Biography

Singer, composer and author Frankie Laine was born March 30, 1913 in Chicago. His real name was Francesco Paulo LoVecchio and he lived in Chicago’s Little Italy. Frankie was the oldest of eight children born to Sicilian immigrants John and Anna Lo Vecchio, who had come from Monreale, Sicily near Palermo. His father first worked as a water-boy for the Chicago Railroad and he was eventually promoted to laying rails. His father subsequently went to a Trade School and became a barber. One of his most famous clients was gangster Al Capone. Frankie made his first appearance in a choir at the Immaculate Conception Church where he was an altar boy. At 15, he performed at the Merry Garden Ballroom in Chicago while attending Lane Technical School. He supported himself by working as a car salesman, bouncer in a beer parlor and as a machinist. He also sang at a weekly radio station (wins) for $5.00 per week. The program director for wins convinced him to change his name to Frankie Laine after he auditioned for the radio. His name was stretched out to Frankie because opera singer Frances Lane (Dorothy Kirsten) and Fanny Rose (Dinah Shore) were singing at nearby radio station WNEW. At 18, he went to Baltimore and participated in a marathon dance contest after coming off the heels of winning ones in Stamford, CT. and Chicago. Laine set an all-time marathon dance record of 3501 hours in 145 consecutive days in 1932 at Wilson’s Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey and his competition was an Olympic miler named Joey Ray and included 101 other contestants. Altogether, he participated in 14 marathons, winning three, second once and fifth twice. His last contest was back in Chicago at the Arcadia where a 14-year-old girl was disqualified because the judges found out her age. She later became successful singer, Anita O’Day.

Laine moved to Los Angeles, California and worked at a defense plant. One day, he noticed a boy struggling in a neighborhood swimming pool and saved him from drowning. His name was Ronnie Como, son of singer Perry Como. Coincidentally, Laine replaced Como on the Frankie Carlone band. Laine was working at Hollywood and Vine in the Billy Berg Club when he was discovered by Hoagy Carmichael after Carmichael heard him sing his song “Old Rocking Chair”. The house trio was led by none other than Nat ‘King’ Cole. Laine introduced the song “That’s My Desire” at the Vine Street Club in Hollywood, California. He was also a first class jazz singer and, by 1952, he was among the top recording stars and had his own show at the London Palladium. He also made a command performance for Queen Elizabeth II. In 1950, he married Nan Grey, an actress, and raised her two children from a previous marriage. He joined ASCAP in 1952, and his chief musical collaborator was Carl Fischer. He toured Britain in 1988, singing as vigorously as ever. He has experienced open heart surgery (quad by-pass) and still performs. In the 1980s, he observed children in a park without shoes in the wintertime and petitioned radio stations across the United States to raise money to buy shoes at Christmas time for poor families with children. Thousands and thousands of dollars have been raised to benefit this effort. Some of Laine’s finest hits include “That’s My Desire” (1947), “Mule Train” (1949), “Jezebel, Cry of the Wild Goose” (1950), “On the Sunny Side Of The Street” (1951), “I Believe” (1953) and “Moonlight Gambler” in 1957. He sang the title song for the hit TV series, Rawhide (1959), that starred Clint Eastwood in the early 1960s. He co-wrote “We’ll Be Together Again”.

In 2006, he appeared on the PBS My Music special despite a recent stroke, performing “That’s My Desire”, and received a standing ovation. It proved to be his swan song to the world of popular music. Laine died of heart failure on February 6, 2007, at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego.  A memorial mass was held February 12, at the Immaculata parish church on the campus of the University of San Diego. The following day, his ashes, along with those of his late wife, Nan Grey, were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.

