Jerry Vale
Jerry Vale | |
---|---|
Vale in 1965 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Gennaro Louis Vitaliano |
Born | The Bronx, New York, U.S. | July 8, 1930
Died | May 18, 2014 Palm Desert, California, U.S. | (aged 83)
Genres | Easy listening, traditional pop |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Jerry Vale (born Gennaro Louis Vitaliano; July 8, 1930 – May 18, 2014) was an American traditional pop singer. During the 1950s and 1960s, he reached the top of the pop charts with his interpretations of romantic ballads, including a cover of Eddy Arnold hit "You Don't Know Me" (1956) and "Have You Looked into Your Heart" (1964). Vale, who was of Italian descent, sang numerous songs in Italian, many of which were used in soundtracks by films of Martin Scorsese.[1]
Vale 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 "
Early life
Vale was born Gennaro Louis Vitaliano in the
Career
Vale's early nightclub performances led to additional shows in the early 1950s, including one lasting for three years at the Enchanted Room, 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. Insetta arranged for Vale to record some demonstration records of songs he'd written, and he brought them to Columbia Records. Guy Mitchell introduced Vale to Mitch Miller, then head of A&R at Columbia Records. Vale signed a recording contract, with Insetta as his manager for many years to come.
Jerry Vale appeared on the
Vale's first recording with the Columbia label, with accompaniment by Percy Faith and his band, was "You Can Never Give Me Back My Heart",[4] reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Vale's first U.S. hit.
His version of "
He sang the
Vale reportedly suffered a stroke in 2002 and did not perform in his later years.[2]
Personal life
In 1959, Vale married Rita Grapel, a burlesque dancer. His biography A Singer's Life, by Richard Grudens, was published in 2000 by Celebrity Profiles.
Death
Jerry Vale died of natural causes in his sleep on May 18, 2014, at his home in Palm Desert, California.[5] Vale was 83 years old. He and his wife had two children, Robert Vale and Pamela Vale Branch.[4] He is interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery, in Cathedral City, California.
In popular culture
As an actor, Vale appeared as himself in the films
In the
Vale is portrayed by Steven Van Zandt in the 2019 film The Irishman.[9]
Honors
In 1998, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to Vale.[10]
Discography
See also
Notes
- ^ a b Noland, Claire (May 18, 2014). "Jerry Vale, singer who topped the charts in 1950s and '60s, dies at 83". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b c Barnes, Mike (May 18, 2014). "Crooner Jerry Vale Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter.
- The Huffington Post. May 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c d Langer, Emily (May 19, 2014). "Jerry Vale, popular crooner of the 1950s and '60s, dies at 83". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b c Southall, Ashley (May 19, 2014). "Jerry Vale, Crooned Smoothly of Love, Is Dead at 83". The New York Times.
- ^ "Jerry Vale, Singer of '50s and '60s Hits". People. Associated Press. September 23, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
- ^ Hill, Michael E. (November 11, 1990). "'The Big One'". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ Patterson, John (March 21, 2016). "Zootropolis: Disney's latest finds a kinder alternative to Trump's America". The Guardian. London. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ LeDonne, Rob (December 13, 2019). "Who is Jerry Vale and why does Martin Scorsese love him so?". The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
- ^ "Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
References
- Grudens, Richard (2000). Jerry Vale, a Singer's Life. Celebrity Profiles Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5757-9176-0.
- Grudens, Richard. "Jerry Vale, A Singer's Life". Palm Springs Life. Archived from the original on July 9, 2010. (excerpt)
External links
- Jerry Vale at AllMusic
- Jerry Vale discography at Discogs
- Jerry Vale at IMDb
- Jerry Vale on Find A Grave
- Jerry Vale Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (1994)