The Four Aces
Encyclopedia
The Four Aces is an American
male traditional pop music
quartet, popular since the 1950s. Over the last half-century, the group amassed many gold records
. Its million-selling signature tunes include "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing
", "Three Coins in the Fountain
", "Stranger in Paradise
", "Tell Me Why
", and "(It's No) Sin
". Other big sellers included "Shangri-La
", "Perfidia
", and "Sincerely". The original members, responsible for every song made popular by the group, included Al Alberts
, Dave Mahoney, Lou Silvestri, and Rosario "Sod" Vaccaro.
High School, Temple University
, and the United States Navy
, where he met Mahoney. Originally, Alberts sang with Mahoney playing behind him, and later they added Vaccaro on trumpet and Silvestri on drums. They played locally in the Philadelphia area, and Alberts started his own record label, Victoria Records
, when they could not find a distributor to release their first record, "(It's No) Sin
". It sold a million copies, and Decca Records
soon signed the group, billing them as The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts.
Alberts left the group in 1958 to try to make it as a soloist, but never made the charts. He was replaced as lead singer by Fred Diodati, who had attended South Philadelphia High School a few years after Alberts.
Eventually all of the original members left, leaving Diodati to lead a new line-up which consisted of Fred Diodati, Tony Alesi, Joe Giglio and Harry Heisler. After almost nineteen years with the group, Alesi developed a medical condition that forced him to leave the group. The current Aces configuration includes Diodati, Joe Giglio, Harry Heisler, and Danny Colingo. These members sing all the songs the original Four Aces had made popular at one time. This configuration undertook a national tour of community concert associations, sponsored by LiveOnStage in Nashville.
In 1975, a court awarded Diodati, Alesi, Giglio and Heisler the right to the name in a court suit in which the original members tried to re-establish their right. The court allowed the founding members to tour as "The Original Four Aces, Featuring Al Alberts", which they did, finally retiring the act in 1987. Diodati, Giglio, Heisler and Colingo, continue to legally use the name of the Four Aces and perform the songs that made the Original Four Aces popular.
The founding lead singer, Al Alberts, died of natural causes
on November 27, 2009. He was 87 years old. Alberts was the first group member to die.
in 2001.
* "Stranger In Paradise" charted in 1955 in the UK
fronted a group called the Four Aces of Western Swing – often referred to as simply The Four Aces. The style of music this group played was country and western and it was with the group that Haley recorded his first singles for the Cowboy Records
label in 1948. The group disbanded in 1949 and Haley went on to form The Saddlemen, which later became Bill Haley & His Comets
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
male traditional pop music
Traditional pop music
Traditional pop or classic pop or standards music denotes, in general, Western popular music that either wholly predates the advent of rock and roll in the mid-1950s, or to any popular music which exists concurrently to rock and roll but originated in a time before the appearance of rock and roll,...
quartet, popular since the 1950s. Over the last half-century, the group amassed many gold records
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. Its million-selling signature tunes include "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (song)
"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" is a popular song with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. The song was publicized first in the movie, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing , winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song...
", "Three Coins in the Fountain
Three Coins in the Fountain (song)
"Three Coins in the Fountain" is a popular song which received the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1954.The melody was written by Jule Styne, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. It was written for the romance film, Three Coins in the Fountain and refers to the act of throwing a coin into the Trevi...
", "Stranger in Paradise
Stranger in Paradise (song)
"Stranger in Paradise" is a popular song from the 1953 musical Kismet and is credited to Robert Wright and George Forrest. Like all the music in that show, the melody was based on music composed by Alexander Borodin, in this case, the "Gliding Dance of the Maidens," from the Polovtsian...
", "Tell Me Why
Tell Me Why (1951 song)
"Tell Me Why" is a popular song written by Marty Gold with the lyrics by Al Alberts. The song was published in 1951.-Major recorded versions:The hit version of the song was recorded by Alberts' group, The Four Aces, in 1951...
", and "(It's No) Sin
(It's No) Sin
" Sin" is a 1951 popular song with music by George Hoven and lyrics by Chester R. Shull. Popular recordings of the song were made by The Four Aces and Eddy Howard....
