Tony Butala of the Lettermen Dies at 87

Tony Butala, a founding member of The Lettermen and the vocal group’s last surviving original member, died Sunday, Nov. 1, at age 87, a representative for the group confirmed. A cause of death was not reported.

The Lettermen placed 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 from the early 1960s through the early 1970s, including six top 40 hits. Their breakthrough came with their 1961 recording of “The Way You Look Tonight.” They also recorded “When I Fall in Love” in 1961, “Goin’ Out of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” in 1967 and “Hurt So Bad” in 1969.

A statement issued Tuesday read: “We have lost an integral member of The Lettermen family. It is with profound sadness that we announce the recent passing of Tony Butala, founding member of the international recording artists ‘The Lettermen,’ and recipient of a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with his children, grandchildren, siblings, the love of his life, the entire Lettermen organization and all who knew and loved him.”

“Tony never met a stranger,” the statement continued. “His life was a living example of talent, perseverance, and refinement. But above all, his true joy was entertaining and sharing his music with audiences worldwide.”

Born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, in 1938, Butala began singing at an early age and performed on Pittsburgh radio station KDKA when he was seven. After moving to Los Angeles with his mother, he sang with the Mitchell Boys Choir in the films White Christmas, Peter Pan, War of the Worlds and On Moonlight Bay by age 10.

The Lettermen formed as a trio in 1958, with Butala joined by Bob Engemann and Jim Pike.

The group’s first Hot 100 hit was “The Way You Look Tonight,” written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields and originally performed by Fred Astaire in the film Swing Time. The Lettermen’s highest-charting singles were “When I Fall in Love” and the double-sided release “Goin’ Out of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” both of which reached No. 7.

Six of their 20 Hot 100 hits reached the top 20: “The Way You Look Tonight” at No. 13 in 1961, “When I Fall in Love” at No. 7 in 1962, “Come Back Silly Girl” at No. 17 in 1962, “Theme From A Summer Place” at No. 16 in 1965, “Goin’ Out of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” at No. 7 in 1968 and “Hurt So Bad” at No. 12 in 1969. “Hurt So Bad” spent 21 weeks on the chart, the most of any Lettermen recording.

The Lettermen received four Grammy nominations, including best new artist in 1962. Their recording of the Oscar-winning 1936 song “The Way You Look Tonight” and the album containing it, A Song For Young Love, were nominated for best performance by a vocal group. The group also received a nomination for best contemporary-pop performance, vocal duo or group, for its medley of “Goin’ Out of My Head” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” two of the most-covered songs of the late 1960s.

Butala and The Lettermen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020, after the deaths of Engemann in 2013 and Pike in 2019.

Butala had stepped back from performing as of 2019. The Lettermen continue with vocalists Donovan Tea, Bobby Poynton and Rob Gulack.

No public viewing is planned. Celebrations of Butala’s life will be held in Wisconsin and California at a later date.

Source: Billboard