From Little Anthony and Frankie Avalon to Gino Monopoli and The Fireflies, the performers on Malt Shop Memories are taking our guests back to a time of innocence and youth. I got to witness the nostalgia at Lesley Gore’s show in the Candlelight Lounge last night.

It was Lesley’s first show on the cruise, and the room was so packed that we had to close doors and monitor the capacity for fire safety reasons. People were standing in every corner of the lounge trying to catch a glimpse of a star from their childhood. She played her biggest hits, “Judy’s Turn To Cry,” “It’s My Party,” and closed with “You Don’t Own Me.” At the end of “It’s My Party,” she had the entire room singing along with her. It was one of those unparalleled moments we love on Sixthman cruises.

After the show I talked to a guest who said she had grown up listening to Lesley’s music. She said, “You always felt like she must have a spy at your school because she was singing about exactly what was happening to you.” It made me realize that these guests don’t just LIKE all this music, they LIVED it. It’s deeply personal to them; they want every chance they can get to see the artists perform the songs that were the soundtrack to their lives.

We are changing times and venues for the artists to help folks do more and see more, and it’s making them happy. I love that we are able to give our guests the best vacation possible, and now that we’re learning more about our Malt Shop Memories cruisers, we can make next year’s event even better, and help people relive their formative years.

Who was the most poignant artist from your childhood?