Paste-up Picture :The Lions (2) : Lou Sacco, Amy Sacco & Bill Fabec 

Lugee & The Lions (2) (Coraopolis, PA)

Personnel :

Lou Sacco "Lou Christy"

Amy Sacco

Kay Chick

Bill Fabec

Discography :

Lugee & The Lions (2)
1961 - The Jury / Little Did I Know (Robbee R-112)

Marcy Jo bb The Lions (2)         
1961 - Ronnie /   My First Mistake (Robbee R-110)
1961 - Since Gary Went In The Navy / What I Did This Summer (Robbee R-116)   

Chic Christy bb The Lions (2)
1961 - With This Kiss / My Billet-Doux To You (HAC 103)

Biography :

Lou Christy was born as Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco in Glen Willard, PA in 1943.  He studied music and voice at Moon Township High School., where he was the student conductor of the choir. At age 15 Lugee, as a member of the singing group the Crewnecks with future Lions’ Bill Fabec , auditioned for pianist Twyla Herbert.  She offered the Crewnecks a place to rehearse. He sang solos with the choir at the holiday concerts.  His teacher and mentor Frank Cummings wanted him to pursue a career in classical music, but Lugee wanted to cut a record to get on American Bandstand.

The Crewnecks (1959) : Bill Fabec, Amyr, Judy Hoskinson and Lou Sacco

He performed with several vocal groups, worked as a session singer, and recorded songs on small Pittsburgh labels between 1959 and 1962.  In 1960, Lou Christie with Kenny Krease, Kay Chick & Shirley Herbert recorded some songs as the Classics.  He released with his sister Amy Sacco, Kay Chick and Bill Fabec "The Jury" as "Lugee & The Lions" on Robbee with local airplay and sales.  The tiny Pittsburgh label, Robbee Records, launched in 1960 by local pianist/bandleader/producer/arranger Lennie Martin (who named it after his son Robert), and his partner Lou Guarino.

    
Amy Sacco                                                                         Lou Sacco "Lou Christy"

Lugee & The Lions backed Marcy Jo on her national hit “Ronnie”. Marcy Jo was 17-year-old Marcy Rae Sockel, born on January 4, 1944 in Pittsburgh, and the song Ronnie (which she wrote) was actually about her boyfriend Howard ."Ronnie" ended up at # 81 Hot 100 in June 1961. The Lions also did background vocals on a record by Chic Christy (no relation) for Hac.

    
               Marcy Jo                                                                                      Marcy Jo 

In 1962,Sacco approached Nick Cenci with some demo tapes. Cenci liked Christie's falsetto voice and suggested that he listen to the Four Seasons' recent hit, "Sherry". Christie and his writing partner Twyla Herbert used the song as a model to write their original song called “The Gypsy Cried”. Wanting to create a new image Cenci changed the singer’s name to Lou Christie.  They released the single in 1963. It became a hit, selling 30,000 copies in Pittsburgh.



Songs :

Lugee & The Lions (2)

  
The Jury                                Little Did I Know

Marcy Jo bb The Lions (2)

  
Ronnie                      Little Did I Know

  
Since Gary Went In The Navy              What I Did This Summer

Chic Christy bb Lugee & The Lions (2)

  
With This Kiss                          My Billet-Doux To You



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