Buddy Greco
Buddy Greco
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Buddy Greco | |
|---|---|
 Greco in 1962 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Armando Joseph Greco |
| Born | (1926-08-14)August 14, 1926 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | January 10, 2017(2017-01-10) (aged 90) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, traditional pop, country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician, arranger |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1942–2017 |
| Labels | Bainbridge, Kapp, London, Epic, Fontana, Reprise, Pye |
| Website | buddygreco.com |
Armando Joseph "Buddy" Greco (August 14, 1926 – January 10, 2017) was an American jazz and pop singer and pianist who had a long career in the US and UK. His recordings have sold millions, including "Oh Look A-There Ain't She Pretty", "Up, Up and Away", and "Around the World".[1] His most successful single was "The Lady Is a Tramp", which sold over one million copies.[2] During his career, he recorded over sixty albums. He conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, performed for Queen Elizabeth II and with the Beatles.[1]
Contents
1 Music career
1.1 Las Vegas and Palm Springs
1.2 Life in Britain
2 Awards and honors
3 Albums discography
3.1 Singles
4 References
5 External links
Music career[edit]
Greco and George Carlin in a skit from Away We Go, 1967
Buddy Greco was born Armando Joseph Greco to an Italian-American family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother introduced him to piano at age four. As a child he sang on the radio, and as a teen performed in night clubs in Philadelphia. At age 16, he was hired by bandleader Benny Goodman and spent four years touring the world with the Goodman orchestra, playing piano, singing, and arranging.[1][3][4][5] In 1951 Greco started his recording career, signing with labels such as Coral, Kapp, Epic, and Reprise.
In 1967 he hosted the CBS television series Away We Go with comedian George Carlin. Guests included Buddy Rich and Carmen McRae. He had a role in the film The Girl Who Knew Too Much.[1] In 1969 he formed a duo with jazz guitarist Ron Escheté.[6]
Las Vegas and Palm Springs[edit]
Greco met his fifth and last wife, Lezlie Anders, while she was performing in Las Vegas. Working as his supporting act, she met Greco on the stage of the Desert Inn. After marrying, they worked and toured together.[7] In 1992, he performed in Las Vegas at the Starlight Room at Stars' Desert Inn. This engagement ushered in the second phase of his career. The following year he was added to the Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame. Shortly after, he toured Italy, France, Australia, and England.[8]
While living in Palm Springs, Greco opened a small club. The walls were decorated with pictures of Greco, the Rat Pack, and other celebrity friends. He performed there often, and it became a popular place for celebrities to dine. After closing it, he moved to England.[9] While living in Palm Desert, California, he continued to appear at his club in Cathedral City, California,[10] until it closed in August 2009.
In 2004, he and Anders were headliners with The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies at the Plaza Theatre in Palm Springs, California.[11][12]
Life in Britain[edit]
Greco became acquainted with Great Britain in 1949. He spent many years performing in Britain's clubs. He moved to Essex, keeping his Palm Springs, California, property as a vacation home.[5] In 2008, he and Anders toured the UK. They performed with the BBC Big Band and at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London. In August of that year, he was the first Las Vegas headliner to star at a British casino when he performed at the Circus Casino, Star City, Birmingham. In April 2010, he performed a tribute to Frank Sinatra for BBC Radio 2 with the 42-piece BBC Concert Orchestra. He toured the UK with the Swinging Las Vegas Legends show beginning in July 2010.
In 2010, Greco and his wife produced the stage show Fever! The Music of Miss Peggy Lee, which met with critical acclaim at its London West End opening. Greco played piano and conducted the orchestra while Anders sang. The show received positive reviews in the U.S.[7] On New Year's Eve 2011, he made a guest appearance at Hootenanny hosted by Jools Holland, singing "Fly Me to the Moon".
