Al Martino American pop singer (crooner) of Italian origin. Date of Birth: 07.10.1927 Country: USA

Biography of Al Martino

Al Martino, born Alfred Cini on October 7, 1927, in Philadelphia, was an American crooner of Italian descent. He grew up in the same neighborhood as future opera star Mario Lanza, who advised him to perform in nightclubs in the late 1940s, taking his grandfather's name as a pseudonym.

In 1952, Martino convinced Lanza to pass on recording the new song "Here in My Heart," which Martino then recorded himself. The song became one of the biggest hits of that year, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. In fact, this single was the first to reach the top of the UK sales chart in history.

However, Martino's star faded quickly when he fell under the influence of a Philadelphia Italian gangster group who demanded $75,000 as a "guarantee" for his career. In these circumstances, the young performer retired to the United Kingdom, where he successfully performed concerts and released singles until 1958 when he finally managed to return to his homeland.

Unlike Europe, by the early 1960s, Martino's name was almost forgotten in the United States. He primarily worked for the Italian diaspora, occasionally recording in his native language. Thanks to his relentless live performances, he emerged as one of the leading American crooners by the mid-1960s. His hit "Spanish Eyes" reached the top of all the world's charts, including the Billboard Hot 100, in 1966.

In 1972, Martino portrayed an aging singer named Johnny Fontane in the iconic film "The Godfather" and also performed the song "Speak Softly Love" for the movie. Although Fontane's character was largely based on Martino's own experiences, most viewers believed it was Frank Sinatra behind the character. By the late 1970s, Martino had practically stopped recording. His last hit in Europe was a cover of the old song "Volare" in 1976.