Iconic crooner, Frankie Laine passed away on Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at the age of 93. His death has been blamed on complications from a recent hip replacement surgery. Laine’s career took off at the tail end of 1946, when Mercury Records released “That’s My Desire”. This song would become a must for 1950s vocal groups to know and master. Versions by Hadda Brooks, Dion and The Belmonts, The Channels and The Flamingos still sound great today, as does Frankie Laine’s. He had several number one records in the late 40s, into the 1950s, including “Mule Train” and “The Cry Of The Wild Goose”. He left Mercury for Mitch Miller and Columbia Records. “The Moonlight Gambler”, “Hey Joe”, “Jezebel” and other great hits would follow.

Laine had a voice that was so versatile, he could sing ballads, jazz, R&B; and pop. He sang with such power and passion, that I would place him right next to Johnny Ray and Elvis Presley as a singer and entertainer. Even though he had largely been retired and inactive since the mid 1980s, his loss in the music world will most surely be felt.

Yes, he was 93, but it’s still very sad to see another great star of the 1950s pass on. Frankie’s up in heaven now chasing “That Lucky Ol’ Sun”, while the rest of us are left down here with just his memory and his records to enjoy.

-Matt The Cat