http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKcYRkUI0Dk
Biography
A blue eyed 60’s soul performer from the east side of Detroit Mi who was signed to the Twirl label who first leased his masters to Bigtop Records at the same time as his contemporary Del Shannon. Born Gasper Badalamenti in Detroit on August 6, 1942, the young boy of Italian decent became “Mickey Denton” circa 1960. “’Mickey Denton’ was a name that came from my manager, John Brooks,” Mickey explained in an August 2009 interview to Twirl Records archivist Brian C. Young.
Later, his next singles faltered on the charts outside Detroit, and masters were leased to bell records and it’s subsidiaries, amy and mala. Another stab at the charts was made via a single on Pittsburgh PA’s World Artists Records and then by 1965 his career was still struggling via his manager’s impact records label, and a final single on Rare Earth label distributed by Motown. He had a hot club band that featured guitarist Dennis Coffey, but they never made it big, despite scoring many points with locals with amazing live performances.
Eventually, by the early 70’s, he moved to Las Vegas where he started an electronic synthesizer based band called The New York Express that recorded an album for Atlantic’s Cherie offshoot and played hotel showrooms. Mickey eventually moved back to the Detroit area and is retired from performing.
“When he reflects on his years in music and on his life, Mickey has no regrets. “I was very successful. I was a performer for 35 years and made money without a hit record. Now how many people can say that? I’ve been married now for 45 years and we raised three sons. I am blessed. You know, Harry said to me one time, ‘I am so sorry, so sorry Mickey. You should have had hit records.’ And I said to Harry, ‘Do you know what, I got three hit records, my three sons. And now I’ve got three platinum records, my three grandchildren.’ And I try to ease his mind sometimes, because he blames himself. But he really took a chance with me and gave me many national record releases and spent the money to try and make it work. I feel bad because I sung the best I could for him and we never got a hit, despite the ten or so singles that got released. Harry was like a father to me. He even cut three songs with my son Joey. Joey wrote two of them, and also covered ‘Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)’ which was an old Marvin Gaye song. But Harry couldn’t sell it. The songs never got out. It’s a different world today. The music has changed. The business has changed. The marketing has changed. It’s a whole new world, so just hang on to what you’ve got brother…and love it!”
Later, his next singles faltered on the charts outside Detroit, and masters were leased to bell records and it’s subsidiaries, amy and mala. Another stab at the charts was made via a single on Pittsburgh PA’s World Artists Records and then by 1965 his career was still struggling via his manager’s impact records label, and a final single on Rare Earth label distributed by Motown. He had a hot club band that featured guitarist Dennis Coffey, but they never made it big, despite scoring many points with locals with amazing live performances.
Eventually, by the early 70’s, he moved to Las Vegas where he started an electronic synthesizer based band called The New York Express that recorded an album for Atlantic’s Cherie offshoot and played hotel showrooms. Mickey eventually moved back to the Detroit area and is retired from performing.
“When he reflects on his years in music and on his life, Mickey has no regrets. “I was very successful. I was a performer for 35 years and made money without a hit record. Now how many people can say that? I’ve been married now for 45 years and we raised three sons. I am blessed. You know, Harry said to me one time, ‘I am so sorry, so sorry Mickey. You should have had hit records.’ And I said to Harry, ‘Do you know what, I got three hit records, my three sons. And now I’ve got three platinum records, my three grandchildren.’ And I try to ease his mind sometimes, because he blames himself. But he really took a chance with me and gave me many national record releases and spent the money to try and make it work. I feel bad because I sung the best I could for him and we never got a hit, despite the ten or so singles that got released. Harry was like a father to me. He even cut three songs with my son Joey. Joey wrote two of them, and also covered ‘Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)’ which was an old Marvin Gaye song. But Harry couldn’t sell it. The songs never got out. It’s a different world today. The music has changed. The business has changed. The marketing has changed. It’s a whole new world, so just hang on to what you’ve got brother…and love it!”
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