Frankie Laine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frankie Laine
Laine in 1954
Background information
Birth name	Francesco Paolo LoVecchio
Born	(1913-03-30)March 30, 1913 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died	February 6, 2007(2007-02-06) (aged 93) San Diego, California, U.S.
Genres	Traditional pop jazz R&B easy listening country gospel
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	1932–2007
Labels	Mercury Philips Columbia Capitol ABC Amos Score

Frankie Laine (born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio; March 30, 1913 – February 6, 2007) was a famous American singer and songwriter. His amazing career lasted almost 75 years! People called him "America's Number One Song Stylist." He also had cool nicknames like "Mr. Rhythm" and "Old Leather Lungs."

Frankie Laine sang many popular songs. Some of his biggest hits include "That's My Desire," "That Lucky Old Sun," "Mule Train," "Jezebel," "High Noon," and "Rawhide." He was also known for singing theme songs for Western movies and TV shows. These included 3:10 To Yuma, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and Blazing Saddles. Frankie Laine sang many different kinds of music. He performed pop, jazz, country, gospel, and even rock songs.

His music stayed popular for a very long time. In 2011, a collection of his hits reached number 16 on the UK Albums Chart. This happened almost 60 years after his first song became popular in the UK, and four years after he passed away.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Frankie Laine was born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio on March 30, 1913, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents had moved there from Sicily. He was the oldest of eight children.

Frankie first started singing in his elementary school choir. He also played track and field and basketball in high school. These sports helped him develop strong lungs and good breath control for singing. He realized he wanted to be a singer after watching a movie called The Singing Fool, starring Al Jolson. Jolson was a very famous singer at the time.

Discovering His Voice

When Frankie was 17, he sang for a huge crowd of 5,000 people at the Merry Garden Ballroom in Chicago. The audience loved him so much that he sang five extra songs! He was giving dance lessons there when he was asked to sing. He remembered feeling nervous but sang a sentimental song. He even cried while singing it, thinking the audience didn't like him. But they loved his emotional performance.

Frankie was influenced by many different singers. He loved the powerful voices of Enrico Caruso and Carlo Buti. He was especially inspired by Bessie Smith, a famous jazz and blues singer. He also admired Gene Austin, who was known as one of the first "crooners."

Starting His Career

After high school, Frankie joined a dance marathon company. He toured with them during the Great Depression. He even set a world record for dancing for 3,501 hours! During breaks, he would entertain the audience by singing. He worked with other future stars like Rose Marie and Red Skelton.

Other singers who influenced him included Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday. He became good friends with Nat "King" Cole in Los Angeles. Cole even recorded a song that Frankie had written.

In 1937, Frankie took over for Perry Como in a band in Cleveland. Perry Como was another lifelong friend who once lent Frankie money for a job. Frankie's singing style was very rhythmic. It didn't quite fit the band's smooth sound, so they soon went their separate ways.

For the next 10 years, Frankie struggled to find success. He sang in small jazz clubs and worked many different jobs. He was a bouncer, a dance instructor, and even a used car salesman. During World War II, he worked in a defense plant. This is where he started writing songs. Sometimes, he didn't even have a home and slept on park benches.

Changing His Name

In 1938, he changed his professional name to Frankie Laine. He was singing for a radio station in New York City. The program director thought "LoVecchio" sounded "too foreign." So, he changed it to "Lane" as a tribute to his high school. He added the "i" to avoid confusion with another singer named Frances Lane.

Frankie moved to California in 1943. He sang background vocals in movies and even dubbed an actor's singing voice. In Los Angeles, he met Carl T. Fischer, a composer and pianist. Carl became his songwriting partner and musical director. They wrote songs together like "We'll Be Together Again."

After the war, Frankie was struggling again. A disc jockey named Al Jarvis helped him out. Jarvis also promoted Frankie's music, and Frankie started to gain a small following. In 1946, a famous musician named Hoagy Carmichael heard him sing. This was a big turning point for Frankie. He sang Carmichael's song "Rockin' Chair" at a club. This led to a contract with Mercury Records.

