by Al Contrera (Author)
An original founding member of the Mystics, author Al Contrera tells the true story of how five Brooklyn teenagers went from singing on street corners to fame in the fifties with their first hit song, "Hushabye." Contrera, provides vivid and detailed accounts of the trials and adventures of forming a rock-'n'-roll group in a neighborhood controlled by the mob. He narrates the story of the group's formation, their recording and touring career, as well as their successes and heartbreaks, including the story of when the Mystics' lead singer was arrested for being an innocent witness to a holdup and accidental shooting by a neighborhood gang and was mistakenly jailed for two years. Hushabye tells about walking the fine line between the music and the mob and how peer pressure and the temptations of fame changed their lives. Contrera offers keen insight and background into the sweet sound of the street corner doo-wop harmonies of the 1950s.
Author Biography
Al Contrera is an original member of the Mystics and continues to entertain audiences with the Classics, the Mystics, and the Brooklyn Reunion. During his career as a mechanical engineer, he worked on projects from New York City to Cairo and is currently working in New York City. Contrera has two daughters, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren and lives in New York City and New Jersey.