R.I.P.: Sugarloaf Frontman Jerry Corbetta

Jerry Corbetta

Jerry Corbetta, the lead singer for Sugarloaf, died Friday in Denver, CO at the age of 68.

He had been suffering from Pick's Disease for a number of years, according to Vintage Vinyl News.

Corbetta was initially famous around the Denver area playing drums, first creating a stir at the age of 4. He later played USO shows with his sister Nancy and, in a band called The Corkers with his sister Barbara.

One day, while playing baseball, he injured his eye and decided to change from the more strenuous drums to keyboards. A number of teen bands followed, moving his interest more towards rock and roll. In the late 60's, Jerry played in a band called the Moonrakers with Bob Webber, releasing four songs on the Tower label.

Corbetta and Webber later formed a new band, Chocolate Hair, who were signed to Liberty Records. In 1969, they went into the studio to record an album which included a song called Green Eyed Lady but, before it was released, the label forced the group to change their name, feeling that Chocolate Hair could be interpreted to have racist overtones.



Sugarloaf released their self titled debut album in 1970 and Green Eyed Lady shot up to number 3 in the later half of the year. The national exposure put them on the road for extended touring with the likes of Deep Purple and The Who but they failed to score another hit with the followups not making the top 50.

In 1973, Liberty dropped all of their artists and Sugarloaf signed with Brut Records, a collaboration between Neil Bogart and Brut Fabrerge. They released their third album, I Got a Song, in 1973 but they were once again the victims of a changing music industry with Brut going out of business. Corbetta and band member Frank Slay bought the album back and went into the studio to record the song Don't Call Us, We'll Call You.

Released in 1974, Don't Call Us became a national hit, going to number 9, and the I Got a Song album was re-titled after the hit and released on Claridge Records.

The song includes the sound of a touch-tone telephone number being dialed near the beginning and ending of the song. Those numbers were an unlisted phone number at CBS Records in Manhattan ("area code 212" stated in the song) – coincidentally a public number at the White House as well (different area code). In addition, the recording includes snippets of the guitar riff of The Beatles' "I Feel Fine," Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" and a line of dialogue from disc jockey Ken Griffin imitating Wolfman Jack (who would later perform the song live with the group on their Midnight Special appearance) stating the call sign of a radio station ("Stereo 92" in the nationwide release); numerous tracks of this line were cut to match local markets.

When followups didn't chart, Sugarloaf broke up.



Corbetta pursued a solo career and spent time as a member of Frankie Valli and the Seasons from 1980 to 1984. Jerry also played the oldies circuit including an attempt to resurrect Sugarloaf from 1989 to 1991.

Jerry retired in 2009 to fight Pick's Disease.