". Other big sellers included "Shangri-La
Shangri-La (1946 song)
"Shangri-La" is a popular song written by Carl Sigman , bandleader Matty Malneck, and Robert Maxwell in 1946. The term comes from "Shangri-La," the hidden valley of delight in James Hilton's 1933 novel "Lost Horizon." The term "Shangri-La," especially in the 1930s and 1940s, was slang for heaven...
", "Perfidia
Perfidia
"Perfidia" is a popular song written by Alberto Domínguez , a Mexican composer and arranger born in the state of Chiapas, about love and betrayal. Aside from the original Spanish, other renditions exist, including English and instrumental versions. The English lyrics are by Milton Leeds...
", and "Sincerely". The original members, responsible for every song made popular by the group, included Al Alberts
Al Alberts
Al Alberts was a popular singer and composer. -Biography:Born Al Albertini in Chester, Pennsylvania, he went to South Philadelphia High School, whose alumni included many others who would become famous in show business, such as Joey Bishop, Buddy Greco, Al Martino, Mario Lanza, Chubby Checker,...
, Dave Mahoney, Lou Silvestri, and Rosario "Sod" Vaccaro.
Career
Alberts went to South PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
High School, Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, and the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, where he met Mahoney. Originally, Alberts sang with Mahoney playing behind him, and later they added Vaccaro on trumpet and Silvestri on drums. They played locally in the Philadelphia area, and Alberts started his own record label, Victoria Records
Victoria Records (1952)
Victoria Records was started in 1952 by Al Alberts of The Four Aces in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to release their recording of " Sin."...
, when they could not find a distributor to release their first record, "(It's No) Sin
(It's No) Sin
" Sin" is a 1951 popular song with music by George Hoven and lyrics by Chester R. Shull. Popular recordings of the song were made by The Four Aces and Eddy Howard....
". It sold a million copies, and Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
soon signed the group, billing them as The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts.
Alberts left the group in 1958 to try to make it as a soloist, but never made the charts. He was replaced as lead singer by Fred Diodati, who had attended South Philadelphia High School a few years after Alberts.
Eventually all of the original members left, leaving Diodati to lead a new line-up which consisted of Fred Diodati, Tony Alesi, Joe Giglio and Harry Heisler. After almost nineteen years with the group, Alesi developed a medical condition that forced him to leave the group. The current Aces configuration includes Diodati, Joe Giglio, Harry Heisler, and Danny Colingo. These members sing all the songs the original Four Aces had made popular at one time. This configuration undertook a national tour of community concert associations, sponsored by LiveOnStage in Nashville.
In 1975, a court awarded Diodati, Alesi, Giglio and Heisler the right to the name in a court suit in which the original members tried to re-establish their right. The court allowed the founding members to tour as "The Original Four Aces, Featuring Al Alberts", which they did, finally retiring the act in 1987. Diodati, Giglio, Heisler and Colingo, continue to legally use the name of the Four Aces and perform the songs that made the Original Four Aces popular.
The founding lead singer, Al Alberts, died of natural causes
Death by natural causes
A death by natural causes, as recorded by coroners and on death certificates and associated documents, is one that is primarily attributed to natural agents: usually an illness or an internal malfunction of the body. For example, a person dying from complications from influenza or a heart attack ...
on November 27, 2009. He was 87 years old. Alberts was the first group member to die.
Awards and recognition
The Four Aces were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of FameVocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
in 2001.
