From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sat May 18, 2002  1:15 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Perry Como
 
PERRY COMO

Born Pierino Roland Como, 18 May 1912, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Died 12 May 2001, Jupiter, Florida

One of the most popular vocalists between the end of World War II and the
rise of rock & roll in the mid-'50s, Perry Como perfected the post-big band
approach to pop music by lending his own laidback singing to the popular
hits of the day on radio, TV, and LP. Both his early traditional crooning style
plus his later relaxed manner and focus on novelty material were heavily
indebted to Bing Crosby.
Originally a barber, Perry Como began singing professionally in 1933.
Signing with RCA Victor in 1943, Como's big break came with the 1945
film A Song to Remember. His rendition of "Till the End of Time" spent ten
weeks at the top of the charts and became the biggest hit of the year.
Como's dreamy baritone worked especially well on ballads. Hired by NBC
for another radio show in 1948, Como crossed over to the emerging medium
of television that same year with the Chesterfield Supper Club. The show
quickly took off, and eventually earned him four Emmy Awards. In the
mid-'50s, Como began to indulge in light novelty fare, the titles often
comprising nonsense words - "Ko Ko Mo", "Hoop-Dee-Doo," "Chee
Chee-oo Chee" and "Hot Diggity". From 1955 to 1963 he hosted his
own weekly hour-long variety show of high quality.
Como's breezy songs had worked well at the beginning of the decade, but his
appeal began to wane towards the end of the 1950s, with the emergence of
rock 'n' roll and the wave of teen idols. His last number one hit, "Catch a
Falling Star," came in 1958. Como was much less visible during the 1960s,
but returned in 1970 with his first live show in over two decades, and a
world tour followed; a single ("It's Impossible") even made the Top Ten in
1970. Como continued to record LPs and occasional television specials
while making scattered appearances during the 1970s and '80s.

In the UK he was also very popular. His 26 British chart entries 1952-1973
are assembled on Disc 1 of the 2 CD-set "The Definitive Perry Como Collection"
(BMG / Camden DeLuxe).
Websites: http://www.perrycomo.net/
http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/9109/
Surprisingly, there is no book-length Como biography as yet.