Discography

Release date Album name Label Billboard Chart Position
1950 Song from the Heart Mercury
1952 Frankie Laine Columbia
1953 Listen to Laine Mercury
1953 One For My Baby Columbia
1954 Mr Rhythm Columbia
1955 Concert Date Mercury
1955 Frankie Laine Sings for Us Mercury
1955 Lover’s Laine Columbia
1955 Songs by Frankie Laine Mercury
1955 With All My Heart Mercury
1955 That’s My Desire Mercury
1956 Command Performance Columbia
1956 Jazz Spectacular Columbia
1957 Rockin’ Columbia 13
1958 Memories Of Frankie Laine’s Greatest Hits Mercury Wing
1958 Frankie Laine’s Greatest Hits Columbia
1958 Foreign Affair Columbia
1958 Torchin’ Columbia
1959 Reunion in Rhythm Columbia
1959 You Are My Love Columbia
1960 Balladeer Columbia
1961 Hell Bent for Leather! Columbia 71
1961 Deuces Wild Columbia
1962 Call of the Wild CBS
1963 Wanderlust Columbia
1965 I Believe Capitol
1967 I’ll Take Care of Your Cares Paramount 16
1967 I Wanted Someone to Love ABC/Paramount 162
1968 Take Me Back to Laine Country ABC/Paramount 127
1967 Memory Laine Tower
1968 To Each His Own ABC/Paramount 127
1969 You Gave Me a Mountain ABC Records 55
1971 Frankie Laine’s Greatest Hits Amos
1971 Brand New Day Amos
1972 Reflective Years Score
1975 20 Incredible Performances ABC
1975 Frankie Laine’s Greatest Hits Springboard
1975 Sings His Very Best Springboard
1977 The ABC Collection ABC
1977* The Very Best Of Frankie Laine Warwick
1977 Spotlight on Frankie Laine Phillips
1977 20 Memories in Gold Polydor
1977 Heartaches Can Be Fun Pickwick
1978 That Lucky Old Sun Pickwick
1978 Life Is Beautiful Polydor
1979 You Gave Me a Mountain Pickwick
1979 Frankie Laine Sings Koala
1979 Never Before AFIAS
1979 It Only Happens Once AFIAS
1979 British Summer Time AFIAS
1979 Smilin AFIAS
1979 Too Marvelous for Words Encore
1981 The Pick of Frankie Laine 51 West
1981 Frankie Laine’s Best Exact
1981 Now and Then CBS
1982 The World of Frankie Laine Arcade
1983 Frankie Laine and Johnnie Ray: Back to Back ERA
1984 Frankie Laine MCA
1985 The Uncollected – 1947, Vol. 1 Hindsight
1985 The Uncollected – 1947, Vol. 2 Hindsight
1985 Frankie’s Gold Jubilate
1985 So Ultra Rare Score
1985 Place in Time Score
1986 A Country Laine Playback
1986* Frankie Laine: His Greatest Hits Warwick Reflection Series
1987 Round-Up Telarc
1988 New Directions Score
1989 16 Most Requested Songs Columbia
1989 Greatest Hits CBS
1989 Portrait of a Song Stylist Harmony
1990 18 All Time Hits EMI
1990 On the Trail Bear Family
1991 The Frankie Laine Collection: The Mercury Years Mercury
1991 On the Trail Again Bear Family
1991 Frankie Laine Sony
1991 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral Starlight
1991 Frankie Laine and Friends Score
1991 Something Old, Something New Prestige
1992 Frankie Laine and Jo Stafford: The Duets Bear Family
1992 Frankie Laine’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Laurie
1992 Frankie Laine’s Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Laurie
1993 Frankie Laine: The Best of the Capitol Years Curb
1994 Reunion in Jazz Score
1995 Frankie Laine Timeless
1995 The Return of Mr. Rhythm Hindsight
1995 I Hear Music Sony
1996 The Young Master Pavilion
1996 The Very Best of the ABC Years Taragon
1996 High Noon – 20 Greatest Hits Spa
1997 Portrait of a Legend After 9
1997 That’s My Desire Pickwick
1997 The Voice of Our Choice, Vol. 1 Hebeto
1997 The Fabulous Frankie Laine Sony
1997 Memories – All of Me Samba
1997 Frankie Laine and Lynn Anderson Cedar
1998 Rare and Rockin’ Hebeto
1998 The Voice of Our Choice, Vol. 2 Hebeto
1998 It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over The Entertainers
1998 Frankie Laine The Entertainers
1998 The Wheels of a Dream After 9
1999 Lyrics By Laine Score
1999 That Lucky Old Sun Prism
1999 The Collection Prestige
1999 The Lost Singles Hebeto
2000 The European Concert Score
2000 Your Cheatin’ Heart Pegasus
2000 That Lucky Old Sun Bear
2000 Cocktail Hour Allegro
2000 The Collection Emporio
2000 Teach Me to Pray Score
2000 Gospel Revival Sony
2001 Frankie Laine Collection Vol.1 Dressed to Kill
2001 Frankie Laine Collection Vol.2 Dressed to Kill
2001 Golden Greats Goldies
2001 I Believe Bear Family
2001 Setting the Standard Jasmine
2001 Christmas Wishin’ Score
2002 Riders in the Sky Prestige
2002 Together Again, My Buddy Score
2002 Rawhide Bear Family
2002 Old Man Jazz Score
2002 Songs of the West Castle Plus
2002 That’s My Desire ASV Living Era
2003 The Nashville Connection Score
2003 Sheworld Score
2006 Ramblin’ Man Rajon
2006 Songs of the West Castle Pulse
 

Licensing

As the exclusive licensing agent for Frankie Laine, CMG Worldwide is dedicated to maintaining and developing a positive brand image for our client. CMG is a leader and pioneer in its field, with over 37 years of experience arranging licensing agreements for hundreds of personalities and brands in various industries, including sports, entertainment, music, and more. We actively seek out commercial opportunities that are consistent with our brand positioning goals, and we are committed to pursuing strategies that meet the goals of our clients, as well as our licensing partners.

Please contact us today if you are interested in licensing opportunities with Frankie Laine. For a full list of CMG Clients, please visit our website here.

 

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