Jerry Vale
Jerry Vale's beautiful high-tenor voice graced many of the most enchanting pop songs of the '50s and '60s, including a parade of Italian-American favorites like "Innamorata (Sweetheart)," "Volare," "Amore, Scusami," and his signature song, "Al Di La." Vale, born Genaro Louis Vitaliano in 1932, learned the Italian repertoire from an early age; his mother often sang around the house and trotted out the old songs at extended-family gatherings. While shining shoes at a local barber shop at the age of 11, young Vitaliano began singing popular songs for customers while he worked. He was soon sent to a vocal coach, where he learned piano as well as voice. Over the course of just four years, he'd progressed from school productions to paying gigs to residencies at supper clubs around New York City.
After Guy Mitchell caught his set at one club, Jerry Vale began recording demonstration discs for Columbia. When A&R supremo Mitch Miller heard his excellent voice, however, he signed Vale to his own contract. Vale first hit the charts in 1953 with "You Can Never Give Me Back My Heart" (arranged by Percy Faith), and continued during the mid-'50s with "Two Purple Shadows," "I Live Each Day," and his biggest hit, "You Don't Know Me." Though his first explicitly Italian recording, "Innamorata (Sweetheart)," finally appeared in 1956, it wasn't until 1962 that Vale convinced the notoriously conservative Miller to record a full album of Italian songs. I Have But One Heart proved a big seller and was followed one year later by Arrivederci, Roma and a continental LP, The Language of Love, both of which placed even higher than the first on the album charts.
Though the mid-'60s were a trying time for traditional pop singers, Vale continued to be successful, with singles like "Have You Looked Into Your Heart" and "For Mama," and Top 40 LPs like There Goes My Heart and It's Magic. And even after his albums began failing to make the charts in the early '70s, Vale remained a popular name in clubs and on television throughout the '70s and '80s.
© John Bush /TiVo
Similar artists
-
Sings The Great Italian Hits
Internationaal variété - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 18 mei 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Free as the Wind (Theme from "Papillon")
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 22 feb. 1974
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Alone Again (Naturally)
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 11 okt. 1972
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Sings 16 Greatest Hits of the 60's
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 1 feb. 1970
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Essential Jerry Vale
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 13 okt. 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christmas Greetings from Jerry Vale
Kerstmuziek - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 14 nov. 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Love Me The Way I Love You
Internationaal variété - Released by Legacy - Columbia on 23 jan. 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Singles Collection 1953-62
Pop - Released by ACROBAT on 12 jul. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Arrivederci, Roma
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 1 jun. 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
This Guy's In Love with You
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 1 jun. 1968
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Have You Looked into Your Heart
Jazz - Released by Columbia on 22 jul. 1964
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Jerry Vale Italian Album
Internationaal variété - Released by Columbia on 23 aug. 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Don't Know How to Love Her
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 1 jun. 1971
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I Have But One Heart
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 1 jan. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Personal Christmas Collection
Internationaal variété - Released by Legacy - Columbia on 29 aug. 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
-
Where's the Playground Susie (My Way)
Pop - Released by Columbia - Legacy on 1 jun. 1969
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo