Don Rondo was amongst the finest of ballad singers during the late 1950s but somehow - with just a few exception - chart success eluded him, despite a succession of fine recordings. Features his hits: "Two Different Worlds", "White Silver Sands" and "There's Only You" plus another 25 tracks that include "While We're Young", "Dormi, Dormi, Dormi", City Lights" and "My Foolish Heart". This is a must have for fans of pleasing vocal ballads and standards. Don Rondo is perhaps a little forgotten gem that you are about to discover.
G**N
Great voice, fantastic singer
Great blast from the past ! 'White silver Sands' was one of my dad's favourites and mine too.'Made For Each Other' figured prominently in my then collection of 78 rpm records left behind after I migrated to a new country years later.Thought I would never hear it again !That's changed now !Also discovered other tracks I had completely forgotten ! Thank you so much
K**R
Five Stars
good cd
C**K
Five Stars
pleased with dvd; prompt delivery
G**Y
All Three Of His Billboard National Hit Singles For Jubilee Plus Album Cuts And Failed Singles
When baritone Don Rondo (born Donald Rondeau in Ware. Massachusetts on January 5, 1930) went head-to-head-to-head in late 1956 with his rendition of Two Different Worlds, he did so against a Jane Morgan/Roger Williams effort for Kapp Records, and one by veteran crooner and one-time Big Band vocalist Dick Haymes for Capitol, and when the dust cleared in November/December, Don's version, with the backing of the Dave Terry Orchestra, had come out on top by finishing at a strong # 11 on the Billboard Pop Top 100 b/w He Made You Mine. And he did so for the small New York City independent label Jubilee, first launched back in 1946 by Herb Abramson and owned outright since 1947 by Jerry Blaine. The Williams/Morgan effort finished at # 41 while Haymes came in at # 80. Not bad for a second effort by a guy who had been earning his keep singing commercial jingles on radio and TV. Before that, in 1956, he had one release for Decca, Evening Star/Beyond The Mighty River (Decca 29738) and when that failed he wasn't invited back.But if you don't know anything about Don Rondo, you'll understand why he was so successful at his first Jubilee crack when you hear that distinctive baritone voice. And then you'll be left wondering why he only enjoyed two more nationally charted singles. For that was his fate despite 13 original singles for Jubilee from 1957 to 1960, three for Roulette in 1959/60, three more for Carlton Records in 1960/61, another New York City independent established in 1957 by former RCA Victor A&R man Joe Carlton (it lasted through to 1964), and two for United Artists in 1966/67. After the success of Two Different Worlds, which earned him guest shots on TV shows, his first two follow-up singles in early 1958 went nowhere - his cover of the Elvis Presley hit out then, Don't, b/w The Love I Never Had (Jubilee 5270), and To Belong/On Forgotten Street (Jubilee 5282). All of the foregoing sides except Don't were then part of his first album "Rondo" (Jubilee JLP-1052) in 1958, along with tracks 2, 3, 4. 5, 7, 11 and 12 in this Jasmine volume (the last from the film The Star).Then, in July/August 1957, he again went up against two other artists with one of the most memorable tunes from that era, Red Matthews' White Silver Sands, and once again came out on top at # 7 Top 100 with the backing of the Billy Rock orchestra on Jubilee 5288 b/w a very nice rendition of the old Jazz standard, Stars Fell On Alabama, first a # 1 for Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians way back in 1934 (also a # 2 for the Richard Himber orchestra that year). The hit side, of course, is here but lamentably they left out the flipside. His competition was "Brother" Dave Gardner (# 22 for OJ) and The Owen Bradley Quintet (# 18 for Decca with vocal by the Anita Kerr Quartet). After that, unfortunately, it was tough going with There's Only You pulling up at # 77 Top 100 in late October 1957 with the backing of the Morty Palitz orchestra on Jubilee 5297 b/w Foresaking All Others (both sides here).And that would be it insofar as nationally charted singles were concerned. A list of his subsequent singles follow with an asterisk (*) preceding those included in this volume, which covers mainly his Jubilee output plus one for Roulette in excellent sound reproduction and their usual informative liner notes. He also had a second LP come out in 1958, an homage to girl's names titled "Have You Met Don Rondo" (Jubilee JLP 1081) containing: Liza; Stella By Starlight; Ramona; Charmaine; Laura; Margie; Jeannine; Mona Lisa; Diane; Delores; Peg O' My Heart; Have You Met Miss Jones? None are included here.Wanderin' Heart/*In Chi Chi Chihuahua - Jubilee 5305 - 1957*Made For Each Other/*What A Shame - Jubilee 5313 - 1958*There Goes My Heart Again/*Blonde Bombshell - Jubilee 5319 - 1958School Dance/I've Got Bells In My Heart - Jubilee 5320 - 1958*Dormi, Dormi, Dormi/Her Hair Was Yellow - Jubilee 5325 - 1958As Long As I Have You/*City Lights - Jubilee 5334 - 1958I Could Be A Mountain/Great Adventures - Jubilee 5341 - 1958Song From "Geisha Boy"/Gretna Green - Jubilee 5354 - 1958*My Foolish Heart/*Leave Your Troubles On My Lips - Jubilee 5364 - 1959Cuckoo Girl/You're On My Mind Again - Jubilee 5372 - 1959Batch Of Love/Quiet Girl - Roulette 4202 - 1959*Wall To Wall Tears/*The Golden Rule - Roulette 4216 - 1959Even The Heavens Cried/That's My Girl - Roulette 4236 - 1960Alone In The World/Because Of You - Jubilee 5381 - 1960Friends/A Hoot An' A Holler - Carlton 531 - 1960Wanderlust/The King of Holiday Island - Carlton 536 - 1960They Were You/You'll Never Walk Alone - Carlton 551 - 1961(above three with the Lew Douglas Orchestra)Two Different Worlds/Blonde Bombshell (re-releases) - Jubilee 5421 - 1962Till The World Knows You're Mine/Is There Room In Your Tomorrow? - United Artists 50111 - 1966Love Me Back/Play The Other Side - Jubilee 5522 - 1966Let's Live For Today/Oh Why My Love? - United Artists 50191 - 1967
T**S
Five Stars
great cd & quickly
A**R
Bons souvenirs.
Très bon achat.
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