Tommy James and The Shondells at Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair

Tommy James and the Shondells originally formed under the name the Echoes in 1959 in Niles, Michigan when James was only 12 years old. The band later took on the name Tom and the Tornadoes, before eventually settling on Tommy James and the Shondells in 1964. Their single from that year, "Hanky Panky", became a huge sleeper hit, eventually reaching number one in 1966 and kick-starting the band's career. Throughout the group's career, they launched twelve other Top 40 hits, including five that reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100: "I Think We're Alone Now", "Mirage", "Mony Mony", "Sweet Cherry Wine", and "Crystal Blue Persuasion". "Crystal Blue Persuasion" was the perfect choice for the soundtrack for an episode of Breaking Bad, and found new popularity with a much younger generation. Several of the band's hits were given new life in the 1980s when they were covered by other artists: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' version of "Crimson And Clover" (No. 7 in 1982), Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now" and Billy Idol's "Mony Mony" (back-to-back No. 1 singles in November 1987).