"Vale, born Genaro Louis Vitaliano in 1932, learned the Italian repertoire from an early age; his mother often sang around the house and trotted out the old songs at extended-family gatherings. While shining shoes at a local barber shop at the age of 11, young Vitaliano began singing popular songs for customers while he worked. He was soon sent to a vocal coach, where he learned piano as well as voice. Over the course of just four years, he'd progressed from school productions to paying gigs to residencies at supper clubs around New York City".
"Profile of singer Jerry Vale from a series on crooners I did for the Today Show. Vale, in addition to loving music, also had a passion for baseball and one time, at his own expense, hired an orchestra & backup singers to help him record the national anthem, which he then gave, free of charge, to ballparks to play before games. His recording was the first song inducted into the baseball hall of fame".