First Big Hits

Frankie Laine recorded his first song in 1944. It didn't become a hit. He then recorded for Atlas Records, where he was asked to sound like his friend Nat "King" Cole. This worked, and the record sold well. Later, he recorded songs in his own unique style.

His first major success came in 1946 with an old song called "That's My Desire." He had learned the song years earlier. When he sang it at Billy Berg's club, the audience loved it. They thought it was a brand new song! He sang it five times that night.

Soon, people were lining up to hear him sing "Desire." Another artist, Hadda Brooks, loved his soulful singing. Frankie recorded "That's My Desire" for Mercury Records. It quickly became a hit on the R&B chart. Many listeners thought Frankie was Black because of his soulful voice. The song also reached number 4 on the main music chart. It sold over one million copies and became his first gold record. This song made him a star!

After "That's My Desire," many more hit songs followed. These included "Black and Blue," "Mam'selle," and "Shine."

Frankie Laine's Unique Style

Frankie Laine started as a jazz singer with a rhythm and blues influence. But he later sang many different types of music. He was known as Mr. Rhythm because of his strong, jazzy style.

He was part of a new group of singers after World War II. Their style was raw and full of emotion. It was different from the smooth singing popular before. Music historians say Frankie Laine's intense voice helped create a new sound. This sound paved the way for rock 'n' roll music.

Jazz critic Richard Grudens said Frankie's style was very new. He would bend notes and focus on the rhythm. This was different from other singers of his time. His 1946 recording of "That's My Desire" was a landmark song. It showed a shift away from big bands and smooth crooners. Frankie Laine is often called one of the first "blue-eyed soul" singers. His style influenced many artists like Kay Starr, Tony Bennett, and Johnnie Ray.

Patti Page, another famous singer, said Frankie was a "forerunner" of blues and rock 'n' roll. She said he sang with great passion and energy.

Throughout the 1950s, Frankie Laine became famous for singing theme songs for movies and TV shows. He sang for Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, 3:10 to Yuma, and the TV series Rawhide. His version of the theme song for the movie Blazing Saddles was even nominated for an Oscar!

Success in the Late 1940s and Early 1950s

In the late 1940s, Frankie Laine was a jazz singer. He recorded many jazz standards. In 1948, Mitch Miller became a key person at Mercury Records. He saw something special in Frankie's voice. This led to many popular songs, often with a folk or Western feel.

Frankie and Mitch Miller worked together to create many hits. Their first song, "That Lucky Old Sun," became the number one song in the country very quickly. It was Frankie's fifth gold record. This song was new because it was a folk spiritual. Frankie's version showed both faith and a working man's wish for an end to suffering.

Their next song, "Mule Train," became an even bigger hit. It knocked "That Lucky Old Sun" down to number two. This made Frankie the first artist to have the number one and number two songs at the same time! "Mule Train" used sounds like whip cracks. This kind of "aural texture" helped set the stage for rock music.

"Mule Train" also showed another side of Frankie's music: songs about the American West. It described life in the mid-1800s, with details about what a mule train would carry.

Other hits from this time included "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "The Cry of the Wild Goose," and "Satan Wears a Satin Gown." "Shine" was a song that turned a negative word into something to be proud of. It had been a hit for Frankie's idol, Louis Armstrong.

"Satan Wears a Satin Gown" was a "Lorelei" or "Jezebel" type of song. These songs were about women who caused trouble. A young songwriter named Tony Benedetto, who later became the famous singer Tony Bennett, brought this song to Frankie. Frankie recognized Tony's talent and encouraged him.

"Swamp Girl" was another song with a "Jezebel" theme. It told a spooky story about a ghost trying to lure the singer to his death. The female voice in the background was Loulie Jean Norman, who later sang the theme for Star Trek.

"The Cry of the Wild Goose" was Frankie's last number one hit in America. It was written by folksinger Terry Gilkyson. The line "My heart knows what the wild goose knows" became a famous saying.

