Perry Como

Perry Como was a famous singer. He grew up in a big family. He spoke Italian at home.

Before he sang, he was a barber. He cut hair for people. He even sang while he worked.

He joined a big band to sing. He learned to sing from the heart. This helped him find his own style.

He made many records for a company. He also had a show on TV. People all over the world watched him.

He won many awards for his music. He was a very special star.

Perry Como was a famous American singer and actor.

He was known for his easy-listening style. This was a smooth way of singing.

Before he was a star, Como was a barber. He cut hair in a shop. He even sang songs for his customers.

He worked hard to help his family. His father could not work due to a heart condition. This meant Como and his brothers helped at home.

Como's singing career really began when he joined a big band. He worked with the Ted Weems Orchestra. His leader told him to sing from the heart. This helped him find his own unique style.

He became very successful on the radio and on TV. He had a weekly musical show. People all over the world watched him. He recorded music for RCA Victor for 44 years. He sold over 100 million records. Como won many awards, like five Emmys. He even has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Perry Como was a famous American singer, actor, and television star.

People often called him "Mr. C." because he was so well-known. He was a master of easy-listening music. This style of singing is smooth and relaxing to hear. He was very successful and sold over 100 million records around the world. His music reached people in many different countries through his television shows.

Before he was a singer, Como worked very hard as a barber. He started helping his family at age 10 in a barber shop. He even had his own chair by age 13. He stood on a box to reach his customers. He eventually moved his work into a Greek coffeehouse. While he cut hair, he would sing romantic songs for the men.

This helped him become a very popular "wedding barber."

His path to fame began with big bands. In 1932, he moved to Meadville, Pennsylvania. A bandleader named Freddy Carlone invited him to sing on stage. Later, Como joined the Ted Weems Orchestra in 1936. This was a big step for his career. Weems helped him find his own musical style. He told Como to sing from the heart instead of using tricks.

Como had a very long and steady career in music. He signed with RCA Victor in 1943. He stayed with that same company for 44 years. He also became a pioneer on television with his weekly musical shows. These shows were broadcast to people all over the globe. He was so popular that fans would wait in long lines to see him. Some clubs even had to tell people that "swooning" was not allowed.

Many awards show how much people respected his talent. He won five Emmy Awards between 1955 and 1959. He also received a Peabody Award and a Kennedy Center Honor. Even after he passed away, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. He has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. These stars honor his work in radio, television, and music.

Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was a prominent American singer, actor, and television personality.

Known affectionately as "Mr. C," he became a global icon of the vocal pop genre. He was particularly celebrated for his work in the easy-listening style. This genre focuses on an intimate and relaxing vocal delivery. Throughout his career, Como achieved massive commercial success. He reportedly sold more than 100 million records worldwide. His influence extended across multiple media platforms, including radio, music, and television.

Como's early life was defined by hard work and musical curiosity. He was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, to Italian immigrants Pietro and Lucia Como. As the seventh of 13 children, he grew up in a household where Italian was the primary language. His musical journey began with a second-hand organ his father purchased for $3. Although he never took formal voice lessons, he learned many instruments. He played the trombone in a local brass band and performed as an organist. To fund his music lessons, Como took several jobs starting at age 10. He worked in a barber shop for 50 cents a week. By age 13, he was already working from a box to reach customers.

Before finding fame in music, Como was a highly skilled barber. He eventually operated his own business within a Greek coffeehouse. He became famous as a "wedding barber" for the local community. During wedding preparations, Como would sing romantic songs while cutting hair. This unique combination of service and entertainment made him very popular. His clientele primarily consisted of well-paid workers from nearby steel mills. These customers often provided him with monetary gifts during special events. This period of his life established his reputation for connecting with people through song.

Como's transition to professional singing began in the 1930s. In 1932, he moved to Meadville, Pennsylvania, to work at his uncle's hotel barber shop. While visiting a ballroom in Cleveland, he was invited to sing by bandleader Freddy Carlone. Though terrified, Como accepted the job after discussing it with his father. He later joined the Ted Weems Orchestra in 1936, which provided his first nationwide exposure. Working with Weems was a turning point for his vocal technique. Weems encouraged him to stop using vocal tricks and instead sing from the heart. This guidance helped him develop the polished, sincere style that became his trademark.

In 1943, Como entered a period of immense professional stability and growth. He signed with RCA Victor, a relationship that would last for 44 years until 1987. This long tenure began shortly after his debut on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) radio. During this era, the "crooning" craze was at its peak. Como's popularity grew among both teenagers and mature audiences. He was so sought after that lines for his performances often wound around city blocks. Some venues even placed "Swooning Ruled Out" cards on tables to manage enthusiastic fans.

Como was also a pioneer in the development of musical television. He created weekly musical variety shows and seasonal specials that were broadcast globally. These programs helped solidify his status as a multimedia star. His ability to adapt to the new medium of television ensured his longevity in the entertainment industry.

He remained a constant presence in households for over half a century. His career serves as a bridge between the era of big band radio and the rise of modern television variety programming.

His contributions to the arts earned him numerous prestigious honors. Between 1955 and 1959, Como received five Emmy Awards. He also earned a Peabody Award and a Christopher Award. In 1987, he was honored with a Kennedy Center Honor. His legacy is further cemented by his three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, representing radio, television, and music.

Even after his death in 2001, he continued to be recognized. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 and was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006.