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Hundreds packed the Bayonne Jewish Community Center for a concert by The Duprees last month, but few in the audience could lay claim to a personal connection with the band quite like Betty O'Donnell.

When O'Donnell's youngest daughter was born in 1962 at Bayonne Hospital, one of The Duprees' original members became a father in the same building that morning.

"All I remember was his light blue jacket," O'Donnell said (though she couldn't recall exactly which band member it was).

That type of local charm is precisely why the Bayonne JCC brought in the renowned doo-wop group, which put together a series of chart-topping songs and gave life to many other older hits throughout the 1960s, for a Saturday night performance Feb. 21. The band was founded in Jersey City by Michael Arnone, Joe Santollo, John Salvato, Tom Bialoglow, and lead singer Joey Canzano.

"(The Duprees) felt this would be a good venue for them, since people know their name around here," said Dr. Ellen Goldberg, the JCC's executive director.

JCC Group Services Director Mike Flood, who organized the event, said that the center hadn't held a large-scale concert in years, but decided to do so now because numerous community members specifically requested the hometown Duprees.

"They were the only band we wanted, and we were lucky to fit them into our schedule," he said. The JCC sold 300 tickets for the concert, which Flood said took at least five months of planning. The hard work wasn't lost on the band, as Master of Ceremonies Tony Testa thanked Flood near the end of the performance.

"Nobody we've ever met pays this much attention to detail and cares so much about making things right," Testa said.

Many members of the audience came from nearby, while other dedicated Duprees fans flocked in from as far as Delaware, Maryland, and Massachusetts, Goldberg said. But whether they strolled briefly down Kennedy Boulevard to the JCC or crossed state lines to get there, those who attended all could agree on their affinity for The Duprees' smooth style and enchanting repertoire of love songs.

"I like the era of their music since I grew up in it, and I like their songs," said Clare Maglori, who lives in Jersey City. "I've been seeing their shows for a while; it's great entertainment."

"My wife would've killed me if I didn't get tickets," said Long Island resident Robert Powers, celebrating his 38th wedding anniversary that night. "I just like the way they perform, the whole nine yards." Others came specifically because the show was at the JCC.

"I'm here to support the center," said Myrtle Levy, a Bayonne JCC member since its inception. "I had no reason not to come; I get to listen to a great band."

Testa started off the show by succinctly describing the group's mission. "We do love songs for a living. It's a great, great job," he said.

Still, the modern-day Duprees quartet of Testa, Tommy Petillo, Jimmy Spinelli, and Phil Granito (all of whom worked with the original band members) performed a fair share of fast-paced songs as well.

"Even at this age, we can do up-tempo songs and not get out of breath," Testa joked to the crowd.

The band went through an array of Duprees hits such as "It's No Sin," "Love Eyes," "You Belong To Me," "Gone With The Wind," and "Take Me As I Am," singing for an hour-and-a-half without an intermission. Understanding that most of these songs were at their height of popularity in the 1960s, Testa had a message for the younger members of the audience.

"If you go home or call up your parents, they will remember the group," he said.

The dinner buffet which preceded the concert had a seemingly endless line, as the JCC building was packed from door to door throughout the evening. Flood called the program a "major undertaking" for the center, but was extremely pleased with the large turnout and the excitement surrounding the event.

"We really just wanted to bring people together and have them see the facility," Flood said.