Perry Como

Pierino Ronald Como was born on May 18, 1912 in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania two years after his parents emigrated to the United States from the Abruzzese town of Palena, Italy. As a young boy Perry worked in a barber shop and did many other odd jobs in order to take music lessons. He learned to play piano, organ, guitar and trombone, among other instruments, but never took voice lessons. But his primary passion was to become the best barber in town, and got good enough to own his own shop when he was just fourteen years old. At the same time he was part of the Canonsburg Italian Band, whos bandleader was Stan Vinton, father of Bobby Vinton, both customers of Perry's barbershop. When he was seventeen he met Roselle Belline at a local picnic, and four years later they were married and enjoyed 65 years together, with three children. While other performers of the time dressed in elegant suits and tailor made clothes, Perry preferred more casual attire, and at one time Bing Crosby proclaimed that Perry Como was the man that invented 'casual.' Besides a successful recording career, Perry enjoyed fame in movies and had a successful television show and produced many television 'specials.' Perry Como died in his sleep on May 12, 2001 at home in Florida.