Artist:Vic Damone
Song:On the Street Where You Live
Album:The Hits Collection 1947-1962
Like a lot of crooners, Vic Damone was successful until Rock 'N' Roll killed his career in the mid-50s. This 1956 single On the Street Where You Live was probably his biggest hit. He was born Vito Rocco Farinola June 12, 1928 in Brooklyn, NY. His parents were Italian immigrants. His father was an electrician. His mother taught piano. Her maiden name was Damone. Damone was inspired by his favorite singer Frank Sinatra to take voice lessons. He sang in the church choir. He was forced to drop out of high school when his father was injured at work. While working as an elevator operator in New York's Paramount Theater, Damone met Perry Como, stopped the elevator and sang for him. Como got him an audition. He sang on WHN radio's Gloom Dodgers show aimed at Brooklyn Dodgers fans. Comedian Morey Amsterdam was on that show. He suggested the name change to Vic Damone. A 1947 win on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts led to a contract with Mercury Records. His first single I Have But One Heart reached #7 on the pop chart. The 1949 single You're Breaking My Heart was Damone's only number one hit. He started appearing regularly on TV and movies. Damone was in the US Army from 1951 to 1953. He married actress Pier Angeli. He moved from Mercury to Columbia in 1955. On the Street Where You Live from the hit musical My Fair Lady recorded with Percy Faith reached #4 on the pop chart. It topped the British chart which is why it was Damone's biggest hit. He also sang the theme for the 1957 film An Affair to Remember. But by this time Rock "N' Roll was taking over the music business. There were no more hits for Damone. He left Columbia for Capitol in 1961. He didn't do much better there. This 2CD comp from the British label Acrobat is the only comp that has Damone's Mercury and Columbia hits. He hosted the summer replacement variety show The Lively Ones in 1962. Damone continued to appear on TV until he moved to Las Vegas in 1970. He recorded for Warner Bros. and RCA. I'm sure fans will recall his marriage to Diahann Carroll from 1987-96. After suffering a stroke, Damone retired in 2002 and died on Feb. 11, 2018 at age 89. Here's a video for On the Street Where You Live by Vic Damone.
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