Jerry Vale

Jerry Vale

Jerry Vale 1965

Vale in 1965.
Background information
Birth name Genaro Louis Vitaliano
Born (1930-07-08)July 8, 1930
The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Died May 18, 2014(2014-05-18) (aged 83)
Palm Desert, California, U.S.
Genres crooner
Occupation(s) Vocalist

Jerry Vale (born Genaro Louis Vitaliano; July 8, 1930 – May 18, 2014) was an Italian-American[1] singer and actor. During the 1950s and 1960s, Vale reached the top of the pop charts with his interpretations of romantic ballads, many of which he sang in Italian.[1]

The crooner showed his love of Italian music with his albums, I Have But One Heart (1962) and Arrivederci, Roma (1963), full of Italian standards such as "Amore, Scusami", "Ciao, Ciao, Bambina", "Arrivederci, Roma", and "O Sole Mio".[2] His renditions of "Volare", "Innamorata (Sweetheart)", and "Al di là" became classic Italian-American songs.[3]

Biography

Early years

Genaro Louis Vitaliano was born in the Bronx, N.Y., to Italian immigrant parents,[1] and grew up in the Bronx Italian American community.[4] In high school, to earn money, Vale took a job shining shoes in a barbershop, singing while he worked. His boss liked the sound so well that he paid for music lessons for the boy. Vale started singing in high school musicals and at a local nightclub. Still a teenager, he left school to work in a factory as an oiler alongside his father.[4][5]

Career

His early nightclub performances led to additional shows in the early 1950s, including one lasting for three years at a club in Yonkers, New York. When Paul Insetta, (road manager for singer Guy Mitchell and hit songwriter) heard him there, he signed him to a management contract and further coached him. Genaro changed his name to the Americanized Jerry Vale. Insetta arranged for Vale to record some demonstration records of songs he'd written, and brought them to Columbia Records. Guy Mitchell introduced Vale to Mitch Miller, influential executive at Columbia Records. Vale signed a recording contract with Insetta his manager for many years to come.

Vale’s first recording with the label, with accompaniment by Percy Faith and his band, was "You Can Never Give Me Back My Heart",[4] #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Vale's first U.S. hit.

His version of "The Star-Spangled Banner", recorded in the late 1963, was a fixture at many sporting events for years, the Gold Record Vale received was displayed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.[2] Vale frequently sang the song at the Yankee Stadium. Additionally he owned the Daytona Beach Admirals.

In 1959, Vale married Rita Grapel, an actress who appeared in the 1952 film The Thief.[5] and was his wife of over 54 years, residing in Palm Desert, California. His biography A Singer's Life, by Richard Grudens, was published in 2000 by Celebrity Profiles. He sang the Late Night with David Letterman anthem "It's a Late Night World" on the program's eighth anniversary special in 1990. He made cameo appearances as himself in the 1990 film Goodfellas and the 1995 film Casino, both directed by Martin Scorsese.[5]

Vale reportedly suffered a stroke in 2002 and did not perform in his recent years.[2]

Death

Jerry Vale died of natural causes in his sleep on May 18, 2014 at his home in Palm Desert, California.[5] He was 83 years old. He is interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery, in Cathedral City, California.[6]

