Jade became the most popular band at school performing at Homecoming and other big school dances. During his senior year at Oak Park and River Forest High School, teachers Tom Graziano and Jim Locke approached Joe to talk business. Graziano and Locke had created a project called “Decades Week” a sort of living “history lesson” for the school. The teachers wanted Cantafio and his group to perform “Oldies” during four lunch periods and at an after school “sock-hop.”

At first the group hesitated, because the teachers wanted them to learn “50’s music,” a whole set, … complete with dancing, greased hair, pointy shoes and leather jackets. When they learned they would have the whole day off of school they gladly accepted the offer. They were even paid $200.00 for their efforts!

Friday, May 11, 1973, talk about being in the right place at the right time, … a writer from the Chicago Daily News decided that Graziano and Locke’s “Decades Week” was worthy of a story. He came out to the school to capture the event for his paper.

Photos were taken and the afternoon edition of the paper had a photograph of Cantafio decked out in 50’s style clothes holding two girls in poodle skirts in his arms, graced the front page. Next to the photo was a story of how the two teachers turned an average week of school into a walking talking history lesson with every student and teacher dressing up as if it were 1957 again, complete with a “sock-hop”. Joe and the boys performed songs from Elvis Presley, Bill Hailey and the Comets and Chuck Berry. The event was very successful.

Letters and calls started to reach the teachers by the following Monday. By the following Thursday, Cantafio and the band were called into a meeting in the history department. Graziano and Locke said; “…boys, I think we can make some money!” and Jade 50’s was born.

Many area high schools wanted to copy the Oak Park and River Forest High School teacher’s idea for their own school projects. Graziano gladly gave other schools suggestions on how to make “50’s Day” a huge success on their campus. Of course Graziano would let them know that Jade 50’s, the only oldies show band in Chicago, was also available for their “sock-hop!”