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LAINE, Frankie (born Frank Paul LoVecchio, March 30, 1913, Chicago, USA.)
Clarion voiced pop singer with lots of style, able to fill halls without a microphone, and one of the biggest hit-makers of late 1940s/early 1950s. Over 70 charted records, 21 gold records, and worldwide sales of about 260 million disks. Originally an r&b influenced jazz singer, Laine excelled at virtually every music style, eventually expanding to such varied genres as popular standards, gospel, folk, country, western/Americana, rock 'n' roll, and the occasional novelty number. Known as "Mr. Rhythm" for his driving, jazzy style.
Laine worked dance marathons during the Great Depression (setting the world's record with partner Ruthie Smith in 1932); replaced Perry Como in Freddy Carlone band in Cleveland 1937, but success eluded him until 1946 when a successful gig at Billy Berg's club in Los Angeles led to a Mercury contract. At Mercury and Columbia he worked closely with impressario Mitch Miller, and Carl Fischer (who co-wrote many songs with Laine including the great standard WE'LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN).
In 1953 he set two more records on the UK charts: weeks at #1 for a song, and weeks at #1 for an artist. 50-plus years later, both records still hold.
In the 1950s, Laine had a second career singing the title songs over the opening credits of Hollywood films and television shows, inluding: GUNFIGHT AT OK CORRAL, 3:10 TO YUMA, BULLWHIP and RAWHIDE. And in the 50s and 60s he released many great theme albums as well: ROCKIN', JAZZ SPECTACULAR (with jazz trumpet great Buck Clayton), FRANKIE LAINE AND THE FOUR LADS (a gospel album that truly rocks), REUNION IN RHYTHM (with Michel Legrand), HELL BENT FOR LEATHER, BALLADEER (folk songs), TORCHIN', CALL OF THE WILD, WANDERLUST, etc.
Frankie Laine's 70-plus year career spanned most of the 20th century and has continued into the 21st. Laine was a key figure in the golden age of popular music, and remains, quite possibly the greatest singer all time.
Classic Frankie Laine songs include:
- THAT'S MY DESIRE
- BLUE TURNING GREY OVER YOU
- AIN'T THAT JUST LIKE A WOMAN
- IT AIN'T GONNA BE LIKE THAT
- SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN
- WEST END BLUES
- ALL OF ME
- MAM'SELLE
- A SUNDAY KIND OF LOVE
- SHINE
- PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE BABY
- WE'LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN
- AT THE END OF THE ROAD
- GEORGIA ON MY MIND
- GOD BLESS THE CHILD
- ROCKIN' CHAIR
- BLACK AND BLUE
- MULE TRAIN
- THAT LUCKY OLD SUN
- SWAMP GIRL
- CRY OF THE WILD GOOSE
- DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME
- A MAN GETS AWFULLY LONESOME
- MUSIC MAESTRO PLEASE
- SLEEPY OL' RIVER
- GET HAPPY
- THE GIRL IN THE WOOD
- ONE FOR MY BABY
- THE ISLE OF CAPRI
- JEZEBEL
- LOVE IS SUCH A CHEAT
- HEY GOOD LOOKIN' (with Jo Stafford)
- ROSE ROSE I LOVE YOU
- JEALOUSY
- WHEN IT'S SLEEPY TIME DOWN SOUTH
- HIGH NOON
- I'M JUST A POOR BACHELOR
- MY OHIO HOME
- SWAN SONG
- SNOW IN LOVERS LANE
- TONIGHT YOU BELONG TO ME

