Jay Justin - I'm Back

I'm Back/Let Love Take Over/ The Morning After/I'm Gonna Try/I Could Cry/ Love And Peace/Heartbreak Melody/Chance Of A Lifetime/ I'm Still Not Through Missing You/Wait And See/One More Mountain/ Out Of This World In Love With You



Jay Justin McCarthy was born on 4th May 1940 in Sydney. After he left school he took a job as a shoe salesman at the Reynolds Shoe Store in Castlereagh and began studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Rather than pursue a classical career he became a professional pop singer. In 1960 he signed a recording contract with EMI's subsidiary label HMV Records. His debut single was released in August but it failed to make the charts. His second single Why Don't You Try became his breakthrough record in July 1961, spending eight weeks in the charts and reaching the Sydney Top 40.

By this stage he was appearing regularly on both Bandstand and The Johnny O'Keefe Show. He released two relatively unsuccessful singles before he hit it big with Proud of You in April 1963. It made the number one spot right around the country and spent a total of seventeen weeks in the charts. It was also released in the US on the Veejay Records label. Two more singles were released that year but neither emulated his previous success. Jay was also a talented songwriter and in collaboration with Joe Halford, the Artist and Repertoire man for EMI Records, wrote a number of songs for other local artists like Bryan Davies and Patsy Ann Noble.

Jay was also responsible for discovering young singing sensation Little Pattie. He spotted her performing at a dance at the Bronte Surf Club and arranged an audition for her with HMV Records. Jay and Joe also co-wrote her debut double-hit single called He's My Blonde Headed Stompie Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy and Stompin' At Maroubra. Jay continued recording and issuing singles on a number of labels until the mid-Eighties. During this period he spent some time in the UK where he recorded one single with top British composer, producer and conductor Norrie Paramour. He also represented Australia at the World Songwriting Festival in Rio de Janeiro and even started his own record label called Jamboree Records.