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Jan Errico is a drummer and singer who was a member of two San Francisco rock groups in the 1960s, The Vejtables and The Mojo Men.

Background

Errico is the daughter of Vincent Errico who, himself was an accomplished drummer. She is the cousin of Greg Errico, the original drummer for Sly and the Family Stone. It has been written that she changed her name from Errico to Ashton to sound more British.

Female drummers in rock bands in that era were rather rare.

Career

In 1962 or 1963, when she was around age 12, she recorded the single "It Was A Lie" (bw "Come Along With Me") for the Shelby Records label. The backing group was credited as The Twilights, who were really Joe Piazza and the Continentals.

By 1964, she was a member of The Vejtables, both singing backup and playing drums. While with the Vejtables she contributed to a good part of their written material including their minor hit, "I Still Love You", which she sang lead on. By November 13, 1965 the song had spent four weeks in the charts, eventually reaching no 84. She also sang lead on the group's take of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind".

It appears that at some stage in 1966, there may have been a brief change of direction for her in attempting a solo career. A single "Cold Dreary Morning"/"Smile, Smile, Smile" was recorded but Autumn Records never released it.

Errico joined the Mojo Men around spring 1966, replacing the band's drummer Dennis DeCarr. In 1967, she and the band recorded 20 songs in one day at Coast Recorders.

The last single released by the group then known as The Mojo was "Everyday Love" bw There Goes My Mind in 1970.

Solo discography

References

1. The Times, Monday, March 21, 1960 - Page 13
2. San Francisco Chronicle, April 15, 2005 - Vincent A. Errico, Obituary
3. NPR, August 18, 2011 - Sly Stone: The Early Days In The East Bay - Ed Ward
4. Record Turnover, January 28th, 2011 - Sit Down, I Think I Love You
5. Guía Del Pop Y El Rock 60, Aloha Poprock, By Antonio Méndez - Page 386 Vejtables, The. Estados Unidos
6. Reverb Central - Janet Errico and the Twilights - It Was A Lie c/w Come Along With Me
7. The San Francisco Sound, Friday, November 26, 2010 - THE VEJTABLES FAMILY TREE
8. Billboard - ARTISTS / The Vejtables, BIOGRAPHY
9. Fuzz Acid and Flowers Revisited: Comprehensive Guide to American Garage Psychedelic and Hippie Rock (1964-1975), Vernon Joynson - Page 15
10. Billboard, November 19, 1965 - Page 30 Billboard HOT 100
11. Fuzz Acid and Flowers Revisited: Comprehensive Guide to American Garage Psychedelic and Hippie Rock (1964-1975), Vernon Joynson - Page 15
12. Allmusic - Jan Ashton Biography by Richie Unterberger
13. Jingle Jangle Morning: Folk-Rock in the 1960s, By Richie Unterberger- -
14. The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Colin Larkin - Page 2872
15. If These Halls Could Talk, Heather Johnson - Page 6
16. Las Solanas - The Mojo Men, Singles
17. Reverb Central - Janet Errico and the Twilights - It Was A Lie c/w Come Along With Me
18. Discogs - The Vejtables – Feel... The Vejtables

External links

• Jan Errico's Song - It Was A Lie
• Discogs: Jan Errico

• American women drummers
• American women pop singers
• American women rock singers
• American soft rock musicians
• Singers from California
• 20th-century American women singers
• 20th-century American drummers
• Living people
• 20th-century American singers