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Frankie Laine
Biography
Though his influence proved less durable than his record sales, Frankie Laine was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1950s, swinging jazz standards as well as half a dozen Western movie themes of the time with his manly baritone. Laine's somewhat artificial Western nature proved more successful in far-off England, where he set two chart records in 1953: his version of "I Believe" stayed at number one in the U.K. for an incredible 18 weeks, and his two subsequent chart-toppers that year ("Hey Joe," "Answer Me") set a record by putting Laine at number one for 27 weeks during the year.

Born in Chicago in 1913, Laine sang in the local church choir and first performed professionally at the age of 15. He moved to nightclubs by his later high-school years and began traveling around the country, performing as a singing waiter and dance instructor in addition to menial labor such as car sales and machinist work. Laine moved up a rung in 1937, when he replaced Perry Como in a regional big band led by Freddy Carlone. Laine was back on his own by the mid-'40s, but a stirring rendition of Hoagy Carmichael's "Rockin' Chair" performed one night when Carmichael was himself in the audience proved to be the young singer's break.