Tony Butala, founder and last surviving original member of the vocal group The Lettermen, died on November 1 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. He was 87. The cause of death was not disclosed.
The group’s manager, David Haskell, told USA Today that Butala had experienced health problems in recent years and died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. “He lived to be on stage,” said Haskell, who had known the singer for nearly five decades.
The voice behind The Lettermen’s hits
Butala formed The Lettermen in the late 1950s with Jim Pike and Bob Engemann. The trio developed a distinctive style featuring close vocal harmonies and romantic pop arrangements, making it one of the most popular vocal groups of the 1960s.
Their first major success came in 1961 with their version of The Way You Look Tonight. The song reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the group a Grammy nomination. The Lettermen received a total of four Grammy nominations, including one for Best New Artist.
Over the following decade, the group placed 19 more songs on the Billboard charts. Among the best known were When I Fall in Love and the medley Goin' Out of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You, which was nominated for a Grammy in 1968. The Lettermen’s final hit was Everything Is Good About You in 1971.
From the children’s stage to the Walk of Fame
Butala began singing professionally at the age of 7 in his hometown of Sharon, Pennsylvania. A year later, he appeared on a KDKA radio program in Pittsburgh. After moving to Los Angeles, he joined the Mitchell Boys Choir and appeared in the films White Christmas, Peter Pan, The War of the Worlds and On Moonlight Bay.
The singer retired from the stage in 2019 but continued to follow the group’s progress. Following the deaths of Jim Pike and Bob Engemann, he remained the last original member of the lineup. In 2020, The Lettermen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
There will be no public viewing for Butala. Memorial events will be held in Wisconsin and California, with details to be announced later.
Sources: apnews.com, aol.com