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Ah the magic of Love and Romance and
Life. That's what Don Cornell sang about,
and no one else did it better. For those who
remember
his string of hits in the '50s; however, Don
amazed sellout audiences around
the world who come to hear his resonant and
pulsating golden pipes gild every word and
shape every phrase in the inimitable Cornell
style.
Speaking of those bygone years when Don was
one of the "boy singers" who started with
the big bands, Don always recalled that Perry Como
and he landed their first jobs with
different bands on the same day 60 years
ago. They had remained very close friends
over the years. In 1979, Don moved to
Florida with his dearest and most dedicated
fan and personal manager, his wife Iris and
frequently met Perry on the golf course.
It was as a guitar player that Don entered
the music world. When he joined the band of
famed trumpeter Red Nichols. It was Sammy
Kaye, however, that Don launched the long
and illustrious singing career that has
spanned more than four decades and sold well
over 50 million records, a career that was
formally honored in 1963 as one of the first
stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in
1993 he was inducted into the Big Band Hall
of Fame.
"It Isn't Fair," Don's first gold record hit
as a solo performer, was followed by his
other legendary standards, "I'm Yours,"
"I'll Walk Alone" and "Hold My Hand." Don
chalked up a total of 12 gold records
between 1950-1962 at a consistent pace of
one per year. He remains the last of the Big
Band Singers.
By this time, he had become the top
recording artist in the nation with three of
his discs occupying the Top Ten charts. You
name the supper club and Cornell has been
there - oftentimes playing to
record-breaking audiences. His TV guest
appearances ranged from Arthur Godfrey and
Perry Como to Ed Sullivan, Jackie Gleason,
Mike Douglas, Johnny Carson, etc. Australia
and Britain adored him as well. His
appearance at the Paladium in London stopped
traffic around Piccadilly.
Don Cornell, who started as a Bronx kid
named Luigi Francisco Varlaro, has done it
all, from making a dozen gold record hits in
as many years to setting house records in
Kansas City as a musical comedy star, from
TV talk show host to acting in the B. L.
Stryker and Miami Vice TV drama series. From
being a perennial headliner on the Las
Vegas-Reno-Lake Tahoe scene and in Atlantic
City to filling guest artists slots with
symphony orchestras.
Don Cornell's career took an interesting
turn when Iris released his original
recordings of the '50s and '60s on double
length CD/cassette in January of 1996. Carl
Reese, radio personality from Music of Your
Life, says "The new double CD/cassette
Something To Remember Me By Vol. I & II, on
IRIS RECORDS/MCA, is a vocal masterpiece of
40 big hits performed superbly by a giant
talent in the industry." Something To
Remember Me By was followed by a 46-song
double CD I'll Be Seeing You and soon after
a 26 song CD From Italy With Love.
These collections have been eagerly embraced
by radio stations throughout the country and
has renewed Don's acquaintance with fans
from far flung places who remember him
fondly from the big band days. It is very
rare for an artist of this era to release
new material so fans were thrilled when in
1993 Don Cornell Now and If I Never Sing
Another Song was released and to discover
that Don sounds as good today as he did at
the height of his gold record career.
Don continued to take his show on the road
and thanks to the success of Don's
release "Something to Remember Me By" the
road grew longer and longer. When most entertainers retired "off center
stage," Cornell "stayed off the rocker" and
continued to "rock" stages, nightclubs,
concert halls, hotels and festivals around
the country.
In the past six decades, we saw Don
evolve from big band singer to superstar
vocalist to television and stage actor. The
2000s were again bringing Don to the
forefront of his musical genre via one of
the most critically acclaimed live shows on
the circuit and a new hit recording, both of
which created a buzz heard from New York to
Java.
Don firmly believed the best was yet to come
and he looked forward to ushering his
distinctive big band sound into the 21st
century., which he did until February 2004
when he passed on to the Big Band in
heaven. Don and Perry most
likely are "center stage" again for
all eternity. |
When in California, don't forget to visit
Don's Star on Hollywood Boulvard's
WALK OF FAME!
(Location 6140 Hollywood Boulvard)
CD & CASSETTE Orders Only Call:
1-800-940-7464 OR 1-800-940-SING
Send Check Or Money Order
Payable to Don Cornell
Please put your telephone number on check or
your order
will take 2 weeks to process
Don Cornell
100 Bayview Drive
Suite 1521
Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160
We welcome your responses ! Thank you.
For
Christmas gifts consider the Don Cornell CD and Cassette
collections. Mom, dad and grandparents will love you for it!
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