In 2012, he toured the UK in smaller venues, including Thameside Theatre Stage,[13] and The Broadway in Essex.[14]
Greco died on January 10, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 90.[15]
Greco had an album released by Scepter which Tom Murray of the Calgary Herald referred to 48 years later as "a strange and beautiful mutant of its time".[16] The album was Let the Sunshine In. It included the songs "Let the Sunshine In", "Everybody Gets to Go to the Moon", "You're My World", "Spinning Wheel", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Like a Rolling Stone".[16]
Awards and honors[edit]
- Inductee, Walk of Fame, Philadelphia Music Alliance
- Appears in Encyclopedia of Great Musicians and the Encyclopedia of Great Jazz Singers and Musicians[1]
- Inducted into the Grand Order of Water Rats in 2011
Albums discography[edit]
Buddy Greco, by Allan Warren
Keep Me In Mind(MVM)
Buddy Greco at Mister Kelly's(Coral)1956
My Buddy (Epic) 1959
Broadway Melodies (Kapp) 1960
Buddy (Kapp) 1960
Songs for Swinging Losers (Epic) 1960
All Time Favorites (Sutton-Stereo) 1960
Best of Buddy Greco(Kapp)1961
Buddy's Back in Town (Epic) 1961
I Like It Swinging (Epic) 1961
Buddy and Soul (Epic) 1962
Let's Love (Epic) 1962
Sings for Intimate Moments (Epic) 1963
Soft and Gentle (Epic) 1963
Greatest Hits(Epic)1963
Buddy Greco on Stage! (Epic) 1964
My Last Night in Rome (Epic) 1964
Here's Buddy Greco(Vocalion)1964
I Love a Piano (Studio 2 Stereo) 1965
Modern Sounds of Hank Williams(Epic)1965
From the Wrists Down(Epic)1966
In a Brand New Bag (Reprise) 1966
Big Band and Ballads (Reprise) 1966 [17]
Away, We Go (Reprise) 1966[17]
You're Somothing Else(Harmony)1968
Let the Sunshine In (Wand) 1970[17]
It's My Life (Pye) 1972[17]
Movin' On (Pye) 1973[17]
Best of Buddy Greco(Scepter)1973
Buddy Greco 'Live' (Pye) 1974[17]
Golden Hour Presents Buddy Greco(Pye)1974
Live at the Sands (Picc-a-Dilly) 1980[17]
Hot Nights(Applause)1982
Ready for Your Love 1984[18][19]
Greatest Hits(Bainbridge)1986
Movin' On(USA Music Group)1989
It's Magic (Prestige) 1990[17]
Greatest Hits(Total)1991
Round Midnight (Bay Cities) 1992[17]
16 Most Requested Songs(Columbia/Legacy)1993[20]
Route 66: A Personal tribute to Nat King Cole(Celebrity)1994
Greatest Hits(Javelin)1994
It's My life/Movin' on(See For Miles)1995
After Dark(Suisa)1995
MacArthur Park(Celebrity)1995
Buddy & Soul/Soft & Gentle(Columbia U.K.)1996
In Style(BMG Camden)1996
Walk A Little Faster(USA Music Group)1996
Like Young(Dolphin)1998
Jazz Grooves(Candid)1998
My Buddy /On Stage(Collectables)1999
Best of Buddy Greco(Hallmark)2000- Buddy & Soul/My Last Night in Rome'(Collectables)2001
Songs for Swinging Losers/Sings for Intimate Moments(Columbia U.K.)2001
Talkin' Verve(Verve)2001
Swing in The Key of BG by Buddy Greco(Celebrity)2002
At His Best(Fabulous)2003
Big Band & Ballads/Buddy's in A Brand New Bag/Away We Go(Collectables)2005
Magic of It All(SSJ)2007
Classic Years, Volume 1(Prestige)2017
Classic Years, Volume 2(Prestige)2017
It's Magic(Preel)2017
All-Time Favourite's Featuring Buddy Greco (Sutton)[17]
Buddy Greco Sings (Boulevard)[17]
Buddy Greco (World Record Club)[17]
Singles[edit]
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
US | US AC | ||
| 1947 | "Ooh! Look-A There, Ain't She Pretty" | 15 | — |
| 1951 | "I Ran All the Way Home" | 30 | — |
| 1960 | "The Lady Is a Tramp"A | — | — |
| 1961 | "Around the World" | 109 | — |
| 1962 | "Mr. Lonely" | 64 | — |
| 1965 | "That Darn Cat" | — | 36 |
| "I Can't Begin to Tell You" | 132 | 27 | |
| 1966 | "Put Yourself in My Place" | — | 24 |
| "Walking on New Grass" | — | 21 | |
| 1967 | "Love's Gonna Live Here Again" | — | 19 |
| "There She Goes" | — | 14 | |
| 1972 | "From Atlanta to Goodbye" | — | 34 |
A "The Lady Is a Tramp" peaked at No. 26 in UK Singles charts.
