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Don Cornell
Cornell in 1963
Cornell in 1963
Background information
Birth nameLuigi Francisco Varlaro
Born(1919-04-21)April 21, 1919
New York City, U.S.
DiedFebruary 23, 2004(2004-02-23) (aged 84)
Aventura, Florida, U.S.
Genres
  • Jazz
  • traditional pop
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1940s–1990s

Don Cornell (born Luigi Francisco Varlaro; April 21, 1919 – February 23, 2004) [1] was an American singer. [2]

Early years

Born to an Italian family in The Bronx, New York, Cornell attended Roosevelt High School in the Bronx. [3]

Career

In his teens he played guitar in a band led by jazz trumpeter Red Nichols. When he was eighteen, he was a vocalist in the Sammy Kaye band. He became a solo act in 1949. Between 1950 and 1962, twelve of his records were certified gold. These included the million-seller " It Isn't Fair", [4] plus " I'll Walk Alone", " I'm Yours", and " Hold My Hand". He appeared often on television programs hosted by Perry Como, Jackie Gleason, and Arthur Godfrey during the 1950s and 1960s. [5]

When singing at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Kentucky, he appeared many times on the Ruth Lyons television program and was a substitute host. In 1953, he was on the TV program Chance of a Lifetime. [6] He had a radio program on KGO in San Francisco in 1953. [7]

In 1959, Cornell, comedian Martha Raye, and other investors formed The Big Daddy Mining Company. The company planned to mine "a rich gold vein on a hillside near Coarsegold, California". [8]

Cornell worked as a singer into the 1990s. He and his wife founded the label Iris as a division of MCA to release songs he recorded for Coral and Dot earlier in his career. These albums include Something to Remember Me By and From Italy with Love. [5]

Awards and honors

Cornell was named to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1963. In 1993, he was inducted into the Big Band Hall of Fame. [5]

His 1952 hit "I" was the only single-character pop chart entry until Prince's No. 7 Billboard Hot 100 hit " 7" from 1992 and the only single-letter hit until Xzibit's No. 76 Hot 100 hit " X" from 2000. "Hold My Hand" sold over one million copies and topped the UK Singles Chart in 1954. [9] Cornell's 1955 hit "Young Abe Lincoln" holds the record for highest debuting pop single (No. 25) to spend only one week on the Billboard chart. [1]

Death

Cornell died in Aventura, Florida, from emphysema and diabetes at the age of 84. [10] [11]

Hit records

Year Single Chart positions
US
BB
US
CB
UK
1942 "I Left My Heart at the Stagedoor Canteen"(with Sammy Kaye) 3
"I Came Here to Talk for Joe"(with Sammy Kaye) 8
1947 " That's My Desire"(with Sammy Kaye) 2
" The Red Silk Stockings and Green Perfume"(with Sammy Kaye) 8
"The Little Old Mill"(with Sammy Kaye) 24
" Serenade of the Bells"(with Sammy Kaye) 3
"Hand In Hand"(with Sammy Kaye & Laura Leslie) 21
"I'll Hate Myself In the Morning"(with Sammy Kaye & Laura Leslie) 20
1948 " I Love You, Yes I Do"(with Sammy Kaye) 10
"Tell Me a Story"(with Sammy Kaye) 8
" Down Among the Sheltering Palms"(with Sammy Kaye) 14
1949 " Careless Hands"(with Sammy Kaye) 3
"Kiss Me Sweet"(with Sammy Kaye & Laura Leslie) 29
" Room Full of Roses"(with Sammy Kaye) 2
" Baby, It's Cold Outside"(with Sammy Kaye & Laura Leslie) 12
" It Isn't Fair"(with Sammy Kaye) 2
1950 " I Need You So" 28
1952 " I'll Walk Alone" 5
" I'm Yours" 3
"This Is the Beginning of the End" 20
"You'll Never Get Away"(with Teresa Brewer) 17 17
"I" 7 10
"Be Fair" 20
1953 "S'posin'" 28
"She Loves Me" 23 33
"Please Play Our Song" 18
" Heart of My Heart"(with Alan Dale & Johnny Desmond) 10 5
"You're On Trial" 24
1954 "Size 12" 23
"Hold Me" 26
"Believe In Me" 22
" Hold My Hand" 2 6 1
"No Man Is an Island" 21
1955 "Give Me Your Love" 28
"Most of All" 14 16
" The Door Is Still Open to My Heart" flip 22
" Stranger In Paradise" 19
" The Bible Tells Me So" 7 7
" Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" 26
"Young Abe Lincoln" 25 45
1956 "Teenage Meeting" 80
" Rock Island Line" 59
"See Saw" 57
1957 "My Faith, My Hope, My Love" 57
"Mama Guitar" 47 57
1958 "Play Some Music For Broken Hearts" 95

References

  1. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 121. ISBN  1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ Associated Press (24 February 2004). "Don Cornell, 84, Singer of Big-Band Hits". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Pops Singer Don Cornell Credits TV for Quick Fame". The Berkshire Eagle. The Berkshire Eagle. July 22, 1958. p. 14. Retrieved April 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.  50. ISBN  0-214-20512-6.
  5. ^ a b c Eder, Bruce. "Don Cornell". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  6. ^ Blackmer, Dave (February 2, 1953). "Tele-Views". The Capital Journal. Daily Capital Journal. p. 13. Retrieved April 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "Radio Tips". The Times. The Times. April 4, 1953. p. 9. Retrieved April 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ "To Develop Own Gold Mine Strike". The Southeast Missourian. November 3, 1959. p. 2. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  9. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.  68. ISBN  0-214-20512-6.
  10. ^ "Don Cornell". The Gettysburg Times. The Gettysburg Times. February 24, 2004. p. 2. Retrieved April 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. ^ "Big Band Singer on Club Circuit". news.google.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 24 February 2004. p. B4. Retrieved 6 December 2018.

External links