Nick Perito
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Perito was a Hollywood composer and arranger
and, for 40 years, the closest collaborator of singer Perry Como
.
as a gift from his parents. Both his uncle and brother encouraged his learning by gifts of sheet music; as he mastered one song, he would then be given a new one as an incentive. Perito started performing at parties at a young age and received a scholarship to the Lamont School of Music, studying at the University of Denver
.
Being drafted in 1943 took him to New York, where he served as an Army medic in World War II; he also played piano and did musical arrangements for the Army band. The band musicians were given passes on weekends if there were no military engagements for them and were allowed to pick up jobs during this time. Perito remained in New York after World War II, entering the Juilliard School of Music and graduating from the college in 1949.
with his own weekday radio program in 1946. The couple then settled in New York, where he worked as a songwriter, arranger, and accordion/piano session musician
. Perito also had his own band that had a permanent spot at Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant
, owned by the boxer. His first association with Perry Como came through Como's arranger, Ray Charles, in the early 1950s. Como had recorded a novelty song, "Hoop-De-Doo", and Perito was hired to accompany him on accordion for television performances of the song. He became the musical director of United Artists Records
in 1961.
In 1963, Como's musical conductor, Mitchell Ayres
, wanted to hire some new arrangers for Como's television show; Ray Charles recommended Perito to Ayres. When Ayres left to take a job as the conductor of The Hollywood Palace
, Perito became the singer's music director
and conductor. Como credited Perito with the idea of making his 1987 album, Today
. Perito worked with Como through his last performance: his Irish Christmas special in 1994. When Mitchell Ayres was killed in a traffic accident in 1969, former Como show producer Nick Vanoff, who was now with The Hollywood Palace, suggested Perito as Ayres' replacement.
Perito's other credits include the Kennedy Center Honors
, where he again worked with Vanoff. He was also the musical director for the American Film Institute
awards, as well as The Don Knotts Variety Show, Andy Williams
and Bing Crosby
television specials. Perito wrote the music for the 1968 film, Don't Just Stand There with Robert Wagner
and Mary Tyler Moore
. In the same year, Perito played the accordion on the only solo vocal album of his friend and associate, Ray Charles, Memories of a Middle-Aged Movie Fan. Perito was also an influential arranger of muzak
in the late 1960s and early 70s.
He became the musical director for Bob Hope
in 1993, and also worked with Hope's wife, Dolores
, when she decided to pick up her singing career after 60 years. Perito played accordion for actor Paul Sorvino
's PBS musical special in 1996. Perito, along with musicians Dick Grove
and Allyn Ferguson
, was a founder and partner in the Grove School of Music in Van Nuys, California. The school was accredited in 1979 but could no longer afford to keep its doors open by 1991.
His work earned Perito a dozen Emmy nominations. He published his memoirs, I Just Happened to Be There: Making Music with the Stars in 2004, a year before his death of pulmonary fibrosis
in Hollywood.
As conductor, arranger, director or producer:
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
and, for 40 years, the closest collaborator of singer Perry Como
Perry Como
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
.
Early years
Born in Denver, Perito's start in music was at an early age, when he received an accordionAccordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
as a gift from his parents. Both his uncle and brother encouraged his learning by gifts of sheet music; as he mastered one song, he would then be given a new one as an incentive. Perito started performing at parties at a young age and received a scholarship to the Lamont School of Music, studying at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
.
Being drafted in 1943 took him to New York, where he served as an Army medic in World War II; he also played piano and did musical arrangements for the Army band. The band musicians were given passes on weekends if there were no military engagements for them and were allowed to pick up jobs during this time. Perito remained in New York after World War II, entering the Juilliard School of Music and graduating from the college in 1949.
Career
Perito went home to Denver to marry his high school sweetheart, Judy Stone, and worked at Denver's KOAKOA (AM)
KOA is a clear channel, news/talk radio station serving the Denver-Boulder and Colorado Springs, Colorado markets. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is nicknamed "the Blowtorch of the West" for its 50,000 watt signal.KOA was originally owned by General Electric and began...
with his own weekday radio program in 1946. The couple then settled in New York, where he worked as a songwriter, arranger, and accordion/piano session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
. Perito also had his own band that had a permanent spot at Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant
Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant
Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant, known popularly as Jack Dempsey's, was a restaurant located on Broadway between 49th and 50th streets in Manhattan, New York. Owned by world Heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Dempsey, it was considered by many as an American institution...
, owned by the boxer. His first association with Perry Como came through Como's arranger, Ray Charles, in the early 1950s. Como had recorded a novelty song, "Hoop-De-Doo", and Perito was hired to accompany him on accordion for television performances of the song. He became the musical director of United Artists Records
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
in 1961.
In 1963, Como's musical conductor, Mitchell Ayres
Mitchell Ayres
Mitchell Ayres was an orchestra leader, music arranger, composer and performer. He is best known for his many years of work with Perry Como on radio, records, and television and as the musical conductor for The Hollywood Palace.-Early years:Born Mitchell Agress in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he...
