CARMEN CAVALLARO
Releases
- Centenary, Carmen Cavallaro
- Roger Williams vs. Carmen Cavallaro
- I'll Be with You in Apple Blossom Time, Carmen Cavallaro
- From Roma To Hollywood, Carmen Cavallaro
- Carmen Cavallaro, Carmen Cavallaro
- Piano For Lounge, Carmen Cavallaro
- The Eddy Duchin Story, Carmen Cavallaro
- Dream Lover, Carmen Cavallaro
- Concert Piano And Orchestra, Carmen Cavallaro
- Piano, Night And Day, Carmen Cavallaro
- Rhumbas For Dancing, Carmen Cavallaro
- September Song, Carmen Cavallaro
- The Eddy Duchin Story, Carmen Cavallaro
- The Eddy Duchin Story: Part 2, Carmen Cavallaro
- The Embers, Carmen Cavallaro
- The Eddy Duchin Story, Carmen Cavallaro
- Italian Folk Songs. Piano Serenade, Carmen Cavallaro
- Hollywood Canteen (O.S.T - 1944)
- Ballroom, Waltz, Bailes de Salón
- Vintage Songs, Ambient Street
- Ambient Music for Cocktails
- 100 Instrumental Versions
- 100 Romantic Songs Piano Bar Lounge
- Jazz In The Night, Varios Artists
- Ballroom, Boogie, Bailes de Salón
- Romantic Songs "Piano Bar"
- 100 Easy Listening Instrumental Songs
- Piano Lounge. 100 Songs
- 100 Best Dance Orchestras
- 100 Piano Latino
Videos
Biography
In 1933 Carmen Cavallaro joined Al Kavelin’s orchestra, where he quickly became the featured soloist. After four years he switched to a series of other big bands, including Rudy Vallee’s in 1937. He also worked briefly with Enrico Madriguera and Abe Lyman.Carmen Cavallaro formed his own band, a five-piece combo, in St. Louis, Missouri in 1939. His popularity grew and his group expanded into a 14-piece orchestra, releasing some 19 albums for Decca over the years. Although his band traveled the country and played in all the top spots, he made a particular impact at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, which became a favored venue, and which also later became a favorite spot of George Shearing and Mel Tormé. Other venues where he drew large audiences included New York’s Waldorf-Astoria, Chicago’s Palmer House and the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles. In 1963 he had a million-seller hit recording of the song Sukiyaki.One of Cavallaro’s vocalists, Guy Mitchell, later became famous in his own right.
Cavallaro’s single best-selling recording was his pop version of “Chopin’s ‘Polonaise.'”
Cavallaro became a member of ASCAP in 1957. Although he wrote several songs, including “Dolores My Own” and “Anita”, the most popular were “While the Nightwind Sings” and “Masquerade Waltz”.Carmen Cavallaro also became famous through the media of radio and film, firstly with his regular program on NBC during the 1940s, The Schaeffer Parade, of which he was the host and later in films where he played himself, starting with Hollywood Canteen (1944), then Diamond Horseshoe, Out of This World (both 1945) and The Time, The Place and The Girl (1946). His most celebrated film achievement was playing the piano music for actor Tyrone Power’s hands to mime, in The Eddy Duchin Story (1956).
Carmen Cavallaro was married to Wanda Cavallaro on 6 May 1935. They had three children. They were divorced on 28 December 1962.
Cavallaro died from cancer on 12 October 1989 in Columbus, Ohio. He was survived by his three children: Dolores Cavallaro Buscher, Paul Cavallaro and Anita Cavallaro Finkelstein; and a granddaughter; Andrea Finkelstein Sherman.