Lenny Welch obit

'Mr. Asbury Park' Lenny Welch, musical inspiration for generations, has died

 

He was not on the list.

Music star Lenny Welch, Asbury Park's first hitmaker in the rock 'n' roll era, died Wednesday, April 8, at AdventHealth Celebration hospital in Kissimmee, Florida.

He was 84.

Welch passed away with his wife, Frances Welch, by his side holding his hand, said his assistant Margaret Bartsch to the Asbury Park Press. A cause of death has not been released.

Welch's soulful pop hits included “Since I Fell for You,” “Ebb Tide,” “You Don’t Know Me,” “A Taste of Honey” and more in the early ’60s, and he served as inspiration for generations of city musician who came after him.

“He was Mr. Asbury Park” said Bruce Springsteen in 2011.

“Lenny was always somebody to look up to,” said city singer Nicky Addeo to the Asbury Park Press. “Lenny had a beautiful voice — it was gorgeous.”

Welch was born in New York City and moved to 2113 W. Bangs Ave. as child. Singer Joe Major was a neighbor and asked Welch to join his vocal group, the Mar-Keys.

“I never thought I would ever be a singer, and I never had any intentions of becoming a singer,” said Welch previously to the Asbury Park Press. “Joe Major stopped me on Springwood Avenue and said, ‘I want you to be in my group,’ and I used to hide from him all the time because I wasn’t interested. Didn’t think about, didn’t think I could sing.”

Major persisted, and Welch joined the Mar-Keys, which included Raymond Morris and Willie Penna. The group did not record any singles or albums, but they were big enough to open a show in the 1950s for Little Richard at the city's Savoy Theatre.

Welch left Asbury Park for New York City and stardom. Coley Wallace, who starred as Joe Louis in the 1953 film “The Joe Louis Story,” took him under his wing. A run at Decca Records was not successful beyond changing his name from Leon Welch to Lenny Welch.

A meeting with producer Archie Bleyer prompted Welch to switch to Cadence Records — and there “Since I Fell for You” became one of biggest records in the country in 1963.

Welch's silken tenor was similarly framed by the hit singles “Ebb Tide” and “You Don’t Know Me.”

Welch's version of “A Taste of Honey,” released in 1962 on Cadence, was the first to have lyrics. The song’s structure and guitar riff is similar to the Beatles’ 1963 version, which featured Paul McCartney on lead vocals, and is widely considered to have been based on Welch's version. It was released on the Beatles debut album, “Please, Please Me.”

Ironically, the Beatles and the British Invasion put the squeeze on American artists like Welch, who retired from music by the 1980s and drove a cab in New York City to make ends meet.

Eventually, Welch also took on acting, playing a recurring role in TV’s “General Hospital” in the early ’90s. A new appreciation arose for classic hitmakers like Welch, and the concerts started again. Welch was also a big hit on music-themed sea cruises.

In Asbury Park, the musical legacy of the city's West Side, which featured generations of African-American talent, began to be rediscovered and celebrated. A 2011 Soul of Asbury Park concert at the Paramount Theatre, co-produced and emceed by Addeo, featured Welch's last performance in the city.

“Lenny Welch was an iconic figure, his voice was legendary, divinely angelic,” said Tee Coleman-Lomack, whose dad, Ronald Coleman, was on stage that night with the city's Broadways. “He was a handsome, humble and compassionate man with a heart of gold. I’ll always treasure the memory of his captivating smile and soulful voice. He and my father shared a friendship that spanned over 60 years.”

The COVID lockdown effectively ended Welch's concert career, but he was hopeful of returning to Asbury Park .

“I do want to get back to Asbury Park,” said Welch to the Asbury Park Press in 2021. “I want to walk around, go up Springwood Avenue because that’s where I grew up. I do want to do before I leave this earth. I want to come back to Asbury Park and just walk up the street, look around, visit relatives' gravesites and get on a plane and come on back.

“I think about Asbury Park every day.”

Welch did return in 2023 for the funeral of Coleman.

“Lenny is the most famous native son from Asbury Park,” said Asbury Park journalist and historian Don Stine, who hosted Welch when he returned. “Bruce, of course, gets those honors, but he's not a native son. (Welch) was a real gentleman and a very talented entertainer who had the goods. I'm very, very sad.”

Leon Trent, a member of the Broadways and a childhood friend of Welch, is also mourning his passing.

“He was so loved,” said Trent of Welch. “He was our angel.”

No services are presently planned. Survivors include wife Frances Welch and cousins, nieces and nephews.