From vaudeville child star to Rat Pack mainstay, his voice defined showmanship.
For the showman, try "The Candy Man." For the vocalist, listen to "Shelter Of Your Arms."
He was the entertainer who could do it all, sing, dance, tell jokes, and still deliver a vocal like "The Candy Man" that became a cultural touchstone. That 1972 recording for Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory turned a movie tune into his signature hit. Songs like "As Long As She Needs Me" show the earnest, theatrical side of his style.
He started in vaudeville as a kid, performing with his father and uncle. By the 1950s he was a solo act, and later he joined Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in the Rat Pack. The 1970s brought "The Candy Man," and he spoke openly about drug addiction in his later years.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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