Don Rondo
Encyclopedia
Don Rondo was an American
singer of popular music
ballad
s during the mid 1950s, known for his distinctive baritone
voice
.
"Two Different Worlds
". Released by Jubilee Records
in October 1956, the song spent three months on the Billboard
chart
, peaking at #11. It eventually went on to sell in excess of a million copies, and established Rondo at a time when music of his genre was facing strong competition from rock and roll
. Among his television
appearances was a 1956 appearance on the TV game show
, To Tell the Truth
.
Because of the success of "Two Different Worlds", Jubilee quickly followed it up with another release, a double A-side
, "The Love I Never Had" and a cover
of Elvis Presley
's song, "Don't". However, this fared less well, and a third single
, "On Forgotten Street" also failed to make an impact.
Changing tempo in 1957, his next release was a cheerful number, "White Silver Sands
", written
by Red Matthews, and which provided him with a #7 chart hit
, The song actually became Jubilee's biggest selling hit, and another million-seller, but the gold disc
winning "White Silver Sands" was to be Rondo's last major hit. Other releases followed, including "There's Only You" and "Forsaking All Others", but these barely made it into the charts.
After leaving Jubilee, Rondo signed with Atlantic Records
, where he released another double A-side, "Malibu" / "So Did I". He also recorded songs for Carlton Records, Roulette
and Decca
. Among his Carlton releases were "A Hoot 'n A Holler", while his Roulette recordings
included "The Golden Rule". Among his Decca recordings are "Beyond The Mighty River" and "Evening Star." None of these achieved the success of his early Jubilee material, however, and musical tastes had, by then, dramatically shifted. By the mid 1960s, Rondo had moved into broadcasting. He did a number of voiceover
s for radio and television commercials, and in his later years, became a radio
personality in New Hampshire
. Rondo died January 27, 2011 after a year-long battle with lung cancer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer of popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s during the mid 1950s, known for his distinctive baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
voice
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
.
Career
Rondo first became popular following the 1956 release of his rendition of the songSong
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Two Different Worlds
Two Different Worlds (1956 song)
"Two Different Worlds" is a popular song with music by Al Frisch and the lyrics by Sid Wayne, published in 1956.The biggest U.S. hit version was recorded by Don Rondo. It reached #11 on the Billboard chart and #12 on the Cash Box chart...
". Released by Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records was a record label specializing in rhythm and blues along with novelty records. It was founded in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson. Jerry Blaine became Abramson's partner. Blaine bought out Abramson's half of the company in 1947. The company name was Jay-Gee Recording...
in October 1956, the song spent three months on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, peaking at #11. It eventually went on to sell in excess of a million copies, and established Rondo at a time when music of his genre was facing strong competition from rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. Among his television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
appearances was a 1956 appearance on the TV game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
.
Because of the success of "Two Different Worlds", Jubilee quickly followed it up with another release, a double A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, "The Love I Never Had" and a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's song, "Don't". However, this fared less well, and a third single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "On Forgotten Street" also failed to make an impact.
Changing tempo in 1957, his next release was a cheerful number, "White Silver Sands
White Silver Sands
"White Silver Sands" is a popular song. The words and music were written in 1957 by Charles 'Red' Matthews, although partial authorship is also claimed by Gladys Reinhart....
", written
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
by Red Matthews, and which provided him with a #7 chart hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
, The song actually became Jubilee's biggest selling hit, and another million-seller, but the gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
winning "White Silver Sands" was to be Rondo's last major hit. Other releases followed, including "There's Only You" and "Forsaking All Others", but these barely made it into the charts.
After leaving Jubilee, Rondo signed with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, where he released another double A-side, "Malibu" / "So Did I". He also recorded songs for Carlton Records, Roulette
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
and Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
. Among his Carlton releases were "A Hoot 'n A Holler", while his Roulette recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
included "The Golden Rule". Among his Decca recordings are "Beyond The Mighty River" and "Evening Star." None of these achieved the success of his early Jubilee material, however, and musical tastes had, by then, dramatically shifted. By the mid 1960s, Rondo had moved into broadcasting. He did a number of voiceover
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
s for radio and television commercials, and in his later years, became a radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
personality in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. Rondo died January 27, 2011 after a year-long battle with lung cancer.