Frankie Laine's version of "Georgia on My Mind" influenced Ray Charles's famous remake. Ray Charles also remade other Frankie Laine hits. Elvis Presley and The Beatles were also influenced by Frankie Laine.

Mitch Miller said that Frankie was a very dramatic singer. He said Frankie had it all: he sold many records and was also great in live performances.

In 1950, Mitch Miller moved to Columbia Records. Frankie's contract with Mercury was ending, so Miller brought Frankie to Columbia too. Frankie's contract with Columbia was the biggest in the music industry at the time.

Becoming a Star at Columbia Records

Frankie Laine started recording for Columbia Records in 1951. Right away, he had a double hit with "Jezebel" and "Rose, Rose, I Love You."

Other hits from this time include "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)," "Jealousy," "Hey Joe!," "The Kid's Last Fight," and "Cool Water."

"Jezebel" was a very dramatic song. Frankie said it used "flamenco rhythms to whip up an atmosphere of frustration and hatred."

"High Noon" was the theme song from the famous Western movie starring Gary Cooper. Tex Ritter sang it in the film, but Frankie Laine's recording became the big hit. After this, Frankie became known for singing theme songs for many Western movies and TV shows.

Frankie Laine became even more popular in the United Kingdom than in the US. Songs like "The Gandy Dancer's Ball" and "Answer Me, O Lord" were huge hits for him there. "Answer Me" even inspired Paul McCartney to write "Yesterday." Frankie broke attendance records at the London Palladium and had his first TV show there.

Mitch Miller often paired Frankie with other big artists. He had hits with Patti Page, Doris Day, Jo Stafford, The Four Lads, and Johnnie Ray.

Frankie had 39 hit songs while at Columbia. His Greatest Hits album, released in 1957, has always been popular. His songs at Columbia covered many styles: pop, jazz, gospel, country, Western, folk, and rock 'n' roll. He could sing everything from fast, rhythmic songs to romantic ballads.

Frankie Laine helped bring country music into the mainstream. Many of his country-pop hits from the early 1950s featured the steel guitar.

In 1953, he set two more records in the UK. His song "I Believe" was number one for 18 weeks! He also held the number one spot for 27 weeks in one year with "Hey Joe!" and "Answer Me, O Lord." Even more than 50 years later, these records still stand.

In 1954, Frankie Laine performed for Queen Elizabeth II. He said it was one of the best moments of his career. By the end of the 1950s, he was still more successful than Elvis Presley on the British charts. "I Believe" is listed as the second most popular song of all time on the British charts.

"I Believe" also showed Frankie's spiritual side. He was a devout Catholic and continued to record songs about faith throughout his career.

Mr. Rhythm Album

In 1953, Frankie released his first full album called Mr. Rhythm. It featured many jazz-style songs, similar to his earlier work. The album included classic songs like "Some Day, Sweetheart" and "Willow, Weep for Me."

Jazz Spectacular Album

This album showed off Frankie's jazz singing. It also featured famous jazz musicians like Buck Clayton on trumpet. The album included songs like "Sposin'" and "Roses of Picardy." Frankie often said this was his favorite album.

Rockin' Album

One of Frankie's most popular albums was Rockin'. It featured new versions of his old hits with a strong, brassy sound. His remakes of "That Lucky Old Sun" and "We'll Be Together Again" became the most well-known versions of these songs. The album also included "Rockin' Chair" and "Shine."

Working with Michel Legrand

In 1958, Frankie teamed up with French composer Michel Legrand for two albums. The first, A Foreign Affair, had songs recorded in different languages like English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. It had international hits like "La Paloma."

Their second album, Reunion in Rhythm, featured jazz standards sung in English.

Working with Frank Comstock

Frankie also worked with trombonist Frank Comstock on two albums in 1958. The album Torchin' was his first recorded in stereo. It featured classic "torch songs" like "A Cottage for Sale."

The second album, You Are My Love, was a romantic collection. It was like a love letter to his second wife, Nan Grey. His version of the wedding song "Because" is especially beautiful.

