Frankie Laine dead at 93

Frankie Laine, the ‘50s pop singer whose power-packed style became the inspiration for many of today’s country and R ’n B music artists, died last Tuesday, Feb. 6 at the Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California. He was 93 years old. And a number of people asked, Frankie who? on hearing the news.

It is most unfortunate for an artist of Frankie Laine’s former stature, but it is a sad fact that the present generation has no idea of what a big star he was. Do ask parents and grand parents about the guy. For some strange reason, his music, which is exemplified in a long list of hit songs, remained rooted in the ’50s and never quite made the grade in the succeeding eras.

Now, there is a huge nostalgia market out there and even young kids do enjoy listening to the oldies. The Way You Look Tonight was composed way back in 1926. But I do not know of any time in the recent past when there has been a resurgence of interest in Frankie Laine songs or a revival of his singing style.

Of Italian descent, Frankie Laine was born Frank LoVecchio in Chicago on March 30, 1913. He struggled with odd jobs for a long time and had his first hit, That’s My Desire, in 1947, when he was already 34 years old. His big voice and impressive vocal range easily captivated the public and he was soon making one hit after another.

Because of those hits, Laine also became the most imitated singer in the talent show circuit everywhere. And that everywhere includes the Philippines where he had a huge following. That means that just like every girl auditioning for a talent show these days, wants to sing something by Christina Aguilera, the boys in amateur contests during the ‘50s wanted to sing Laine’s Granada.

He recorded a lot of pop ballads, novelty songs, inspirationals and cowboy tunes, most of them movie and TV themes. Take a look at some of the most popular titles. The list is quite a bundle and I did not write down everything, just the ones I recognize. So you may not remember Frankie Laine but I am sure that one time or another you must have heard some of these songs.

Here goes: I Believe, Jealousy, Jezebel, Answer Me, Moonlight Gambler, High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling), Your Cheatin’ Heart, Some Day, That Lucky Old Sun, Rose Rose I Love You, Sixteen Tons, Gunfight at the OK Corral, Riders in the Skies, North to Alaska, Girl in the Wood (Remember Me), Blowing Wild, Woman in Love, Mamselle, Sunny Side of the Street, I’m Gonna Live (Till I Die), I May Be Wrong But I Think You’re Wonderful.

Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams, If I Were a Bell, The Gang That Sang Heart of My Heart, South of the Border, In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening, Ramblin’ Man, Ain’t Misbehavin’, She’s Funny That Way, Taking a Chance on Love, That Old Feeling, Wheel of Fortune, Mule Train, Don’t Fence Me In, Rawhide, Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Beyond the Blue Horizon, We’ll be Together Again, Hey Goodlooking and You Gave Me a Mountain.

Now, come to think of it, old songs and great voices like Laine’s, do not really die, they just lie in wait for the right time to be heard again. Someday in the future, remixed, reversed, digitalised or whatever, the songs of Frankie Laine might be hits again.

More Valentine shows

Still on singing idols but definitely of the live variety who are coming in from from overseas for Valentine shows. Sir Cliff Richard, pop music’s most enduring heartthrob, will be at the Araneta Coliseum tomorrow, Feb. 13. Get ready to scream and swoon as he sings his famous hits like When the Girl in Your Arms, Constantly, Congratulations, Legatta a un Granello di Sabbia, This Day, I Only Live to Love You, Ocean Deep and many others.

Then come Feb. 14, singer-songwriters Paul Williams and Dennis Lambert will take over the Big Dome stage. Williams is famous for The Rainbow Connection, Evergreen, You and Me Against the World, I Won’t Last a Day Without You and others while Lambert scored big with Of All the Things, Ashes to Ashes and others.