CONNIE FRANCIS - THE ITALIAN AMERICAN COLLECTION VOL. 1

Connie Francis - Concetta Maria Franconero, December 12, 1937, born into an Italian-American family, in an Italian neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. Frank Sinatra and Connie Francis were born on the same day 23 years apart, but they remain together as a part of NJ music history forever. Growing up in an Italian-American household, we celebrated two sacred “Trinities.“ One was “The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit,“ the other was “Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett.“ It seems their music was always playing somewhere in the Italian-American community, The undisputed female counterpart to those guys was Connie Francis. * The Italian-Americans majority hailed largely from central and southern parts of Italy, where They settled in major urban centers like New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Boston and San Francisco. The rich musical heritage that the Italian immigrants brought with them has had a major impact on shaping United States musical culture as a whole; Italian Americans and Italian nationals who have played an important role in both classical and popular music in the United States. Enrico Caruso was a main attraction at American opera houses in the early twentieth century, paving the way for singers of Italian heritage born in the United States. Singing stars such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Al Martino, Louis Prima, Vic Damone, Connie Francis, Dion Dimucci and Lou Monte (just to mention a few) have garnered millions of American fans for their easy-going vocal style and charisma, with their Italian heritage and influence came through their English-Language recordings. These are not just songs of Italian-American crooners — it’s an intimate account of Italian-American life, a history of an enduring art form, a tribute to family, an evocation of the power of song, and a deeply personal reckoning with the music itself. From Bon Jovi to Frank Sinatra, many of today’s millennials are unaware of the talent Italian Americans brought to the music industry. With a culture like no other, it’s no wonder why Italian Americans have made such an impact in the music scene through the years. Some of these artists almost gave up on their dreams, fought in the wars, fought on the streets, fought in the ring, and all risked everything they had to become the people they came to be. * Italian American Golden Era *** From my own cd and vinyl collection Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise, be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. Video will be removed if requested by the copyright owner. ***