Laine, Frankie

The oldest of eight children of Sicilian immigrants, Frankie Laine was born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio on March 30, 1913, in Chicago’s Little Italy. His father was a barber (one of his private clients was mobster kingpin A1 Capone ), and his maternal grandfather was murdered by gangsters. That aside, Francesco had a happy family life. His lifelong love of music and singing developed when he was part of the choir at the Church of the Immaculate Conception. He later attended Lane...