When I was a kid growing up in the Belmont section of the Bronx back in the '60s and '70s, both Jimmy Roselli and Jerry Vale could be heard coming out of just about every bar in the neighborhood. The wiseguys loved them.
Good call on "Volare," SC. Interesting factoid: The artist who sold the most copies of that song was Bobby Rydell, with his cheesy, American, lounge lizard version. As a single (45rpm), Rydell sold more copies than both Dean Martin and Domenico Modugno combined.
Originally Posted By: NickyScarfo
I know 50s and 60s Doo Wop was popular with wiseguys as many artists were Italian-American. Artists like Dion and the Belmonts, the Duprees etc, and then a bit later Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. I think with those guys all albums of them were popular!
Good call on the Duprees, Nicky. Back in the late '70s and early '80s, Greg DePalma owned a nightclub up in Scarsdale called Fudgie's. The Duprees used to play there all the time. I saw them there a few times. It always surprised me that David Chase didn't use any of their songs on "The Sopranos." They were Italian from Jersey so they would have been a perfect fit.
None of the original members are still alive but they still sound great:
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
