Michael “Tunes” Antunes, longtime saxophonist for John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band and actor in both Eddie and the Cruisers films, has died.
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According to WBSM, the “On the Dark Side” saxophonist passed away on Aug. 19. It was just nine days after celebrating his 85th birthday and only 10 days after his final performance at the Narrows Center in Fall River, Massachusetts. During that last show, the band even honored him by singing “Happy Birthday.”
The outlet also reported that Antunes died of kidney failure.
Cafferty posted on Instagram about Antunes’ passing, sharing a video of the saxophonist playing his solo from “Tender Years.” The song, a Beaver Brown bar show favorite, hit No. 31 on the Hot 100 in 1985 after Eddie and the Cruisers aired on HBO.
“Our hearts are filled with so many emotions,” Cafferty wrote alongside the footage. “Love, gratitude, respect, joy for our precious time together, and sadness for our gentle fond farewell. It will always be one of life’s true gifts to have traveled the world over these many years within Tunes’ inner circle of love and magic on this amazing musical journey we’ve been blessed with.”
John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band Shot to Fame with Eddie and the Cruisers
Beaver Brown, a 1970s East Coast rock band, was known for performing at venues like Toad’s Place in Connecticut and the Stone Pony in New Jersey, often playing with Bruce Springsteen, according to Billboard.
Antunes and the group brought real bar-band authenticity to the fictional band in the 1983 film Eddie and the Cruisers. Cafferty’s songs, like “On the Dark Side,” were bar favorites in the 1970s before gaining wider recognition through the film’s soundtrack.
“On the Dark Side” soared to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also claimed the top spot on Mainstream Rock Radio and has amassed over 47 million streams to date. In 1995, the Eddie and the Cruisers soundtrack achieved triple Platinum certification, cementing its enduring legacy.
Michael “Tunes” Antunes Was a Third Generation Musician
Antunes, born on August 10, 1940, in New Bedford, Massachusetts, was the son of Peter and Mary Antunes and took pride in his Cape Verdean heritage. His grandfather, Joaquim Antunes, a Cape Verdean immigrant, played guitar and violin in the 1920s and 1930s. Meanwhile, his father, Peter, performed on upright bass, guitar, and Hammond organ across New England.
Antunes’ first show was at 13 with Dartmouth High School’s stage band. He later played Cape Verdean music with his brother, David, and cousin, Joe Silva, in their band, Second Generation.
The success of Eddie and the Cruisers opened the door for Cafferty, Antunes, and their bandmates to break into film. This newfound recognition caught the attention of Sylvester Stallone, who chose “Voice of America’s Sons” from their album Tough All Over as the theme song for his 1986 action film Cobra.
Antunes first recorded with Beaver Brown on their 1980 single “Wild Summer Nights.” He also contributed to the Eddie and the Cruisers soundtracks and the albums Tough All Over (1985) and Roadhouse (1988). In 2003, he played on their cover of “E Street Shuffle” for the tribute album Light of Day, benefiting Parkinson’s research and sarcoma cancer.
Antunes was a beloved family man, survived by numerous children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. His funeral will be held on Thursday at Saunders-Dwyer Funeral Home in New Bedford, Massachusetts.