Howie Kane

Kane (second from right) with Jay and the Americans in 1966

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.

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.[7] Kane was still touring with the Americans when he died in March 2023, at the age of 81.[8]