Francesco Lanzalotti Sylvano (August 17, 1901 – September 1, 1964) was an American singer of the 1920s and 1930s. A member of the Isham Jones Orchestra,[1] he was noted as a tenor,[2] and was described as "the romantic voice of the air."[3]
Frank Sylvano | |
|---|---|
 Sylvano in 1925 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Francesco Lanzalotti Sylvano |
| Born | August 17, 1901 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | September 1, 1964 (aged 63) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Vocalist |
| Years active | 1919–1936 |
| Spouse | Virginia Sylvano |
Frankie Laine, who in his youth met Sylvano, characterized him as having a "bouncy style" in his 1993 autobiography, That Lucky Old Son: The Autobiography of Frankie Laine.[4]
Early life
editFrank Sylvano was born in Chicago, Illinois, on August 17, 1901, to an Italian-American[2] family. Having become a choirboy, he later secured employment as a song plugger for a music publisher at the age of 18.[3]
Career
editSylvano was among the vocalists featured by Isham Jones during the 1920s and 1930s when the band produced a series of popular gramophone records for Brunswick.[5][6] In 1921, Sylvano sang on Chicago's inaugural radio station, KYW, on the very night of its first broadcast. Three years later, he performed for the then Prince of Wales Edward VIII, during his visit to Chicago. From thereon, he sang alongside not only Jones’s orchestra, but also Abe Lyman’s, Ben Bernie's, and Fred Waring's,[7][8] contributing approximately 500 vocal choruses on records for these prominent orchestras.
By 1936, Sylvano was said to have retired from the entertainment field, deciding to later operate a café on the South Side of Chicago.[3][9]
Personal life
editSylvano was married to a woman by the name of Virginia until his death on September 1, 1964, at the age of 63. He was survived by her along with his two daughters, Joan and Jean.[3]
References
edit- ^ "Brunswick matrix C7117. You're just a dream come true / Isham Jones Orchestra". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
- ^ a b The Billboard. R.S. Littleford, Jr., W.D. Littleford. 1926.
- ^ a b c d "SYLVANO DIES; RADIO SINGER, OWNER OF CAFE". Chicago Tribune. 1964-09-02. p. 34. Retrieved 2024-01-22.
- ^ Laine, Frankie; Laredo, Joseph F. (1993). That Lucky Old Son: The Autobiography of Frankie Laine. Pathfinder Pub. pp. 17–18. ISBN 978-0-934793-45-2.
- ^ The Orchestra World. Orchestra World. 1926.
- ^ Wilson, Ivy Crane (1954). Hollywood Album: The Wonderful City and Its Famous Inhabitants. S. Low, Marston. p. 116.
- ^ Lanza, Joseph; Penna, Dennis (2002). Russ Columbo and the Crooner Mystique. Feral House. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-922915-80-4.
- ^ "FRANK SYLVANO". New York Times. September 2, 1964.
- ^ Realty and Building. Economist Publishing Company. 1951. p. 27.