Cary Pierce missed 1967 — the Summer of Love.
He was born 2 years later. That’s the year Bryan Adams sang about in “Summer of ’69” — his summer of ’85 hit.
Cary Pierce, in the Staples HIgh School 1987 yearbook.
In that same summer of ’85, Cary was a rising Staples High School junior. He made Westport musical history when Hall & Oates failed to appear at Longshore for Westport’s 150th birthday celebration. (They had a good reason: It was a hoax. They’d never been booked. Read the back story here.)
Cary’s band, Pseudo Bleu, stepped in to save the day.
He had 2 years of Westport fun left. A talented guitarist and soccer goalkeeper, popular and active in after-school clubs, he made the most of that time.
The summer of ’87 — right after graduation — was magical for Cary. Riding around town with friends; hanging out at Arnie’s Place and Dairy Queen; taking his boat to Cockenoe, just being a free-and-loose Westport teenager in the weeks before college was a time he’ll never forget.
Now he’s immortalized the summer of ’87 in song.
For more than 30 years, Cary and his Southern Methodist University classmate Jack O’Neill have fronted Jackopierce. The band shared stages with Dave Matthews, Counting Crows, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, Matchbox Twenty and Widespread Panic. They’ve performed in clubs and at colleges across America — and before 500,000 people at the Texas Motor Speedway.
“87” was released as a single a few days ago. It’s part of Jackopierce’s next album. With the right promotion, it could do for the summer of 1987 what Bryan Adams did for ’69.
Nearly 35 years later, key images are seared in Cary’s memory. He took a bit of artistic (and chronological) license. But it all works.
He remembers his friend’s mother’s car: a red Trans Am. The parties with Fairfield girls who went to Greens Farms Academy. Video games: Tron, Donkey Kong, Frogger, Asteroids, Tetris and Robotron.
Our Summer of Love before we shipped off
It was just like heaven — ’87.
Some of the best times involved the water. He had a Boston Whaler knockoff. To him, it was a yacht.
With friends Cree Crawford, Sean Fitzpatrick, Wyman Chu and Doug Dryburgh, Cary would head to Peter’s Bridge for sandwiches. Then it was off to the marina, and onto the Sound. “What a way to grow up!” he says. “We never stood still.”
Of course, neither does time. With each day, the end of summer drew closer.
Jamie left for England, never to see her again
Dana moved in to the City, with her City fancy friends
Davey bounced around some before landing in LA
William went to Williams where I think he is today.
As for Cary:
I set out for Dallas with a guitar on my back
Said goodbye now to the East Coast, met a Kangaroo named Jack.
That’s Jack, his musical partner. Kangaroos were the mascot of his Killeen High School sports teams. Cary does not miss a trick.
Jack O’Neill (left) and Cary Pierce.
Our Summer of Love before we shipped off
It was just like heaven
Our Summer of Love was never enough
We were young and driven ’87.
He says “87” was “super easy to write.” He went down several rabbit holes, including long-ago video games and long-lost friends.
Musically, it started out “country and bluegrass-y.” His bass player “straightened it out,” lending a Tom Petty vibe.
After recording the track with their band the Mustangs, Jackopierce began playing it live. Fans love it.
It doesn’t matter when they — or you — were born. 1969, 1987 — if you were ever a teenager, you can probably relate to a summer you loved.
(To listen to “87” on your favorite platform, click here.)
