Al Martino

Al Martino ( born October 7, 1927 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, † October 13, 2009 in Springfield, Pennsylvania; actually Alfred Cini ) was an American singer.

Life

Alfred Cini was born as the son of Italian immigrants. He followed his father and worked professionally at first in the family business as a mason and made ​​his way in part-time jobs as a boxer and in bars.

He became friends with the six- year-older singer Mario Lanza. At the latest after his breakthrough as a celebrated opera star to Cini decided to begin a career as a singer. As an artist name he created Al Martino by he shortened his first name and adopted the family name of his grandfather.

He first appeared in Philadelphia in some late night bars. During World War II he fought in the Marines in the Pacific and participated among others in the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he was wounded. 1948 brought him Mario Lanza to New York. After winning a talent contest in 1950 he received a contract with a small record label BBS. Appeared in 1952 Martinos first single: Here in My Heart. It became a worldwide success and was on 14 November 1952, the first number -one hit in the newly created British charts. Then he offered Capitol Records, then one of the biggest record companies in the U.S., to a contract. On Capitol more hits like Take My Heart, Now and Rachel appeared.

These successes made ​​the American La Cosa Nostra attention to Martino.

"The mob came to Philadelphia from New York and told him They wanted to buy my contract, first in a gentlemanly way and then forcefully, ..." " The mob came from New York to Philadelphia, to [ the manager ] to tell him that they wanted my contract; first friendly, then strongly. "

Al Martino bought freely with $ 75,000, but preferred to spend the next seven years in England, which the U.S. career first broke. Only after the death of the involved Mobsters he could continue his career in the United States. In 1965, he landed with Spanish Eyes, a composition that Bert Kaempfert had originally written for Freddy Quinn, another international success and Evergreen.

His experience with the U.S. Cosa Nostra, he was able in 1972 in his role as Johnny Fontane process in Francis Ford Coppola's film The Godfather, in which he played a singer who wants to make a film career with the help of the Mafia. In 1974, he played the same role in The Godfather - Part II and 1990 in The Godfather - Part III.

In September 1993, Al Martino scored a great success with the album produced by Dieter Bohlen The Voice to Your Heart. A planned tour of Germany in September 2007 in favor of the heart's desire, an organization that children with cancer met with the German folk musician Heino wishes, but was canceled.

Private

Al Martino was married 41 years with his wife Judi and had two daughters and a son. Alison, Alana and Alfred. He died of heart failure.

Discography

Albums

Songs

Trivia

• The German pop singer Kristina Bach devoted Martino and his songs, the title you listening because still Al Martino?