, wanted to hire some new arrangers for Como's television show; Ray Charles recommended Perito to Ayres. When Ayres left to take a job as the conductor of The Hollywood Palace
The Hollywood Palace
The Hollywood Palace is an hour-long American television variety show that was broadcast weekly on ABC from January 4, 1964 to February 7, 1970. It began as a mid-season replacement for the short-lived Jerry Lewis Show, another variety show which had lasted only three months...
, Perito became the singer's music director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
and conductor. Como credited Perito with the idea of making his 1987 album, Today
Today (Perry Como album)
Today was Perry Como's 29th and final RCA Victor long-play album of his 50 year music career. This is also the penultimate recording ever made by Perry Como, the last being for a Christmas special in 1994...
. Perito worked with Como through his last performance: his Irish Christmas special in 1994. When Mitchell Ayres was killed in a traffic accident in 1969, former Como show producer Nick Vanoff, who was now with The Hollywood Palace, suggested Perito as Ayres' replacement.
Perito's other credits include the Kennedy Center Honors
Kennedy Center Honors
The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. The Honors have been presented annually since 1978 in Washington, D.C., during gala weekend-long events which culminate in a performance for—and...
, where he again worked with Vanoff. He was also the musical director for the American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
awards, as well as The Don Knotts Variety Show, Andy Williams
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
and Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
television specials. Perito wrote the music for the 1968 film, Don't Just Stand There with Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
and Mary Tyler Moore
Mary Tyler Moore
Mary Tyler Moore is an American actress, primarily known for her roles in television sitcoms. Moore is best known for The Mary Tyler Moore Show , in which she starred as Mary Richards, a 30-something single woman who worked as a local news producer in Minneapolis, and for her earlier role as...
. In the same year, Perito played the accordion on the only solo vocal album of his friend and associate, Ray Charles, Memories of a Middle-Aged Movie Fan. Perito was also an influential arranger of muzak
Muzak
Muzak Holdings LLC is a company based in metro Fort Mill, South Carolina, United States, just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1934, Muzak Holdings is best known for distribution of background music to retail stores and other companies....
in the late 1960s and early 70s.
He became the musical director for Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
in 1993, and also worked with Hope's wife, Dolores
Dolores Hope
Dolores Hope, DC*SG was an American singer, philanthropist and wife of actor/comedian Bob Hope.-Early life and career:...
, when she decided to pick up her singing career after 60 years. Perito played accordion for actor Paul Sorvino
Paul Sorvino
Paul Anthony Sorvino is an American actor. He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law, and is possibly best known for his roles as Paulie Cicero, a portrayal of Paul Vario in the film Goodfellas and Sgt. Phil Cerreta on the police procedural and legal drama television series Law...
's PBS musical special in 1996. Perito, along with musicians Dick Grove
Dick Grove
Richard Dean "Dick" Grove was an American musician, composer, arranger and award-winning music educator. He performed with Alvino Rey, and worked with Paul Horn, Buddy Rich, and Nancy Wilson....
and Allyn Ferguson
Allyn Ferguson
Allyn Malcolm Ferguson Jr. was an American composer, best known for the themes for 1970s television programs Barney Miller and Charlie's Angels, which he co-wrote with Jack Elliott...
, was a founder and partner in the Grove School of Music in Van Nuys, California. The school was accredited in 1979 but could no longer afford to keep its doors open by 1991.
His work earned Perito a dozen Emmy nominations. He published his memoirs, I Just Happened to Be There: Making Music with the Stars in 2004, a year before his death of pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis is the formation or development of excess fibrous connective tissue in the lungs. It is also described as "scarring of the lung".-Symptoms:Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are mainly:...
in Hollywood.
Works
As composer:- Stay with MeLightly LatinLightly Latin was Perry Como's 13th RCA Victor 12" long-play album, the 11th recorded in full "living" stereophonic sound and the third featuring Dynagroove technology....
, 1950s - We Are Love, 1950s
- The Green Leaves of Summer (with others)
- Anema E CoreAnema e core"Anema e core" may refer to:*Anema e core or My Heart Sings, a 1951 Italian comedy film*"Anema e core" ," a 1951 song from the film, popularized in 1954 by Eddie Fisher with English lyrics...
(with others) - MisirlouMisirlouMisirlou , is a popular Greek song with popularity in five styles of music: Greek rebetiko, Middle-Eastern belly dancing, Jewish klezmer, American surf rock, and international orchestral easy listening .- History :...
/Quien Sera (with others) - Oh Calcutta
- Mountains of Kisses
- Pianola Pete
As conductor, arranger, director or producer:
- Many.
External links
- Perry Como Collection 1955–1994-University of Colorado at Boulder Archives created by Perry Como, Mickey Glass, and Nick Perito
- Nick Perito Luncheon January 2005, American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers
- A Tribute to Nick Perito September 22, 2005, John Sawoski
- Appreciating Nick Perito
- Nick Perito Conducting Videos Percy Faith arrangements for JVC. Capitol Records, Los Angeles, 1994