The Bronx Wanderers

Led by the father-and-sons team of Vincent John, Vinny Sr. and Nick Adinolfi (left to right), the Bronx Wanderers worked its way up from family barbecues on the East Coast to the hallowed clubs of Vegas.

Just about two decades ago, a dad and his two sons embarked upon a journey that began in the Bronx and ultimately landed them among the brightest stars on the Las Vegas Strip.

Vinny Adinolfi was a successful producer with Columbia Records, working regularly with legends like Neil Diamond, Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand and Billy Joel as well as a host of up-and-comers. He was living his dream as a part of the New York City music scene.

Then Sony bought the label and cleaned house. Vinny and so many of his peers were involuntarily sent along a new career path, with some of them having to choose between delivering pizza and working at the local car wash to make ends meet. The only thing that helped Vinny keep his sanity back then was the time he spent playing songs in the kitchen with his sons Vincent John on the guitar and Nick on drums while Mom made the pasta.

Being from the Bronx and in the music business, it was only natural for Vinny to turn to a pair of “neighborhood guys” who helped him find his way: Dion DiMucci of Dion and the Belmonts fame and Chazz Palminteri, the Hollywood star and creator of the film “A Bronx Tale.” Chazz would even perform the George Benson classic “On Broadway” with the trio when they played at local parties.

“Why don’t you take the boys and play around the neighborhood and make a few bucks that way?” Chazz suggested. So that’s what Vinny did, putting together a band that included 15-year-old Vincent John and 12-year-old Nick. He also had his brother Rich on keyboards, but to add some “legitimacy” to the enterprise, he called upon a couple of other neighborhood friends for help: guitarist Jimmy Fracassi, who did a stint with Larry Chance and the Earls, and saxman Jay Leslie, formerly of The Tokens. With a nod of respect to Dion and his megahit “The Wanderer,” The Bronx Wanderers were born.

The group began picking up steam playing outdoor events around the Big Apple and in New Jersey. Gigs at Italian clubs and restaurants followed — anywhere the family breadwinner could earn $100-$200 for the night. Having friends in the music industry started to pay off as they locked up opening slots for Tony Orlando, Danny Aiello and other celebs. Their star was starting to rise.

That was 2007, and I was managing the Chicago cast from the new hit musical “Jersey Boys.” Everybody wanted them to play their church picnics and Italian festivals, but rich dads were hiring them for $25,000 to sing “Sherry” at their daughter Sherry’s wedding, so they were a bit steep for the local events I was lining up.

I was looking for bands who performed songs from The Four Seasons catalog, since nobody in Chicago was doing that back then. Remember, this was when “Jersey Boys” first came out.

Being friends with Tommy DeVito, who was in The Four Seasons, Vinny took his advice and put together medleys of their songs because he knew there would be a demand for it shortly. He was right.

That was also around the time I acquired the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, and I began booking many more national acts. Through a mutual friend, I met Chazz and began a close friendship that has lasted two decades.

I asked Chazz if he knew of anybody doing Four Seasons’ stuff. Boy, did his eyes light up. The next day, I had a VHS tape on my kitchen table. (That’s right, a VHS tape!)

I immediately called the guys to come play at my Festa Pasta Vino on Oakley Avenue in Chicago. It was their first official “out-of-town” gig, and boy, were they excited!

When they played the festival, I couldn’t help noticing that there was something special about this band. They touched the audience in a way I hadn’t seen before. The family story, the onstage chemistry, the “picking-on-each-other” jokes, the unique set-list and their sincere warmth truly captivated the crowd. “We got something here,” I thought to myself. They came as a band and left as a part of our family.

The next year, I brought them back to play all four nights of the Oakley Festival, then all four nights of our Little Italy Fest-West in Addison. The following year it was at our Taylor Street Little Italy Festa, followed by the big stage at the Arcada. Chicago could not get enough of these guys!

Meanwhile, they began touring around the country, including long runs in Florida. The boys were getting older, the band was getting tighter and the audiences were getting larger. The time seemed right for Vinny to set his sights on his lifelong dream. He wanted to play Las Vegas.

In 2016, with some key people in their corner, Caesars Entertainment came knocking. They were new, so they had to agree to a tough deal: They were to play seven days a week at Bally’s Casino. That was 365 shows a year for two years — but they shared a room with “Mr. Las Vegas,” Wayne Newton, so it really was the “big time.”

“We had our first ‘wow moment’ when Dad had his 60th birthday,” Vincent John recalls. “Tony Orlando was there, and Wayne Newton presented my dad with a replica of a one-of-a-kind bracelet Frank Sinatra gave to him. THAT was when we knew we belonged!”

They continue to play Vegas at a more civilized pace at the Southpoint Hotel and Casino, while still touring the country. Today, the band still consists of a dad and his two sons. But now the group is filled out with a couple of high school buddies of the boys, Joe Bari on sax and Fernando Tort on bass.

When I asked the guys the secret to their success, it all came down to their Italian-American upbringing. “Italian family-first values, a strong work ethic and the respect we were taught at a young age got us here,” Vincent John says. “Our first whiff of Vegas was at the Italian American Club out there, before any casino heard of us!”

And, of course, they owe it all to their “secret weapon,” Vinny’s wife and the family matriarch, Carol.  After 40 years, she is the behind-the-scenes half of a true “mom and pop” operation. Tour logistics, bookkeeping, contracts: She does it all. Just don’t ask her to sing!

From headlining on Taylor Street to opening for The Righteous Brothers in Vegas, The Bronx Wanderers are looking toward a future filled with outdoor festivals, television projects and high-profile concerts. But to us, they will always be a dad and his two boys who we’re proud to call “family.”

The Bronx Wanderers will perform at 2 p.m. on April 19 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. (oshows.com)

The article above appears in the April 2025 issue of the print version of Fra Noi. Our gorgeous, monthly magazine contains a veritable feast of news and views, profiles and features, entertainment and culture. To subscribe, click here.