Honors

In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to Vale.[7]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Year Single Chart positions
Hot 100 AC CAN AC
1953 "For Me"
b/w "Tired Of Dreaming"		 - - -
"A Tear, A Kiss, A Smile"
b/w "Ask Me"		 - - -
"You Can Never Give Me Back My Heart"
b/w "And No One Knows"		 29 - -
1954 "Two Purple Shadows"
b/w "And This Is My Beloved"		 20 - -
"Go"
b/w "I'll Follow You"		 - - -
"I Live Each Day"
b/w "Ghost In The Wine"		 29 - -
"For You My Love"
b/w "Love Is A Circus"		 - - -
1955 "A Million Moons Ago"
b/w "Lolly Linger Longer"		 - - -
"Hey Punchinello"
b/w "I Live For Only You"		 - - -
"When I Let You Go"
b/w "And No One Knows"		 - - -
"Only Beautiful"
b/w "How Do I Love You"		 - - -
"Magic Night"
b/w "Heaven Came Down To Earth"		 - - -
"Miracle In The Rain"
b/w "Adelaide"		 - - -
1956 "Innamorata (Sweetheart)"
b/w "Second Ending"		 30 - -
"You Don't Know Me"
b/w "Enchanted"		 14 - -
"Mother Mine"
b/w "Tell Me So"		 - - -
1957 "All Dressed Up With A Brand New Broken Heart"
b/w "It Looks Like Love"		 - - -
"For You My Love"
b/w "Don't You Know Me Anymore"		 - - -
"Love In The Afternoon"
b/w "I'm Not Ashamed"		 - - -
"Pretend You Don't See Her"
b/w "The Spreading Chestnut"		 52 - -
1958 "I Always Say"
b/w "She"		 - - -
"Goodbye Now"
b/w "This Is The Place"
Jerry Vale and Mary Mayo		 - - -
"With You"
b/w "Blue Tears (On A White Wedding Gown)"		 - - -
"Go Chase A Moonbeam"
b/w "Around The Clock"		 60 - -
1959 "Me and My Shadow"
b/w "A Warm Spot"		 - - -
"Bella, Bella Sue"
b/w "The Heart Has Won The Game"		 - - -
"The Flame"
b/w "The Moon Is My Pillow"		 - - -
"What Do I Care"
b/w "Prima Donna"		 - - -
1960 "Solitaire"
b/w "Please Believe Me"		 - - -
"The Dawn Of Love (L'Edera)
b/w "If"		 - - -
"No Moon At All"
b/w "Making Believe You're Here"		 - - -
"Just Friends"
b/w "To Belong"		 - - -
1961 "Camelot"
b/w "Thirteen Girls Too Much"		 - - -
"Al di là"
b/w "Thinking Of Your Happiness"		 - - -
"Another Time, Another Place"
b/w "If He Leaves You"		 - - -
1962 "If I Would Ever Leave You"
b/w "Who Knows"		 - - -
"Ah, Camminare"
b/w "One Paradise For Sale"		 - - -
"My Geisha (You Are Sympathy To Me)"
b/w "I Can't Get You Out Of My Heart (Ti Amo-Ti Voglio Amor)"		 - - -
"From The Bottom Of My Heart"
b/w "Here's To Us"		 - - -
1963 "(You Got Me) Doin' What I Said I'd Never Do"
b/w "One More Blessing"		 - - -
"Old Cape Cod"
b/w "Theme For Young Lovers (Where Is My Someone)"		 118 - -
"Mala Femmina"
b/w "Maria Elena"		 - - -
"On and On"
b/w "The Peking Theme (So Little Time)"		 123 - -
1964 "The Love Goddess"
b/w "Where Love Has Gone"		 - - -
"The Lights Of Roma"
b/w "As Sure As Night Must Fall"		 - - -
"Have You Looked Into Your Heart"
b/w "Andiamo"		 24 1 6
1965 "Standing Ovation" - - 13
"For Mama"
b/w "Ti Adora"		 54 13 -
"Moonlight Becomes You" - - 13
"Tears Keep On Falling"
b/w "Now"		 96 30 -
"There Goes My Heart" - - 7
"Where Were You When I Needed You"
b/w "I Don't Wanna Go Home"		 99 19 -
"Deep In Your Heart"
b/w "If It Isn't In Your Heart"		 118 16 -
"Big Wide World" / - - 25
1966 "Ashamed" - 28 22
"Less Than Tomorrow"
b/w "This Day Of Days"		 - 14 -
"My Melancholy Baby"
b/w "It's Magic"		 - - -
"It'll Take A Little Time"
b/w "Palermo"		 120 14 -
"Dommage, Dommage (Too Bad, Too Bad)"
b/w "Promises"		 93 5 -
1967 "I've Lost My Heart Again"
b/w "Somewhere"		 132 32 -
"Time Alone Will Tell (Non Pensare a Me)"
b/w "So Near, Yet So Far"		 126 6 -
"Blame It On Me"
b/w "In Time"		 - 26 -
"Have You Seen the One I Love Go By" / - 30 -
"Signs" - 36 -
"In The Back Of My Heart"
b/w "I Love New England"		 - 5 -
1968 "Don't Tell My Heart To Stop Loving You"
b/w "When I'm With You"		 - 6 -
"My Love, Forgive Me (Amore, Scusami)"
b/w "I Never Let A Day Go By"		 - 25 -
"That Girl Would Be So Pretty" / - 37 -
"Till Now" - 39 -
"With Pen in Hand"
b/w "The Look Of Love"		 - 30 -
"There's A Baby"
b/w "Where Are They Now"		 - - -
1969 "Close To Cathy"
b/w "Fa Fa Fa (Live For Today)"		 - - -
"He Who Loves"
b/w "Close To You"		 - 34 29
"Life"
b/w "Congratulations, I Guess"		 - 28 36
"This Is My Life (La Vita)"
b/w "What's Wrong With My World"		 - 26 23
1970 "Hello and Goodbye"
b/w "Look Homeward Angel"		 - 40 -
"I'll Never Fall In Love Again"
b/w "Lovin' Time"		 - - -
"I Climbed The Mountain"
b/w "Love Never Goes Away"		 - 27 -
"Stay Awhile"
b/w "It's All In The Game"		 - 27 33
1971 "Point Me In The Direction Of Alburquerque"
b/w "Perfect Love"		 - - -
"My Little Girl (Angel All A-Glow)"
b/w "Is It Asking Too Much"		 - 36 -
"Which Way You Goin' Girl"
b/w "Moonlight"		 - - -
Two Purple Shadows"
b/w "I Found You (Just In Time)"		 - - -
1972 "Pretend"
b/w "Too Young"		 - - -
"Smile"
b/w "All I Ever Wanted"		 - - -
"Mister Good Times"
b/w "Till We Two Are One"		 - - -
1973 "He"
b/w "If I Give My Heart To You"		 - - -
"Mon Amour"
b/w "The Circle Ends"		 - - -
1974 "Free As The Wind"
b/w "Reason To Believe"		 - - -
1978 "Toot Toot Tootsie (Goodbye)"
b/w "Now Is Forever"		 - - -

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Claire Noland (May 18, 2014). "Jerry Vale, singer who topped the charts in 1950s and '60s, dies at 83". Los Angeles Times.
  2. 1 2 3 Barnes, Mike (May 18, 2014). "Crooner Jerry Vale Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ↑ "Jerry Vale Dead: Crooner Popular In The 1950s Dies At 83". "The Huffington Post". May 19, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Emily Langer (May 19, 2014). "Jerry Vale, popular crooner of the 1950s and '60s, dies at 83". The Washington Post.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Southall, Ashley (19 May 2014). "Jerry Vale, Crooned Smoothly of Love, Is Dead at 83". The New York Times.
  6. ↑ Jerry Vale at Find a Grave
  7. ↑ "Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  8. ↑ I Remember Buddy at AllMusic. Retrieved March 30, 2014.

References

External links

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