02/21/2024
He was wonderful. We watched every TV show.
Unlike the King of Cool or the Chairman of the Board, Mr. C had his own unique style of crooning. One of thirteen children, Perry Como was the seventh son of a seventh son, which was considered good luck by Italian nationals. Born in the western portion of Pennsylvania in 1912, he was the first of his siblings born in America. Como began working at a young age, sweeping up a barbershop in Canonsburg, while learning how to cut hair. But Como continued pursuing music on the side, joining the Canonsburg Italian Band as well as singing at weddings. He was only 17 when he met his future wife, Roselle Bellino, who he would be married to until her death of natural causes.
After touring the midwest as a singer in a popular orchestra, Como ended up getting his own radio show, then eventually was given the opportunity to sign a recording contract with RCA Victor in the early 40's. Perry went on to sell over 100 million records worldwide during a career that spanned over half a century, with hits such as "Till the End of Time," "Prisoner of Love," "Magic Moments," "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Catch a Falling Star," "And I Love You So," "Killing Me Softly" and "It's Impossible."
His song "Papa Loves Mambo" can be heard in Hollywood films, such as the 1989 film Back to the Future II, 2001 film Oceans Eleven and the 2021 film Finch. His song "Magic Moments" can be heard in the 1999 film Dogma and 2001 film Bridget Jones's Diary. His song "Prisoner of Love" can be heard in the fourth episode of Season 1 of The Sopranos. In addition to all of those facts, his Christmas song "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" is still a cherished song during the holidays. And we must not forget his incredible version of "Ave Maria."