Marty Sanders

Born Marty Kupersmith in Brooklyn, New York City, his love for music came as a child, when he harmonized with his father playing his piano, and after hearing Hank Williams on the radio.[2] After hearing Williams on the radio, he gave up piano lessons for guitar.

His first time performing music was as a teen, as a duo with his neighbour, Dave.[2] Eventually, the duo were signed to a record deal. Around that time, a group called The Harborlites, had also been signed, consisting of Jay Traynor, Howie Kane, and Sandy Deanne. When Kupersmith was drafted into the reserves, the duo split.

Sanders (on the right) with Jay and the Americans in 1963.

Marty joined the Harborlites in 1962, by then, they started going as Jay and the Americans. Upon joining the Americans, he started performing as Marty Sanders. Shortly after Sanders joined, frontman Jay Traynor left, and Jay Black came in as the new lead singer. In the following years, the Americans would garner more hits such as This Magic Moment, She Cried, Come a Little Bit Closer, and Cara Mia.

Sanders remained in the Americans until their split in 1973. Like the other members of the group, he went on to tour as a solo artist. Sanders was inducted, as a member of the Americans, into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2006, Jay Black filed for bankruptcy due to gambling debts[3], and sold the rights to the name "Jay and the Americans" to the other members as a way to pay it off, for $100,000.[3] After the deal was made, Sanders and original members Howie Kane and Sandy Deanne started to perform again as Jay and the Americans.[3]

As of 2023, he and Sandy Deanne still perform as Jay and the Americans.

Sanders currently lives in Warwick, Rhode Island. Marty has been a longtime fan of reptiles, mainly snakes, after joining the New York Herpetological Society.[4] It has been said that Sanders is often called up by the Warwick Police Department to capture snakes and other reptiles, if they are ever under the loose.[4]