Jerry Vale

Jerry Vale
Vale in 1965
Background information
Born
Gennaro Louis Vitaliano

(1930-07-08)July 8, 1930
DiedMay 18, 2014(2014-05-18) (aged 83)
GenresEasy listening, traditional pop
OccupationSinger
Years active1950s–2000s
LabelColumbia
Spouse
Rita Grapel

Jerry Vale (born Gennaro Louis Vitaliano; July 8, 1930 – May 18, 2014) was an American traditional pop singer. During the 1950s and 1960s, he reached the top of the pop charts with his interpretations of romantic ballads, including a cover of Eddy Arnold hit "You Don't Know Me" (1956) and "Have You Looked into Your Heart" (1964). Vale, who was of Italian descent, sang numerous songs in Italian, many of which were used in soundtracks of films by Martin Scorsese.

Vale showed his love of Italian music with his albums, I Have But One Heart (1962) and Arrivederci, Roma (1963), full of Italian standards such as "Amore, Scusami", "Ciao, Ciao, Bambina", "Arrivederci, Roma", and "O Sole Mio". His renditions of "Volare", "Innamorata (Sweetheart)", and "Al di là" became classic Italian-American songs.