'Godfather' Crooner Al Martino Dies at 82

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Oct 14th 2009 07:30AM

Singer Al Martino, who you likely remember as the Sinatra-esque Johnny Fontane in 'The Godfather,' (seen above with the microphone) but also had a 50-year music career that produced hits like 'Spanish Eyes' and 'Volare,' has died at the age of 82.

Classic Al Martino Tunes

'Spanish Eyes'

'Volare'

Martino died on Tuesday at his childhood home in the Philadelphia suburb of Springfield, in Delaware County, according to publicist Sandy Friedman, of the Rogers & Cowan public relations firm. Friedman didn't cite a cause of death.

Al Martino Bio:

Starting in 1952, Martino was known for hit songs including "Here in My Heart" and "Can't Help Falling in Love."

Besides acting in the Marlon Brando classic "The Godfather," Martino sang the 1972 film's title score, "The Love Theme From The Godfather." His Fontane character is a singer and occasional actor and is the godson of Brando's Mafia boss character, Don Vito Corleone.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=690937&pid=690936&uts=1255521374

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/music/?s_channel=us.musicpop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Recently Departed Music Stars

Al Martino, Oct. 13: The singer whose music career spanned 50 years and produced hits like 'Volare' and 'Spanish Eyes' is likely overshadowed by his role as Johnny Fontane in 'The Godfather.'

GAB Archive / Redferns / Getty Images

Recently Departed Music Stars

Al Martino, Oct. 13: The singer whose music career spanned 50 years and produced hits like 'Volare' and 'Spanish Eyes' is likely overshadowed by his role as Johnny Fontane in 'The Godfather.'

GAB Archive / Redferns / Getty Images

Stephen Gately, Oct. 10: Boyzone band member Stephen Gately was found dead while on vacation in Spain. There are no signs of any violence or foul play in his death, which is being called a tragic passing due to natural causes.

Ian Gavan, Getty Images

Les Paul, Aug. 13: Guitar legend Les Paul was known for an incredibly successful recording career and as the inventor of the electric guitar and multitrack recording. Paul reportedly died of complications from pneumonia. He was 94.

Richard Drew, AP

Adam Goldstein, known to most as DJ AM, was found dead on August 28. TMZ reported that police found Goldstein dead in his bed in New York City, and that drugs may have played a part in his death.

John Parra, WireImage

Mary Travers, Sept. 16: One third of folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary lost her battle with leukemia at 72. Her voice helped carry hits like 'Puff the Magic Dragon' and 'If I Had a Hammer.'

YouTube

Rashied Ali, Aug. 12: The free-jazz drummer, who was known for playing with John Coltrane during the last years of Coltrane's life, died at 74.

Blue Music Group

Mike Seeger, Aug. 10: Folk singer and auto-harp player Mike Seeger is the half-brother of Pete Seeger and a founding member of the folk group the New Lost City Ramblers. Seeger lost his battle with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. He was 75.

J. Walter Green, AP

Billy Lee Riley, Aug. 2: Rockabilly innovator, songwriter and one-time Sun Records recording artist Billy Lee Riley died Sunday of colon cancer that had spread to the bone. Riley, 75, had been convalescing at a hospital in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Lici Beveridge, Jonesboro Sun / AP

Gordon Waller, July 19: As half of the pop duo Peter and Gordon, the dapper crooner landed hit after hit during the 1960s British Invasion, including the Paul McCartney-penned songs 'A World Without Love' and 'Nobody I Know.' Waller died at 64 of cardiovascular disease.

Jeremy Fletcher, Redferns / Getty Images

Michael Jackson, June 25: The "King of Pop" died after suffering cardiac arrest in Los Angeles just as he was preparing an ambitous comeback. The father of three was 50.

Rusty Kennedy, AP

The Italian-American crooner, born Alfred Cini, was one of a number of South Philadelphia-born singers, including Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Chubby Checker. He also was a longtime resident of Beverly Hills, Calif.

Philadelphia radio and television personality Jerry Blavat dined with Martino and his wife on Monday night. Blavat told the Philadelphia Daily News that Martino appeared to be in fine shape and that he was shocked when he learned of the singer's death.

"He was the last of the show business legends," said Blavat, who has played Martino's songs on the radio for years. "There's nobody else. The last of the performers. A magnificent voice."