Balladeer Album

In 1959, Frankie released Balladeer, a folk-blues album. Frankie had helped start the folk music trend years earlier. This album included songs by famous folk and blues artists like Brownie McGhee and Leadbelly. It also had "New Orleans," which is better known as "The House of the Rising Sun."

Working with John Williams

Frankie's last four albums with Columbia Records were arranged by a young John Williams. Williams later became a very famous composer, known for movie scores like Star Wars.

Williams said that Frankie Laine was a "household word" and one of the "great popular singers." He said Frankie had a unique voice that you could recognize right away.

• Hell Bent for Leather! This album of Western classics made many young fans think of Frankie as a "cowboy singer." It included new versions of his hits like "The Cry of the Wild Goose" and "Mule Train." It also had the theme song for the TV show Rawhide.
• Deuces Wild This album continued the Western theme and also focused on gambling songs. It included a new version of his hit "Moonlight Gambler."
• Call of the Wild This album also featured Frankie's Western image. It had songs like "On the Trail" and "North to Alaska." Many of the songs had a classical feel due to John Williams's arrangements.
• Wanderlust This was Frankie's last album with Columbia Records. It included songs like "De Glory Road" and "Riders in the Sky." It also had a classic version of "Wagon Wheels," a song he had been singing since the 1930s.

Frankie Laine's contract renewal meeting with Columbia was canceled on the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. They never rescheduled it.

Later Career and Beyond

In 1963, Frankie Laine moved to Capitol Records. He continued to perform regularly, including a tour in South Africa.

In the late 1960s, he switched to ABC Records and found himself back on the charts. His first song there, "I'll Take Care of Your Cares," was a hit. He had a string of other hits, including "You Gave Me a Mountain," which was a number one hit on the adult contemporary chart. This showed he was still a big hit-maker.

Frankie then moved to a smaller label, Amos Records, to have more artistic freedom. He recorded two albums there with a modern, rock-influenced sound. One album had new versions of his greatest hits. The second album, "A Brand New Day," included original songs and covers like "Mr. Bojangles" and "Proud Mary." This album was one of Frankie's personal favorites.

Amos Records eventually closed, so Frankie started his own label, Score Records.

Movies and Television

Frankie Laine starred in several musical movies starting in the late 1940s. He often played himself in these films. Some of his movies include Make Believe Ballroom, When You're Smiling, and Sunny Side Of The Street. His films were very popular in the United Kingdom.

On television, Frankie hosted three variety shows: The Frankie Laine Hour, The Frankie Laine Show, and Frankie Laine Time. Frankie Laine Time even won an Emmy Award for Best Male Singer! Famous guest stars on his shows included Ella Fitzgerald, Johnnie Ray, and Patti Page.

Connie Haines, another singer, said Frankie had a "different sound" and "such emotion and heart." She said you always knew it was Frankie Laine singing.

Frankie was also a frequent guest on many other TV shows, like The Ed Sullivan Show and American Bandstand. In 1959, he even appeared on the TV show Perry Mason.

In the 1960s, he continued to appear on variety shows. He also took on acting roles in shows like Rawhide. His theme song for Rawhide was very popular and helped make the show a hit. He sang theme songs for other TV series too.

Frankie performed at three Academy Awards ceremonies. In 1981, he performed a medley of his hits on American Bandstand's 30th Anniversary Special and received a standing ovation.

Helping Others

Frankie Laine helped open doors for many rhythm and blues performers. His early success singing in a "Black style" helped other white artists who sang similarly. It also helped increase public acceptance for African-American artists. Artists like Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, and Elvis Presley were inspired by him. Even The Beatles and Tom Jones were influenced by Frankie Laine.

In 1965, Frankie joined several African American artists to give a free concert for Martin Luther King Jr.'s supporters during the Selma to Montgomery marches.

Frankie also supported many charities, like Meals on Wheels and The Salvation Army. He organized a nationwide drive to provide "Shoes for the Homeless." He gave a lot of his time and talent to charities and homeless shelters in San Diego.