References[edit]
^ abcde Summers, Kim. "Buddy Greco". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 November 2018..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins. p. 135. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The book of golden discs (2 ed.). London: Barrie & Jenkins. p. 43. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
^ "I Would Die If I Quit". Liverpool Daily Echo. 13 August 2010. p. 11.
^ ab "My Hols". The Sunday Times. 7 April 2013. p. 27.
^ "Ron Escheté - Biography". www.roneschete.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
^ ab "Rat pack legend tells Peggy's story". Croydon Advertiser, 4 November. 2011: 49, Print.
^ "Six decades and 62 albums later, this showman goes on". St. Petersburg Times. 24 January 1997. p. 5.
^ "Performer finds heavenly Springs". The Gold Coast Bulletin. 8 September 2007. p. 123.
^ Davis, Rick (November 1, 2005). "Dinner Club Due in Desert: For Buddy Greco, it's show business as usual". The Public Record. Desert Publication, Inc. and Sharon Apfelbaum.
^ "Palm Springs Follies Opens". Inland Empire Business Journal. Daily Planet Publishing, Inc. November 1, 2004. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
^ "Palm Springs Follies pays tribute to the golden age of burlesque". Redlands Daily Facts. Los Angeles Newspaper Group. August 4, 2004. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
^ "Legend Buddy Is Back On Stage". Thurrock Gazette, 15 April 2012: Print.
^ "An Evening With Buddy Greco". Brentwood Gazette, 25 January 2012: 3, Print.
^ Mike Barnes (January 10, 2017). "Buddy Greco, Jazz Pianist, Vocalist and Las Vegas Mainstay, Dies at 90". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
^ ab Murray, Tom (15 July 2017). "Bob Dylan inspires covers and controversy". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
^ abcdefghijkl "Buddy Greco." Discogs, 2014. Web. 19 Jan 2014.
^ Billboard Dec 22, 1984 - Page 72 "BUDDY GRECO Ready For Your Love PRODUCERS: Buddy Greco. Art Clausen Bainbridge BT 6255 With a full orchestra dotted with top L.A. players, Greco tackles a program of newer, lesser-known, adult pop titles, with the lone recent hit ..."
^ Show Music - Volume 4, Issue 1 - Page 43 1985 "Jazz singer Buddy Greco's READY FOR TOUR LOVE (BT 6255) features nine recent vintage songs, with "The Hungry Years," "Love Won't Let Me Wait," "Me and Mrs. Jones," and "Ready For Your Love" included on the album. I AM WHAT I AM ..."
^ https://tower.jp/search/item/buddy+greco?sort=Old&page=4
External links[edit]
- Official website
Buddy Greco's channel on YouTube- Buddy Greco Interview - NAMM Oral History Library (1995,2007)
Authority control  |
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Categories:
- 1926 births
- 2017 deaths
- Musicians from Philadelphia
- People from Cathedral City, California
- People from Palm Desert, California
- People from Southend-on-Sea
- Singers from Pennsylvania
- American expatriates in the United Kingdom
- American jazz musicians
- American male singers
- American people of Italian descent
- American pianists
- Benny Goodman Orchestra members
- Grand Order of Water Rats members
- Nightclub performers
- Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania
- American male pianists
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