Tony Butala
Encyclopedia
Tony Butala is an American singer. He has been the lead singer for the vocal group The Lettermen
since 1958, and is the only original member left.
; the son of John and Mary Butala. Born the eighth of eleven children, he spent much of his early years on a farm owned by his grandparents and enjoying a rural upbringing, which included deer hunting. Butala said in a radio interview that hunting in those days was done more out of survival, rather than sport as it is today. He shot his first deer at the age of 12.
In 1951, Butala's mother, who was a nurse, was called to California to assist her sister, who had been stricken with pneumonia and needed assistance with her children while she recovered. Butala's father, believing that there could be opportunities for his son on the West Coast, suggested that Tony accompany his mother to California. Tony quickly found work with the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir and performed with the choir through 1954. His notable works during this period included voice actor of Lost Boy Slightly in the hit Disney classic Peter Pan
(1953), White Christmas
, and War of the Worlds.
Butala's tenure with the choir ended after he became an adolescent, but Mitchell, seeing promise in him, retained him as assistant choir director and paid for his private education as he continued his show business career.
As a teenager, Butala sang with a quartet called "The Fourmost", which included Concetta Ingolia, who would later become known by her stage name, Connie Stevens
. Though the group would later disband, for Tony, it would lay the foundation of what would become known as The Lettermen.
The first unofficial incarnation of the Lettermen came in 1958, with Butala, Mike Barnett, and Talmadge Russell, who would later be replaced by Jerry Paul. That same year, Gary Clark and Jimmy Blaine followed, and that combination made its first recording, but it was not successful.
Butala tried again with two new singers, Bob Engemann and Jim Pike. It was this lineup that brought the group its first success, as the Lettermen scored their first Top 40 hit at #13 on the US charts with "The Way You Look Tonight
"; it went gold in the US.
The Lettermen's pop music chart success ended in 1969, but they continued to record and appear live in concert since then, and continue to enjoy success, under Butala's leadership.
Tony Butala also co-founded the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
in his hometown of Sharon in 1998.
. He has homes in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and California.
The Lettermen
The Lettermen are an American male pop music vocal trio. The Lettermen's trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959...
since 1958, and is the only original member left.
Early Life
Anthony Francis Butala was born in Sharon, PennsylvaniaSharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, in the United States, northwest of Pittsburgh. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren–Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
; the son of John and Mary Butala. Born the eighth of eleven children, he spent much of his early years on a farm owned by his grandparents and enjoying a rural upbringing, which included deer hunting. Butala said in a radio interview that hunting in those days was done more out of survival, rather than sport as it is today. He shot his first deer at the age of 12.
Career
Butala began his professional singing career in 1948, when he appeared on "Starlets on Parade", a Saturday morning show on KDKA radio in Pittsburgh. He quickly became a favorite in and around his hometown of Sharon during his pre-teen years.In 1951, Butala's mother, who was a nurse, was called to California to assist her sister, who had been stricken with pneumonia and needed assistance with her children while she recovered. Butala's father, believing that there could be opportunities for his son on the West Coast, suggested that Tony accompany his mother to California. Tony quickly found work with the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir and performed with the choir through 1954. His notable works during this period included voice actor of Lost Boy Slightly in the hit Disney classic Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
(1953), White Christmas
White Christmas
A white Christmas refers to the presence of snow on Christmas Day. This phenomenon is most common in the northern countries of the Northern Hemisphere...
, and War of the Worlds.
Butala's tenure with the choir ended after he became an adolescent, but Mitchell, seeing promise in him, retained him as assistant choir director and paid for his private education as he continued his show business career.
As a teenager, Butala sang with a quartet called "The Fourmost", which included Concetta Ingolia, who would later become known by her stage name, Connie Stevens
Connie Stevens
Connie Stevens is an American actress and singer, best known for her roles in the television series Hawaiian Eye and other TV and film work.-Early life:...
. Though the group would later disband, for Tony, it would lay the foundation of what would become known as The Lettermen.
The first unofficial incarnation of the Lettermen came in 1958, with Butala, Mike Barnett, and Talmadge Russell, who would later be replaced by Jerry Paul. That same year, Gary Clark and Jimmy Blaine followed, and that combination made its first recording, but it was not successful.
Butala tried again with two new singers, Bob Engemann and Jim Pike. It was this lineup that brought the group its first success, as the Lettermen scored their first Top 40 hit at #13 on the US charts with "The Way You Look Tonight
The Way You Look Tonight
"The Way You Look Tonight" is a song featured in the film Swing Time, originally performed by Fred Astaire. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936. The song was sung to Ginger Rogers as Penelope "Penny" Carroll by Astaire's character of John "Lucky" Garnett while Penny was busy...
"; it went gold in the US.
The Lettermen's pop music chart success ended in 1969, but they continued to record and appear live in concert since then, and continue to enjoy success, under Butala's leadership.
Business Interests
Butala also owns Butala Vineyards, which he started from a Chatsworth, California ranch he purchased and planted grapes in 1969. Less than twenty years later, he purchased another ranch along the southern Vaca Mountain Range, which is the eastern border of the Napa Valley. He first began selling wine commercially in 1992 under the Castlebrooke label, and continues to produce both wine and grapes for other winemakers as well. Butala had learned winemaking beginning at age five from his Croatian immigrant grandfather Miko.Tony Butala also co-founded the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal 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 his hometown of Sharon in 1998.
Personal Life
He is the father of four children and four grandchildren. He is also the uncle of actress Jenna ElfmanJenna Elfman
Jennifer Mary "Jenna" Elfman is an American television and film actress. She is known for her role as Dharma on the ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg and as Billie on the short-lived CBS sitcom Accidentally on Purpose....
. He has homes in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and California.