Jerry Boyle & The Violations headline at "The Governor's Ball"

On Sunday, January 30, from 7 to 11 p.m., Jerry Boyle, a popular singer who learned to sing on the street corners of Philadelphia, will be performing at High Tides Restaurant and Bar, 67 Totem Road in Bensalem, PA. He’s singing with his doo wop band, Jerry Boyle & The Violations, to honor the memory of his brother, Jimmy Boyle, a.k.a. “The Governor.” His brother Jimmy died at the age of 60, after an illness with ALS disease and one of his friend’s, Billy Rushton, the owner of High Tides, created this event to honor Jimmy.

Rushton is bringing together many people Jimmy considered friends and has made this event a Fairview Café of Wildwood Reunion. Open to the public, Boyle is thrilled to bring back the songs they grew up singing -- Motown, Oldies and The Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP). The group, now known as Jerry Boyle & The Violations, sang for many years and included his brother Jimmy and their friends, Jimmy Hillig and Bobby Keifer. Today Al Muzyczka fills the position once held by Jimmy. He was known as Al Hawk when he was in “The Destinations”, another Philadelphia a Capella group. Boyle said, “Al’s falsetto brings a whole new dimension to our sound.” Charles Sye plays drums, as well as directs, and Johnny Ingram is on vocals and keyboards.

Boyle shares how “The Governor’s Ball” came to be. He said, “One day Billy Rushton reached out to me and told me how Jimmy was a mentor and great friend to him.” Rushton continued the conversation and said, “I don’t think I would be where I am today if not for his help. So many people have been asking me to host a reunion of the old gang from down the shore, but I wanted to do more. We are using the reunion as a fund raising opportunity for ALS. I hope to make it an annual event with the theme and the recipient changing to help out other friends of the Governor’s that are in need.” Jerry Boyle was overwhelmed by his generosity and honored to have his brother remembered this way.

Boyle, who lives in Merchantville, NJ, has had his own orchestra for many years and also served as General Manager of Pen Ryn Estates in Andalusia. He shared memories of singing with his brother, which is significant because now he is singing for his brother. “I remember so clearly that first time my brother heard me sing with Hillig and Keifer. I had met them earlier that night and we started to sing together when they said I had to go with them to meet the other guy they sang with. Hillig went ahead and told his friends, ‘Wait till you hear this kid sing. He’s great!’ When I came in behind him, my brother Jimmy saw me and said to Hillig, ‘He’s my brother!’ I couldn’t believe the other guy in their group was Jimmy! That’s the night I joined their group and we went on to become The Violations and sing together for the next 40 years!” Just after Jimmy died, the group took a break for a couple years. As Jerry Boyle says, “The joy just went out of singing for us.” But, now with Al, they are back and entertaining in clubs and private parties with crowds of fans just like before.

Established in 1985, The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through certified clinical care centers, and fostering government partnerships, The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure.

Included in the entertainment at The Governor’s Ball is a good friend of the Governor’s Jimmy Lamb, who will MC and DJ between sets. Tickets are $50 in advance; $60 at the door. This includes open bar (with some exclusions), buffet, live entertainment and a donation to ALS Association. Tickets will be issued on a first come first serve basis. Text 267-625-6261 for advanced ticket requests (they are expected to go fast) and details or call 267-699-1355. For more information about Jerry Boyle, call 856-261-3013.