Song:Tracy
Album:25 All-Time Greatest Bubblegum Hits: The Ultimate Collection
Tracy by The Cuff Links reached the top ten in 1969 at the same time that Sugar Sugar by The Archies was number one. Ron Dante was the lead singer of both songs. He created The Cuff Links in the recording studio and an attempt to turn it into a band came after Tracy was a hit. Tracy was written by veteran songwriters Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss. They wrote and produced the 1965 hit Leader of the Laudromat by The Detergents. Dante was the lead singer. He was born Carmine Grabito Aug. 22, 1945 in Staten Island, NY. Vance and Pockriss had a deal with Decca Records. They hired Dante to record Tracy. He promised them a full album if the song was a hit. It reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. They hired Rupert Holmes to help Dante and the liner notes said The Cuff Links were a real band. Vance and Pockriss hired musicians to be The Cuff Links. But Dante refused to tour. So any video footage of The Cuff Links is that touring band. Meanwhile Dante signed an exclusive deal with Archies exec producer Don Kirshner and recorded a solo album in 1970. Dante wasn't allowed to record for Vance and Pockriss. The second Cuff Links album featured Rupert Holmes singing lead on most songs along with touring band lead singer Joe Cord. At the time Holmes was also lead singer of Street People who charted with Jennifer Tomkins. The Cuff Links recorded singles for Atco and Roulette after the second album flopped and then Vance and Pockriss disbanded them. You can get Tracy on this various artists comp from Varese. Of course Dante had a lot of success in the 70s producing Barry Manilow. There was a version of The Cuff Links touring the oldies circuit but it appears they aren't active anymore. Here's the video for Tracy by The Cuff Links.
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