AM In The Morning

Happy birthday, Al Martino.

After some success in the early 50s, there's a story that the mob bought up the singer's contract, demanded money, and he fled to England to protect himself and his family. He eventually got back to America and had some major hits in the 60s, starting with "I Love You Because" in 1963 and continuing with his other top ten hit "I Love You More And More Every Day" the following year.



This music was the kind of easy listening that rock music was (thankfully) wiping off the charts.  Martino continued to have hits, but nothing in the top ten.  He also tried to make his sound more contemporary, such as his last charter in the 60s, "Mary In The Morning."



In 1972, he played Johnny Fontane in The Godfather.  Many thought the characer--a singer who needs the mob's help to get a movie role that will save his career--was based on Frank Sinatra (though that's not how Sinatra got to play Maggio in From Here To Eternity). In any case, Martino did a good job and the movie was a huge hit. It revitalized his career and he even charted a couple more singles.  In fact, his disco version of "Volare" was quite popular around the world.



He continued performing up until his death in 2009.  He also reprised Johnny Fontane in The Godfather: Part III.  Perhaps he was never a singer of the first rank, but there's nothing wrong with being a pleasant enough crooner.