The Lettermen
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Biography
Formed in Los Angeles, California in 1959, easy listening / pop vocal trio The Lettermen founded by Tony Butala and Jim Pike. Initially part of a musical revue in 1958 where he performed as a member of a fake vocal group called the Lettermen, Butala wanted to form a similar group of his own. After leaving the show, he began to put together a vocal group, but most versions of the line-up didnât last very long. With the addition of Jim Pike, Butala found a perfect partner to collaborate with. The two recruited Bob Engerman for a new trio that they decided to call the Lettermen. The three members â all of whom excelled on solo lead vocals as well as group harmony vocals â signed with Warner Brothers Records and released two unsuccessful singles in 1960. Hooking up with producer Nick Venet, the trio signed with Capitol Records in 1961. Their first single, âThe Way You Look Tonight,â was a hit and climbed to number 13 on Billboardâs Hot 100. Their next single, 1962âs âWhen I Fall in Love,â landed inside the Top 10. They also had hits on Billboardâs Adult Contemporary chart including âTheme from a Summer Placeâ (1965), 1968âs âGoinâ Out of My Head / Canât Take My Eyes Off Youâ and âPut Your Head on My Shoulder,â and 1969âs âHurt So Bad.â The groupâs line-up took its first hit when Bob Engermann left in 1967 and was replaced by Jim Pikeâs brother Gary. Their singles in the 1970s continued to chart but they never reached the Top 40 again. The group soldiered on and continued to tour and record although their lineup began to change on a more frequent basis over the years. After Jim Pikeâs departure in 1976, Tony Butala remained the only original member until 2019, when he retired from performing. The Lettermen were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001 as well as the Fans Entertainment Hall of Fame (2011), the Hit Parade Hall of Fame (2012), and the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2020). Over the course of their career, the Lettermen released many albums including 32 that charted in the Billboard 200 â 11 of them going gold â and had 16 Top 10 hits in the Adult Contemporary charts. Bob Engermann died on January 20, 2013, at the age of 77. A little over six years later, Jim Pike passed away on June 9, 2019, at the age of 82.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Goin' Out Of My Head / Can't Take My Eyes Off You
- Hurt So Bad
- Our Winter Love
- Theme from A Summer Place
- Put Your Head On My Shoulder
- When I Fall in Love
- Graduation Day
- Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
- Can't Smile Without You
- A Summer Song
- Traces Memories
- I Believe/The Lettermen Bows
- Beyond the Sea
- MacArthur Park
- Again
- Dream
- I'll See You In My Dreams
- Friendly Persuasion
- Hello, I Love You/Touch Me (Medley)
- The Wonder Of You
- Dearly Beloved
- I'll Never Stop Loving You
- Young Love
- Pretty Blue Eyes
