Bobby Vinton
For the R&B singer, see Bobby Valentino. For another 1960s singer, see Bobby Vee.Bobby Vinton (born
April 16,
1935) is an
American pop music singer.
Born
Stanley Robert Vintula, Jr. in
Canonsburg,
Pennsylvania (near
Pittsburgh), he was the son of a locally popular band leader, Stan Vinton (Stanley Vintula, Sr.).
At 16, Bobby formed his first band, which played clubs around the Pittsburgh area. With the money he earned, Bobby helped finance his college education at Duquesne University, where he studied music and graduated with a degree in musical composition. While at Duquesne, he became proficient on all of the instruments in the band: piano, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, drums and oboe.
After a brief spell in the
US Army, Bobby was signed to Epic records in 1960 as a bandleader: "A Young Man With a Big Band." Two albums and several singles were not successful however, and with Epic ready to pull the plug, Vinton found his first hit
single literally sitting in a reject pile. The song was titled "Roses are Red (My Love)." It spent three weeks at
No.1 on the
Billboard Hot 100. Arguably his most famous song is 1963's "Blue Velvet" that also went to
No.1. 23 years later, when
David Lynch named his movie
Blue Velvet after this song. In 1964, Vinton had two No.1 hits, "There! I've Said It Again" and "Mr. Lonely", the latter now being the basis for
Akon's hit "
Lonely."
In the 1970s the "Polish Prince" continued to hit the top forty, notably with "Evr'y Day of My Life" and "Sealed With a Kiss" in 1972. That same year Epic Records decided to end its relationship with Vinton and ended his recording contract. Undeterred, Vinton spent $50,000 of his own money on a self-written song sung partially in
Polish, "My Melody of Love." After Vinton was turned down by 7 major labels, ABC Records bought Vinton's idea, and the result was a multi-million selling single that hit number 1 on the AC charts in 1974. A Gold Album "Melodies of Love" followed as well as a successful half-hour variety show "The Bobby Vinton Show" that aired from 1975 to 1978. He also starred in two
John Wayne movies: "Big Jake" and "The Train Robbers."
In the course of his career, Vinton has sold over 75 million records (singles, albums, compilation inclusions, etc) and is still performing on tour and at the Bobby Vinton Blue Velvet Theatre in
Branson, Missouri.
Billboard Magazine called Bobby Vinton "the all-time most successful love singer of the 'Rock-Era'". During the first ten years of rock and roll's existence, Vinton had more #1 hits than any other male vocalist, including
Elvis Presley and
Frank Sinatra.
In recognition of his recording career, Bobby Vinton has a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6916 Hollywood Blvd.
Vinton has been married since
December 17,
1962 to his wife, Dolly, and they have five children--three daughters and two sons. His son, Robbie Vinton, played Vinton in the movie
Goodfellas (1990).
Vinton's birthplace of
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania is also the birth place of the late legendary crooner
Perry Como. But Vinton always claimed to be from Pittsburgh, while Como stayed loyal to his hometown by saying he was from Canonsburg.
Albums1961
Dancing at the HopBobby Vinton Plays for His Li'l Darling1962
Roses Are RedBobby Vinton Sings the Big Ones1963
The Greatest Hits of the Golden GroupsBlue on BlueBlue Velvet1964
There! I've Said It AgainTell Me WhyA Very Merry Christmas1965
Mr. LonelyBobby Vinton Sings for Lonely NightsDrive-In Movie Time1966
Bobby Vinton Sings Satin Pillows and CarelessCountry BoyLive at the Copa1967
Bobby Vinton Sings the Newest HitsPlease Love Me Forever1968
Take Good Care of My BabyI Love How You Love Me1969
Vinton1970
My Elusive DreamsSounds of Love (on sax)Vinton Sings Vinton1972
Ev'ry Day of My LifeSealed With a Kiss1974
Melodies of LoveWith Love1975
Heart of HeartsThe Bobby Vinton Show1976
Serenades of LoveParty Music - 20 Hits1977
Name Is Love1978
Bobby Vinton1979
100 Memories1980
Encore1981
Polka Album1987
Santa Must Be Polish1989
TimelessCompilations1964
Bobby Vinton's Greatest Hits1966
More of Bobby's Greatest Hits1969
Greatest Hits of Love1971
Love AlbumTo Each His Own1972
All-Time Greatest Hits1973
Bobby Vinton Treasury1974
The Many Moods of Bobby VintonThe Many Moods of Bobby Vinton in Love1975
Bobby Vinton Sings the Golden Decade of Love1976
K-Tel Presents Bobby Vinton - 20 Greatest Hits1978
Autumn Memories1979
Spring SensationsSummer SerenadesMillion Selling Records of Bobby Vinton1980
My Song1981
Bobby Vinton's Greatest Hits1983
His Heart-Touching Magic1985
The Best of Bobby VintonBallads of Love1988
Bobby Vinton*[
1] Official website
*[
2]
*[
3] Fan site