2009 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Tags: al martino, al martino bio, AlMartino, AlMartinoBio, The Godfather, TheGodfather

Comments

(34)

Wednesday 14 October

By gamay9

Vote down Vote up Report this

I bought a clean Al Martino vinyl for $.50 from the Salvation Army just to hear 'Here In My Heart.' Al did that song better than Tony Bennett who also had a hit with it and is (was?) also a great singer.

Yes, Al played Johnny in the Godfather.

He will be missed. I introduce 'Here in My Heart' on an anthology of my favorite hits on vinyl (from my extensive collection of 45's and 33 1/3)), as I introduce all the songs. My friends like my intros better than the songs; such as 'Brand New Key' by Melanie. Do you know what she's singing about? It wasn't banned because everyone was so naive then, except the producers and Melanie, the earlier version of horny Linda Ronstadt and, most recently, Meredith Rivera.

Friday 16 October

By Lorbee

Well--are you going to tell us what Melanie's song was about?

By Lorbb

Nevermind, no need to explain. I found the answer on google, and this is directly quoted by Melanie herself. It meant nothing in particular.

"'Brand New Key' I wrote in about fifteen minutes one night. I thought it was cute; a kind of old thirties tune. I guess a key and a lock have always been Freudian symbols, and pretty obvious ones at that. There was no deep serious expression behind the song, but people read things into it. They made up incredible stories as to what the lyrics said and what the song meant. In some places, it was even banned from the radio.

By Alika

RIP AL MARTINO
YOU WERE GREAT IN THE GODFATHER,NOW YOU'RE WITH
BRANDO IN HEAVEN!

By Hollyanne

I was going to say, "Doesn't anyone remember the famous wedding song soooo many people used for their father-daughter dance and just to sing - Daddy's Little Girl?" My father sang that to me as a little girl and I will always have Al Martino to thank for those wonderful memories. Thank you, Al and rest in peace!!!!

By Charlotte de Dios

Brings back a lot of memories. I had a boyfriend who would sing "Spanish Eyes" to me. Bought me the "Spanish Eyes" album too. Now Al is gone, but he lasted a lot longer than that boyfriend by 45 years! Still loved hearing him sing, can't say the same for the Boyfriend. Hey Juan M, your still out there?

By whitebird420

Al Martino was my mom's favorite singer. Here in RI, we had a store named Ann & Hope, and the owners used to get some entertainers to visit the store for a few hours to sign albums for their fans in the area. One night, Mr. Martino was there and Mom and I went - she got her picture taken with him. (This was 1969, so she was in her early 50s, and he must have been early 40s.) In the 1990s Mom was in a wheelchair, but I managed to get front row seats for us. SHe was totally captivated, but all she could say was "He looks so old!" (Duh - she was in her late 70s then!) He was wonderful - great entertainer and a gentleman as well. Safe journey, Mr. Martino!

By mary alice

why don't you find a HOLE and crawl into it!

By Thomas J Ward

I must reflect on my life and feel how lucky I am to have been able to hear the music that these men [Dean, Al, Frank,] sang. Dean was my favorite and then there was AL with his song of blue spanish eyes and then my favorite by him Daddy's Little Girl which brings tears to my eyes. [If you have a daughter you will understand!!] I hope to be able to sit in a seat at the ultimate concert when it is my turn to leave this life and see and hear all the wonderful performers once more!Peace be with you Alfred!!!

By Catherine

I agree with Jerry. He had a beautiful voice but he's not the last. Besides Tony Bennett (who is my most favorite), let's not forget Andy Williams and Jerry Vale.

By Robert Vale

Thank you for the Jerry Vale(R) mention.
We thank you.
Rob
Producer/Manager

Monday 19 October

By d.mawn

al martino was very popular in Britain and will be sadly missede by his fans! Doesw anyone in USA remember Englands singer FRANKIE VAUGHAN who died 10 yrs ago - he was a great entertainer and one of our biggest stars- he starred in USA and was one of first British stars to star in LAS Vegas and with Marilyn monroe

By denboy

Iam from the UK saw AL in concert in 1984,my wife
and i who both now aged75,were waiting at the stage
door where we met him,he was dressed imaculate in
a white suit and a white silk scarf,the concert
was great and as usual so was his singing.We are
so sorry we had to miss his last concert in the UK
but i have a lot of memroblia,one of which is a 78
DEE JAY WHITE LABEL copy of Hear In My Heart on the BBS PHILY LABEL. REST IN PEACE AL.

Tuesday 20 October

By catfish198

Sorry to say Robert,although your dad had a nice career,did`nt have no where near the chart success as Al Martino.You don`t want to compare royalty payments.

Page 2 of 2