“(rock and roll) is their music, and someday it’ll probably become the standard music.”
-- Perry Como
Perry Como
As Elvis Presley and rock and roll invaded the pop charts in 1956 and 1957, Perry Como was the most successful of the more traditional vocalists. During the Elvis Era (‘56 - ‘63), Perry Como had eight top 10 hits -- all of them from ‘56 to ‘58. Three of his songs would reach #1: “Hot Ziggity” (‘56), “Round and Round” (‘57) and “Catch a Falling Star” (‘58). Como had started off as a barber but found musical success with several bands in the 1930’s and 1940’s. His solo success began with an appearance at the Copacabana night club in New York in 1942. He was a consistent presence on the popular music charts with hits such as 1953’s “Don’t Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes.” Perry’s laid-back vocal style had brought considerable television success in the early 1950’s. He introduced “Round and Round” on his NBC TV series in March of ‘57 and on April 6th it became the #1 song. While Como’s style was certainly not in line with the new rock and roll, he was not an enemy of the new music. He welcomed many rock and roll acts on his television shows. When asked about the new music he commented “(rock and roll) is their music, and someday it’ll probably become the standard music.”
