaloo,” and “The Tonight Show,” along with five appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” within a two-year period.

Gary Lewis was drafted into the U.S. Army in January 1967. Upon his discharge in 1968, he returned to recording, achieving one more Top 40 hit with a remake of “Sealed With A Kiss.” Over their career, Gary Lewis & The Playboys accumulated eight gold singles, 12 Top 40 hit singles, and four gold albums. The group ceased operations in 1970, but a version of the band continues to tour, performing classic hits and engaging with audiences both domestically and internationally.