Joe Esposito (singer)

Joe "Bean" Esposito (born May 5, 1948) is a Grammy-nominated American singer/songwriter whose career spans from the 1970s to the present day. Esposito's songs have been recorded by Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin, Labelle, Stephen Stills and others.

Biography

Esposito was a member of the band Brooklyn Dreams, best known for their collaboration with Donna Summer on "Heaven Knows" and "Bad Girls." Giorgio Moroder asked Esposito to collaborate on his 1982 "Solitary Man" project, which became Esposito's first solo album.

In the 1980s, he is best known for his performances of the hit songs "Lady, Lady, Lady" from the "Solitary Man" album and 1983 film Flashdance.

"You're the Best" is from the 1984 film The Karate Kid.

Esposito also supplied vocals on Brenda Russell's 1988 "Piano in the Dark," as well as a duet with Laura Branigan on "Come Into My Life" from the Coming to America soundtrack (1988).

Esposito is the father of Mike Esposito, who pitched in 2005 for Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies.

Grammy nominations

• 1984 Flashdance, Album of the year.
• 1984 Staying Alive, Best Motion Picture sound track.
• 1988 Piano in the Dark, Brenda Russell - Joe "Bean" Esposito, Best Pop Duo.

Soundtrack discography

• American Hot Wax (1978) Kenny Vance on lead vocals with Brooklyn Dreams performing as The Planotones on backup.
• Foxes (1980) Lyrics: "Shake It" performed by the Brooklyn Dreams
• Zapped! (1982) performer: "Updikes Theme" - Joe "Bean" Esposito.
• Flashdance (1983) performer: "Lady, Lady, Lady" - Joe "Bean" Esposito.
• Staying Alive (1983) Lyrics: "Hope We Never Change", "Moody Girl", "I'm Never Gonna Give You Up", "The Winning End".
• The Karate Kid (1984) performer: "You're the Best" - Joe "Bean" Esposito.
• Lovelines (1984) performer: "A Time Like This Again" - Joe "Bean " Esposito.
• Thief of Hearts (1984) performer: "Just Imagine (Way Beyond Fear) - Joe "Bean" Esposito.
• 3:15 - The Moment of Truth (1986) performer: "Out of Control" - Bob Conti and Joe "Bean" Esposito
• Coming to America (1988) performer "Come into My Life" - Laura Branigan and Joe Esposito
• Butterbrot (1990) performer: "Take Me Home" - Joe Esposito.
• Freak City (1999) performer: "Two Bad Boys" - Joe Esposito.

Discography

• 1983 Solitary Man, Giorgio Moroder and Joe Esposito produced by Giorgio Moroder, Oasis Records.
• 1987 Joe, Bruce and Second Ave, produced by Michael Omartian, EMI America.
• 1996 Treated and Released, produced by Joe Esposito, Pool Party Records.
• 2012 (TBA)

Appears on

• 1981 I'm a Rainbow by Donna Summer, performing I Believe in You.
• 1988 Get Here by Brenda Russell, performing Piano in the Dark.

Current work

Esposito lives in Las Vegas where he performs as a vocalist at various casino hotels. During the early 1990s he and Eddy Hokenson (of Brooklyn Dreams) toured with Kenny Vance and the Planotones, a vocal group created for the movie, American Hot Wax. In May 2013, Esposito became the lead singer for The Brooklyn Bridge band, formerly known as Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge.

See also

• Brooklyn Dreams
• Donna Summer
• Bruce Sudano
• Alive N Kickin'
• The Mystics
• Laura Branigan

External links

• Joe Esposito at Allmusic
• Joe Esposito at IMDb
• Brooklyn Dreams Official website