Hit recordings
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1951 | "(It's No) Sin (It's No) Sin " Sin" is a 1951 popular song with music by George Hoven and lyrics by Chester R. Shull. Popular recordings of the song were made by The Four Aces and Eddy Howard.... " |
4 | - |
| "Tell Me Why Tell Me Why (1951 song) "Tell Me Why" is a popular song written by Marty Gold with the lyrics by Al Alberts. The song was published in 1951.-Major recorded versions:The hit version of the song was recorded by Alberts' group, The Four Aces, in 1951... " |
2 | - | |
| 1952 | "A Garden In the Rain" | 14 | - |
| "Perfidia Perfidia "Perfidia" is a popular song written by Alberto Domínguez , a Mexican composer and arranger born in the state of Chiapas, about love and betrayal. Aside from the original Spanish, other renditions exist, including English and instrumental versions. The English lyrics are by Milton Leeds... " |
7 | - | |
| "Two Little Kisses" | 29 | - | |
| "I'm Yours" | 21 | - | |
| "Should I" | 9 | - | |
| "Heart and Soul" | 11 | - | |
| "Just Squeeze Me" | 20 | - | |
| 1953 | "La Rosita" | 24 | - |
| "I'll Never Smile Again" | 21 | - | |
| "You Fooled Me" | 22 | - | |
| "Organ Grinder's Swing" | 17 | - | |
| "Honey In the Horn" | 24 | - | |
| "False Love" | 24 | - | |
| "Laughing On the Outside (Crying On the Inside)" | 22 | - | |
| "Stranger in Paradise Stranger in Paradise (song) "Stranger in Paradise" is a popular song from the 1953 musical Kismet and is credited to Robert Wright and George Forrest. Like all the music in that show, the melody was based on music composed by Alexander Borodin, in this case, the "Gliding Dance of the Maidens," from the Polovtsian... " |
3 | 6* | |
| "The Gang That Sang Heart of My Heart Heart of My Heart Heart of My Heart is a popular song. The music and lyrics were written by Ben Ryan in 1926. It reminisces about singing a song called "Heart of My Heart" in a youthful quartet.-History and Origins:... " |
7 | - | |
| 1954 | "Amor" | 21 | - |
| "So Long" | 26 | - | |
| "Three Coins in the Fountain Three Coins in the Fountain (song) "Three Coins in the Fountain" is a popular song which received the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1954.The melody was written by Jule Styne, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. It was written for the romance film, Three Coins in the Fountain and refers to the act of throwing a coin into the Trevi... " |
1 | 5 | |
| "Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine)" | 22 | - | |
| "Dream" | 17 | - | |
| "It's a Woman's World" | 11 | - | |
| "Mister Sandman" | 5 | 9 | |
| 1955 | "Melody of Love" | 3 | - |
| "Heart" | 13 | - | |
| "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (song) "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" is a popular song with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. The song was publicized first in the movie, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing , winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song... " |
1 | 2 | |
| "A Woman in Love A Woman in Love "A Woman in Love" is a popular song. It was written by Frank Loesser and was published in 1955, introduced in Samuel Goldwyn's cinematic adaptation of the Broadway musical Guys and Dolls.-Recorded versions:... " |
14 | 19 | |
| "Of This I'm Sure" | 56 | - | |
| 1956 | "If You Can Dream" | 62 | - |
| "The Gal With the Yaller Shoes" | 91 | - | |
| "To Love Again" | 43 | - | |
| "I Only Know I Love You" | 22 | - | |
| "Dreamer" | 86 | - | |
| "You Can't Run Away From It" | 20 | - | |
| "Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)" | 45 | 29 | |
| "Someone To Love" | 47 | - | |
| "Written On the Wind" | 61 | - | |
| 1957 | "Bahama Mama" | 53 | - |
| "You're Mine" | 76 | - | |
| 1958 | "Rock and Roll Rhapsody" | 66 | - |
| "The World Outside" | 63 | 18 | |
| 1959 | "No Other Arms, No Other Lips" | 74 | - |
* "Stranger In Paradise" charted in 1955 in the UK
Other uses
In 1948–49, Bill HaleyBill Haley
Bill Haley was one of the first American rock and roll musicians. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and their hit song "Rock Around the Clock".-Early life and career:...
fronted a group called the Four Aces of Western Swing – often referred to as simply The Four Aces. The style of music this group played was country and western and it was with the group that Haley recorded his first singles for the Cowboy Records
Cowboy Records
Cowboy Records was a record label in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Buddy DeSylva and Johnny Mercer in 1942. It was later owned by Jimmy DeKnight and Jack Howard. Artists who recorded for the label included Bill Haley, who made his first commercial single release with the label as...
label in 1948. The group disbanded in 1949 and Haley went on to form The Saddlemen, which later became Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets was an American rock and roll band that was founded in 1952 and continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band, also known by the names Bill Haley and The Comets and Bill Haley's Comets , was the earliest group of white musicians to bring rock and roll to the attention of...
.