Hi Everyone,

*******EDIT: IT’S BEEN CONFIRMED IL VOLO WILL BE ATTENDING THE LATIN BILLBOARD AWARD SHOW IN MIAMI ON 4/24/14. THE SHOW WILL BE TELEVISED ON UNIVISION!!!!

We are quickly headed for the all important concert season. Il Volo is also making a lot of appearances at different towns and cities in the near future. We’re trying, the best we can to keep you updated on the latest announcements!! Keep your eye on the schedule on the right side of the page. We will also post anything new we can find.

For “Did You Know” I thought we’d take a look at Fabian, a hearthrob Rock and Roll teen idol from the 50’s and 60’s. Fabian is of Italian decsent and had many Bobbysoxers screaming their heads off when he appeared. Remember?

DID YOU KNOW?

Fabiano Anthony Forte (born February 6, 1943), professionally known as Fabian, is an American singer and actor. 

Forte rose to national prominence after performing several times on American Bandstand. He became a teen idol of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Eleven of his songs reached the Billboard Hot 100 listing.

Forte was discovered in 1957 by Bob Marcucci and Peter DeAngelis, owners of Chancellor Records. At the time record producers were looking to the South Philadelphia neighborhoods in search of teenage talents with good looks.

Marcucci was a friend of Fabian’s next door neighbour. One day Fabian’s father had a heart attack, and while he was being taken away in an ambulance, Marcucci spotted Fabian. Fabian later recalled:

He kept staring at me and looking at me. I had a crew cut, but this was the day of Rick Nelson and Elvis. He comes up and says to me, ‘So if you’re ever interested in the rock and roll business…’ and hands me his card. I looked at the guy like he was clear out of his mind. I told him, ‘leave me alone. I’m worried about my dad.'”

However when Fabian’s father returned from hospital he was unable to work, so when Marcucci persisted, Fabian and his family were amenable and he agreed to record a single.

Frankie Avalon, also of South Philadelphia, suggested Forte as a possibility.

“They gave me a pompadour and some clothes and those  damned white bucks,” recalled Fabian, “and out I went.””He was the right look and right for what we were going for,” wrote Marcucci later.

Fabian was given an allowance from the record company of $30 a week. He also kept working part-time at a pharmacy as well as studying at South Philadelphia High School, while practising his singing. Fabian:

I didn’t know what I was doing, but I knew my goal, to try to make extra money. That meant a lot to our family. I rehearsed and rehearsed, and I really felt like a fish out of water. And we made a record. And it was horrible. Yet it got on [the legendary Philadelphia rhythm and blues radio program] Georgie Woods. For some reason, Georgie Woods played it.

The song was “Shivers” which was a local hit in Chicago. This helped Fabian secure an appearance on Bandstand. Fabian:

I got to meet Dick Clark. He talked to me for a long time, and then put me on the show. The daytime show, before it went national. The response – they told me – was overwhelming. I had no idea. All during that period, I was doing record hops. Not getting paid for it, but for the record company promotions. Just lip synching to my records. The response was really good.

The song he sung on Bandstand was “I’m in Love” which Fabian later admitted “was not very good either.”

Marcucci then gave Fabian a song written by Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus, “I’m a Man” which Fabian later said he “liked a lot and was very comfortable with, was giving me more experience, but I still felt like a fish out of water.” The song made the top 40.

Marcucci then heavily promoted Fabian’s next single, “Turn Me Loose” using a series of advertisements saying “Fabian Is Coming”, then “Who is Fabian”?” then finally “Fabian is Here”. It worked and “Turn Me Loose” went into the Top Ten, peaking at number 9. This was later followed by “Hound Dog Man”, (US #9;\UK #46), and his biggest hit, “Tiger”,which reached #3 on the US charts. Other singles that charted included “String Along”, “About This Thing Called Love” and “This Friendly World”, which reached #12 on the US charts. At 15, he won the Silver Award as “The Promising Male Vocalist of 1958.”

In November 1965, he signed a multi-picture deal with American International Pictures and made several movies with them including a role as Pretty Boy Floyd in “A Bullet for Pretty Boy” (1970) and guest starred with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello in the 1966 stock car racing film Fireball 500. He also played Josh Ashley in Little Laura and Big John (1973) for Crown International Pictures.

He performed in John Loves Mary in summer stock.

In his latest endeavor, Forte hosts and headlines in the hit show The Original Stars of Bandstand at The Dick Clark Theater in Branson, Missouri. The show stars Forte and Bobby Vee and features The Chiffons, Brian Hyland, Chris Montez and rare footage of the performers and Dick Clark.  

I’m not so sure he had a great voice, I remember he was sooo handsome. The “swooning” when he appeared was dramatic!!!

Il volo is alternating with being busy and relaxing with friends and family. Gianluca tweeted a picture of his new haircut (steady girls). Piero tweeted his latest thing, which seems to be dancing and eating shell fish and pasta made by his Dad. Ignazio has been spending time with his cousin, also named Ignazio. For some good photos, see Mundial and All Things Il Volo.                                                     

What do you all think of Piero’s beard?

We’ll be seeing Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca when they come to Miami soon, till then Guys!!

Linda