Manny's Restaurant & Tony Destro "The Image of Elvis Show" Featuring "The Bowery Boys"

Tony Destro & the Bowery Boys would like to say THANK YOU to all of our loyal fans who have came to Manny's restaurant for the past 40 years to support Tony Destro and The Bowery Boys in "The Image of Elvis Show" what a long ride this was for our group but for all you people out there Tony Destro and the Bowery Boys really appreciate your support. But this is not where it ends. Tony Destro & the Bowery Boys are making a big comeback very shortly with a new show we call it Tony Destro and the Bowery Boys 2011 Comeback Special. The details are being arranged at this time and will be put on this website within the next 2 or 3 weeks.

As you see the logo on top of Manny's we probably will use it forever if Manny don't mind because it became part of the bands image. Don't get confused we are no longer at Manny's but the Legend lives on thanks to a guy named Manny. As our band will never be forgotten Manny won't be forgotten either because he was the one responsible for giving Tony Destro & the Bowery Boys there big break in the music business. We will never forget when we first came and played at Manny's in 1970. We were a bunch of young punks looking for a break just coming out of the military service. Manny wanted to get rid of the group from the very beginning because he always thought we were to loud. He would always say if you guys don't get lower I'll pull the plug and throw you guys out. Well that story never changed for 40 years but till the day he sold Manny's he was still jumping on us. But this was the genius in him he always knew how to smell money. I have to say that Manny Cimuluca would have to be known as one of the greatest and most successful restaurant club owners around, he had the hottest place in Bergen County for 40 years. Working for Manny was not like a boss but like working for a friend.

When we first came to Manny's in 1970 we were known as "Stained Glass Revue we kept that name until 1995 when we went from a top 20 cover group to a retro swing band with zoot suits. Manny seen potential in Stained Glass and knew exactly how to get down on Tony and the group by stating if you don't have something different then the rest of the groups, you won't draw a following, and without a following you don't have a job here. Also if you have a big following and there not eating or drinking and I can't make money, you still don't have a job

Well that started a whole new motivation in Tony Destro and the boys. We started a new show similar to the Sha Na Na it wound up to be a big part of Stained Glass it was a fifties show called "Iggie Bonitelli & the Degenerates where we drove Motorcycles out on the dance floor with our black jackets on with our hair slicked back and just played 50's rock & roll and doo-wop. What happened in 1976 a year before Elvis died we were doing our Oldies Show called "Iggie Bongitelli & the degenerates" and someone yelled out from the audience and said how come you guys don't do any Elvis songs he was part of the 50's. A light bulb lit up in Tony's head and turned to Ray and said I'm going to do a tribute to Elvis Show and that started a whole new beginning for Stained Glass". It kept the band working 7 days a week 365 days a year for the next 20 years. Tony didn't know too much about Elvis then , but Elvis fan clubs started showing up and the rest was history we started the new Show as "TONY DESTRO IN THE IMAGE OF ELVIS SHOW" FEATURING "THE STAINED GLASS REVUE". Dropping the 50's show. The lines outside of Manny's were up the street Stained Glass locked into another success story. At this point the original group was Tony Destro as Elvis , Ray Schott On guitar, Dennis Genuario on Bass guitar, Larry Dickerson on Drums. Then the band started to build more members now adding on a horn section. The Elvis Show was a success and nothing was stopping it, Tony was now known as one of the best Elvis performers in the country. In 1995 the band took on another whole image they then were 12 pieces and became "THE BOWERY BOYS" They dropped a lot of the top 20 cover music and now did a thing called RETO SWING doing songs by "Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Brian Setzer Orchestra and a lot of there own originals. They put out 2 cds called "Street Corner Swing" "Looking in the past Through Stained Glass" .

The group is no longer at Manny's but are now getting ready for there big Comeback Special after taking a 3 Year break there hotter then ever check on this web site for there up and coming new dates within the next two weeks. We would like to thank all our fans again, and especially Manny Cimiluca & his family, for all the great memories that we will never forget. Also the great times we had with the bartenders waitress, and every one in the kitchen. Artie Jack and Mell you know who you are! and also Jerry wheres Joe moon and Richie Ippilito we were all a team . Thanks again see you all soon.