From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sat Mar 30, 2002  2:19 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Frankie Laine
 
FRANKIE LAINE (By Shaun Mather)

Born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio, 30 March, 1913, Chicago, Illinois

Middle-of-the-roader Frankie Laine was one of the most successful singers
of the 1950's with a string of hits in both a pop and western style. After
singing in nightclubs whilst still at school, he toured the nation as a
singing waiter and dance instructor. A series of breaks saw him wind up
on Exclusive Records in 1945, but his real success story started after he
signed with Mercury in 1947. Between 1947 and 1954 he charted 44 pop
hits, including three number ones : "That Lucky Old Sun", "Mule Train"
(the first of his Western movie themes) and "The Cry Of The Wild Goose".
In 1951 he moved to Columbia and continued his chart success with "Jezebel",
"High Noon", "I Believe" and "Tell Me A Story". In the UK he spent a record
breaking 27 weeks at number one in 1953 with "I Believe", "Hey Joe" and
"Answer Me" all topping the charts. After the hits stopped coming, he was
able to tour the world before retiring from music in the mid-80's.

Further reading: That lucky old son : the autobiography of Frankie Laine.
Ventura, CA : Pathfinder Press, 1993.
Official website: http://www.frankielaine.com