Singing Was the Easy Part

Vic Damone · David Chanoff

Jun 2009 · Sold by St. Martin's Press

About this ebook

Born Vito Farinola in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in 1928, Vic worked as an usher at the fabled Paramount Theatre before realizing a dream by shooting to the top of the Billboard Chart in 1947 with his first hit "I Have But One Heart." He was mentored by everyone from Perry Como to Tommy Dorsey. Frank Sinatra praised his voice and became a friend for life, giving him advice on singing and women. Damone had one of the most successful careers ever had by an American pop singer and one of the most glamorous and exciting lives of any guy who lived while the Ratpack reigned.

• He was almost thrown out of the window of a New York City hotel by a mobster.
• He dated Ava Gardner, who got him drunk for the first time.
• He married glamorous Italian actress Ana Maria Pierangeli and later, Diahann Carroll.
• He appeared at the Sands Hotel during the glory days of Vegas and once took a nude chorus girl into the steam room where the Ratpack was relaxing.

In Singing Was the Easy Part, he talks frankly about his bankruptcy, his many marriages and his belief in God. It's a warm, funny, and inspiring memoir from one of America's greatest pop singers.

Ratings and reviews

I read this book in a day. I couldn't put it down. I thought it was a very personal memoir with dialogue that made me feel part of each conversation. I was very familiar with the songs, the people, and the era, so for me, it was a walk back in time. I loved his humor, candidness, and integrity in his writing and his life. For anyone who loves the era or the music of the Great American Songbook, this is a fabulous read about the fascinating life of one of the greatest voices in the business, Vic Damone.

About the author

VIC DAMONE was one of the greatest crooners in the American songbook for over sixty years.