A. Youngman

Staten Island singer songwriter William Davis burst on the scene in the early '70s with a string of contemplative piano ballads.  As the decade progressed, his music took on an increasingly harder edge; he even ultimately adopted a pseudonym based on one of his songs. (Mid-career fans were often curious as to A. Youngman's first name; when asked, he typically just rolled his eyes.)

As the '70s turned into the '80s, Youngman put out his most "rock" album yet:  1980's Judging Covers.  Although a commercial success, it received limited critical acclaim, but that did not deter Youngman.  After a subsequent "arty" LP, he turned to the music he grew up with in the '50s and early '60s--a saccharine twist that alienated many longtime fans but ended up gaining Youngman a new generation of listeners who preferred sucky music.

In addition to his music, Youngman also is known for his unlikely, decade-long marriage to swimsuit model Jill Munroe (who, many years later, briefly dated Midwest roots-rocker Vince Carter, who had a series of '80s hits including "Spank Me Yeah" and "Dwells in Fuschia").