Artist:B.J. Crosby w/Pattie Darcy Jones, Michael Park
Song:Kansas City
Album:Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Lieber and Stoller: Original Broadway Cast
Juke box musicals have become very popular on Broadway. And obviously it's easier to use oldies for the basis of a musical than start from scratch. Smokey Joe's Cafe features the songs of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. It's original Broadway run in 1995 was very successful and B.J. Crosby was among the cast who were Tony nominated. It's the best known thing she ever did. She was born Joanne Crayton Nov. 23, 1952 in New Orleans. When she decided to become a professional singer she took the name B.J. Crosby. She was in the band Spectrum in the 70s. In the 80s she recorded an album with Ellis Marsalis Jr. B.J. moved to Los Angeles in 1987. She mostly did demo singing to make ends meet until she auditioned for Smokey Joe's Cafe. She moved to New York when she got the role. Like most jukebox musicals, Smokey Joe's Cafe has no story. 39 Lieber and Stoller songs are performed by the cast. The show previewed in Los Angeles before the New York premiere on Mar. 2, 1995. It ran for five years. So it was very successful. B.J. was among those nominated for a Tony. She also appeared in the 1996 revival of Chicago and the 2002 show One Mo' Time which is a tribute to black vaudeville. B.J. moved back to New Orleans in 2007. After suffering a stroke, she died on Mar. 27, 2015 at age 62. The original cast album for Smokey Joe's Cafe is available on CD. Here's B.J. Crosby performing Kansas City from a cast reunion of Smokey Joe's Cafe. Don't know the date. The guy is Michael Park but I don't know who the third singer is.
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