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Everyone loves someone at some point, and that someone is none other than the legendary singer Dean Martin. With a cigarette in hand and a lady by his side, the King of Cold served his sensual love songs to the world for more than four decades.

Dino paul crocettiThe son of Italian immigrant parents, he came to the top rolling with the punches, literally. Ridiculed by his classmates for his poor English and dropping out of Steubenville High School at age 15, young Dino made his way into show business taking some pretty hard hits. Boxing as a welterweight with the self-styled “Kid Crochet” title, Dino acquired some money, a broken nose, a split lip, and broken knuckles during his boxing day. Among his many other early livelihoods, he was a pirate, dealt blackjack for an illegal casino, and was an underground dealer.

Musically influenced by Harry Mills of the Mills Brothers, Dino adopted the same soft crooner singing style. He teamed up with bandleader Sammy Watkins, who convinced the young singer to change his name to Dean Martin.

A pleasant voice and natural charm earned Martin some very attractive nightclub gigs. However, he did not enjoy the fanatical magnetic pull that singers like Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra experienced from the get-go.

Her first real break came in 1946 at the Glass Hat Club in New York City when she met a young comedian named Jerry lewis. The two became good friends and began to join forces. This couple would catapult Martin to celebrity status almost overnight. The duo was a comedy singing act and most of the billing went to Lewis. Martin served as the couple’s heterosexual man. Although the two embarked on a quick journey to stardom that included a nightclub booking schedule at all of the best clubs in the nation along with recording and movie contracts, Martin was increasingly uneasy with second-bill reviews and Eventually the two had a fight. . Martin and Lewis separated and dissolved their relationship both personally and professionally in 1956. The duo reconciled in a surprise public appearance in 1976 during the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.

A solo career for Martin was not easy. His crooner-style singing was not being so well received with the new rock & roll genre that was spreading across the country. Struggling to find her unique niche, she focused more on her acting than her singing. In 1957, Martin made a smart decision. Although he suffered a deep drop in salary, he signed on to star in the film. Young lions alongside headliners Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. This was the catalyst that allowed Martin to return, only this time, alone. The movie was a box office success and Dean Martin was on the way. With the recognition of the big screen, she now had the luxury of cultivating her singing career. Perfecting his style and vocal technique, King of Cool now felt more comfortable singing duets with mentors like Frank Sinatra and Perry Como.

The young, Italian-speaking rebel from Steubenville, Ohio, was now in the big leagues. Dean Martin almost always secured a big box office giveaway with his name attached to a movie, and when his name appeared on a marquee in Las Vegas, the house was sure to be full.

Martin was one of the original members of the famous Rat Pack, teaming up with fellow crooner Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. However, they themselves did not refer to each other as the Rat Pack, instead labeling their group “The Summit “or” The Clan “.

During the 1960s and early 1970s, Martin enjoyed great success on television with The Dean Martin Show, a variety series that featured many of the top stars of that day. Its simple ironic format was a favorite with the audience, but at times a point of contention with its producers. Martin did better with adlib and did not like to follow a rigid script, which sometimes made team members a bit uncomfortable. Later, Martin hosted a celebrity barbecue show that featured big-name stars like Bob Hope, Jimmy Stewart, and Lucille Ball.

Dino had found his own voice and went on to have legendary hits, like; Memories are made of this, That’s Amore, Y Everyone loves someone. His songs are still heard in movies, television shows, and commercials today. Martin’s songs are downloaded to iTunes by a new generation of song lovers.

The image of Dean as a lazy drunk with continuous smoke in his hand became his trademark public persona. Although Martin never questioned it, there has been much speculation that the drink was in part an act and an exaggerated perception by the media. Unfortunately, heavy smoking was very real and in 1993 Martin was diagnosed with lung cancer.

His personal life included three marriages and seven children. Martin’s son Dean Paul (Dino) died in a plane crash in 1987. The tragedy took its toll on the artist and subsequently began his career decline. His last public appearance was in December 1990 to celebrate Frank Sinatra’s 75th birthday. Dean Martin died on Christmas Day 1995 in Beverly Hills, California, of acute respiratory failure. He was 78 years old.

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