Personal Life

Nan Grey and Frankie Laine in a scene from Rawhide, 1960

Frankie Laine married actress Nan Grey in 1950. He adopted her two daughters from a previous marriage. Their marriage lasted 43 years until Nan's death in 1993. Frankie and Nan even guest-starred together on an episode of Rawhide in 1960. In 1999, at age 86, Frankie married Marcia Ann Kline. This marriage lasted for the rest of his life.

Later Years and Legacy

Frankie Laine lived in San Diego. He supported many local events and charities. In 2000, the San Diego Chamber of Commerce called him "The Prince of Point Loma."

His career slowed down a bit in the 1980s due to heart surgeries. But he kept recording albums, including Wheels Of A Dream (1998) and The Nashville Connection (2004).

In 1986, he recorded the album Round Up with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. It even made it onto the classical music charts! Frankie was amused and happy about this.

He recorded his last song, "Taps/My Buddy," after the September 11 attacks. He dedicated the song to the New York City firefighters. He made sure that all profits from the song would always go to the New York Fire Department.

In 1996, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. On his 80th birthday, the United States Congress declared him a "national treasure." On his 90th birthday in 2003, many of his old friends, like Herb Jeffries and Patti Page, came to his party.

Final Performance

In 2006, Frankie Laine appeared on a TV special called My Music. Even though he had recently had a stroke, he performed "That's My Desire." He received a standing ovation. This was his last public performance.

Frankie Laine passed away from heart failure on February 6, 2007, in San Diego. His ashes, along with his late wife Nan Grey's, were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.

His Impact

Frankie Laine's influence on popular music, rock and roll, and soul is very important. His early success helped other white artists who sang in a similar style. It also helped more people accept African-American artists. Many famous musicians, including Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, The Beatles, and Tom Jones, were inspired by Frankie Laine.

In 2008, he was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. In 2010, he received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. Frankie Laine has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to music and television.

Images for kids

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  Frankie Laine and Patti Page, around the 1950s.

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  Nan Grey and Frankie Laine in a scene from Rawhide, 1960.

Discography

Studio albums

Filmography

Acting Roles

• Make Believe Ballroom – 1949
• When You're Smiling – 1950
• Sunny Side of the Street – 1951
• Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder – 1952
• Bring Your Smile Along – 1955
• He Laughed Last – 1956
• Meet Me in Las Vegas – 1956

Songs in Movies

• Blowing Wild – 1953
• Man Without a Star – 1955
• Strange Lady in Town – 1955
• Gunfight at the O.K. Corral – 1957
• 3:10 to Yuma – 1957
• Bullwhip – 1958
• Blazing Saddles – 1974

Songs in Soundtracks

• The Last Picture Show – sang "Rose, Rose, I Love You", 1971
• All This and World War II – sang "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", 1976
• House Calls – sang "On the Sunny Side of the Street", 1978
• Lemon Popsicle – sang "My Little One", 1978
• Going Steady – sang "My Little One", 1980
• Raging Bull – sang "That's My Desire", 1980
• Chopper – sang "Don't Fence Me In", 2000

Television Shows

• The Frankie Laine Hour – 1950
• The Frankie Laine Show – 1954–55
• Frankie Laine Time – 1955–56
• Rawhide – 1959–66 (sang the theme song)
• Gunslinger – 1961 (sang the theme song)
• Rango – 1967 (sang the theme song, "Rango")
• The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo – 1979–81 (sang the theme song for the first season)

Guest Appearances

• Perry Mason – 1959
• Make Room for Daddy – 1959
• Rawhide – 1960
• Bachelor Father – 1961
• Burke's Law – 1963
• Hee Haw – 1973

Biographies

Video Documentary

Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer, 2003. This film was narrated by Lou Rawls. It included interviews with many famous people. Some of them were Patti Page, Kay Starr, Clint Eastwood, Tom Jones, and John Williams.

See also

In Spanish: Frankie Laine para niños

• List of best-selling music artists