Jerry A. Corbetta was an American singer-songwriter, keyboardist and organist, best known as a frontman for the rock bandSugarloaf.
Biography
Corbetta was born on September 23, 1947 in Denver, Colorado. He began his career locally playing drums. As a teenager, he started playing keyboards and joined a few Denver-based bands. The Moonrakers was one of them, and in '67-'68 Jerry led a locally popular five piece band "The Half Doesn't" that drew crowds in Denver's "3.2" beer bars like the "La Pichet" that served up 3.2% / low-alcohol beer and live music to Colorado's 18-year-olds. In 1968, Corbetta and guitarist Bob Webber formed the band Chocolate Hair, along with drummer Myron Pollock and bassist Bob Raymond. The band, having signing to Liberty Records, changed the name to Sugarloaf. The singles "Green-Eyed Lady" and "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You" hit the Billboard Hot 100, No. 3 in 1970, and No. 9 in 1975 respectively, while their eponymous debut album reached No. 24 on the Billboard 200 album charts. Both "Green-Eyed Lady" and "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You" were co-written by Corbetta. He fronted Sugarloaf through 1978. In early 1980s, he joined Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons as their singer and musical director, and remained with them through 1984. At one time, he was also a keyboardist of a gathering of 1960s and 1970s artists, the Classic Rock All-Stars. During his career, he played organs with Velvet Chain. He co-wrote "You're Lookin' Like Love to Me", along with Bob Crewe, included on the 1983 Born to Lovestudio album of duets between Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack. Corbetta also co-wrote "Come Back to My Love", along with Bob Gaudio, recorded by Eric Carmen, and included on his 1984 eponymous album. Most notable is the Dance Club Songschart hit, "On Your Knees" by Grace Jones, written by D.C. LaRue and Corbetta. In 2012 Sugarloaf was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. Corbetta had been diagnosed with Pick's disease in 2010. Treatment forced him to retire. He died from the disease in a hospice in Denver, Colorado on September 16, 2016, at the age of 68.
