Top-40 dance band formed by ex-members of the Mickey McCleary Trio.
The history as recounted by lead vocalist Marty Thompson “The band first formed at the old Golden 40 Inn in Joppatowne in or around 1971. I (Marty) was working with Mickey McCleary (keyboards), Nick Campo (drums), and Al Rossi (sax) when guitarist Bobby Burns stopped in one night. We immediately jelled, although Al Rossi was about to put his own band together. US Male began there at the Golden 40 but were soon on the road playing in Albany NY at the Thunderbird Hotel where we were booked by the Art Ray agency in Philadelphia. After playing there for five weeks, we came home to open a 9-month stint at the Baltimore Playboy Club with our new keyboard player, Benny Cellitto. We played at the Playmate lounge on four separate occasions during the (years) we were together. We worked the Holiday Inn Circuit (locally at Moravia Blvd., Belmont at Woodlawn, and the Airport), and went on the road to the Cherry Hill Inn in New Jersey, and then to the Jester Club in Richmond Va., and the San Carlos Restaurant in York PA. We also played Annabelles, Sweeney’s, The Green Dolphin, Pecora’s, Redwood Inn, Kimberly Lounge, Ocean City’s Cellar Door, etc.”
“This was a talented group that required no bass player due to the fine left hand on Ben and the pedals on his B-3 Hammond organ plus a strong heavy-footed drummer in Nick Campo. Aside from being an excellent guitarist, Bobby Burns was a fine singer in his own right and along with Benny’s great falsetto and myself, we had great harmony. We tackled primarily the top 40, rock, soul, standards, country and jazz… We had a great following from the Playboy bunnies and naturally, where ever we played due to their support, the males always followed.”
“We played five and six nights a week and when we disbanded, we had in our song list over 300 songs that we could call on at any time… Of all the bands I was a part of, U.S. Male is the one group I’m sorry I left.” Thompson left to join the Roadhouse Review… Burns and Cellitto were later with Teddy Bell’s group in the ‘80s. Campo later with Crossfire…
