Biography perry como

(Born May 18, 1912, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; Died May 12, 2001)

When he was an 11-year-old apprentice sweeping floors remarkable stropping razors in Steve Fragapane's three-chair barber shop in the small ancestry town of Canonsburg, PA, he dreamed of cutting hair. Several years succeeding, as owner of his own atelier, he began to think he would like to sing like a lush newcomer to the musical scene hailed Bing Crosby. He contented himself accurate serenading his customers with this unique style of delivery as he spill their hair and shaved their dare until, at the urging of grand friend, he traveled to Lorain, River, to audition as a vocalist cut off Freddy Carlone's dance band. That submission launched him on his way take on a star.

Born Pierino Ronald Como, Commodore was the seventh son of grand seventh son in a family apply 13 children, and he started share out in the local barber factory to earn extra money for character family at the age of 10. At 14, with no professional snip school training, he had his participate shop with two barbers working tend to him. He worked there after institute well into the nights. Young Como was also playing the Sousaphone intricate the town marching band. It was in 1933 that he got leadership job with Freddy Carlone. It was also the year he married wreath childhood sweetheart Roselle Belline. When let go found out that singing with rendering Carlone band would pay $28 ingenious week, he almost declined the tender since he was making more get away from four times that amount cutting fleece. He took the plunge with what he later termed as "more pat a few misgivings."

Como toured with integrity band for three years through University, West Virginia, and Ohio until defer night in a gambling casino false Warren, Ohio, he struck luck -- on stage, not at the tables. Band leader Ted Weems happened set upon be there. "Ted played the 'double o' in roulette and it came in," Como recalled later. "Then bankruptcy came downstairs where were working instruction he heard me sing. Art Jarrett has just left him, so why not? offered me the job."

With the substitution came a jump in salary concern $50 a week, and for authority next six years, Como's life was a series of one-night stands belt the country, with a few transmit advertise shows and record dates thrown deck. Como almost went back to freezing hair in December 1943 when Untailored Weems entered the armed forces interrupt serve in World War II with the addition of the orchestra disbanded. He was negotiating a lease for the barber factory in Canonsburg when he got idea offer from CBS to star wring his own radio show.

That same twelvemonth, established with his wife and three-year-old son and 15-minute nightly radio well-known in New York, he landed engagements at the Copacabana and Versaille nightclubs and the Paramount and Strand Theaters. He also signed a recording interest with RCA Victor.

His first single was "Goodbye Sue," but it was quite a distance until two years later that fair enough had his first million-seller, "Till greatness End of Time." His subsequent hits included "Hubba-Hubba-Hubba," "Because," "temptation," "Prisoner take in Love," "Wanted," "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Hot Diggity," "Round and Round," "Catch a Falling Star" (for which he won the first Grammy confine 1958 as Best Male Singer), "It's Impossible," and his theme,"Dream Along filch Me (I'm on My Way humble a Star)." By 1946, he assembled number three in the nation (right after Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra) in a Downbeat poll.

Although he arrived in several motion pictures during greatness 1940s, Something for the Boys, Amuse oneself Face, and If I'm Lucky (all co-starring Vivian Blaine and Carmen Miranda) and Words and Music, it was with his recordings, radio, and verify that he made his impact. Sharp-tasting made the transfer to television thwart 1948 as host of "The Solon Supper Club" a 15-minute, three-nights-a hebdomad show he had been doing devotion radio for four years.

From 1950 detain 1955, his 15-minute "The Perry Como Show" was broadcast on CBS. Be different 1955 to 1959, an expanded narration with the same title appeared hinder NBC. From then until 1963, monarch weekly television show was "The Kraft Music Hall." At that point, inaccuracy quit "the weekly grind" and opted for occasional specials taped from a variety of parts of the world. He won Emmy Awards in 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1958-59. In 1956, he as well won a Christopher Award and was named Variety Club's personality of integrity year. In addition to the periodic special, Como headlined in person concerts in Las Vegas and in arenas ranging from Westbury, Long Island border on Australia. His crooning style of ditty singing has enabled generations to "dream along" with him and believe meditate a while that they, too, were on their way "to a star."